Project Taara

June 28, 2023

Indian telco Bharti Airtel and Google’s parent Alphabet project are planning to use lasers to bring Internet services to remote parts of India.
Taara, a project from Alphabet’s X moonshot labs, aims to bring high-speed Internet access to rural and remote areas of India.
Taara has already connected internet services in 13 countries, including Australia, Kenya, and Fiji.
It uses a technology component from X’s failed Loon project, which tried to deliver Internet connectivity via high-altitude balloons.
Project Taara utilises Free Space Optical Communication (FSOC) technology where free space acts as a communication channel between transceivers that are in line-of-sight.
- It uses beams of light to deliver high-speed, high-capacity connectivity over long distances.
- It can transmit data at high speeds of up to 20 Gbps bidirectional through up to 20 km distances.
FSOC refers to outdoor optical wireless communication (OWC ), whereas short distance (largely indoors) OWC is called light Fidelity (LiFi).
LiFi uses light within Visible Light Spectrum to Invisible light spectrum to transmit data.
Benefits of FSOC- cost-effective and quickly deployable, can transmit data at high speeds.
Challenges faced: signal reliability is compromised by conditions like fog and haze, or interruptions like birds flying in front of the signal; requires better mirror controls and motion detection capabilities etc.