Google Is Developing Actual Light-Speed Internet

Taara is essentially fiber internet without the fiber. Traditional fiber-optic cables transmit data using light, but they require expensive underground installation. Taara eliminates the cables and sends data through the air via invisible beams of light, connecting two points like a high-tech laser bridge. This means areas with challenging terrain or high infrastructure costs could soon get fast, reliable internet without the need for massive construction projects.

The biggest breakthrough in Taara’s development is its new silicon photonic chip, which replaces bulky, traffic light-sized equipment with a component the size of a fingernail. The chip uses software to steer and adjust the light beams, making it more efficient and easier to deploy. In tests, the system successfully transmitted data at 10 gigabits per second over a distance of one kilometer—without any wires.

Google claims that Taara could eventually deliver speeds up to 20 Gbps, which is far more than what many home broadband services currently offer. And unlike satellite-based internet, Taara doesn’t have the same limitations in crowded areas. According to project lead Mahesh Krishnaswamy, Taara could offer “10 to 100 times more bandwidth” than SpaceX’s Starlink at a fraction of the cost.

This isn’t just a futuristic idea—Taara is already in use. The technology has been deployed in 13 countries, including India, Kenya, and Fiji, helping bridge connectivity gaps in remote and underserved regions. In Ghana, for example, Taara has helped bring thousands of new users and hundreds of businesses online.

Of course, beaming internet through the air isn’t without its hurdles. Weather conditions like fog and rain can disrupt the signal. The Taara team is working on ways to minimize these interruptions, but they remain a challenge.