Vietnam proposes stricter regulations for foreign satellite telco players

Satellite Internet providers can only offer the service if there are gateways in the country

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) of Vietnam reportedly plans to require foreign businesses that want to provide domestic satellite telecom services to have a gateway station in the country.

According to reports, the new requirement is included in a draft decree that provides articles and measures to implement the upcoming Law on Telecommunications 2023 which will classify satellite broadband services such as Starlink as cross-border services.

Under the new proposed regulations, foreign satellite service providers must ensure that all traffic generated by satellite subscriber terminals in Vietnam must pass through a local ground gateway connected to the public telecoms network.

Foreign satellite service providers must also have a commercial agreement with a licensed domestic telecommunications enterprise, and have a technical plan to ensure information security, perform emergency prevention, and shut off services when ordered to do so by relevant state agencies.

The report said that the MIC considers cross-border satellite communications to be a risk in terms of data from Vietnamese internet users being collected abroad and used illegally.

The new law, which updates the previous Telecommunications 2009 law, is scheduled to take effect beginning July 1.