Elon Musk launches Starlink satellite internet service in Indonesia, world's largest archipelago
The Hindu
Elon Musk traveled to Indonesia’s resort island of Bali to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world’s largest archipelago nation.
Elon Musk traveled to Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Sunday to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world’s largest archipelago nation.
Wearing a green Batik shirt, Mr. Musk was greeted with a garland of flower petals at a community health clinic in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali, where he launched the Starlink service alongside Indonesian ministers.
Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 17,000 islands sprawled across three time zones with a population of more than 270 million, has been trying for years to secure deals with Mr. Musk's Tesla on battery investment and for Mr. Musk’s SpaceX to provide fast internet for the country’s remote regions.
During the ceremony, Mr. Musk took a speed test of the Starlink internet service with several health workers in Indonesia’s remote regions, including in Aru, one of Indonesia’s unserved and outermost islands in Maluku province.
“This can make it really a lifesaver for remote medical clinics, and I think it could be a possibility for education as well,” Mr. Musk told reporters.
“If you can access the internet and then you can learn anything and you can also sell your business services worldwide. So, I think it’s going to be incredibly beneficial," he said.
He also signed an agreement on enhancing connectivity in the country’s health and education sectors. Details about the agreement between the Indonesian government and Mr. Musk’s SpaceX, the aerospace company that operates Starlink services, were not provided.