Google’s Taara vs. Starlink: Why Africa Deserves More Than Just Internet Beams

The battle for Africa’s skies is heating up, and no, it’s not about who can launch the most satellites. It’s about who can provide the fastest, most reliable internet to a continent hungry for connectivity. While Elon Musk’s Starlink has been making waves with its satellite internet service, Google’s Taara project is quietly proving that you don’t always need satellites to bridge the digital divide. Instead, Google is literally beaming internet through the air—using lasers. Yes, lasers. What is Google’s Taara? Taara is part of X, Google’s semi-secret R&D lab that brought us projects like self-driving cars and internet balloons. Unlike Starlink, wh.......