PODCAST: Arelion’s Fridström on European network expansion and pursuing enterprise services
Arelion has continued to evolve since it began building its network in 1993, when its Autonomous System (AS) 1299 was allocated. The provider has continued to grow organically ever since. The service provider’s network now stretches 77,000 km across Europe, North America, and Asia. Customers connect directly to over 2,900 wholesale customers in more than 129 countries. Also, Arelion has over 450 local access partners worldwide.
In 2025, the service provider took a significant step to enhance its European network reach by expanding its Baltic network, constructing a fully diverse, high-capacity route between Helsinki and Warsaw. While Arelion is a well-known wholesale carrier, it began expanding into the enterprise services market earlier this year. Arelion continues to succeed in selling its products to businesses directly and via agents. Arelion continues to succeed in selling its products to businesses directly and via agents.
In this podcast, we spoke with Mattias Fridström, chief evangelist at Arelion, about the service provider’s ongoing network expansion and its move to establish a stronger brand foothold in the enterprise services market.
Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments:
Opening | 0.00
Host introduction of guests | 0:03
Arelion’s recent Baltic to Western Europe network route | 0:27
This new network is built to bypass traditionally congested routes, providing resilience for carrier and enterprise customers.
The EU's Connecting Europe Facility 2 (CEF2) program | 2:07
How Arelion is leveraging CEF2 funding to modernize transport networks in underserved areas of Europe, like the Baltics.
Arelion’s European network plans | 3:27
Fridström explains how the Baltic expansion fits into the broader European connectivity trends.
Arelion’s network redundancy approaches |4:22
How Arelion’s customers value having multiple network paths to data centers and other critical locations.
Approaching data center opportunities | 5:31
Arelion works to provide the best path for extending fiber to new data centers.
Serving local and regional data centers | 7:03
How new data centers drive Arelion’s network expansion plans.
Arelion’s broad network reach | 8:20
The service provider’s network can accommodate customers with global reach needs.
Establishing an enterprise customer base | 9:23
How Arelion can apply its wholesale service experience to meet business customer needs.
Educating enterprises about its capabilities |10:55
Arelion is working to show enterprises that it is a viable provider.
The role of Network as a Service (NaaS) | 12:51
While Arelion's view of NaaS is excellent, it faces several challenges.
AI’s influence | 14:32
How AI-driven traffic influences Arelion’s network planning process.
Looking forward to 2026 |16:36
Arelion sets its course for carrier and enterprise service opportunities.
Final thoughts and closing |18:32
Besides anticipating additional traffic growth, Fridström sees potential upside in the enterprise services market.
About our guest
As chief evangelist at Arelion, Mattias Fridström is passionate about networking. A nearly 30-year veteran of the service provider, Fridström not only has insights into the networked economy but also into the challenges network providers will face tomorrow in meeting ever-increasing traffic demand and customer quality expectations within the same cost framework. However, his passion extends beyond networks: he has played professional golf and competed at the national level in football and in-line hockey (the Swedish name for floorball).
About the Podcast
In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.
About the Author
Sean Buckley
Sean is responsible for establishing and executing the editorial strategy of Lightwave across its website, email newsletters, events, and other information products.