The Taiwanese government plans to create a new satellite Internet service to provide an alternative to Starlink. This was written by The New York Times, reported by UNN.
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The publication writes that Taiwanese officials are working to ensure that the island's communications infrastructure is able to withstand the crisis amid China's threats and regular cyberattacks that Taiwan is already experiencing.
However, Taiwan's infrastructure is vulnerable, as demonstrated last year by the severance of cables that provide internet to the remote Matsu Islands. And the war in Ukraine has exacerbated the sense of vulnerability, as much of the telecommunications system has been disabled by Russian weapons and cyberattacks, leaving the Ukrainian military dependent on a system controlled by Elon Musk. Taiwanese authorities decided that it would be best to build a satellite network that they could control.
The Ukrainian-Russian war has made us think deeply. Even if the cost of creating an alternative communication system is high, in a special scenario, the value of our own satellite communications is infinite
But building a network of satellites to be manufactured, launched, and controlled from Taiwan will require billions of dollars and years of research and testing.
The Taiwanese government has said it wants to send its first communications satellite into orbit by 2026, and the second within two years, while developing four more test satellites. President Tsai Ing-wen has pledged to allocate $1.3 billion to Taiwan's space program to turn the best results of these tests into a satellite Internet network that will be entirely made and controlled from Taiwan.
While the network is being developed, the Taiwanese government has signed agreements to access existing satellite networks. It said it plans to deploy 700 terminals capable of receiving satellite signals. In August, it partnered with Luxembourg-based SES, and in November, Chunghwa Telecom announced a partnership with Eutelsat OneWeb. These partnerships could provide multiple levels of backup even after Taiwan launches its own network.
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Taipei has been exploring ways to acquire satellite internet technology since 2018, including in talks with SpaceX. However, Musk did not agree to the requirement that any foreign company involved in the communications infrastructure be a joint venture with a local partner that will hold a majority stake.