Telemark

What Telemark does

Telemark GmbH is a regional telecommunications and IT infrastructure provider headquartered in Lüdenscheid, Germany, founded in 1998 and majority-owned by three municipal utilities (Stadtwerke Iserlohn 53.3%, Stadtwerke Menden 26.7%, Stadtwerke Lüdenscheid 20%). The company operates a 400+ km fiber-to-the-home network across the Südwestfalen / Märkischer Kreis region and runs two data centers (Lüdenscheid, plus a newly opened facility in Menden certified to ISO 27001 and DIN EN 50600). It sells wholesale fiber access via an Open Access model to third-party ISPs including DOKOM21, Helinet, and MUENET.

The company's product portfolio spans fiber connectivity (FTTH and B2B), colocation and cloud services from its data centers, and managed IT services — including SCADA systems for energy and water utilities, managed firewall, backup, and cloud telephony (reselling Avaya Spaces). Customer segments include regional enterprises, energy and water utilities, municipal government (e.g., Stadt Menden schools), housing associations (3,000+ apartments for TV and connectivity), and carrier partners. Pricing is subscription/contract-recurring for connectivity and managed services, with one-time installation fees on fiber buildouts.

Telemark's go-to-market combines direct B2B sales, its municipal-utility shareholder channels, and the Open Access wholesale platform. The 2025 operating cadence — a €2M Menden data center opening, entry into the Ruhr-Backbone alliance, an INSYS icom OT/SCADA partnership, ISO 27001 certification, a new Menden office building, and a new Head of IT — indicates an active infrastructure and managed-services expansion phase. The company does not disclose revenue and operates with roughly 70 employees.

Name

Telemark

Legal name

Telemark Telekommunikationsgesellschaft Mark mbH

Website

https://telemark.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Telemark GmbH is a German regional telecom and IT infrastructure provider operating a 400+ km FTTH network and two ISO-certified data centers in Südwestfalen, serving enterprises, utilities, municipalities, and carriers via fiber, colocation, and managed IT services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Telecommunications and Data Center Services

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Operators (HDAIACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP/FTTH) Broadband Providers (HDAIABAC), Rural & Universal Service Fixed Broadband Providers (HDAIABAJ), Rural Broadband & Cooperative Fiber Operators (HDAIACAG)

Keywords

• Fiber optic internet
• Data center colocation
• Managed IT services
• Cloud telephony
• SCADA remote control

Headquarters

HQ city

Lüdenscheid

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fiber Network Services (B2B): Monthly recurring fees from businesses for high-speed symmetric internet (100/100, 400/400, 1000/1000 Mbit/s FTTH), SIP trunk, and leased lines. Revenue driven by long-term contracts with uptime SLAs.
2. Data Center & Serverhousing: Recurring fees for server rack space, hosting, and managed services in ISO 27001/DIN EN 50600 certified data centers. Additional revenue from geo-redundant hosting and connectivity to Ruhr-Backbone.
3. TV Services: Cable TV subscription at €8.95/month for basic package; waipu.tv Perfect Plus reselling at €14.95/month. Revenue from housing associations and residential customers in Menden and Iserlohn.
4. Managed IT Services: Monthly fees for managed firewall, managed backup, and cloud telephony services. Delivered as managed services with SLA-backed support.
5. Fiber Installation Fees: One-time fees for fiber connection: €499 for self-performed civil engineering, €799 for full-service connection up to 10 meters. Additional revenue from network expansion projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Telemark plans, builds, and operates a regional Open Access FTTH gigabit fiber network across Südwestfalen and runs two ISO 27001/DIN EN 50600 certified geo-redundant data centers providing server housing and managed services. The company sells symmetric business internet (100/100, 400/400, 1000/1000 Mbit/s), SIP trunk telephony, managed cloud telephony (Avaya), managed firewall and backup, leased lines, SCADA/remote-control systems for utilities, and residential cable TV and waipu.tv streaming.

