Why Starlink won't open Vietnam's heavily censored internet

Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service has commenced selling its high-speed service in Vietnam, a nation renowned for its stringent internet censorship. The trial, limited to 600,000 subscribers until the end of 2030, was authorized by the Vietnamese government in March 2025 as part of efforts to mitigate potential US trade measures stemming from Vietnam's substantial trade surplus.

Starlink's most significant advantage lies in its ability to provide internet access in remote, mountainous, and island regions with inadequate terrestrial infrastructure. However, the service remains prohibitively expensive for many rural Vietnamese households, with monthly costs averaging around €37 and necessary hardware priced at approximately €284.

Even in rural areas, where average monthly income is merely €259, Starlink's affordability remains questionable. As a consequence, shared connections for institutions like schools, clinics, and local government offices may be the primary beneficiaries, rather than individual subscribers. While Starlink's advent in Vietnam does not appear to herald a loosening of the government's stringent control over online speech, foreign technology companies already play a pivotal role in enforcing state censorship, with Vietnamese authorities reporting compliance rates of over 94% for requests to remove or block content deemed illegal or anti-state.

The service operates under strict Vietnamese regulations, utilizing licensed domestic gateway stations to ensure alignment with the nation's national security and defense principles.