Taara, the laser-based internet project developed within Alphabet’s “moonshot” incubator X, became an independent company in March 2025.
The company will be showcasing their Taara Beam (pictured), which uses Taara Photonics, at MWC 2026. MWC 2026 will take place from 2 to 5 March 2026 at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, Spain, and it is considered one of the largest and most influential connectivity events in the world.
What is an Optical Phased Array?
An optical phased array is made up of many tiny light emitters (usually laser elements) arranged in a grid. By precisely adjusting the phase of light from each element, the system can electronically steer and shape a narrow beam without moving parts. This allows it to point, track, and maintain high-speed optical links dynamically.
A wireless communication platform based on optical phased arrays (OPAs) uses steerable light beams rather than radio waves to transmit data through free space. An OPA-based wireless platform is like having a highly controllable laser-based “data beam” that can be redirected instantly, thus deliver fibre-like speeds without laying fibre.
Beam Steering Speed
In a vacuum, both radio waves and the light used in optical phased arrays (OPAs) travel at the exact same speed: the speed of light. However, when comparing transmission media, free-space optical beams (used by OPAs) often have lower latency than signals passing through glass fibre, as light in fibre travels at roughly 67% of the speed of light.
Whilst fibre data transmission is delivering ever faster speeds in 2026, OPAs are solid-state devices with no moving parts that can steer beams incredibly fast, allowing for near-instantaneous redirection.
Best Fit
There are some challenges. OPAs have a “line-of-sight” requirement, hence they work best between buildings, and are subject to weather conditions if used outdoors, as elements such as fog or heavy rain can diminish signals. Additionally, precision alignment is required at set up.
Typically, in 2026, applications are communications between between buildings or across campuses, satellite and space communications(including inter-satellite links), data centre interconnects, 5G/6G backhaul and edge connectivity, and applications requiring secure communications that have limited interference.
More information about Taara at MWC 2026 can be found here.
