RETN's View on the Digital Age

Bandwidth demand growth seemed unstoppable for a long time. As recently as 2020, year-on-year demand increased 45%. Fast-forward to 2024, and that pace is down to 29%, but is still tremendous. Capacity demand growth is driven by AI and emerging applications, that exacerbate pressure on network infrastructure. IoT adds massive scale — billions of sensors and smart devices transmitting continuous data, demands more bandwidth from year to year. The content companies are another force pushing this industry to grow exponentially.

The rise of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has transformed life across the EU; its direct impact on end customers is hard to overestimate. According to the Eurostat report "Young people – digital world," in 2024, an impressive 97% of young people aged 16-29 use the internet daily—up from 89% in 2015. The digital age gap is narrowing; in 2015, daily internet usage was 24 percentage points higher among young people than the total population (89% vs. 65%), but by 2024, this gap has shrunk to just 9 percentage points (97% vs. 88%).

RETN, that serves the biggest content companies in the world, various ISPs and enterprises in more than 44 countries around the globe, has been building its network to surpass the growing demand.

Earlier this year, RETN deployed 400G ZR+ optics across its Pan-European network, enabling it to transform its IP backbone, increasing available bandwidth, increasing network efficiency, reducing power consumption and minimising field engineer visits across Europe.

This upgrade aligns with our strategic focus on meeting future demands, especially as data from RETN for Q1 2025 shows a notable uptake in 100Gservices with 76 implementations, reflecting a strong market shift towards higher bandwidth solutions compared to 53 for 10G services. The implementation of 400G services is still in its early stages, with only 3 reported, indicating a nascent but growing interest in ultra-high bandwidth options.

Customer's Allocated Bandwidth

The growth in customer bandwidth is further illustrated in our data, showing a steady increase in allocated bandwidth from 10.4 Tbps in 2018 to 57.6 Tbps in 2024. This upward trend reflects RETN's commitment to expanding capacity to meet the evolving needs of our customers.

DWDM Network 10G vs. 100G Waves Dynamic

The dynamics of our DWDM network show a significant shift in customer service capacity growth, with a clear trend towards 100G waves. Data indicates that the number of new 100G implementations has increased substantially compared to 10G waves, highlighting the market's transition towards higher bandwidth solutions. This growth reinforces our strategy to focus on deploying 100G and 400G technologies to better serve our customers' needs.

With over 970 Points of Presence (PoPs) worldwide, including recent expansions in Bologna, Milan, Greece, Croatia, Dubai, as well as several in Asia and the US, we are enhancing connectivity and reducing latency. These PoPs are crucial for ensuring our network is resilient and can support growing data demands.

The Eurostat report also indicates that 88% of young people used social networks in 2024, compared to 65% of the total population. Through partnerships with local providers, we ensure reliable internet access, bridging the digital divide and empowering individuals for education and work.

At RETN, we envision a future where enhanced connectivity empowers individuals and communities, bridging the digital divide. Our commitment to expanding 100G and 400G technologies positions us to effectively meet future data demands while promoting digital inclusion for everyone.

We believe in the transformative power of connectivity for all. Let’s continue to promote digital inclusion!