Czech company Tesla Technologies and homegrown Smart Citi Teknologi have sealed a partnership to pursue technology projects including the provision of a hyper-fast broadband Internet service.

TESLA which owns an L-band satellite plans to integrate with Starlink of billionaire Elon Musk which had provided connectivity in the country through low-orbit satellites.

The planned partnership will enable the project to “become two-way, so the signal will be super-fast and the connection is very strong,” TESLA Technologies chief executive officer Peter Matejcek said, and which SCT CEO Mario Marcos gave approval to.

TESLA is investing $8 million in the deal, of which $5 million will be allocated for the establishment of a satellite -based channel that can provide fast connectivity for different applications, including households, intelligent homes and smart cities.

SCT will integrate with the platform used in its satellite that is capable of giving a strong signal even during a disaster or extreme weather conditions.

Telcos also targets

SCT had also considered working with local telco providers. Marcos recently met Converge Solutions Inc.’s top executives for a possible collaboration since Converge requires an L-band satellite.

“We will do it in parallel with our boosting the connectivity, long-term connectivity program for the Philippines,” Marcos explained. “By 2025, I think we (can) achieve 70 percent of this plan.”

The tie-up was formalized by Marcos, who signed an agreement for the “Transfer of Ownership and the Industrial Development in the Philippines” held last month in Manila Hotel.

According to Matejcek, TESLA previously had a radio transmitter project in the country.

The new partnership, Marcos said, will facilitate the turnover of Czech technology including the local assembly of two TESLA products. The local arm will be called Philippine TESLA.

“It is an economic booster, creating jobs and opportunities for Filipinos. It will give the Philippines a good name and it can motivate young scientists, and artists (to work with us),” Marcos emphasized, adding that 4,000 to 5,000 jobs will be opened to Filipinos.

“Actually, this is really a priority. We will now start the proof of concept of this L-band satellite,” said the CEO, who is the second cousin of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

The remaining $3 million capital will be used to manufacture TESLA’s diagnostic health device and acquire magnetic engines for assembly plants located in Clark and Cavite economic zones, he noted.

“I think six months from now, the production will start,” he said, adding that other TESLA products such as phones, batteries, sensors, camera, lighting and LEDs can be manufactured locally.

‘We are aiming for the international market like Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand because they love TESLA.’

Beyond the joint initiatives with TESLA, SCT plans to purchase by 2025 a new satellite, which is 10 times faster than its current L-band bird. The project will be in collaboration with a Hong Kong firm using American technology.

$1-B super smart island

Moreover, the company is also embarking on an ambitious project in Roxas, Palawan. It is still in the process of acquiring a privately-owned 500 plus-hectare island.

“This is a different concept of making a super smart island,” he said of the seven-year mega project, with an initial investment of $1 billion.