What if you could get fiber-speed internet without laying a single cable? That’s the promise behind the Taara Beam, a compact wireless device that transmits data at up to 25Gbps using invisible near-infrared light — the same type of light used inside fiber optic cables, but sent through open air instead.
Taara, which spun out of Google’s X (formerly Google Moonshot Factory) less than a year ago, just announced the Taara Beam alongside a brand-new silicon photonics platform that powers it. The device is roughly the size of a shoebox, can be mounted on rooftops, lampposts, or existing infrastructure, and delivers bidirectional throughput with ultra-low latency of around 100 microseconds — far below what satellite-based solutions like Starlink can achieve.
How Does It Work?
At the heart of the Taara Beam is the Taara Photonics Platform, a silicon-based system that uses an optical phased array containing over a thousand miniature light emitters. This allows the device to electronically track, shape, and steer beams of near-infrared light without any moving mechanical parts. Think of it as “solid-state beam steering” — similar in concept to how modern phased-array radar works, but with light instead of radio waves.
The device transmits data as invisible beams of light between two endpoints up to 10 kilometers apart. Because it uses near-infrared wavelengths (the same used in fiber optic cables), it can achieve fiber-class speeds without requiring any physical cable runs or RF spectrum licenses. That last point is significant — traditional wireless backhaul solutions often require expensive and limited licensed spectrum, while Taara’s light-based approach sidesteps that entirely.
Who Is This For?
The Taara Beam is not a consumer product. It’s aimed squarely at commercial deployments: network providers looking to extend or densify their coverage, data center operators needing high-bandwidth interconnects between facilities, enterprise campuses, event venues, and municipalities working to bridge connectivity gaps.
Taara’s existing Lightbridge product is already deployed in over 20 countries with partners including T-Mobile, SoftBank, Airtel, and Digicel. The Lightbridge was designed for long-distance point-to-point links across challenging terrain like rivers, mountains, and dense urban environments. The new Beam product is designed for the next phase — increasing network density and flexibility, enabling high-bandwidth mesh networks across urban rooftops, campuses, and data center clusters.
How Does It Compare to Starlink and 5G?
Taara Beam occupies a different niche than both satellite internet and cellular wireless, though it overlaps with each in interesting ways.
Compared to Starlink, the Taara Beam offers dramatically lower latency (100 microseconds vs. roughly 25-60 milliseconds for Starlink) and significantly higher throughput per link. However, Starlink doesn’t require line-of-sight between endpoints and works virtually anywhere with a view of the sky, while Taara requires a clear optical path between devices.
Compared to 5G backhaul, Taara avoids the congestion and licensing costs associated with RF spectrum. It also delivers higher raw throughput — 25Gbps easily exceeds what most mmWave or sub-6 GHz 5G links can deliver. However, 5G cellular connectivity works through walls and around obstacles, while Taara’s light beams need a direct line of sight.
The real value proposition is that Taara Beam can be deployed in hours rather than months, without trenching for fiber, securing spectrum licenses, or navigating right-of-way permits. For network operators looking to rapidly extend coverage or add capacity, that speed of deployment is a major advantage.
What Are the Limitations?
Free-space optical (FSO) technology has been around for decades, and its core challenge remains: atmospheric sensitivity. Heavy fog, dense rain, dust storms, and other particulates in the air can scatter or absorb the light signal, degrading performance or breaking the link entirely. Light rain and clear weather are generally fine, but persistent fog is the Achilles’ heel of any FSO system.
The line-of-sight requirement also means careful site planning is essential. Buildings, trees, cranes, and other obstructions between endpoints will block the signal. This makes Taara better suited for planned infrastructure deployments than ad-hoc consumer use.
Why This Matters for the Connectivity Landscape
The timing of Taara’s announcement is significant. As AI workloads drive explosive growth in data center interconnect demand — McKinsey projects global data center spending will reach $7 trillion by 2030 — the industry needs new ways to move massive amounts of data quickly. Traditional fiber is fast but slow to deploy. RF wireless is flexible but bandwidth-limited and spectrum-constrained. Light-based wireless connectivity like Taara offers a compelling middle ground.
Because the Taara Photonics Platform is built on silicon, it follows the same trajectory as semiconductor technology: each generation can become faster and more cost-efficient. That scalability path is what transforms this from a niche technology into a potentially transformative platform.
Taara Beam will make its official industry debut at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in early March 2026, where CEO Mahesh Krishnaswamy will headline the “Game Changers” stage with a live demonstration.
The 5Gstore Perspective
At 5Gstore, we’ve always been focused on helping businesses and organizations find the right connectivity solutions — whether that’s a 5G router for primary or failover internet, the right antenna setup, or a complete networking deployment. Technologies like Taara Beam represent the next frontier of what’s possible in wireless connectivity, and as the landscape evolves, we’ll continue to keep our customers informed about the tools and technologies that matter most.
While Taara Beam serves a different use case than the cellular routers and antennas we specialize in, the underlying trend is the same: the future of connectivity is increasingly wireless, increasingly fast, and increasingly flexible. Whether you’re deploying a 5G failover solution today or watching for the next generation of wireless backhaul, staying informed about these developments helps you make better decisions for your network.
Have questions about your current connectivity needs? Contact 5Gstore — we’re here to help.
FAQ
What is Taara Beam? Taara Beam is a compact wireless connectivity device from Taara (formerly a Google X project) that uses invisible near-infrared light to transmit data at speeds up to 25Gbps over distances up to 10 kilometers, without requiring physical cables or spectrum licenses.
How fast is Taara Beam compared to 5G? Taara Beam delivers up to 25Gbps bidirectional throughput with approximately 100 microsecond latency, which significantly exceeds the speed and latency of most current 5G wireless links, including mmWave deployments.
Can Taara Beam replace Starlink? They serve different use cases. Taara Beam offers much lower latency and higher throughput than Starlink but requires line-of-sight and is sensitive to atmospheric conditions like heavy fog. Starlink works virtually anywhere with sky visibility, including areas where Taara’s line-of-sight requirement would be impractical.
Does Taara Beam work in bad weather? Taara Beam uses light-based transmission, which can be affected by heavy fog, dense rain, and dust storms. Light rain and clear conditions are generally fine. This atmospheric sensitivity is the main limitation of all free-space optical communication systems.
When will Taara Beam be available? Taara Beam will debut at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in March 2026. Interested organizations can request early access through Taara’s website at taaraconnect.com.
