Company snapshot
| Category | Arelion | EdgeNext |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
EdgeNext is a global edge cloud service provider specializing in content delivery network (CDN) services, cloud security, and edge computing, with a strong focus on APAC, China, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Founded in 2022, the company acquired ChinaCache’s international CDN operations in 2023, expanding its network to over 1,700 points of presence (PoPs) worldwide. EdgeNext serves industries such as media, gaming, e-commerce, and online learning, delivering solutions for video streaming, large file downloads, and low-latency content delivery. Its services are tailored to meet regional regulatory requirements, particularly in China, where it holds an ICP license for compliance. Customers include businesses seeking high-performance content delivery in emerging markets.
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.
EdgeNext operates a network of over 1,700 PoPs across 34 countries, with a significant presence in APAC, China, MENA, and North America. Its infrastructure includes 112 IPv4 and 39 IPv6 network ranges, supporting applications like Bing, Weibo, and Steam. The company emphasizes low-latency delivery with a reported response time of under 30ms and over 4 Tbps of redundant bandwidth. EdgeNext’s strength lies in its regional expertise in China and MENA, where it navigates complex regulatory environments. However, its coverage in Latin America and Africa is less extensive compared to global leaders like Cloudflare or Akamai.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Arelion | EdgeNext |
|---|---|---|
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.
EdgeNext operates a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pricing model with competitive rates tailored to regional markets. Pricing details are available on their official pricing page: https://www.edgenext.com/pricing. Free trials are offered for new customers to test CDN and streaming services. Specific per-GB pricing is not publicly disclosed but is described as cost-effective for APAC and MENA markets. Enterprises can request customized pricing for high-volume or complex deployments.
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.
EdgeNext supports API-first integrations for managing CDN configurations and cache purging. Real-time logs are available for monitoring performance and troubleshooting. The platform lacks explicit support for Terraform or specific CI/CD integrations, but its API allows custom automation. EdgeNext provides 24/7 bilingual customer support, which is particularly valuable for clients in APAC and China. Migration tools are not explicitly documented, but the company offers technical support to assist with onboarding.
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.
- Businesses targeting APAC, China, or MENA markets, especially those needing compliance with Chinese ICP regulations.
- Media and entertainment companies requiring reliable video streaming (VOD and live) with global reach.
- Enterprises seeking cost-effective CDN solutions with strong regional support in emerging markets.
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.
- Organizations needing extensive coverage in Latin America or Africa, where EdgeNext’s PoP presence is limited.
- Developers requiring advanced DevEx features like Terraform support or extensive CI/CD integrations.
- Teams that specifically require independently documented bot-mitigation depth and advanced bot management controls.
History & Notes
—
—