Liberty Networks has deployed Taara's optical communication technology to enhance high-speed data connection between two Caribbean islands.

Taara is a moonshot project for connectivity at X, Alphabet's skunkworks lab.

It uses optical laser technology from X's failed Loon project, which tried to deliver Internet connectivity via high-altitude balloons.

In an announcement, Liberty Networks said final repairs to a spur of the Eastern Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS), which connects Anguilla with neighboring islands and the rest of the world, provided an opportunity to deploy the new Taara technology alongside existing microwave radio system technology as an additional form of broadband service delivery.

The spur had already undergone a temporary repair following an incident with a vessel’s anchor earlier in the year.

Taara transmits information between terminals at speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second as a very narrow, invisible beam of light.

To create a link, the beam is sent between two Taara terminals, which are small and quick to deploy. The technology complements existing microwave systems, but provides significantly more capacity, up to 20 Gbps.

Liberty Networks said that during the subsea cable repair, Taara’s link beamed 10 Gbps successfully across 18 kilometers from St. Martin to Anguilla, helping to maintain broadband service for residents, businesses, and essential services to over 11,500 customers in Anguilla.

"We are thrilled to partner with Taara at X, deploying their innovative technology," said Ray Collins, Liberty Latin America's SVP of infrastructure and corporate strategy. "This state-of-the-art technology not only supported the maintenance of the existing connectivity successfully but, as it is left in place, also strengthens the continued resilience of our network with triple redundancy now in place, ensuring uninterrupted communication and business continuity for our customers in Anguilla."

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Indian telco Bharti Airtel and Taara are planning to use lasers to bring Internet services to remote parts of India.

Taara has helped provide Internet services in 13 countries including Australia, Kenya, and Fiji, and has been involved in trials with Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Congo, as well as with Bluetown in India and Digicel in the Pacific Islands.

This article appeared in our Spanish edition.