Philippines eyes Elon Musk's Starlink for free internet program

MANILA -- The Philippines is looking to enlist Elon Musk's Starlink for the government's free Wi-Fi program, an official said Wednesday, a move that could improve commercial prospects for the billionaire's high-speed satellite internet venture in the country.

Starlink is working on a commercial launch in the Philippines by December, said Rebecca Hunter, senior manager for government relations at SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, at a media briefing. The rollout in the Philippines, a country where consumers perennially complain about slow internet speeds, would be the company's first in Southeast Asia.