Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is using beams of light to deliver internet service to India’s rural and remote areas. This new project, called Taara, is part of the US company’s innovation lab, X or the Moonshot Factory.
Taara is now working on deploying the laser internet technology on a larger scale in the country in collaboration with Bharti Airtel. The project aims to connect internet services in multiple countries, and has partnered with companies like Econet Group, Bluetown, and Digicel.
The technology involves small machines that transmit data through lasers, providing fibre-optic internet without the need for cables. The initiative is seen as disruptive and cost-effective, mainly for building communication infrastructure in hard-to-reach places.
The deployment of Taara in Indian villages will bring high-speed internet access to people for the first time. The goal is to connect numerous villages across the country and empower people with online connectivity. Alphabet has invested considerably in India’s digitisation, including a stake in Bharti Airtel.
In its earlier attempts, Alphabet tried to bring internet access to rural and remote areas by using high-altitude balloons in the stratosphere.
