Taiwan’s Digital Minister Audrey Tang says she will start accepting bids in November to provide countrywide satellite internet access for Taiwan. The aim, Tang says, is to make sure that if disaster strikes, Taiwanese people can “fight back with digital tools.”
Tang says Ukraine has used satellite technology to great effect during its resistance to the Russian invasion. When its conventional internet infrastructure was destroyed, Kyiv turned to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet constellation for support. Ukraine’s military now uses the connection to communicate.
Tang says she wants to build “digital resilience for all” in case Taiwan suffers a similar fate to Ukraine.
Taiwan is linked to the world by 15 undersea internet cables, which researchers say are vulnerable to attack.
Tang says Taiwan’s new digital ministry will test the satellite internet connection at 700 points around the country and three outside it. That way, Tang says, Taiwan will be ready to switch if its conventional connection gets cut.