Elon Musk's SpaceX's Starlink was launched in Indonesia on Sunday, as an answer to the goal of the Southeast Asian country to improve internet connectivity, especially in remote areas.
The inauguration, which Elon Musk himself attended, was done at a Bali community health center. The Tesla CEO told local media that he was really "very excited" to bring connectivity in previously unreached areas, underscoring that Internet connectivity could be a "life-saver" for medical clinics in far-flung locations, CNBC reported.
Aside from a health center in Bali, another location where Starlink was launched was on the remote island of Aru in Maluku.
"It is really important to emphasize the importance of internet connectivity and how much of a life-changer and a life-saver it can be," Musk told Kompas TV Sukabumi, a local media in Indonesia.
Budi Arie Setiadi, the Communication and Informatics Minister of Indonesia said that Starlink would be able to help the country bring more connectivity services in areas where there is limited or no Internet access at all. Starlink would help the government bring connectivity to areas, which are not yet serviced by local internet service providers, Antara, a local Indonesian news agency reported.
Indonesia is known as the largest archipelago in the world with 17,000 islands, and connectivity issues is one of its problems. There is an "urban-rural connectivity divide," which highlights the different experiences of those in rural areas vis-a-vis those in urban areas, in terms of Internet connectivity.
During the launch, CNN reported that a video presentation showed how having a high internet speed would allow real-time input of data, which could benefit and tackle health challenges faster.
Setiadi debunked rumors and concerns over local internet providers, which purported that the entry of Starlink could be prejudicial to their business.
Musk was also asked if he had plans to invest in the electric vehicle industry of Indonesia, to which he answered that he was focusing on Starlink first.
"We are focusing this event on Starlink and the benefits that connectivity brings to remote islands," Musk said.
While he stressed focusing first on Starlink, Musk did not close doors for possible future investments.
"It's very likely that my companies will invest in Indonesia," said the tech tycoon.
Aside from Indonesia, there were already two Southeast Asian countries where Starlink has been made available. These are Malaysia and the Philippines.
Starlink is also widely used in Ukraine. Some of the entities that use Starlink are those in the hospitals, military, aid organizations, and businesses.
