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Rostelecom launches TEA NEXT trans-Eurasian fiber-optic line

Rostelecom launches TEA NEXT trans-Eurasian fiber-optic line

Built World

Terrestrial cable links Europe and Asia with 65 ms latency; Rostelecom warns of backbone overload

October 14th, 2026: Rostelecom deputy warns of backbone capacity shortage

Overview

Updated Oct 22

Rostelecom switched on TEA NEXT, a fiber-optic line running from Russia's western border near Latvia to Kyakhta on the Mongolia border, at a Moscow forum on October 6. The line can carry up to 1 petabit per second, with 65 milliseconds round-trip latency on the Moscow-Kyakhta route.

Eight days later, Rostelecom deputy chairman Valery Ermakov warned that Russia's backbone network is overloaded and much of its fiber is 20 to 30 years old. He said the country could face a shortage of backbone capacity. He also called for backup data centers after drone attacks on Yandex facilities.

Why it matters

A faster terrestrial route between Europe and Asia could pull data traffic through Russia, even as Rostelecom warns of backbone overload.

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Key Indicators

22
Regions crossed
Line runs from Idritsa on the Latvia border to Kyakhta on the Mongolia border through 22 Russian regions.
96
Dark fibers
Unlit optical fibers available for lease to operators and OTT companies.
17.6B RUB
Capital expenditure
Rostelecom's investment in building TEA NEXT.
1 Pbps
Maximum capacity
Depends on DWDM technology used; ranges from 384 Tbps to over 1 Pbps.
65 ms
Signal latency
Round-trip delay on the Moscow-Kyakhta route, under half that of submarine cables.
20-30 yrs
Age of much Russian fiber
Rostelecom deputy chairman Valery Ermakov said much of Russia's backbone fiber was laid 20 to 30 years ago.

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People Involved

Mikhail Oseevsky
Mikhail Oseevsky
President of Rostelecom
Oversaw TEA NEXT launch; plans Vladivostok extension and Hong Kong submarine cable
 Mikhail Mishustin
Mikhail Mishustin
Prime Minister of Russia
Attended TEA NEXT launch

Organizations Involved

Rostelecom
Rostelecom
State-controlled telecommunications operator
Built and operates TEA NEXT; deputy chairman warns of backbone capacity shortage

Russia's largest telecommunications operator, majority-owned by the state.
AT
Atlas LLC
Special-purpose company
Owns and operates TEA NEXT

Rostelecom's subsidiary created to build and run TEA NEXT.

Timeline

November 2018 October 2026

8 events Latest: October 14th, 2026 · 4 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Rostelecom deputy warns of backbone capacity shortage

    Latest Statement

    Valery Ermakov, deputy president and chairman of the management board, says Russia's backbone network is heavily overloaded and much of its fiber is 20 to 30 years old. He warns of a coming shortage of backbone capacity and calls for backup data centers after drone attacks on Yandex sites.

  2. Atlas reports existing contracts with Russian operators

    Business

    Atlas, the operator of TEA NEXT, has active contracts with major Russian telecom operators and offers dark fiber leases under IRU and MRC models. The company is working on deals with international operators and corporate clients.

  3. Rostelecom confirms Vladivostok extension, studies Hong Kong cable

    Statement

    Rostelecom president Mikhail Oseevsky tells Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin the company plans to extend TEA NEXT to Vladivostok. It is also studying a submarine cable to Hong Kong, where the largest international trans-China route is located.

  4. Rostelecom launches TEA NEXT at Digital Solutions forum

    Launch

    The line enters service in the presence of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. First customers are Russian operators; interest reported from China, Mongolia, and CIS countries.

  5. Oseevsky says TEA NEXT launch planned for spring-summer 2026

    Statement

    Rostelecom's president says construction is finishing and test operation should begin in the first half of 2026.

  6. Rostelecom signs 24.4 billion ruble loan with VEB.RF and Alfa-Bank

    Financing

    Syndicated loan secured under Russia's Factory of Project Financing program, with a term of up to 10.5 years.

  7. Rostelecom and Alfa-Bank agree to partner on TEA NEXT

    Partnership

    The two companies announce a partnership for the TEA NEXT project financing.

  8. Rostelecom registers Atlas LLC

    Project Start

    Atlas LLC, the special-purpose company for TEA NEXT, is registered in Moscow. The project to build the line starts in summer 2020.

Scenarios

1

TEA NEXT wins major international transit contracts

Likely Resolves by Oct 6, 2027

Discussed by: Interfax reports interest from operators in China, Mongolia, and CIS countries

Chinese and Mongolian operators sign dark fiber leases on TEA NEXT, making it a genuine Europe-Asia transit route. Rostelecom says it already sees strong interest from international operators and global OTT companies.

2

Rostelecom extends TEA NEXT to Vladivostok and Hong Kong

Possible Resolves by Oct 6, 2028

Discussed by: Oseevsky's statements at the launch forum

Rostelecom proceeds with the announced Vladivostok extension and studies a submarine cable to Hong Kong, connecting to the major trans-China route. Oseevsky said the company is 'thinking about' the submarine cable.

3

A Western OTT company leases TEA NEXT capacity

Unlikely Resolves by Oct 6, 2027

Discussed by: The sanctions context makes this unlikely but notable

Despite sanctions, a major Western OTT company (Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft) leases dark fiber on TEA NEXT for Europe-Asia traffic, signaling the route's commercial viability beyond Russia's allies.

4

Rostelecom builds Nakhodka-Busan subsea cable

Possible Resolves by End of 2030

Discussed by: Tea Next project roadmap

The Tea Next roadmap lists a subsea line from Nakhodka to Busan as Phase III, connecting the terrestrial backbone to South Korea. This would complete the Europe-Asia route with a direct link to the Pacific.

5

TEA NEXT fails to ease Russia's backbone capacity crunch

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Rostelecom deputy chairman Valery Ermakov

Ermakov says Russia's backbone network is heavily overloaded and much of its fiber is 20 to 30 years old. Even with TEA NEXT's 96 dark fibers, the country could face a shortage of backbone capacity if older lines are not replaced.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1891-1916

Trans-Siberian Railway (1891-1916)

Russia built the world's longest railway, connecting Moscow to Vladivostok over roughly 9,000 km. It cut Europe-to-Pacific travel from months to about two weeks and opened Siberia to settlement.

Then

The railway made Russia the land bridge between Europe and East Asia, shifting trade and migration patterns across the continent.

Now

It remains Russia's main east-west transport artery more than a century later.

Why this matters now

TEA NEXT applies the same geography to data, routing Europe-Asia traffic over land instead of around the continent by sea.

1858-1866

First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable (1858-1866)

The first transatlantic telegraph cable, laid in 1858, carried messages for three weeks before failing. A second attempt in 1866 succeeded and permanently connected Europe and North America.

Then

Cut transatlantic message time from weeks, by ship, to minutes.

Now

Established submarine cables as the backbone of international communication, a dominance that persists today.

Why this matters now

TEA NEXT challenges that submarine dominance for Europe-Asia traffic, offering a terrestrial alternative with lower latency.

Sources

(14)
+8
Interfax TASS Local Chorus UralPress Tea Next Mobile-review ComNews www1.ru The Insider Interfax Tea Next Tea Next Interfax Tea Next