Sweden-Estonia (EE-S 1): Connecting the Baltic Sea
The Sweden-Estonia (EE-S 1) submarine cable is a 240 km fiber-optic system linking Sweden and Estonia across the Baltic Sea. Operational since 1995, it connects the landing points of
Stavsnas in Sweden with
Kärdla and
Tallinn in Estonia. Owned by Arelion, GN Great Nordic, and Telia Eesti, the cable is part of the Baltic Sea's dense telecommunications network. While its design capacity, fiber count, and supplier details are not publicly disclosed, the cable remains an active route for data transmission between the two countries.
What stands out about EE-S 1 is its longevity and the lack of publicly available technical specifications. Despite being in service for nearly three decades, details such as its fiber pairs and transmission technology remain undisclosed, which is unusual for cables of this age. Additionally, while GeoCables records its ready-for-service year as 1995, there is no corroborating information from other industry sources to suggest a different timeline, leaving the date uncontested but potentially under-scrutinized.
Quick facts
| Cable name | Sweden-Estonia (EE-S 1) |
| Length | 240 km |
| Ready for service | 1995 (GeoCables database value) |
| Owners | Arelion, GN Great Nordic, Telia Eesti |
| Status | In service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Kärdla (Estonia); Stavsnas (Sweden); Tallinn (Estonia) |
🗺 Show Sweden-Estonia (EE-S 1) on the interactive cable map
Route
The EE-S 1 cable spans 240 km across the Baltic Sea, connecting Stavsnas in Sweden to Kärdla and Tallinn in Estonia. Stavsnas is a notable landing site also hosting the
BCS North - Phase 1 cable, while Tallinn serves as a hub for multiple submarine cables, including
Baltic Sea Submarine Cable,
E-FINEST,
Finland-Estonia 2 (EESF-2),
Finland Estonia Connection 1 (FEC-1),
Finland Estonia Connection 2 (FEC-2), and
Mjolner East. Kärdla, a smaller town on Estonia's Hiiumaa island, is less prominent in the submarine cable landscape but provides a strategic landing point for EE-S 1.
Why it was built and what it carries
The Sweden-Estonia (EE-S 1) cable was constructed to enhance connectivity between Sweden and Estonia, facilitating data exchange and supporting telecommunications in the Baltic region. Its establishment in 1995 coincided with Estonia's growing integration into European digital networks following its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. While the cable's exact traffic composition is not disclosed, it likely supports internet, voice, and data services for both residential and commercial users in the region.
History: what can be established
GeoCables records the cable's ready-for-service year as 1995, and no conflicting dates are noted in publicly available industry sources. The ownership structure includes Arelion, GN Great Nordic, and Telia Eesti, the latter being the successor to Eesti Telekom, EMT, and Elion. The cable's operational status remains active, reflecting its role in regional connectivity despite its age.
Capacity and technology
Public sources do not disclose the design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, or transmission technology of EE-S 1. Without operator documentation, attributing these specifications would be speculative. Given its 1995 launch, the cable likely underwent upgrades to remain competitive in terms of capacity and technology, but specifics are unavailable.
Latency: the physics
The theoretical one-way light propagation latency over the 240 km wet segment is approximately 1.2 ms, with a round-trip time (RTT) floor of 2.4 ms. However, real-world latency is higher due to additional factors like land tails, terminal equipment, and routing complexities. Live measurements from remote probes show significantly higher RTTs, such as 7.9 ms for Tallinn to Stavsnas and 12.3 ms for Stavsnas to Tallinn. These values reflect the full internet path rather than the cable itself, including terrestrial network segments and routing inefficiencies.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
Should EE-S 1 experience a disruption, redundancy is available through other cables in the region. Stavsnas hosts the BCS North - Phase 1 cable, while Tallinn connects to multiple alternatives, including Baltic Sea Submarine Cable, E-FINEST, Finland-Estonia 2 (EESF-2), Finland Estonia Connection 1 (FEC-1), Finland Estonia Connection 2 (FEC-2), and Mjolner East. Standard industry practices for submarine cable repair, such as deploying specialized ships to locate and fix faults, would apply to EE-S 1.
Bottom line
- Sweden-Estonia (EE-S 1) is a 240 km submarine cable linking Sweden and Estonia, operational since 1995.
- Owned by Arelion, GN Great Nordic, and Telia Eesti, it connects Stavsnas, Kärdla, and Tallinn.
- Technical specifications like design capacity, fiber pairs, and supplier are not publicly disclosed.
- Theoretical latency over the wet segment is ≈ 2.4 ms RTT, but live measurements show higher values due to routing.
- Redundancy is provided by multiple cables in the Baltic Sea corridor.