Da Nang among three Vietnamese cities selected for Elon Musk’s Starlink gateway network

According to a license issued by the Radio Frequency Department under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Starlink Services Vietnam is authorized to use radio frequencies and install fixed satellite service equipment in Lien Chieu Ward (Da Nang), Binh Nguyen Commune (Phu Tho), as well as Tang Nhon Phu and Tan Thuan wards (Ho Chi Minh City).

A gateway station serves as the ground-based facility where radio equipment connects satellites to terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure for data transmission. When accessing the internet, a user’s dish antenna communicates with the satellite, which then relays the signal to the nearest gateway station.

According to Starlink Insider, by the end of 2025, the network operated 150 gateway stations worldwide, with 13 stations under construction, and 19 awaiting approval.

Low-Earth orbit satellite internet systems are anticipated to complement existing telecommunications infrastructure, enhancing connectivity especially in areas where terrestrial networks are difficult to deploy or where greater redundancy is required.

The initiative is seen as one of the solutions to improve digital infrastructure capacity, thereby supporting the development of the digital economy, digital society and national digital transformation.