Starlink Not in Taiwan; Lin Yi-ching: Competitor Amazon LEO to Offer Service Next Year
Global low-earth orbit satellite leader SpaceX's Starlink has yet to enter Taiwan. Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching stated that Starlink considers Taiwan's coverage already over 99%, making it a low priority. However, its major competitor, Amazon LEO, is set to provide commercial services globally, including in Taiwan, starting in the first half of next year.
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- 📰 Published: May 16, 2026 at 11:27
- 🔍 Collected: May 16, 2026 at 11:31 (4 min after Published)
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Central News Agency, Reporter Pan Tzu-yu, Taipei, May 16 - Starlink, a subsidiary of the global low-orbit satellite leader SpaceX, has yet to land in Taiwan. Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching pointed out through Facebook today that Starlink believes Taiwan's 4G and 5G population coverage already exceeds 99%, so it has not listed Taiwan as a high-priority market; however, its future biggest competitor, Amazon LEO, is expected to provide commercial services globally in the first half of next year, which also includes Taiwan.
Starlink is currently the world's largest provider of low-orbit satellite communication, with the most mature technology and highest market share.
Lin Yi-ching stated on Facebook today that before the Ministry of Digital Affairs was established in 2021, Starlink had come to Taiwan to negotiate service provision with the NCC, but the negotiations ultimately failed. This was because, according to Article 36 of Taiwan's Telecommunications Management Act, foreign capital must operate telecommunications businesses in Taiwan through agents, and direct shareholding ratios cannot exceed 49%; at the time, Starlink's stance was rigid, insisting on 100% sole proprietorship in Taiwan.
Lin stated that the Ministry of Digital Affairs recently took the initiative to contact Starlink to ask whether they still have the intention to provide services in Taiwan and what conditions they hope for. Starlink stated that due to Taiwan being small and densely populated, with 4G and 5G population coverage already exceeding 99%, Taiwan is not listed as a high-priority market.
Lin believes this might be Starlink's real opinion, or it might just be a negotiation strategy; the Ministry of Digital Affairs continues to communicate actively with Starlink.
As for whether Article 36 of the Telecommunications Act should be amended, Lin indicated that the Ministry of Digital Affairs takes an open and active attitude, but the competent authority for the Telecommunications Act is the NCC, so the Ministry of Digital Affairs must respect the NCC.
It is worth noting that Amazon LEO is Starlink's future biggest competitor and is expected to provide commercial services globally in the first half of next year, including in Taiwan.
Lin pointed out that Amazon LEO is actively cooperating with agents in preparation for operations in Taiwan and has not requested Taiwan to amend Article 36 of the Telecommunications Act.
Lin stated that according to Amazon LEO's statement, the main technical difference between them and Starlink lies in the fact that satellites can communicate through laser relays, without the need to immediately connect the signal to a ground gateway after receiving the user's signal; therefore, Amazon does not need to set up dense communication stations on the ground.
This means that even if neighboring countries to Taiwan do not set up Amazon LEO communication stations, in emergency situations, Taiwanese users can still directly connect to websites in the United States, Japan, or other countries through satellite relay transmission.
Both Starlink and Amazon claim they will provide direct-to-mobile satellite services in the future, but Lin stated that to his knowledge, low-orbit satellites are still about 500 kilometers from the ground, the mobile phone signal is relatively weak, and the satellite's antenna is not large, so the direct-to-mobile service they provide may have limited bandwidth and mainly only be able to provide text message transmission.
Another US low-orbit satellite company, AST SpaceMobile, uses 'a satellite antenna the size of a volleyball court' and claims it can provide broadband services for direct internet access on mobile phones. AST SpaceMobile's technology is relatively less mature, and the speed of launching satellites is also slower, but they have already cooperated with the Rakuten Group in Japan and publicly demonstrated the function of watching videos directly via satellite on mobile phones last year.
AST SpaceMobile signed an MOU with Taiwan Mobile this March, announcing that it would provide low-orbit satellite communication services in Taiwan through Taiwan Mobile, including the function of direct-to-mobile satellite.
