RETN
RETN is an independent international telecommunications carrier operating a privately-owned 142,000+ km DWDM fiber network across Europe and Asia, providing IP transit, capacity, remote IX, cloud connectivity, and DDoS protection to 1,500+ ISPs, enterprises, and content providers across 45+ territories.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What RETN does
RETN is an independent international telecommunications carrier that operates a privately-owned DWDM fiber-optic network spanning more than 142,000 km across Europe and Asia, delivering IP transit (AS9002), wavelength capacity, Ethernet/VPN, remote IX peering, cloud connectivity, colocation, and DDoS protection to ISPs, CDNs, content providers, enterprises, and financial institutions. The network runs on Infinera and Ciena optical platforms with a Juniper MX10k IP/MPLS core, supports 125.4 Tbps of capacity across 1,010+ Points of Presence in 45+ territories, and is differentiated by the TRANSKZ terrestrial corridor linking Frankfurt to Hong Kong (15,000 km, 140.83 ms RTT, measured uptime above 99.99%). Founded in London in 2003 by two Russian engineers who had been unable to source high-quality IP transit for their own ISP, RETN has grown to 160+ employees across 17 offices and serves 1,500+ clients; it holds ISO 27001:2022, PCI DSS Level 1, and ISO 14001:2015 certifications at its Riga Deglava DC facility.
The company monetizes almost entirely through recurring subscription contracts priced on a quote basis, supplemented by IXP reseller relationships (LINX Top Reseller for both European and North American Networks, DE-CIX Premium Partner, AMS-IX Best Performing Partner) and colocation partnerships across 420+ data centers. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales teams in regional offices, a self-serve customer portal, and channel resale; 2024-2026 brought product launches including an AI-powered DDoS platform, advanced IPv6 rollout, and new low-latency routes such as Milan-Zurich, while 2026 added first US PoPs in Miami and Ashburn, a Barcelona PoP on the 2Africa cable, and Baltic/Central European fiber expansions (Tallinn-Cēsis, Kaunas-Bialystok). Ownership remains private and founder-/management-controlled with no disclosed external funding rounds, and the M&A record is limited to the 2017-2019 acquisition of Latvian fiber operator OPTRON SIA.
RETN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RETN
- Legal name
- RETN NETWORKS LTD
- Website
- https://retn.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- RETN is an independent international telecommunications carrier operating a privately-owned 142,000+ km DWDM fiber network across Europe and Asia, providing IP transit, capacity, remote IX, cloud connectivity, and DDoS protection to 1,500+ ISPs, enterprises, and content providers across 45+ territories.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RETN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wholesale Telecommunications Network Services
- NAICS
- Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)
- SIC
- Communications Services, Nec (4899)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IP Transit & Internet Backbone (Tier-1/2, peering, DIA) (HDAIAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Backbone & Long-Haul Transport (IP/MPLS, Optical/Wavelength) (HDABALAH), Subsea & Terrestrial Backhaul to Data Centers and Cloud On-Ramps (IX/DC Interconnect) (HDAIALAJ), Wholesale Wavelength, Spectrum & Dark Fiber Providers (IRU/Leases) (HDAIALAI), Carrier Ethernet & Wavelength Wholesale (E-Line/E-LAN, OTN, lambda) (HDAIAEAB)
Keywords
Where RETN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices16 records
Markets served
RETN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- IP Transit: Provides connectivity to the Global Internet from multiple locations worldwide through AS9002. Combines peering relationships with premium upstream providers for redundancy.
- Capacity Services: Layer 1 transport service using wavelengths (DWDM) for point-to-point data transmission. Available speeds from 1Gbps to 800Gbps with Ethernet, SDH, or OTN presentation.
- Cloud Connect: Dedicated private connections to major cloud providers (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Oracle, etc.) up to 100G capacity.
- Remote IX: Remote access to major Internet Exchanges (AMS-IX, DE-CIX, LINX, etc.) from any RETN PoP worldwide.
- Colocation: Colocation services at over 420+ data centers worldwide with direct connectivity to RETN network.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
RETN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RETN sells wholesale and enterprise connectivity services on its privately-owned Eurasian fiber-optic backbone, including IP Transit (Internet), Layer 1 DWDM Capacity wavelengths, Ethernet and L2/L3 VPN services, Remote IX remote peering to major internet exchanges, Colocation in 420+ data centres, Cloud Connect private links to hyperscalers, and an AI-augmented DDoS Protection suite. These connectivity products are packaged into solutions such as Managed Global Private Network, BGP Solutions, One Port, the TRANSKZ Europe-Asia corridor, and Cyber Security, sold to ISPs, CDNs, content providers, financial institutions, and global enterprises.
Product overview
RETN operates a privately-owned Eurasian network infrastructure spanning over 142,000 km across 45 territories with 1,010+ Points of Presence and 125.4 Tbps IP/MPLS network capacity. The product portfolio is organized as a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on core connectivity services. The foundation consists of physical and network-layer services: Capacity (DWDM wavelength transport), Internet (IP Transit/DIA), Ethernet & VPN (L2/L3 VPN services), Remote IX (remote peering), Colocation (420+ data centers), Cloud Connect (private cloud connections), DDoS Protection, and Flex IX (combining Remote IX with IP Transit). These are complemented by higher-level solutions including Managed Global Private Network (enterprise connectivity), BGP Solutions (wholesale routing tools), One Port (unified single-port access), TRANSKZ (Europe-Asia terrestrial DWDM corridor), and Cyber Security services. The network leverages DWDM technology from Infinera and Ciena, and IP/MPLS platforms from Juniper. The company is headquartered in London with 17 offices globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TRANSKZ: Innovative express gateway linking Europe to Asia on a single, homogenous, terrestrial, DWDM system from a single network provider. It is fully protected connecting Europe to Asia with 15,000km of fiber from Frankfurt to Hong Kong and a 140.83ms round trip delay time.
