Just as traditional fiber optics use light to carry data through underground cables, Taara uses narrow, invisible beams of light to transmit information at speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second, over distances of up to 20 kilometers per link. Taara connects to existing fiber networks and bridges the gap where fiber and other technologies cannot reach. Instead of waiting months or years to dig and lay new fiber cables, Taara links can be established in a matter of hours.
In Rio de Janeiro, Taara will install more than 20 links to serve communities with patchy or unreliable connectivity. These links will create an invisible mesh network over parts of the city, functioning as a single, responsive system that connects community institutions such as schools and hospitals and helps facilitate emergency response.
A new approach to urban connectivity in Rio
Although Brazil is among the world's five largest internet economies, connectivity remains uneven: more than half of the population uses smartphones to connect to the internet, and the existing cellular infrastructure varies by community.
In Rio, some of the most difficult areas to connect are also the most densely populated. Built with brick, concrete, and steel roofs, and nestled in a maze of narrow streets and uneven terrain, these communities are nearly impossible to connect using traditional fiber optics. Taara's links, which can be flexibly installed on rooftops, towers, and poles, are well-suited to these challenging terrains, combining the reliability and speed of fiber optic infrastructure with the flexibility of wireless technologies.
To date, Taara has successfully provided reliable and abundant internet access to people in more than 20 countries. This includes access to densely populated urban communities in India and Africa, fast and affordable connectivity to island nations in the Pacific and Caribbean following natural disasters, and connectivity across rivers, straits, and other locations where laying fiber is impractical or too expensive.
