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Telecommunications

Google spinoff beams blazing-fast 25-Gbps internet around cities using light

By Abhimanyu Ghoshal
February 28, 2026
Google spinoff beams blazing-fast 25-Gbps internet around cities using light
The Taara Beam shoots data at 25Gbps between pole-mounted units using beams of light
The Taara Beam shoots data at 25Gbps between pole-mounted units using beams of light
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The Taara Beam shoots data at 25Gbps between pole-mounted units using beams of light
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The Taara Beam shoots data at 25Gbps between pole-mounted units using beams of light
Taara says the silicon-based photonic module for steering beams between units to transfer data is roughly the size of a finger
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Taara says the silicon-based photonic module for steering beams between units to transfer data is roughly the size of a finger
Taara's Lightbridge (left) and Beam (right) can enable connectivity in remote areas and dense cities without the need for laying fiber between them
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Taara's Lightbridge (left) and Beam (right) can enable connectivity in remote areas and dense cities without the need for laying fiber between them
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Over the last few years, an ambitious moonshot project spun out of Google has been developing fascinating technologies to deliver connectivity across communities without the need for underground cables. For its latest trick, Taara is now providing high-speed internet access across cities using invisible beams of light.

The company's new Beam device uses an optical phased array mounted on a silicon board with more than a thousand tiny miniature light emitters. The system shapes and steers beams of light between devices that are in line of sight of each other, and up to 6.2 miles (10 km) apart.

Roughly the size of a shoebox and weighing 17.6 lb (8 kg), the Beam is meant to be mounted high up on poles and atop tall buildings for use in densely populated urban areas. Taara says it's capable of fiber-like bidirectional data transfer speeds of up to 25 Gbps, with ultra-low latency.

Taara's Lightbridge (left) and Beam (right) can enable connectivity in remote areas and dense cities without the need for laying fiber between them
Taara's Lightbridge (left) and Beam (right) can enable connectivity in remote areas and dense cities without the need for laying fiber between them

The firm envisions Beam devices being deployed in cities and small communities, supported by its larger Lightbridge devices that can enable connectivity over greater distances of up to 12 miles (20 km) across natural or man-made barriers that can't easily be bridged with fiber, like difficult terrain or water bodies. The company says Beam allows for far quicker setup than fiber, because you don't need to secure permits to dig up streets and install cabling underground. A Beam-equipped system can be up and running in a matter of hours.

Beam follows the company's previous breakthrough from 2025, when it unveiled its software-controlled chip that can steer light to enable connectivity without the need for many other mechanical moving parts. Its older Lightbridge infrastructure for data transfer across remote areas is now in use in 20 countries, and the company recently unveiled its Lightbridge Pro system for carrier-grade throughput.

Taara says the silicon-based photonic module for steering beams between units to transfer data is roughly the size of a finger
Taara says the silicon-based photonic module for steering beams between units to transfer data is roughly the size of a finger

This suite of products should see Taara compete with the likes of satellite-based connectivity services like Starlink and Amazon's upcoming Leo. The company might have an edge over those with its lower latency and quick setup, which it believes will additionally come in handy to scale AI infrastructure around the world.

Source: Taara

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TelecommunicationsTaaraAlphabetFiber opticsInternetBroadband
5 comments
Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Abhimanyu has been a trusted voice in the science, technology, transport innovations, startup and AI spaces for more than a decade at several global outlets, including three and a half years as the managing editor at TNW. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Psychology and Sociology. When he's not writing about breakthroughs in science and tech, he's usually out motorcycling around South India.

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This is a point to point system so it doesn't compete with Starlink at all.
Chase
I wonder how well it works in the rain. I would assume thousands of tiny prisms passing through the beam would severely impact performance.
freddotu
I worked for a cable television company near the end of the last century. They had an easement problem in that the city would not allow a road bore to provide service from one building to another in the same apartment complex. No permitting problems when using a device like this.
However, when the sun shined on one building, it would expand and throw off the alignment until the other building heated up enough to match. Chase asks about the rain. In Florida, that was a show stopper. If a big storm was heading in, it was assured that the signal would be dropped to the second building. It was "only" analog television channels at that time in history, but for many people, television is as important as internet.
DaveWesely
Google has a well deserved reputation of no human service help, with obtuse settings. Not exactly the kind of company I would want maintaining my internet connection.
Mike E
To Freddotu's point, my small, gated community had a similar set up but with infrared emitters / receivers, it failed miserably.