ELASA

What ELASA does

ELASA's revenue model is exclusively B2B wholesale infrastructure rental on a usage-based, per-meter monthly pricing structure: fiber pair rental at €0.0052/jm/month, end-customer connection fiber at €2.44 per customer/month, and access-network fiber at €9.76 per customer/month. Complementary revenue streams include antenna installation site rental on ELASA-owned radio masts (used by mobile operators for 5G deployment) and ancillary connection fees. The foundation operates on a non-profit, cost-recovery basis — meaning it does not pursue profit maximization and has reduced unit prices multiple times (April 2022, March 2025) as network utilization has grown. Capital is sourced primarily through EU structural funds, EU NextGenerationEU, and CEF Digital co-funding, alongside Estonian state support and ELASA's own co-financing; the foundation's most recent major project is the €16.5M 5G-BALTICS initiative deploying cross-border 5G infrastructure along the Via Baltica corridor across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania through 2027.

Name

ELASA

Legal name

Eesti Lairiba Arenduse Sihtasutus

Website

https://elasa.ee

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ELASA is an Estonian non-profit foundation operating the 6,200+ km EstWin passive fiber optic network, renting dark fiber wholesale to ~22 telecommunications operators across Estonia on a B2B cost-recovery basis for rural broadband and 5G infrastructure deployment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Telecommunications Infrastructure

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Open-Access Fiber Network Operators (Wholesale-Only) (HDAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Terrestrial Long-Haul Fiber Backbone Operators (Intercity/Interstate) (HDAIALAG), Neutral-Host Fiber & Shared Access Network Operators (HDAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Passive fiber infrastructure
• Dark fiber rental
• Wholesale broadband network
• Telecom infrastructure operator
• Fiber optic network services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallinna

HQ country

Estonia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dark Fiber / Fiber Pair Rental: ELASA rents 'dark fiber' (fiber pairs) to telecommunications operators on a per-meter monthly basis. Operators use this infrastructure to provide services to end consumers. This is the core revenue stream and the foundation's primary business activity. Pricing is usage-based (per meter per month).
2. Customer Connection Fiber Rental: Renting fiber for end-customer connections, allowing operators to serve end users. Charged per end customer per month plus a one-time connection fee. A per-meter variant is also available.
3. Access Network Fiber Rental: Fiber rental within ELASA-built access networks, charged per end customer per month plus a district connection fee. This relates to state-supported access network projects.
4. Radio Tower Rental: ELASA rents space on radio towers to telecommunications operators for mounting antenna equipment. Rental is based on occupied surface area and height in the mast.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ELASA builds, owns, and rents a passive fiber optic network (the EstWin network) to telecommunications operators across Estonia. The foundation rents dark fiber pairs, fiber for end-customer connections, access network fiber, and radio tower space on a usage-based and recurring basis. Approximately 22 telecommunications operators serve end consumers via ELASA's 6,200+ km fiber network, primarily targeting rural and underserved areas where commercial investment is not viable.

Product overview

ELASA operates a passive fiber optic broadband infrastructure network across Estonia as part of the EstWin project. The core offering consists of dark fiber pair rental (Kiupaari rent) for telecommunications operators to establish high-capacity transport connections across the 6,200+ km base network. Complementary products include fiber rental for consumer access networks (Kiu rent tarbijaühenduseks) and meter-based fiber rental (Meetripõhine kiu rent) providing flexible end-user connectivity. ELASA also rents antenna installation sites on radio masts for mobile operators, particularly supporting 5G-BALTICS infrastructure deployment. The network is managed through the ELVI information system for project coordination and technical conditions, while the EEDI system handles construction documentation. Access networks (Juurdepääsuvõrk) are built with state/EU support to extend fiber connectivity to end-users in underserved areas. Over 22 telecommunications operators currently provide services through the EstWin infrastructure across more than 600 access areas nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dark Fiber Pair Rental (Kiupaari rent)

