verkkolinja

Verkkolinja is a Finnish term that refers to a dedicated data transmission path between two or more locations, used to carry corporate traffic, voice, or data services. In telecommunications, the concept corresponds to what in English is often called a leased line or private data circuit. A verkkolinja provides a fixed capacity, a predictable service level, and is typically not shared with other customers, unlike consumer broadband.

Implementation and technologies include fiber optic point-to-point links, copper-based E1/T1 circuits, and Ethernet-based services such as Ethernet over MPLS or Ethernet over fiber. Speeds can range from a few megabits per second to gigabits per second, with symmetrical bandwidth and low latency.

Deployment models include customer-owned dark fiber or owned networks, or managed/leased services provided by telecom operators. Common use cases include interconnecting offices, data centers, disaster recovery sites, and storing backups.

In recent years, the role of verkkolinja has evolved with SD-WAN and cloud services; organizations may use multiple transport options, combining managed dedicated lines with public internet connections to optimize cost and resilience.

The term describes a private circuit rather than consumer broadband, and is often governed by service-level agreements specifying uptime, latency, and throughput.

The etymology derives from Finnish verkko 'network' and linja 'line'.