Placetel

What Placetel does

Placetel is a cloud-based business telephony provider headquartered in Cologne, Germany, operating as Gamma Placetel GmbH since its 2007 founding and serving over 40,000 business customers in DACH markets. Its core offering is Placetel Profi, a virtual telephone system with 150+ features (IVR, call queues, time-based routing, BLF, voicemail, call forwarding) running on Cisco-powered cloud infrastructure with 99.9% SLA, hosted in redundant ISO 27001/9001-certified European data centers and priced from 4.90 EUR per user per month. The platform extends into Webex-powered messaging and video meetings, a Call Center / CX Platform tier, Placetel Mobile for FMC integration, SIP trunking for legacy PBXs, and — since 2024 — Placetel AI, an AI voice agent suite covering reception, support, appointment scheduling, voicemail, and lead generation, with verticalized variants for medical, tax, automotive, retail, trades, property management, and insurance.

The company runs a hybrid go-to-market combining a self-serve product-led motion (30-day free trial, no payment data, online signup) with an enterprise field-sales channel and a network of 2,000+ resellers/IT service providers earning lifetime recurring commissions. Distribution reaches customers via 2,500+ integrations with Microsoft Teams, DATEV, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho, Pipedrive, Xentral, monday.com, and Propstack, plus partner academy certifications, webinars, and a Video Academy. Placetel has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cisco since 2018, led by Managing Directors Peter Kurt Nowack and Gerben Wijbenga, and monetizes through per-user subscriptions, usage-based connection fees, flatrate add-ons, AI assistant subscriptions, hardware sales and rental, number-porting and service-number fees, and partner-driven affiliate commissions.

Name

Placetel

Legal name

Gamma Placetel GmbH

Website

https://placetel.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Placetel is a German cloud telephony provider serving 40,000+ DACH businesses with a Cisco-powered virtual phone system, 2,500+ integrations, and AI voice agents, distributed via self-serve, enterprise sales, and 2,000+ partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cloud Business Telephony

NAICS

Telephone Call Centers (56142), Telemarketing Bureaus and Other Contact Centers (561422), Telecommunications Resellers (517121)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Cloud PBX & Hosted Telephony (HDAIAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Contact Center Speech AI (agent assist, IVR automation) (HDAAAFAL), Contact Center (CCaaS) & Customer Engagement Voice (HDAIAHAF), Business/Enterprise Fixed Connectivity Providers (SME/Enterprise Broadband) (HDAIABAI)

Keywords

• Cloud telephony
• VoIP phone system
• AI voice assistants
• Unified communications
• Business phone system

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription Licenses: Monthly recurring subscription fees per user/license for cloud phone system access. Base packages start at 4.90€ per user monthly with additional features available in higher tiers.
2. Usage-based Connection Fees: Per-minute charges for calls outside flatrate packages. German landline calls at 1 cent per minute, mobile calls at 9.9 cents per minute.
3. Flatrate Add-ons: Allnet flatrate packages for unlimited calls to German landlines and mobile networks, billed monthly per user.
4. AI Phone Assistant Subscriptions: AI voice agent packages with included minutes (750-4,000 minutes), starting at 40€ monthly for Grow tier, 129€ for Professional, and 359€ for Enterprise.
5. Hardware Sales and Rental: IP phones, softphones, and accessories available for purchase or monthly rental. Hardware auto-provisioning included.
6. Partner Program Commissions: Lifetime recurring commissions for partners on entire customer bills including base fees, connection charges, flatrates, options, and hardware.
7. Number Porting and Services: Fees for number porting, additional number blocks (4.90€ monthly for 10-block, 24.90€ for 100-block), service numbers (0800), and international numbers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Placetel provides a cloud-based business telephone system (Placetel Profi) with over 150 features, powered by Cisco technology and hosted in redundant European data centers. The platform is modular, extending with Webex messaging and video meetings, AI voice assistants for 24/7 automated call handling, call center functionality, business mobile integration, SIP trunking, and IP hardware clients. It serves over 40,000 business customers in German-speaking markets with a 99.9% SLA.

Product overview

Placetel is a cloud-based unified communications platform offering a modular portfolio built on Cisco technology. The core product is Placetel Profi (cloud telephone system with 150+ features at 4.90 EUR/user/month), which can be extended with Webex für Placetel for messaging, video meetings, and collaboration (14.90 EUR/user/month), Placetel AI for intelligent call handling (40-359 EUR/month tiers), Call Center functionality, Placetel Mobile for business mobility, SIP-Trunk for legacy PBX integration, and hardware/software clients. The platform is designed for teams of any size and industry, with integrations into Microsoft Teams, CRM systems (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho), and ERP systems (DATEV, Xentral).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Placetel AI: AI phone assistants that automatically handle calls, qualify leads, and book appointments 24/7.
• Webex für Placetel
• Placetel Profi
• Placetel Mobile

