An alternative to the Starlink satellite system may appear in Italy.

The Ukrainian government plans to create its own low-orbit communication system instead of the SpaceX infrastructure developed by Elon Musk. This was announced by Minister of Industry Adolfo Urso.

Previously, the government considered using Starlink satellites for secure communication of Italian officials in risk areas. But this idea faced criticism from the opposition, which is against working with Musk's American company in the field of national security.

We are already developing a national low-orbit communication system independently with the participation of key national players, - said Urso.

The Minister of Industry noted that this system will be a competitive alternative to global operators, including Starlink.

Currently, there is no specific information about the deadlines for the project implementation and the companies involved. The Italian space agency will conduct a feasibility study. Earlier, Elon Musk expressed readiness to provide Starlink services in Italy, but Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto rejected the existence of an agreement between the parties.

According to Reuters, Italy considered the possibility of concluding a five-year agreement with Starlink for 1.5 billion euros.

It is worth noting that Starlink support has already been officially announced for some models of Samsung Galaxy smartphones and is now being expanded to other devices, including Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL.