• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'

1

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
TechSpaceX
Asia

China’s SpaceSail to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink in Brazil

By
Daniel Carvalho
Daniel Carvalho
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Daniel Carvalho
Daniel Carvalho
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 20, 2024, 1:35 AM ET
A Starlink terminal provides satellite internet service to the Amazonian Yawanawa indigenous community near Tarauaca, Acre state, Brazil.
Starlink's bank accounts in Brazil were briefly frozen due to a fight between Brazil's top court and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Victor Moriyama—Bloomberg via Getty Images

Elon Musk’s Chinese rival in the satellite internet business plans to start operations in Brazil in 2026, the head of the Shanghai-based company told Bloomberg News Tuesday.

SpaceSail’s Jason Jie Zheng signed a memorandum of understanding with Brazilian telecommunications company Telecomunicacoes Brasileiras S.A. to study the demand for satellite internet areas where fiber optic infrastructure doesn’t work.

The MOU was struck amid President Xi Jinping’s visit to Brazil. He attended the Group of 20 summit in Rio de Janeiro and on Wednesday will sign a series of agreements with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the capital, Brasilia.

Lula is looking to China to help foster Brazil’s economic development. But it’s a pivot that risks a clash with Donald Trump, as the U.S. president-elect promises a harder stance against China and its push into the Americas.

Chinese investments in Brazil are moving from announcement to fruition. BYD’s most extensive electric-vehicle operation outside of Asia and a local partnership with Chinese smartphone maker Oppo are just two such ventures.

In a brief interview after the event Tuesday night, Jie Zheng said SpaceSail will begin providing internet in Brazil in two years’ time and will open a subsidiary in the country by the end of this year.

“Our MOU with Telebras is not only a partnership but also a shared commitment to empowering underserved regions of Brazil,” he said in a speech. “By combining Telebras’s expertise with SpaceSail’s cutting edge solution, we aim to support Brazil’s national initiative with our broadband services and digital industrial solutions and drive access to essential services like education, public health, government.”

SpaceSail launched its first batch of 18 satellites into orbit in August, with a second launch of another 18 last month. That leaves 600 plus to go before the first phase of its planned constellation will be ready, targeted for the end of next year.

This week’s event follows a Brazilian government tour at SpaceSail headquarters in October, just after a monthslong clash between Musk and Brazil’s top court, which culminated in million-dollar fines and X being banned in Latin America’s largest economy.

Starlink had its bank accounts frozen in Brazil in a bid to force X to comply with legal orders. Musk eventually gave in, the accounts were unblocked and access to the U.S. billionaire’s social media platform was restored across the country.

Starlink is the leading provider of satellite internet services, with a 46% market share in Brazil. Musk’s company only holds 0.5% of total broadband market in the country, with 265,000 customers as of September.

Communications Minister Juscelino Filho denied any retaliatory link between Brazil’s feud with Musk and its courtship of his Chinese rivals in the sector.

“Brazil is always with open arms to everyone who can offer quality services with fair prices and security to the Brazilian population,” Filho told journalists. “Nothing in any industry is good when you only have one provider,” he said.

Join our exclusive webinar on May 28, featuring tech leaders from Orange, Mars, Reckitt, and Saint-Gobain. Apply to attend and receive Fortune’s editorial takeaways.
About the Authors
By Daniel Carvalho
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bloomberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in Tech

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on March 07, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
NewslettersFortune Tech
With subscription plans, Meta finally moves to diversify its revenue
By Andrew NuscaMay 28, 2026
9 minutes ago
microsoft
AIProductivity
America’s new AI map shows something surprising: ‘A lot of normal people are adopting AI’
By Nick LichtenbergMay 28, 2026
11 minutes ago
AI simulation
AITech
Researchers let AI models run a simulated society. Claude was the safest—and Grok committed 180 crimes and went extinct within 4 days
By Jake AngeloMay 28, 2026
2 hours ago
SpaceX’s $80 billion IPO has a catch: 78% of the money is already spoken for
InvestingFinance
SpaceX’s $80 billion IPO has a catch: 78% of the money is already spoken for
By Shawn TullyMay 28, 2026
2 hours ago
Geordie AI cofounders Henry Comfort (left), Benji Weber (center), and Hanah Darley.
AIVenture Capital
Exclusive: Geordie AI raises $30 million Series A to be ‘air traffic control’ for your company’s AI agents
By Jeremy KahnMay 28, 2026
2 hours ago
Orbital Industries cofounder and CEO Jonathan Godwin
AIVenture Capital
Exclusive: Orbital Industries, startup using AI to discover exotic new materials, raises $50 million Series B funding round
By Jeremy KahnMay 28, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
By Preston ForeMay 26, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
7 days ago
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
North America
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
By Jocelyn Gecker and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 27, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 27, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 27, 2026
20 hours ago
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
Banking
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
By Nick LichtenbergMay 27, 2026
20 hours ago
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
AI
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
By Sasha RogelbergMay 26, 2026
2 days ago