RETN has expanded its network presence in Sofia, Bulgaria, with a new point of presence (PoP) at Neterra’s Sofia Data Center (SDC). The expansion connects Neterra to RETN’s international backbone, giving the connectivity provider another independent route for carrying traffic between Europe and Asia.
The agreement also makes Neterra a new customer of RETN’s IP Transit services, which provide access to the global internet through RETN’s international network.
The new PoP strengthens RETN’s infrastructure in Sofia, a key interconnection hub in Southeast Europe. The additional connectivity gives carriers, internet service providers (ISPs), content providers and enterprise customers more options for routing traffic to major European and Eurasian markets.
New Routes Expand Connectivity Options Between Europe and Asia
For Neterra, the connection adds another international route to its existing network infrastructure. Having additional upstream connectivity can help improve network resilience by giving traffic alternative paths if a route experiences an outage or disruption.
Neterra’s customers across Southeast Europe, including carriers, ISPs, content providers and businesses, stand to benefit from the expanded routing options. Multiple independent network paths can help reduce reliance on a single route and provide greater flexibility when moving data between regional networks and international destinations.
“Route diversity makes a network dependable,” said Dean Belev, senior product manager for Connectivity and NetIX at Neterra. “With RETN, we gain another independent path to Europe and Asia, which means more resilient connectivity for our customers across the region.”
For RETN, the new facility adds capacity and connectivity options in a market that serves as an important link between European networks and destinations farther east.
“Sofia is an important connectivity hub for Southeast Europe, and expanding our presence here enables us to better serve customers across the region,” said Betina Pavlova, commercial director at RETN.
“We’re pleased to welcome Neterra as a new IP Transit customer and to connect them to RETN’s international backbone. This expansion strengthens our network in Southeast Europe and gives customers across the region and beyond more connectivity options.”
RETN Now Operates Eight On-Net PoPs in Sofia
With the addition of Neterra’s Sofia Data Center, RETN now operates eight on-net points of presence in the Bulgarian capital.
A point of presence is a physical location where a network provider connects its infrastructure to customers or other networks. Establishing a PoP inside a data center can make it easier for service providers to establish direct connections and exchange traffic.
The additional location reinforces Sofia’s role in RETN’s regional network strategy. Its position in Southeast Europe makes the city an important location for providers looking to connect European markets with networks serving Eurasia and Asia.
RETN operates an international network built on its own dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) and IP/MPLS infrastructure. DWDM technology allows multiple data channels to travel over the same fiber-optic infrastructure, while IP/MPLS supports the routing and management of network traffic.
The company’s terrestrial routes extend through Western and Eastern Europe and Central Asia toward the Chinese border, with further connectivity into Southeast Asia.
RETN provides telecommunications services across its network, emphasizing short service lead times, high uptime and multiple layers of redundancy.
Neterra Expands Its International Network
Neterra provides global connectivity and telecommunications services and is an authorized reseller of Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service.
The company operates more than 220 points of presence worldwide and serves international telecommunications operators and businesses. According to Neterra, nine of the world’s ten largest telecommunications operators and nearly 1,000 international companies use its services.
Neterra has also received recognition at the Capacity Global Connectivity Awards, winning Best Central and Eastern European Connectivity Provider for four consecutive years, from 2023 through 2026.
The new RETN connection adds another option to Neterra’s international network, giving the company additional flexibility when routing traffic to and from European and Asian markets.
For both providers, the expansion reflects the importance of network diversity as data traffic moves across increasingly interconnected markets. By adding another independent route through Sofia, RETN and Neterra are expanding the connectivity options available to telecommunications providers, content networks and enterprise customers throughout Southeast Europe.