SpaceX’s Starlink started business-to-consumer (B2C), retail business in Indonesia starts January 2024 [alongside Brunei, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Timor Leste]

Redmond Washington 10.54pm

Indonesia Telco Minister Budi announced full-authorized business-to-consumer (B2C) model for SpaceX’s Starlink

Announcements around 4am Redmond Washington-Starlink development facility [Oct 5th] or Jakarta 7pm [Oct 5th], SpaceX’s Starlink authorized to operate independently in Indonesia using a business-to-consumer (B2C) model, can be purchased directly and or from authorized resellers in the retail market since January 2024, announced by Indonesia Telco Minister Budi Arie Setiadi in Instagram, a facebook product.

Minister Aried added that SpaceX’s Starlink must use IP local addresses to fulfill local regulation. Starlink assigns Standard customers dynamic IP addresses through a system called CGNAT. The internet has grown so much worldwide that there simply aren’t enough unique IPV4 IP addresses to go around. To solve this issue, ISP’s use technologies like CGNAT. Start 2024 B2C model in Indonesia, because IPV4 addresses are in short supply, Starlink charges a premium to be able to reserve a public IP address. That is why you’ll need to subscribe to Starlink’s Priority plan to get a public IP. And even then, it’s not necessarily static, it could change at Starlink’s discretion.

Around 3 weeks ago, before the announcement by Minister Arie hours ago [officially started the business-to-consumer / B2C model for SpaceX’s Starlink in 2024], on Sept. 18, the Communications and Information Technology Ministry met with representatives of SpaceX, Rebecca Slick Hunter, Senior Manager, Government Affairs.

Indonesia’s geographical conditions makes it very challenging to evenly distribute fiber optic network development throughout Indonesia. Starlink comes as the right solution to fill the needs of backhaul networks in areas not yet covered by fiber optics, until a more permanent solution is available.

Until October 2023, can assume that a blue verified/paid subscriber of X - formerly TWITTER, in Indonesia, reaches 100k or more, a big potential market for Elon Musk alongside potential gigafactory - Tesla [or at least battery production] and Starlink business. Even Indonesia very potential for SpaceX - satellite business [separate with Telco/Communication-Internet access under Starlink]

For specific SpaceX, although it is very hard to imagine that Elon Reeve Musk is investing in a new spaceport outside US soil, actually Indonesia has an advantage. Due to its equatorial positioning, authorities believe Biak Papua is the site to make an ideal spot to build a spaceport for launches, as the rocket can take advantage of the Earth’s rotational speeds. Internationally verified studies have identified that Biak’s equatorial positioning places it in the top 10 most efficient rocket launch latitudes in the world. Biak is just one degree below the equator, which makes it ideal for launching spacecraft as less fuel is needed to reach orbit (and Biak) also has several features that make it attractive for anyone with space ambitions, it is flush with nickel and copper - both used to manufacture rockets and EV.

According to SpaceX’s Starlink - Business map, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, and Timor Leste also get a status ‘STARTING 2024.’ Thailand and Vietnam get a status ‘PENDING REGULATORY APPROVAL’, and Burma / Myanmar, because of the junta problem, get a status ‘UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.’ For some stark difference, as Indonesia ‘waiting list - STARTING 2024’, Christmas Island [only 135 km square], an Australian external territory comprising the island of the same name, around 350 kilometres south of Java, get a status ‘AVAILABLE NOW’ like entire Australia. Beside Australia, in Asia - Pacific already full-operation on business retail for Starlink is New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Philippines. 

Before full-operation retail business in Indonesia, Starlink unit can connect to antenna Cell modules to relay smartphones to Starlink. Telkom Indonesia started doing it and they had a deal with SpaceX [under TELKOM subsidiary, TELKOMSAT]. In June 2022, in fact, STARLINK entered Indonesia through a business-to-business (B2B) partnership with PT Telkom Indonesia subsidiary Telkom Satelit Indonesia (Telkomsat). Dating back to June 2022, the government had granted satellite landing rights to Starlink so the company could provide a backhaul for Telkomsat to reach consumers in 3T regions. In doing so, Telkomsat also collaborates with Smartfren Business through telecommunication company PT Smartfren Telecom. Worried to suffer a losing chunk of the market on Telco business, AXIATA Group Berhad [by subsidiary, PT XL Axiata] restarted a merger plan with SINAR MAS [a parent company of Smartfren].

3 Months after, Starlink has already established a company in Indonesia that will serve as Starlink’s operator in the country, PT Starlink Services Indonesia. Authorized in September 2022, the company’s business fields include satellite telecommunications, ISP and web portals or digital platforms with commercial purposes. 

Days before establishing a new office in Indonesia, Telkomsat and Starlink supported the 2022 [military drill] Garuda Shield-16 Joint Exercise (LATMA). Starlink services have been proven capable and provide satisfaction in serving internet connections in the blankspot area as the location of LATMA in the Amborawang area, Samboja sub-district, Kutai Kartanegara district, East Kalimantan province.

During 15 July to 31 August 2022, Starlink services have been used for telecommunications needs, support and successful LATMA activities involving 14 countries - military deelgation, Indonesia, United States of America, Australia, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, France, United Kingdom, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, India, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea.

The Starlink service is trusted to support the success of LATMA Garuda Shield-16 because it has many advantages, including having the speed of the installation delivery process with lightweight and portable devices, having broadband service speeds equivalent to fiber optic, and being able to support telecommunication services up to 5G.

The nearest authorized reseller from Jakarta today [before full authorized B2C in 2024], so far MARLINK TELEMAR pte ltd [16 Collyer Quay Singapore 049318], ANUVU SINGAPORE [101 Thomson Road Singapore 30], IEC TELECOM Singapore [ Aljunied Road Singapore 389842], Navarino [1 Coleman Street #09-09A The Adelphi 179803 Singapore], NETWORK INNOVATION [2 cities, KUALA LUMPUR  203, Jln Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur; SINGAPORE 3791 Jalan Bukit Merah Singapore 159471]

SpaceX’s Starlink service also expanded availability over the US. Heavy demand in some parts of the US has meant that Starlink was severely limiting new subscribers owing to limited bandwidth.

However, with almost 1,000 new broadband satellites launched over the past few months, and the latest full Version 2 craft now being launched with four-times the capacity on each satellite, the whole continental US is now taking orders.

It is a similar situation in South America where Brazil is fully open for business.

Recent positive news that India and Turkey / Turkiye are likely to be open for business once licensing regulations are met, means that significant new territorial expansion is available to Starlink. Elon Musk met President Turkiye Erdogan in the marginal meeting of UN General Assembly last September. Sept 18th, 2021, around 2 years before Elon - Erdogan meeting last September in NYC, Erdogan administration signed a deal with SpaceX to launch the Türksat 6A satellite.

Musk's U.S.-based SpaceX is set to launch Turkey's first domestically produced communications satellite, Türksat 6A. Turkiye Türksat and SpaceX have also signed an agreement. Turkiye minister noted the satellite's production, integration and test phases are being conducted in the Space Systems Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) Center in the capital, Ankara. The project will make Turkey one of the 10 countries that can produce its own communications satellite.

Elon Musk also met Indian PM Narendra Modi in NY, in the middle State Visit of Modi last June 2023.

The whole of Western Europe is also open for business, except for Serbia, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro.

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-prada- Adi Mulia Pradana is a Helper. Former adviser (President Indonesia) Jokowi