Alphabet spins off Taara, a new competitor to Starlink

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is taking on internet giants like Starlink with its spin-off, Taara — a laser-based Internet project. Instead of traditional satellites, Taara is going a different route to rival Starlink, using laser-based technology to deliver high-speed Internet, especially to remote and underserved areas. And it's not just ambition — Taara plans to officially launch its services in 2026.

Taara, which operates as an independent company, isn’t the first to try laser-based internet — companies like Transcelestial are already in the game. But Taara stands out by aiming for large-scale adoption.

It traces its roots to Project Loon, Alphabet’s plan to deliver internet via high-altitude balloons, which got scrapped because of regulatory issues. Now, instead of balloons, Taara uses laser beams between ground-based terminals — a smart way to extend fibre networks with little cost and zero hassle of laying cables.

Here’s where it gets interesting: Alphabet claims that Taara’s laser system can hit 20 Gbps over about 20 kilometres— that’s fiber-optic-level speed without the hassle of digging up roads or dealing with rough terrain. For context, Starlink has reported median download speeds from 65.72 Mbps to 97 Mbps, with hopes of reaching 10 Gbps in the future. This claims puts Taara way ahead in raw speed.

Taara’s founder, Mahesh Krishnaswamy, didn’t hold back, saying, “We can offer 10 if not 100 times more bandwidth to an end user than a typical Starlink antenna, and do it for a fraction of the cost.” That’s a bold claim — and one that could make a big difference in markets where affordability and speed matter most.

On the scale front, Starlink is no small player — with over 7,000 satellites, 4.7 million subscribers, and around $9.3 billion in revenue, it’s already a giant. But Taara isn’t starting from scratch. It's already live in 12 countries and has locked in partnerships with telecom giants like Bharti Airtel and T-Mobile — a strategic edge that took Starlink years to build.

Taara is also working on a silicon photonic chip that could allow multiple laser connections from one transmitter, potentially boosting wireless internet speed and efficiency.

If Taara can deliver on its promise of faster, cheaper internet, Starlink may finally face some serious competition.