Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is revolutionizing internet access in remote areas with its latest project called Taara. Unlike previous attempts using high-altitude balloons, Taara utilizes beams of light to deliver internet services. The initiative, part of Alphabet’s innovation lab X, aims to overcome the challenges faced in earlier endeavors.
Alphabet’s Google Plans to Provide Internet in India’s Remote Areas
Alphabet’s commitment of $10 billion for digitizing India, along with its $700 million investment in Bharti Airtel, demonstrates their dedication to advancing connectivity. While Alphabet and Google operate as sister companies under Alphabet’s umbrella, Taara’s partnership with Bharti Airtel is an independent endeavor.
Led by Mahesh Krishnaswamy, Taara has made significant progress. Alphabet and Bharti Airtel, a leading Indian telecommunications provider, plan to expand the deployment of this laser-based internet technology across the country.
Taara has already connected internet services in 13 countries, including Australia, Kenya, and Fiji. By partnering with companies like Econet Group, Liquid Telecom, Bluetown, and Digicel, Taara extends its reach to Africa, India, and the Pacific Islands.
Compact machines used by Taara transmit data wirelessly through laser beams, offering fiber-optic-like internet connectivity without the need for physical cables. Bharti Airtel and other partners utilize this technology to establish communication infrastructure in remote and inaccessible areas.
Taara Inspired By Loon, A Balloon Internet Project
Taara’s inspiration came from insights gained during the unsuccessful balloon internet project, Loon, which employed lasers for data transmission between balloons. By adapting this technology on the ground, Taara has increased its chances of success.
Astro Teller, the leader of X, described Taara’s development as “moonshot composting.”
Randeep Sekhon, Bharti Airtel’s chief technology officer, expressed excitement about Taara’s potential to deliver faster internet services, even in urban areas of developed countries. Transmitting data between buildings using laser beams proves to be a cost-effective alternative to burying fiber-optic cables, presenting disruptive possibilities in the industry.
Recently, Taara equipment was installed in Osur, an Indian village. This installation will provide high-speed internet access to Osur for the first time, inspiring hopes for similar villages across India to benefit from this technology.
Astro Teller acknowledged that the internet is not perfect and suggested that addressing this issue could be the subject of another moonshot project. As Alphabet’s X and Taara continue their mission to connect remote areas, they remain committed to improving the internet landscape.
