Starlink faces difficulty competing with fixed and mobile services in Vietnam.

According to the Telecommunications Authority, low Earth orbit satellite services like Starlink are unlikely to compete with the fixed and mobile broadband services currently provided by Vietnamese companies.

Speaking to VTC News at the Ministry of Science and Technology’s regular press conference in April (held on the morning of April 1), Mr. Nguyễn Anh Cương, Deputy Director of the Telecommunications Authority, said that Starlink Services Vietnam Co., Ltd. has been granted two licenses to provide telecommunications services with network infrastructure, allowing it to pilot low Earth orbit satellite services in Vietnam for a period of five years.

Specifically, during the pilot phase, Starlink Services Vietnam will be limited to a maximum of 600,000 subscribers—equivalent to only about 2.5% of the total number of fixed broadband subscribers in Vietnam.

According to the Telecommunications Authority, during this pilot phase, low Earth orbit satellite services are unlikely to compete with the fixed and mobile broadband services offered by domestic telecom providers.

After being licensed, Starlink is required to fully comply with Vietnamese laws on pricing management and competition, just like other telecom companies in the market. Pricing laws ensure transparency, respect for pricing autonomy, and fair competition among businesses.

Regarding concerns that Starlink could lower prices and compete directly with domestic telecom providers, the Telecommunications Authority stated that if any company adjusts prices—especially if price cuts show signs of unfair competition—regulators will strengthen oversight and apply legal measures on pricing and competition to promptly address the issue.