MANILA, Philippines – Inihain ni Senador Grace Poe ang isang panukalang batas na magbibigay ng 25-taong prangkisa sa Starlink Internet Services Philippines Inc. upang makapaghatid ng internet service sa malalayong lugar.
Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Poe na kailangan ng naturang kompanya ang prangkisa sa ilalim ng Senate Bill No. 2844 upang makapagpatayo, magmenteni at magpatakbo ng satellite ground stations para sa probisyon ng broadband internet services.
“Starlink is seen to bridge the digital gap by providing satellite-based internet connectivity in areas not covered by traditional terrestrial networks and in remote areas where it is difficult to build telecommunications infrastructure,” ayon kay Poe.
“The use of satellite technology is particularly well-suited in an archipelago like the Philippines, where large portions of the population live in rural areas and isolated islands,” dagdag niya.
Isang subsidiary ng Starlink Satellite Services Corp., na namamahala ng kauna-unahan at pinakamalawak na satellite constellation, mayroon ang Starlink noong Hunyo 2024 ng mahigit 6,200 active satellites, na kumakatawan sa kahalati ng aktibong satellites na umiikot sa mundo, kaya makakayanan nitong maghatid ng broadband internet na susuporta sa streaming, online gaming, at video calls.
Nabigyan ang Starlink Philippines ng accreditation bilang isang Satellite Systems Provider o Operator ng Department of Information and Communications Technology at nakarehistro bilang Value-Added Service provider ng National Telecommunications Commission.
Kahit pinayagan nang maghatid ng internet services sa bansa, nakikita ang legislative franchise bilang pamamaraan upang mas lalo pang mapahusay ang kanilang serbisyo sa pagpapatayo at magpatakbo ng gateway earth stations.
Nakatakda sa Republic Act No. 3846 o ang Radio Control Act na nagsasabing itinuturing ang gateway earth stations bilang “radio stations” na kailangan ng legislative franchise.
Sa ilalim ng panukala, pinapayagan ang Starlink na magkonekta o humingi ng connections ng kanilang telecommunications systems sa ibang telecommunications systems installed, operated o maintainance ng iba pang awtorisadong indibiduwal o entity sa Pilipinas.
Inaatasan ang kompanya na paghusayin at palawakin ang serbisyo nito sa di napagsisilbihan o walang serbisyo ng internet at disadvantaged areas, at sa hazard at typhoon areas na tutukuyin ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
“The harsh reality of internet service in the country is reflected in the most recent national census which found that only 56.1% of Filipino households can access the internet at home while 42.1% can access it via mobile broadband networks,” ayon kay Poe.
“Poor internet access limits the opportunities available to Filipinos, particularly for low income households. The entry of a new player brings bright prospects in our telecommunications industry,” dagdag ni Poe. Ernie Reyes
