Company snapshot
| Category | Arelion | BytePlus |
|---|---|---|
| Status | active | active |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
Arelion, formerly Telia Carrier, is a global telecommunications provider based in Solna, Sweden, operating a tier 1 network with Autonomous System number AS1299. It offers fiber-based connectivity and IP services, including CDN solutions tailored for hosting and content delivery providers. The company serves wholesale customers, enterprises, and content providers like Facebook and CDNetworks. Its network spans over 77,000 km, connecting 350+ points of presence (PoPs) across 125 countries. Arelion focuses on high-capacity, low-latency connectivity for industries such as gaming, finance, and media.
BytePlus, a division of ByteDance, provides a global Content Delivery Network (CDN) with over 1,300 points of presence (PoPs) and a bandwidth capacity exceeding 120 Tbps. It serves businesses needing low-latency content delivery for web, apps, video streaming, and downloads. Its customer base includes media, e-commerce, and gaming companies, particularly in APAC and China, leveraging ByteDance’s infrastructure expertise. The CDN integrates security features and edge computing capabilities, targeting enterprise clients with high-traffic demands.
Network & Architecture
Arelion operates a global fiber network with over 350 PoPs in more than 125 countries, covering Europe, North America, Asia, and Latin America. Its North American network accounts for 57% of its customer bandwidth, with 40% year-over-year growth. The company maintains direct connections to over 70% of global Internet routes, leveraging its tier 1 status for robust peering and routing. Recent expansions include new routes in Texas and Mexico, enhancing diversity and capacity. The network is monitored 24/7 from centralized Network Operations Centers, ensuring consistent performance. Regional strengths include Europe and North America, with growing presence in Latin America and Asia.
BytePlus operates over 1,300 PoPs across more than 70 global locations, with a focus on APAC and China, where it holds a China-licensed CDN status. Its network supports over 120 Tbps of bandwidth, optimized for video streaming and large file downloads. The architecture uses SSD-based cache servers and DNS-based load balancing for reliability. Strong peering in APAC ensures low latency, though coverage in Africa and LATAM is less extensive compared to providers like Cloudflare or Akamai.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Arelion | BytePlus |
|---|---|---|
waf | ✗ | ✓ |
bot_mitigation | ✗ | ✓ |
ddos | ✓ | ✓ |
rate_limit | ✗ | ✗ |
http3_quic | ✗ | ✓ |
tls13 | ✗ | ✓ |
tiered_cache | ✗ | ✓ |
origin_shield | ✗ | ✓ |
instant_purge | ✗ | ✓ |
stale_while_revalidate | ✗ | ✗ |
stale_if_error | ✗ | ✗ |
image_optimization | ✗ | ✓ |
video_vod | ✗ | ✓ |
video_live | ✗ | ✓ |
drm | ✗ | ✗ |
hls_dash_packaging | ✗ | ✗ |
websockets | ✗ | ✗ |
signed_urls | ✗ | ✓ |
edge_compute | ✗ | ✓ |
functions | ✗ | ✓ |
kv_storage | ✗ | ✓ |
api_first | ✓ | ✓ |
realtime_logs | ✓ | ✓ |
log_push | ✗ | ✓ |
terraform | ✗ | ✗ |
Legend: ✓ = Supported, ✗ = Not supported, — = Not listed
Pricing
Arelion’s pricing model is primarily enterprise-oriented, with custom contracts for wholesale and large-scale customers. No public per-GB pricing is available, and the company does not offer a free tier or pay-as-you-go plans. Pricing details are typically negotiated based on capacity and service requirements. For more information, visit https://www.arelion.com.
BytePlus uses a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with enterprise-focused pricing, though specific per-GB rates are not publicly disclosed. No free tier is available, and pricing details require contacting their sales team. The model supports flexible scaling for high-traffic needs, often customized for enterprise clients. No public pricing page is provided; contact sales for details.
Integrations & DevEx
Arelion’s My Arelion portal supports Open APIs for accessing usage data, support tickets, and service management, enabling integration with customer systems. The portal includes BGP tools and allows self-service for ordering services like Cloud Connect and IP Transit. No specific support for Terraform or CI/CD pipelines is documented. Real-time logs are available through the portal, providing visibility into network performance and service status.
BytePlus supports API-driven configuration for automation, with real-time logs and log push for monitoring. It offers SDKs for integration but lacks Terraform support. Migration guides are available, covering DNS updates, SSL/TLS setup, and A/B testing for transitions. The console provides tools for managing domains, certificates, and edge functions, though developer-centric features are less extensive than Fastly or Cloudflare.
When it fits
- Enterprises needing high-capacity, low-latency connectivity for content delivery across global markets.
- Wholesale customers requiring direct access to a tier 1 network with extensive peering.
- Businesses in Europe or North America seeking robust DDoS mitigation and API-driven service management.
- Enterprises needing high-capacity video streaming or large file downloads, especially in APAC and China.
- Businesses requiring China-licensed CDN services with strong regional performance.
- Users leveraging edge compute for custom logic or low-latency key-value storage.
When it doesn’t
- Small businesses or startups looking for pay-as-you-go or free-tier CDN options.
- Customers needing advanced edge compute, image optimization, or video-specific CDN features.
- Organizations prioritizing transparent, publicly available pricing without custom contracts.
- Small businesses or startups seeking free tiers or transparent, low-cost pricing.
- Organizations needing extensive coverage in Africa or LATAM, where PoP density is lower.
- Developers requiring robust Terraform or CI/CD integrations for infrastructure-as-code workflows.
History & Notes
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