MANILA, July 15 — For communities across Asia where internet cables have never reached, the race between two of the world’s richest men is bringing something long overdue: a real choice in satellite internet. SpaceX’s Starlink, which first launched its satellites in May 2019, has deployed over 5,000 satellites as of early 2024 and now serves more than 2 million subscribers across 60 countries. Amazon’s Project Kuiper, announced the same year, plans a constellation of 3,236 satellites and launched its first two prototype satellites in October 2023.
Both systems operate in low Earth orbit, which cuts latency dramatically compared to traditional geostationary satellites that sit much farther out. For families in the Philippines’ remote islands or students in Indonesia’s outer provinces, that means video calls and online classes without the agonising lag that has long plagued satellite connections.
Two visions, one orbit
Starlink’s beta service began in October 2020, giving it a head start of several years. Project Kuiper aims to begin commercial service by late 2024 or 2025 — a target that, as of mid-2026, remains closely watched across the region. The Federal Communications Commission has granted licences to both companies.
SpaceX received approval for up to 12,000 satellites, while Amazon received approval for its planned 3,236. The difference in scale is significant, but both are building networks designed to reach places traditional providers ignore.
Closer to home, the competition is already reshaping what’s possible. Starlink’s standard dish costs $599, and Amazon has said it is targeting a similar price point. For many households across Southeast Asia, that price remains steep, but the trajectory is downward — and the pressure of competition is accelerating it.
Innovation born from rivalry
The rivalry between the two systems is driving real advances in satellite design, ground terminals, and pricing. Each company is pushing the other to make dishes cheaper, connections faster, and coverage more reliable. For communities in rural Asia that have waited years — sometimes decades — for basic internet access, that competition matters.
It means that the technology is improving not in a vacuum, but because two well-funded players are racing to win the same customers. What comes next will depend on execution.
Project Kuiper still needs to launch its full constellation and begin commercial service. Starlink continues to expand its subscriber base and refine its hardware. For families across the region watching from places where the nearest fibre optic cable is hundreds of kilometres away, the real prize is not which company wins — but that both are still racing.
