A startup created by Google parent company Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, GOOGL)) is stepping into the broadband spotlight as it goes after a share of the federal government's $42.5 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program. The company, Taara, says in a blog post that its wireless Lightbridge technology can beam high-speed internet over the air, offering an alternative to both fiber and satellite options.
Taara has stated on X that it is “BEAD-ready,” referencing the initiative backed by the U.S. government. The post followed a major revision to the BEAD rules by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced in early June, which now encourages technology neutrality rather than prioritizing traditional gigabit fiber. That change gives companies like Taara a chance to compete directly with Elon Musk's Starlink and T-Mobile's (NASDAQ:TMUS) 5G Home Internet for funding.