Product overview

Telemark is a regional telecommunications provider in South Westphalia (Märkischer Kreis) offering a comprehensive portfolio of connectivity and IT services. The core offerings center on high-availability data center services (Rechenzentrum & Serverhousing) with redundant fiber connectivity up to 100 GBit/s, combined with symmetric high-speed fiber internet (FTTH) at 100/400/1000 Mbit/s tiers. Voice and communication services span SIP-Trunk/IP-Anlagenanschluss and managed cloud telephony through certified partnerships with Avaya (Spaces, Workplace, Aura platforms). IT security is addressed via managed firewalls from Fortinet and WatchGuard, alongside managed backup services. Industrial solutions include Fernwirken (remote monitoring and control) using INSYS icom routers for energy and water utilities. Television offerings include traditional Kabel-TV and waipu.tv internet streaming. An Open Access fiber network (Glasfaser-kommt) enables customers to choose their service provider. All services are backed by ISO 27001 and DIN EN 50600 certified infrastructure with geo-redundant data centers in Lüdenscheid and Menden.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rechenzentrum & Serverhousing (Data Center & Server Housing) High-availability colocation and server housing in ISO 27001 and DIN EN 50600 certified data centers in Südwestfalen, with redundant fiber up to 100 Gbit/s, 100% green electricity, and hybrid cooling systems. Targeted at regional businesses, carriers, and utilities needing geo-redundant, GDPR-compliant IT infrastructure.
• Highspeed Internet (FTTH Business Internet) Symmetric FTTH business internet at 100/100, 400/400, and 1000/1000 Mbit/s tiers with 98.5% uptime SLA, IPv4 /30 network included, and optional redundancy/backup line. Sold to mid-market and enterprise customers across Südwestfalen.
• SIP-Trunk / IP-Anlagenanschluss VoIP telephone trunking with 2-50 voice channels, configurable number block, Germany landline flatrate, optional EU flat, and optional internet flat. Available in SIP Basic and SIP Trunk variants with IP or ISDN/S0/S2M (PMX) gateway interfaces. For business customers migrating from ISDN to IP telephony.
• Managed Cloud Telefonie (Unified Communications) Cloud, hybrid, and on-premise unified communications delivered as a certified Avaya Sapphire Partner, including Avaya Aura platform, Avaya Spaces collaboration, and Avaya Workplace mobile UC. For regional businesses replacing legacy PBX systems with managed cloud telephony.
• Managed Firewall Managed next-generation firewall service using Fortinet and WatchGuard hardware, delivered as a monthly subscription with security updates, secure Home Office access, and certified specialist support. For SMB and mid-market customers that need enterprise-grade perimeter security without in-house expertise.
• Managed Backup Backup-as-a-service with multi-redundant storage, daily monitoring, monthly reports, regular restore tests, and data mirrored across multiple sites in DIN EN 50600 certified data centers. For regional businesses needing GDPR-compliant, geo-redundant offsite backup.
• Fernwirken (Messen-Steuern-Regeln / SCADA Remote Control) Remote monitoring, control, and automation systems (SCADA / Fernwirken) for energy and water utilities, built on INSYS icom MRX routers with LTE backup, IPsec/OpenVPN, and certified EEG-compliant feed-in management. Sold directly to municipal utilities and energy operators across Südwestfalen.
• Carrier- und Versorger-Infrastruktur Wholesale network infrastructure for carriers and utility operators, including mobile mast site development, ISO 27001 certified data center access, and fiber network partnerships. Sold via Telemark's dedicated CarrierServices product line led by Thomas Esselun.
• Leased Lines / Festverbindungen (Corporate Network) Dedicated point-to-point or point-to-multipoint leased lines for corporate networks with bandwidths up to 10 Gbit/s, 24/7 support, and included maintenance. For businesses needing private, isolated connectivity between sites.
• Kabel-TV (Cable TV) Traditional cable TV via coaxial cable with 30+ HD and 90+ SD channels, priced at €8.95 incl. VAT/month with a 12-month contract. Distributed by Telemark over its own network to residential customers in Menden and Iserlohn, with Vodafone supplying the signal.
• waipu.tv Perfect Plus (Internet TV Resale) Resold waipu.tv Perfect Plus internet TV package with 320+ channels (300+ HD, 70+ Pay TV), 40,000+ on-demand titles, 300 hours cloud DVR, and 4 simultaneous streams. Promotional 6 months free, then €14.95/month incl. VAT with 12-month contract. Available to Telemark residential customers in the service area.
• Telemark Netzinfrastruktur (Fiber Network Build & Operate) Network construction, expansion planning, and operation of the regional FTTH Open Access fiber network in Südwestfalen, including trenching, micro-duct installation, and Dark Fiber to municipal sites. Sold to municipalities, housing developers, and large customers needing custom fiber builds.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 1,000 Mbit/s symmetric fiber connectivity (FTTH)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ruhr-Backbone Alliance (DOKOM21, GELSEN-NET, GLASFASER RUHR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2025Telemark became the fourth partner of the Ruhr-Backbone, a cooperative network of regional fiber and data center operators. The alliance connects member networks and data centers, providing direct access to the Ruhr-CIX internet exchange (operated by DE-CIX). This gives Telemark geo-redundancy, low-latency connectivity, and access to DE-CIX exchanges in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt.
• INSYS icomcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 February 2025INSYS icom and Telemark signed a partnership agreement at E-World in Essen to offer innovative communication solutions for energy and water utility grid control centers. INSYS icom provides industrial MRX routers for secure remote access and VPN connectivity. Telemark contributes its expertise in network planning, EEG feed-in compliance, and regional customer relationships in Südwestfalen. Joint go-to-market for SCADA systems and industrial data communication.
