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Rostelecom launches TEA NEXT trans-Eurasian fiber-optic line
En breve
Rostelecom launched the TEA NEXT trans-Eurasian fiber-optic line at the Digital Solutions – 2026 forum in the presence of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, the company and state news agency TASS reported. The line runs from Russia's western regions to the Far East with exits to the borders of Mongolia and China, has 96 dark fibers and cost 17.6 billion rubles in capital expenditure. Kommersant and CNews call it the largest infrastructure project in the history of Russian telecoms.
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Rostelecom launched the TEA NEXT trans-Eurasian fiber-optic line at the Digital Solutions – 2026 forum in the presence of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Vedomosti, Interfax, CNews, TASS, Habr News, iXBT, RBC and Kommersant reported on 6 October 2026. The launch was performed by Rostelecom president Mikhail Oseevsky, according to CNews and Kommersant. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
Rostelecom began the project in summer 2020 and set up the operating company Atlas, Interfax and CNews reported. Interfax, CNews, iXBT and Kommersant said the line links Russia's western and eastern regions, connects to major cities and has exits at the borders with Mongolia and China. Vedomosti reported that the first stage is about 7,600 km long and links 22 Russian regions, including five economic centre cities. Kommersant and CNews both described the line as the largest infrastructure project in the history of Russian telecoms. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 , 8 ]
Capital expenditure was 17.6 billion rubles, Vedomosti, Interfax and Kommersant reported. Vedomosti said open financing of 24.4 billion rubles was provided by VEB.RF; Interfax said Rostelecom attracted a syndicated loan from VEB.RF and Alfa-Bank in 2025 under the Project Finance Factory programme to build and service TEA NEXT. Kommersant reported that in 2024 Rostelecom planned to lease the line's fiber-optic resources to telecom operators so they could organise their own backbone networks. [ 1 , 2 , 8 ]
The line has 96 dark fibers — fiber not yet used for data transmission — which can be used by international operators and global OTT companies as a transit resource between Asia and Europe, as well as by Russian operators inside the country, Interfax reported. Vedomosti, Interfax, iXBT and Kommersant said construction used cable with new G.654 optical fibers, which Interfax said support all prospective DWDM backbone technologies. On capacity, Vedomosti said the maximum volume of data that can be transmitted exceeds 1 Pb/s, while Interfax and Kommersant said it is up to 384 Tb/s, 768 Tb/s or more than 1 Pb/s depending on the DWDM technology used. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 ]
Interfax reported signal latency of no more than 65 ms, two or more times less than on submarine optical lines, and a projected cable service life of at least 25 years; iXBT put the latency on the Moscow–Kyakhta route at no more than 65 ms. Vedomosti and iXBT said Russian-made components were used in construction. [ 1 , 2 , 6 ]
Oseevsky said the line is an important step toward digital sovereignty and creates reliable infrastructure for data transmission between the European part of the country and the Far East for at least a quarter of a century, and that it is needed for data centres, clouds and artificial intelligence, according to Vedomosti and CNews. CNews quoted him saying Rostelecom had launched “the shortest and most reliable route for traffic exchange between Europe and Asia”. Vedomosti and iXBT reported interest in the line from China, Mongolia and some CIS countries; iXBT said domestic telecom operators are the first tenants of the dark fibers, without naming them. [ 1 , 3 , 6 ]
Kommersant reported that the route is designed to work inside the Russian network, with links to major cities and exits to Mongolia and China in its eastern part, and that its practical value lies in giving operators ready infrastructure for regional networks and international transit. [ 8 ]
Por qué importa
Rostelecom presents the line as infrastructure for Russia's digital sovereignty and as a shorter land route for data traffic between Europe and Asia, which the company says could support data centers, cloud services and artificial intelligence. The line's international role depends on demand from foreign operators and on transit arrangements that the documents say are not yet settled.
Datos clave
- Rostelecom launched the TEA NEXT trans-Eurasian fiber-optic line at the Digital Solutions – 2026 forum in the presence of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- Capital expenditure on the project was 17.6 billion rubles. [ 1 , 2 , 8 ]
- The line has 96 dark fibers and uses cable with G.654 optical fibers. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 ]
- Rostelecom began the project in summer 2020 and created the operating company Atlas. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The projected service life of the cable is at least 25 years. [ 1 , 2 , 6 ]
- Rostelecom president Mikhail Oseevsky said the line is a step toward digital sovereignty and a basis for data centers, cloud services and artificial intelligence. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Kommersant and CNews described the line as the largest infrastructure project in the history of Russian telecoms. [ 3 , 8 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- Rostelecom launched the TEA NEXT trans-Eurasian fiber-optic line. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- The launch took place at the Digital Solutions – 2026 forum in the presence of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 ]
- The project began in summer 2020, with the creation of operating company Atlas. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Capital expenditure was 17.6 billion rubles. [ 1 , 2 , 8 ]
- The line has 96 dark fibers. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 ]
- The cable uses G.654 optical fibers. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 ]
- The projected cable service life is at least 25 years. [ 1 , 2 , 6 ]
- Signal latency is no more than 65 ms, which the company says is two or more times less than on submarine cables. [ 2 , 6 ]
- Rostelecom president Mikhail Oseevsky said the line is a step toward digital sovereignty and supports data centers, cloud services and artificial intelligence. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The line connects Russia's western and eastern regions with links to major cities and exits to the borders of Mongolia and China. [ 2 , 3 , 6 , 8 ]
- Russian-made components were used in construction. [ 1 , 6 ]
- Interest in the line has been shown by China, Mongolia and some CIS countries. [ 1 , 6 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- Maximum data transmission capacity: Vedomosti says more than 1 Pb/s, while Interfax and Kommersant say up to 384 Tb/s, 768 Tb/s or more than 1 Pb/s depending on DWDM technology. Outlets give different figures for the same project.
- Whether Alfa-Bank took part in the financing. Vedomosti attributes the 24.4 billion rubles to VEB.RF; Interfax reports a syndicated loan from VEB.RF and Alfa-Bank attracted in 2025 under the Project Finance Factory.
- The first stage's length of about 7,600 km and its links to 22 Russian regions and five economic centre cities. Single-source detail reported only by Vedomosti.
- Which operators are the first tenants of the dark fibers. Only iXBT says domestic telecom operators are the first tenants; it does not name them.
- Rostelecom's 2024 plans to lease fiber resources to operators so they could build their own backbone networks. Single-source background reported only by Kommersant.
- The exact time the launch took place. Documents give publication times, not the time of the launch itself.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- Vedomosti reports the launch at the Digital Solutions – 2026 forum in the presence of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. [ 1 ]
- Interfax reports the launch, adding capacity, financing and technical specifications. [ 2 ]
- CNews reports the launch and quotes Rostelecom president Mikhail Oseevsky. [ 3 ]
- TASS reports the launch in a headline. [ 4 ]
- Habr News carries a short item on the launch. [ 5 ]
- iXBT reports the launch, including the Moscow–Kyakhta latency and first tenants. [ 6 ]
- RBC reports the launch, citing the company's press service. [ 7 ]
- Kommersant reports the launch and describes the line as the largest infrastructure project in the history of Russian telecoms. [ 8 ]