Kaisanet and Kainuu Orienteering Week: Fiber optic arrives in Suomussalmi – high-speed connections up to 20 kilometers from the municipal centre

Published: 15.06.2026

Kaisanet and Kainuu Orienteering Week: Fiber optic arrives in Suomussalmi – high-speed connections up to 20 kilometers from the municipal centre

A Kainuu Orienteering Week volunteer with a tractor laying out Kaisanet's fiber-optic cable to the KOW2026 Suomussalmi competition centre (Photo: Kainuu Orienteering Week)

The partnership between Kainuu Orienteering Week (KOW) and Kaisanet Oy has already spanned 15 years, and this summer, the collaboration continues stronger than ever. While orienteers take over the terrains of Suomussalmi, Kaisanet is strengthening the region's digital infrastructure by extensively building a fiber-optic network across the municipality.

Fiber optic reaches the wilderness

A special feature of this year’s Kainuu Orienteering Week is the location of the competition centre: following the main road networks, it is situated more than 25 kilometers away from the Suomussalmi municipal centre. Despite the challenging location, Kaisanet and the KOW organization are implementing a fixed fiber-optic connection to the competition centre.

”Over the years, Kaisanet has invested significantly in an extensive fiber-optic network across the Kainuu and Ylä-Savo regions. This enables us to provide high-quality services even to the KOW competition center located far from urban areas. Through fiber optics, we guarantee a stable communication network in the middle of the Kainuu wilderness, where thousands of people gather to enjoy the exciting race atmosphere,” states Kaisanet Oy’s CEO Jani Moilanen.

The fiber-optic connection does not only serve the event week; it is part of a larger entity. Kaisanet is currently building a fiber-optic network in various parts of Suomussalmi, Kainuu, and Ylä-Savo. This brings a competitive edge and success to the region, but above all, it smoothens daily life and boosts regional vitality.

Digital solutions at the core of a major event

Since 2011, the cooperation between Kainuu Orienteering Week and Kaisanet has focused on developing digital services and telecommunication connections. A modern orienteering event sets high demands for the network:

• Real-time results service: Online results are updated within seconds for tens of thousands of users to see.

• GPS tracking: Competitors' movements in the terrain are tracked live, which requires zero-latency data transmission.

• Live streaming: High-quality video streaming to the world is only possible thanks to the high upload capacity provided by fiber optics.

Seamless cooperation through volunteer power

As in previous years, building the network connections is a seamless team effort. Kaisanet will bring the fiber-optic network access point to a distance of about 2 kilometers from the competition centre. Volunteers from KOW and the local club Suomussalmen Rasti will handle laying the cable in the terrain for that final stretch. Once the fiber is in place, Kaisanet's experts will connect the equipment and create a comprehensive WLAN network at the competition centre to serve both the organization and the spectators.

A KOW2026 volunteer positioning the fiber-optic cable in a suitable and sheltered spot along the roadside. In total, about 2 kilometers of fiber-optic cable will be laid out to this year's competition centre. (Photo: Kainuu Orienteering Week)

Impact on regional vitality

The Orienteering Week held in Suomussalmi is a significant tourism endeavor. The event brings an average regional economic impact of 2–3 million euros annually in tourism revenue to Kainuu.

Between 2022 and 2026, Kaisanet has invested significantly in the region's networks. Functional connections are a basic modern prerequisite for remote work, tourism entrepreneurship, and organizing demanding large-scale events.

Kaisanet is part of the race atmosphere as a finish line partner at finish line number 3, welcoming orienteers to the finish line alongside high-speed connections.

More information:

• www.rastiviikko.fi
• www.kaisanet.fi