How Chile's Copec plans to take advantage of Starlink connectivity

Chilean fuel distributor Copec chose SpaceX's Starlink satellite solution to improve and expand internet service at its stations and in surrounding communities in Patagonia.

“Antennas will be installed from north to south of the country. In a first stage, Copec will install 105 antennas starting in December 2022 and through 2023. Then priority will be given to the stations with the greatest link difficulties,” Copec’s IT and cybersecurity deputy manager Luis Felipe Espinoza told BNamericas.

In Patagonia, the company is running Starlink services in 17 stations along the Austral highway, to which nine stations in will be added soon.

Starlink offers internet via low-orbit satellites, reaching similar speeds as terrestrial networks. According to Espinoza, the use of Starlink will improve daily operations and increase digital stability. "This facilitates digital connectivity and the use of applications such as Muevo to pay for fuel and products … with the cell phone," he added.

"All the new businesses that Copec has been developing support digital technology operations, so an online connection without interruptions is a premise to deliver the best experience to our customers," he said.

Currently, Copec’s stations are connected through different internet operators via copper, fiber optics or traditional satellite networks. "Our projection is that the new service stations are equipped with [Starlink] technology and [the others] gradually migrate from the old services," Espinoza said.