Airtel’s plan to deploy Google parent’s laser tech faces hitch

Kolkata: Bharti Airtel’s plans to use Google parent Alphabet’s laser internet technology, Taara, to support its 4G and 5G operations in India has hit an air pocket.

The Sunil Mittal-led telecom operator is not convinced about the effectiveness of using Taara as a wireless backhaul technology commercially in India, two people aware of the matter said.

This is since ongoing field trials have indicated that the technology, which uses light beams to deliver fast broadband, may not work efficiently in inclement weather in rural and hard-to-reach places, the people said. That could affect the mobile broadband experience for 4G/5G users in such locations if the telco does not also have adequate back-up fibre and microwave networks.