Products and services

• Placetel Profi Cloud-based business telephone system with over 150 professional features including call center functionality, available from 4.90 EUR per user per month. Designed for businesses of all sizes needing a professional, scalable PBX replacement.
• Webex für Placetel Communication suite combining Placetel cloud telephony with team messaging, video meetings, file sharing, and virtual whiteboards powered by Cisco Webex. Available from 14.90 EUR per user per month with allnet flatrate for German calls included.
• Placetel AI (KI-Telefonassistenten) AI-powered phone assistants that automatically answer calls 24/7, qualify leads, book appointments, and route calls. Available in Grow (40 EUR), Professional (129 EUR), and Enterprise (359 EUR) tiers with included minutes and features.
• Call Center Professional call center solution with IVR, call queues, skill-based routing, detailed reporting, and agent status management for organizations focused on customer service excellence.
• Placetel Mobile Business mobile integration allowing smartphones to function as office extensions with the company phone number, including all-net flat and data volume options.
• SIP-Trunk SIP trunking service connecting existing on-premise telephone systems to VoIP networks, allowing continued use of legacy PBX hardware with modern VoIP connectivity.
• Clients & Endgeräte Software phones (softphones), mobile apps, and hardware rental/purchase including IP phones from Cisco, Snom, and Yealink with auto-provisioning support.
• Connect DSL DSL and fiber internet connectivity solutions bundled with Placetel cloud telephony services for end-to-end business communication infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% cost savings compared to traditional ISDN phone systems
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CiscocoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Since 2018, Placetel has been part of Cisco. The partnership provides access to Cisco's collaboration technology, Webex platform, and enterprise-grade infrastructure. Placetel operates on Cisco-powered cloud technology with redundant data centers. This partnership enables Placetel to offer Cisco Enterprise solutions to German SMBs and mid-market companies.
• Microsoft TeamscoreTechnology or IntegrationNative integration allowing true Placetel phone functionality directly within Microsoft Teams. Automatic setup in minutes. Users can make and receive calls, access call logs, and manage communications without leaving Teams environment.
• DATEVcoreTechnology or IntegrationSeamless integration with DATEV accounting software, providing practical telephony functions directly within the DATEV application for efficient processes in tax advisory and accounting firms.
• HubSpotcoreTechnology or IntegrationCRM integration allowing direct dialing from HubSpot, automatic call logging, and easy creation of new activities from phone interactions. Optimizes sales workflows.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or IntegrationCRM integration connecting cloud telephony with Salesforce for call logging, click-to-dial functionality, and customer interaction tracking within the CRM platform.
• Media8 GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner testimonial: 'Competent contacts and attractive commission model are the guarantee for joint success stories! With Placetel we have the right partner at our side.' (Marco Splettstößer, Media8 GmbH)
• SalesmanufakturminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner testimonial: 'With AI phone assistants combined with the cloud phone system we open up new business areas and create real added value for our customers.' (Bernd Keiter, Salesmanufaktur)
• Tadiplus Telecom GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner testimonial: 'As a Placetel partner I appreciate that you get support on every topic and can successfully complete large projects together.' (Marcus Hapke, Tadiplus Telecom GmbH). Contact partner for configuration and quote support.
• LLL-IT-ConsultingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for configuration and quote support. Listed on signup forms as partner who may contact customers regarding configuration and offers.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NFON AG: NFON is a Munich-based cloud telephony provider focused on European SMBs with a similar cloud PBX, contact center, and UCaaS portfolio. It is one of Placetel's closest direct competitors in the DACH market, targeting the same mid-market and SMB customer base with comparable subscription pricing and partner-led GTM.
• RingCentral: RingCentral is a global leader in cloud UCaaS and CCaaS, offering cloud PBX, contact center, and team messaging for SMBs through enterprises. It competes directly with Placetel Profi and Placetel AI, especially as RingCentral expands its AI-powered contact center capabilities in Europe.
• 8x8: 8x8 provides cloud telephony, UCaaS, and CCaaS solutions for SMBs and mid-market, including AI-powered contact center features. It is a direct functional competitor to Placetel's combined telephony and call center offering, though with a more international footprint.
• Vonage (Ericsson): Vonage, now part of Ericsson, offers cloud communications APIs, UCaaS, and CCaaS. Its Vonage Contact Center and Business Communications offerings overlap directly with Placetel's cloud PBX and Call Center products, particularly for European SMB customers.
• Starface GmbH: Starface is a German UCaaS and cloud PBX competitor, historically on-premise hybrid but increasingly cloud. It targets German SMBs and mid-market with comparable VoIP features, channel-led distribution, and pricing, making it a direct head-to-head competitor in Placetel's home market.
• sipgate GmbH: sipgate is a German cloud telephony and SIP trunking provider serving SMBs with VoIP, mobile, and internet connectivity. It competes directly with Placetel Profi and Placetel Connect DSL in the German SMB segment, especially for cost-conscious buyers.

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft Teams Phone: Microsoft Teams Phone is the cloud calling capability within Microsoft Teams, increasingly bundled with Microsoft 365. It is both a partner (via Placetel's native Teams integration) and a broad incumbent competitor, especially for SMBs standardizing on the Microsoft productivity stack.
• Zoom Communications: Zoom offers Zoom Phone alongside its video meetings platform, providing cloud PBX and contact center features for SMBs through enterprises. It is a broad incumbent competing with Placetel's telephony and Webex für Placetel collaboration stack.
• Cisco Webex Calling: Cisco Webex Calling is the parent Cisco's global cloud telephony and UCaaS offering, sharing Cisco infrastructure and Webex branding with Placetel. It serves larger global enterprises and overlaps with Placetel's Webex für Placetel suite, representing both an enabler and an incumbent alternative.

Regional players

• easybell GmbH: easybell is a German SIP trunk, cloud telephony, and VoIP provider primarily serving the German SMB market. It is a regional competitor to Placetel's SIP-Trunk and Placetel Profi offerings, competing on price and connectivity bundles within Germany.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Placetel
• Facebookfacebook.com/placetel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/placetel-de
• Instagraminstagram.com/placetel
• Xx.com/placetel

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Placetel