MANILA - SpaceX and its low-orbit satellite technology Starlink will soon be available in the Philippines but consumers need to purchase the router kit and pay the monthly subscription fee to use the service.

The router kit costs $599 (P33,334.65, $1 = P55.65) while the monthly subscription fee is set at $99 (P5,509.40), SpaceX and Starlink representative Rebecca Hubert said in a press briefing with Department of Information and Communications (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy.

Uy showcased the Starlink router kit needed to access the services, which includes a router and a dish.

"This can be placed on the roof top so long as it has clear sky, you’ll be able to get a satellite signal. It’s a very portable technology," Uy said.

“Once you set it up, this dish searches the sky for the strongest signal for the satellite. We have several dozen satellites over the Philippines at any given time,” he added.

Uy said the government plans to shoulder the installation of the technology in rural areas.

Meanwhile, Hubert said Starlink can be used in extreme weather conditions such as high heat.

The technology was used in Ukraine when traditional internet was unavailable due to Russia's invasion.

“We used Starlink a lot in disaster response," Hubert said.

Elon Musk's SpaceX and its Starlink technology has secured government approval to setup shop in the Philippines with the help of former Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

Under the amended Public Service Act, foreign investors can operate 100 percent of select businesses including telcos.

ERRATUM: An earlier version of this story said the router kit costs $5.99 or P333.35. We regret the error.

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