Project Taara’s light beam-based internet commercially deployed in Africa

In addition to balloons, Alphabet’s X Moonshot Factory has investigated using beams of light to deliver internet connectivity. Project Taara is now getting its first commercial deployment in Kenya.

Since line-of-sight needs to be maintained, Taara units are mounted on towers, rooftops, or poles. The lack of wiring means that trenches do not have to be dug or cables strung. This lowers costs and speeds up deployment, while the technology is based on open standards and integrates with existing infrastructure.