Last week, we reported that the Prime Minister (PM) specifically urged the Ministry of Communications and Digital to prioritise the enhancement of internet connectivity on university campuses throughout the country and he also stressed that providing internet facilities in universities is a fundamental and essential requirement. So, after meeting with the SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk, last Friday (14 July), Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has decided to use Starlink in educational institutions.
FMT reports that the PM has announced that the government would purchase 40 units of Starlink internet devices for universities, colleges, and schools nationwide. He revealed that the decision came about following an online meeting yesterday with Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX. The meeting included participation from Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz and Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Anwar informed Fahmi immediately after the meeting to proceed with the purchase of the devices and install them in universities requiring connectivity.
Starlink, a satellite communications device developed by SpaceX, utilises a constellation of satellites in low-earth orbit to establish internet connections. Anwar highlighted that Starlink could also enhance internet coverage in rural areas.
According to Starlink’s specs, users can expect typical download speeds between 25 and 220 Mbps, with a majority of users experiencing speeds over 100 Mbps. Upload speeds are typically between 5 and 20 Mbps. Latency ranges between 25 and 60 ms on land, and 100+ ms in certain remote locations.
The priority will be given to installing the devices in educational institutions before extending their implementation elsewhere.
Anwar emphasised the transformative power of Starlink, stating that this small device can instantly improve a slow internet connection and enable internet access in areas where it was previously unavailable because it communicates directly with the satellite.