• AvayacoreTechnology or IntegrationTelemark is a certified Avaya Sapphire Partner, providing sales, installation, and support for Avaya Unified Communications products including Avaya Aura, Avaya Spaces (workstream collaboration), and Avaya Workplace. Telemark offers these as cloud, on-premise, or hybrid solutions for business customers.
• FortinetcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Fortinet for next-generation firewall hardware and security solutions. Telemark offers managed firewall services using Fortinet equipment with monthly service fees, security updates, and scalable deployment.
• WatchGuardcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with WatchGuard for unified security platform and managed firewall services. WatchGuard provides the security technology; Telemark manages deployment, configuration, and ongoing security updates as a managed service.
• Stadtwerke MendencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of a new modular data center in Menden. Stadtwerke Menden is Telemark's second-largest shareholder (26.7%) and co-invested in the €2 million data center project. Telemark rents the building from Stadtwerke Menden. The data center is located on Stadtwerke Menden's property and provides geo-redundant capacity.
• VodafoneminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVodafone supplies the TV signal that Telemark distributes over its cable network to residential customers in Menden and Iserlohn. Additionally, Vodafone provides technical support hotline for cable TV troubleshooting and handles billing for some cable TV services.
• waipu.tv (Exaring AG)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTelemark resells waipu.tv internet TV services (Perfect Plus package) to residential customers in its service area. Telemark offers promotional pricing (6 months free) and handles customer contracts and billing, while waipu.tv provides the streaming platform and content.
• DOKOM21minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDOKOM21 is one of the retail service providers operating on Telemark's Open Access fiber network, offering internet and phone services to end customers in the Märkischer Kreis.
• HelinetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHelinet is a retail service provider operating on Telemark's Open Access fiber network, offering fiber internet and phone services to end customers. Included in Telemark's €300 credit promotion for customers who sign up for fiber service.
• MUENETminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMUENET is a retail service provider operating on Telemark's Open Access fiber network, offering fiber internet and phone services to end customers in the Märkischer Kreis region.
• Stadtwerke IserlohncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest shareholder of Telemark (53.3%). Stadtwerke Iserlohn is the primary municipal utility shareholder, providing infrastructure investment, regulatory relationships, and customer referrals. Core founding partner since 1998.
• Stadtwerke LüdenscheidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird largest shareholder (20%). Stadtwerke Lüdenscheid is a founding municipal utility shareholder and co-investor in Telemark's fiber network infrastructure since 1998.
• Stadtwerke MendencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond largest shareholder (26.7%). Co-invested in the new €2 million modular data center in Menden, which Telemark rents. Active infrastructure partner for fiber expansion and digital services.
• Firma Dröge (Iserlohn)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRegional electrical contractor recommended by Telemark for customer-side fiber in-house cabling installations in Iserlohn area.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• wilhelm.tel: Municipal utility telecom (Stadtwerke Norderstedt) operating FTTH and data center services in the Hamburg metropolitan region. Comparable in scale, municipal ownership, regional fiber focus, and integrated data center offering.
• NetCologne: Regional fiber and fixed-line operator in the Cologne/Bonn area owned by municipal utilities (Stadtwerke Köln and partners). Closely comparable business model, product mix (internet, telephony, data center, TV), and municipal ownership structure.
• HSE Medianet: Telecom subsidiary of HSE Technik (Darmstadt municipal utility group) providing fiber internet, telephony, and managed services in Hesse. Closely comparable as a municipal-utility-owned regional telecom with B2B/B2C service mix.
• Glasfaser Ruhr: Regional FTTH operator and Ruhr-Backbone partner active in the Ruhr metropolitan region, with comparable Open Access-style fiber business and B2B/B2C service portfolio to Telemark.
• M-net: Regional FTTH and fixed-line operator in Bavaria, partly owned by municipal utilities (Stadtwerke München, Augsburg, etc.). Comparable in regional telecom focus, Open Access elements, and broad B2B/B2C service portfolio, though larger in scale.
• GELSEN-NET: Municipal Stadtwerke Gelsenkirchen telecom subsidiary operating fiber and data center services in the Ruhr area; a fellow Ruhr-Backbone partner alongside Telemark. Highly comparable in municipal-utility ownership, regional fiber focus, and B2B/B2C service mix.
• DOKOM21: Municipal utility telecom in the Ruhr area operating its own FTTH network and acting as both a direct Open Access partner and indirect competitor to Telemark. Listed as a wholesale customer on Telemark's Glasfaser-kommt network and a co-member of the Ruhr-Backbone.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsche Glasfaser: One of Germany's largest pure-play FTTH operators, owned by KKR/Infrastructure investors, actively expanding into rural regions including NRW. Comparable product (FTTH internet/phone) but vastly larger scale and external private-equity ownership.
• Westconnect: FTTH/Glasfaser rollout joint venture of Westnetz (E.ON/RWE municipal-utility affiliated) active in NRW and Rhineland-Palatinate. Directly relevant as a fiber competitor operating in adjacent NRW regions with a comparable municipal-utility-aligned go-to-market.
• EWE TEL: Telecom subsidiary of EWE AG (Oldenburg-based utility group) providing fiber, telephony, and mobile across northwestern Germany. Comparable in utility-ownership roots and regional fiber focus, but materially larger footprint and brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/telemark-telekommunikation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Telemark