Products and services
- Capacity
Quantifiable outcome
- Network capacity up to 125.4 Tbps on owned DWDM infrastructure
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use RETN
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
RETN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration24 records
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
RETN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- BBIXcorePartnership expanded to Hong Kong and Singapore, building on existing collaboration in Japan. Utilizes RETN's Flex IX solution to provide new peering opportunities for customers across Asia.
- AMS-IXcoreAmsterdam Internet Exchange partnership. RETN is recognized as Best Performing Partner for remote peering services.
- DE-CIXcoreDeutschland Commercial Internet Exchange partnership. RETN is a Premium Partner for IX access services.
- LINXcoreLondon Internet Exchange partnership. RETN holds Top Reseller status for both European and North American Networks at LINX.
- AWScoreAmazon Web Services connectivity via Cloud Connect for dedicated private connections to AWS.
- Google CloudcoreDirect off-ramps to Google Cloud via Cloud Connect service.
- Microsoft AzurecoreAzure connectivity via Cloud Connect for private cloud access.
- Oracle CloudcoreDirect off-ramps to Oracle Cloud infrastructure.
- InfineracoreDWDM technology provider for optical transport equipment on core routes.
- CienacoreOptical networking equipment provider for DWDM systems.
- Juniper NetworkscoreIP/MPLS platform provider for network infrastructure using Juniper MX10k core.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves16 records
Expansion highlights5 records
RETN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Colt Technology Services: Operates the Colt IQ Network across Europe, Asia, and North America with extensive metro fiber and SD-WAN services, directly comparable to RETN's Ethernet/VPN and IP Transit offering for enterprise and wholesale customers.
- GTT Communications: Global Tier-1 IP Transit and SD-WAN operator serving ISPs, CDNs, and enterprises; competes head-to-head with RETN on IP Transit and Ethernet in Europe and transatlantically.
- euNetworks: Western European fiber operator with ~17,000+ km of owned metro and long-haul fiber connecting 53+ cities, offering wavelength, Ethernet, and IP services — a direct regional competitor in Western and Central Europe.
- PCCW Global: International wholesale carrier with subsea and terrestrial assets spanning Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas; competes directly with RETN on trans-Eurasia IP Transit and capacity services.
- Hurricane Electric: Large global IPv6-native IP Transit provider and operator of multiple internet exchanges; competes directly with RETN on IP Transit and Remote IX services.
- Arelion (formerly Telia Carrier): Owns one of the world's largest IP backbones with ~70,000 km and 350+ PoPs, providing IP Transit, Ethernet, Cloud Connect, and wholesale transport across Europe, North America, and Asia — the closest scale-comparable wholesale carrier to RETN.
- Tata Communications: Owns a global subsea and terrestrial network with strong India-Europe corridors; the most direct peer to RETN for Eurasia wholesale and enterprise connectivity.
- Zayo Group: Owns an extensive fiber backbone across North America and Western Europe providing wavelength, Ethernet, IP, and Cloud Connect services; comparable on infrastructure ownership and product mix.
Broad incumbents
- Lumen Technologies: Tier-1 carrier with a large global IP backbone and significant wavelength footprint; competes with RETN on IP Transit, Ethernet, and Cloud Connect across the same customer base, with much deeper US presence.
- NTT Communications (NTT Data / Global IP Network): One of the largest global Tier-1 carriers, operating a worldwide IP backbone and significant subsea capacity; overlaps with RETN's IP Transit and wavelength offerings across enterprise and wholesale segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RETN social profiles
Digital presenceRETN compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
RETN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RETN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
RETN subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
RETN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RETN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RETN
What does RETN do?
RETN sells wholesale and enterprise connectivity services on its privately-owned Eurasian fiber-optic backbone, including IP Transit (Internet), Layer 1 DWDM Capacity wavelengths, Ethernet and L2/L3 VPN services, Remote IX remote peering to major internet exchanges, Colocation in 420+ data centres, Cloud Connect private links to hyperscalers, and an AI-augmented DDoS Protection suite. These connectivity products are packaged into solutions such as Managed Global Private Network, BGP Solutions, One Port, the TRANSKZ Europe-Asia corridor, and Cyber Security, sold to ISPs, CDNs, content providers, financial institutions, and global enterprises.
Is RETN a public or private company?
RETN is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was RETN founded?
RETN was founded in 2003. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is RETN based?
RETN is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does RETN make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. IP Transit is the primary driver. The others are capacity Services, cloud Connect, remote IX and colocation.
Who are RETN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Colt Technology Services, GTT Communications, euNetworks, PCCW Global, Hurricane Electric, Arelion (formerly Telia Carrier), Tata Communications and Zayo Group. Broad incumbents are Lumen Technologies and NTT Communications (NTT Data / Global IP Network).
Does RETN have an API?
No public API is recorded for RETN.
What industry is RETN in?
RETN's product category is Wholesale Telecommunications Network Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAEAA, IP Transit & Internet Backbone (Tier-1/2, peering, DIA), with a secondary code of HDABALAH, Backbone & Long-Haul Transport (IP/MPLS, Optical/Wavelength). Its NAICS code is 517111 and its SIC code is 4899.