Amazon seeks to provide satellite Internet services in Vietnam

Amazon is exploring opportunities to offer high-speed satellite Internet services in Vietnam by applying for a pilot license, said a company representative.

During a working session with Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Duc Long on Tuesday, Gonzalo de Dios, head of global licensing for Project Kuiper at Amazon, noted that Vietnam holds an important position in Amazon’s development strategy.

He said Project Kuiper, Amazon’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network, aims to build a system of more than 3,200 LEO satellites to provide high-speed connectivity to remote, rural, and island areas.

The service could reach speeds of up to 400 Mbps for individuals and 1 Gbps for businesses, with low latency and integrated security solutions from Amazon Web Services (AWS).

According to Gonzalo de Dios, Amazon has already launched 102 satellites and aims to complete at least 50% of the remaining satellites by 2026.

In Vietnam, Amazon has established Amazon Kuiper Vietnam LLC in Ho Chi Minh City. On August 6, the company submitted an application to participate in a controlled pilot program to provide LEO satellite telecommunications services in accordance with the National Assembly’s Resolution 193.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Long praised the progress of Project Kuiper. He emphasized that LEO satellite technology plays a key role in the national digital infrastructure development strategy, helping to expand high-speed Internet access, support socio-economic development, and fulfill the goal of nationwide coverage by 2030.

He noted that Project Kuiper aligns with Vietnam's strategy on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Telecommunications Law, and Vietnam’s digital transformation needs.

He added that this solution could help people, especially those in remote areas, access digital services and easily complete administrative procedures, particularly after the restructuring of provincial-level administrative units.

The Deputy Minister assigned the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority and the Authority of Radio Frequency Management to work with the project team to address technical issues and finalize the documentation. The goal is to submit the application for piloting the project to the Prime Minister by September.

In April, the U.S.'s SpaceX, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, was granted a license to pilot its Starlink satellite Internet service in Vietnam.

SpaceX plans to invest $1.5 billion in Vietnam to deploy Starlink, aiming to provide broadband connectivity to remote, border, and island areas where traditional Internet infrastructure remains limited.

At present, it is still in the process of establishing a legal entity in Vietnam. Once established, the company must obtain a license from the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority before offering services.

Both Kuiper and Starlink share the same goal of delivering high-speed broadband satellite Internet, primarily to residents in remote areas. However, Starlink has a first-mover advantage.

While Starlink already has thousands of active satellites and millions of users, Kuiper has launched just over 100 satellites and has not yet reached end users. Amazon's Internet service is expected to be available to customers by the end of 2025.