Elon Musk visited Bali this weekend to officially launch Starlink, the SpaceX satellite internet service, in Indonesia this Sunday.
Speaking at a launch event with ministers at a clinic in Indonesia, Musk stressed the importance of providing internet access to large swaths of the vast archipelago, which is made up of 17,000 islands spread across three time zones.
“We're focusing this event on Starlink and the benefits I've discovered that productivity can bring to remote islands and remote communities,” Musk said. “I think it's really important to emphasize the importance of internet connectivity and how life-changing and life-saver it can be.”
Because Starlink has satellites in low orbit, it can provide high-speed internet service to more locations than some local internet providers.
Communications and Information Minister Budi Ali Setiadi said local providers that rely on base stations to transmit signals cannot reach remote islands because of limited coverage, the Associated Press reported.
At the launch event, Musk conducted a speed test of the internet service with several medical workers in remote parts of the archipelago.
“This could be a real lifesaver for clinics in remote areas, and I think it has potential for education as well,” Musk told reporters, according to the Associated Press.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said there are still about 2,700 clinics without internet access out of more than 10,000 clinics nationwide, according to the Associated Press.
Musk will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday, where he will participate in a World Water Forum meeting.
The Associated Press contributed.
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