Lin specifically pointed out that AST SpaceMobile did not request Taiwan to amend Article 36 of the Telecommunications Act either.
Lin emphasized that low-orbit satellite is a type of commercial service, but it also involves Taiwan's communication resilience and national security, and involves negotiation strategies and techniques. Some things can be said publicly, and some things are inconvenient to be said publicly; he has important meetings yesterday and next week, and the Ministry of Digital Affairs is actively handling this matter. (Editor: Lin Shu-yuan) 1150516
Starlink is currently the world's largest provider of low-orbit satellite communication, with the most mature technology and highest market share.
Lin Yi-ching stated on Facebook today that before the Ministry of Digital Affairs was established in 2021, Starlink had come to Taiwan to negotiate service provision with the NCC, but the negotiations ultimately failed. This was because, according to Article 36 of Taiwan's Telecommunications Management Act, foreign capital must operate telecommunications businesses in Taiwan through agents, and direct shareholding ratios cannot exceed 49%; at the time, Starlink's stance was rigid, insisting on 100% sole proprietorship in Taiwan.
Lin stated that the Ministry of Digital Affairs recently took the initiative to contact Starlink to ask whether they still have the intention to provide services in Taiwan and what conditions they hope for. Starlink stated that due to Taiwan being small and densely populated, with 4G and 5G population coverage already exceeding 99%, Taiwan is not listed as a high-priority market.
Lin believes this might be Starlink's real opinion, or it might just be a negotiation strategy; the Ministry of Digital Affairs continues to communicate actively with Starlink.
As for whether Article 36 of the Telecommunications Act should be amended, Lin indicated that the Ministry of Digital Affairs takes an open and active attitude, but the competent authority for the Telecommunications Act is the NCC, so the Ministry of Digital Affairs must respect the NCC.
It is worth noting that Amazon LEO is Starlink's future biggest competitor and is expected to provide commercial services globally in the first half of next year, including in Taiwan.
Lin pointed out that Amazon LEO is actively cooperating with agents in preparation for operations in Taiwan and has not requested Taiwan to amend Article 36 of the Telecommunications Act.
Lin stated that according to Amazon LEO's statement, the main technical difference between them and Starlink lies in the fact that satellites can communicate through laser relays, without the need to immediately connect the signal to a ground gateway after receiving the user's signal; therefore, Amazon does not need to set up dense communication stations on the ground.
This means that even if neighboring countries to Taiwan do not set up Amazon LEO communication stations, in emergency situations, Taiwanese users can still directly connect to websites in the United States, Japan, or other countries through satellite relay transmission.
Both Starlink and Amazon claim they will provide direct-to-mobile satellite services in the future, but Lin stated that to his knowledge, low-orbit satellites are still about 500 kilometers from the ground, the mobile phone signal is relatively weak, and the satellite's antenna is not large, so the direct-to-mobile service they provide may have limited bandwidth and mainly only be able to provide text message transmission.
Another US low-orbit satellite company, AST SpaceMobile, uses 'a satellite antenna the size of a volleyball court' and claims it can provide broadband services for direct internet access on mobile phones. AST SpaceMobile's technology is relatively less mature, and the speed of launching satellites is also slower, but they have already cooperated with the Rakuten Group in Japan and publicly demonstrated the function of watching videos directly via satellite on mobile phones last year.
AST SpaceMobile signed an MOU with Taiwan Mobile this March, announcing that it would provide low-orbit satellite communication services in Taiwan through Taiwan Mobile, including the function of direct-to-mobile satellite.
Lin specifically pointed out that AST SpaceMobile did not request Taiwan to amend Article 36 of the Telecommunications Act either.
Lin emphasized that low-orbit satellite is a type of commercial service, but it also involves Taiwan's communication resilience and national security, and involves negotiation strategies and techniques. Some things can be said publicly, and some things are inconvenient to be said publicly; he has important meetings yesterday and next week, and the Ministry of Digital Affairs is actively handling this matter. (Editor: Lin Shu-yuan) 1150516