Alphabet Spins Off Taara, a Laser-Based Internet Provider, as Independent Company

Taara, using light beams for high-speed internet in remote areas, aims to scale quickly with external funding and strategic partnerships.

Taara, originally part of Alphabet's X moonshot incubator, has become an independent company with Alphabet retaining a minority stake.
The technology uses lasers to transmit data at speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second over distances of nearly 12 miles, offering a cost-effective alternative to fiber and satellite systems.
Taara partners with telecom companies like T-Mobile and Bharti Airtel to extend networks to rural or hard-to-reach areas rather than selling directly to consumers.
The company is developing a silicon photonic chip to simplify its terminals and potentially enable applications like Li-Fi in the future.
While Taara positions itself as a competitor to SpaceX's Starlink, its focus is on augmenting existing infrastructure and addressing connectivity challenges for the 3 billion people still offline.