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of Estonian households within 1.5 km of fiber network
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025TalTech serves as the coordinator of the 5G-BALTICS project. The project aims to deploy 5G infrastructure along the Via Baltica transport corridor from Tallinn to Kalvarija, covering 663 km of continuous 5G coverage across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
• Telia Eesti AScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Telia EE is a partner in the 5G-BALTICS project, contributing to the deployment of 5G infrastructure along the Via Baltica corridor in Estonia. Telia also participated in the 5GS study phase.
• Elisa Eesti AScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Elisa EE is a partner in the 5G-BALTICS project, contributing to 5G deployment along the Via Baltica corridor. Elisa also participated in the 5GS cross-border 5G transport corridor study.
• Tele2 Eesti AScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Tele2 EE is a partner in the 5G-BALTICS project for 5G infrastructure deployment along the Via Baltica corridor.
• Sabiedriba Ar Ierobezotu Atbildibu Tet (Tet)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Tet (Latvia) is a partner in the 5G-BALTICS project, contributing to cross-border 5G coverage along the Via Baltica corridor.
• Akcine Bendrove Via Lietuva (Via Lietuva)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Via Lietuva is the Lithuanian partner and host of consortium meetings for the 5G-BALTICS project. The project aims to ensure continuous 5G coverage across the Via Baltica corridor.
• Tele2 SIA (Latvia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Tele2 LV is a partner in the 5G-BALTICS project contributing to cross-border 5G coverage in Latvia along the Via Baltica corridor.
• UAB Tele2 (Lithuania)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Tele2 LT is a partner in the 5G-BALTICS project contributing to cross-border 5G coverage in Lithuania along the Via Baltica corridor.
• Telia Lietuva ABcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Telia LT is a partner in the 5G-BALTICS project contributing to 5G infrastructure deployment in Lithuania along the Via Baltica corridor.
• Fiberup OÜminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Fiberup OÜ is one of ELASA's authorized representatives for establishing personal use rights (easements) on land for the purpose of network construction and maintenance.
• Lilaco OffshoreminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2024Lilaco Offshore is ELASA's submarine cable maintenance partner, responsible for repairs and maintenance of the submarine fiber optic cables connecting Estonian islands (Vormsi and Hiiumaa) to the mainland.
• VAS 'Elektroniskie sakari' (Latvia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023VAS Elektroniskie sakari participated in the 5GS cross-border 5G transport corridor study for Via Baltica and Rail Baltica corridors, providing technical solutions and financial models.
• Connecto Eesti AS (formerly Eltel Networks AS)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 November 2021Connecto Eesti AS serves as ELASA's authorized representative for establishing personal use rights and handling land rights documentation. They also won the network maintenance contract (2022-2027) to manage and maintain the EstWin base network. Previously operated as Eltel Networks AS.
• Geospatial OÜminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 May 2020Geospatial OÜ is one of ELASA's authorized representatives for establishing personal use rights (easements) on land and for signing property agreements related to electronic communications network infrastructure construction.
• OÜ KirjanurkminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 May 2020OÜ Kirjanurk is one of ELASA's authorized representatives for establishing personal use rights on land and for signing property agreements related to electronic communications network construction.
• Elektrilevi OÜ (now Enefit Connect OÜ)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 October 2018Elektrilevi (now Enefit Connect) won a public competition organized by the Technical Regulatory Authority to build broadband connections to homes where service is currently unavailable or insufficient, and where operators do not plan to invest within five years. State support of €20 million over five years was allocated for this purpose.
• Maanteeamet (Estonian Transport Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2010Maanteeamet signed a cooperation agreement with ELASA enabling the installation of fiber optic cables along roads and highways as part of the EstWin project. This significantly simplified land use arrangements for the network construction.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Open Fiber: Italy's wholesale-only open-access fiber network operator, deploying FTTH nationwide with a non-discriminatory model that lets multiple ISPs serve end users. Highly comparable to ELASA on business model (wholesale-only, open access), target customers (telecom operators), and rural/underserved area mandate.
• Axione: French wholesale fiber infrastructure operator (Bouygues Telecom subsidiary) building and operating open-access fiber networks, including public-initiative networks in underserved French regions. Closely comparable to ELASA's role as a wholesale, open-access rural/semi-rural fiber backbone and the AMEL/AMII public-initiative project structure.
• TDC Net: Danish wholesale fiber network operator (carved out of TDC) providing open-access fiber to ISPs and operators across Denmark. Highly comparable to ELASA on wholesale-only, equal-access fiber model and operator-rental revenue model in a Northern European market.
• Deutsche Glasfaser: Germany's leading FTTH provider focused on rural and semi-rural regions where incumbent operators had not invested. Comparable to ELASA for its rural-first fiber rollout strategy and reliance on partnerships with regional utilities and municipalities to deploy infrastructure in underserved areas.
• Lyntia Networks: Spanish wholesale-only neutral fiber operator offering dark fiber and lit services to telecom operators and enterprises. Comparable to ELASA on wholesale-only open-access model, dark-fiber revenue model, and operator-customer base, though Lyntia serves a larger and more urbanized geography.

Emerging players

• B4RN (Broadband for the Rural North): UK community-benefit, rural-focused FTTP provider building fiber in underserved northern England villages. Comparable to ELASA on rural broadband mandate, community/non-profit orientation, and reliance on microduct-style community-built infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• Telia Eesti: Largest Estonian telecom operator and a key customer of ELASA's EstWin network. Comparable as a customer/partner on the same value chain, and as an incumbent vertically integrated operator whose potential to bypass EstWin in profitable rural pockets is a direct competitive threat.
• Lumen Technologies (CenturyLink): Large-scale US/global fiber and telecom infrastructure operator offering dark fiber, wavelength, and network services to carriers and enterprises. Comparable to ELASA on dark-fiber/operator-rental business model and fiber-network operator role, though at very different scale and geographic footprint.
• euNetworks: Pan-European fiber infrastructure operator offering dark fiber and connectivity services across 17+ countries. Comparable to ELASA on wholesale fiber and operator customer base, but operates at much broader geographic scale and a more enterprise-focused footprint rather than ELASA's rural-utility mission.

Regional players

• Enefit Connect (formerly Elektrilevi): Estonian utility/grid operator that won the public competition (€20M, 5 years) to build rural broadband connections in Estonia and is also one of ELASA's founding ecosystem partners. Comparable because it is an alternative builder of FTTH in underserved Estonian areas using public support, competing/cooperating with ELASA's access network deployments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ELASA