Init7

What Init7 does

Init7 (Schweiz) AG is a privately held Swiss internet service provider founded in 2000 by Fredy Künzler and headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland. The company operates its own dual-stack IPv4/IPv6 IP backbone (AS13030) with approximately 8,000 bilateral peering sessions and more than 400 Points of Presence across Switzerland, reaching roughly 90% of the country's FTTH connections and approximately 2 million locations via its Ethernet7 service. This owned network — independent of incumbent carriers such as Swisscom — underpins the firm's ability to deliver consumer internet at symmetrical speeds up to 25 Gbit/s.

The product portfolio spans residential internet subscriptions (Easy7, Fiber7, Copper7, Hybrid7, Crossover7), business internet (Fiber7 Business with modular service levels and Backup7 failover), and enterprise services (Direct Cloud Access to AWS/Azure/GCP/Oracle/Infomaniak, Ethernet7 Carrier Ethernet, Dark Fiber up to 100 Gbit/s, BGP Multihoming, Site Networking via MPLS/VLL, and Datacenter Access at 40+ carrier-neutral facilities across Switzerland and Europe). TV offerings include TV7 (proprietary, ~200 channels) and a 2023 partnership bundle with Zattoo for streaming TV.

The business model is almost entirely subscription-based, with monthly or annual recurring fees priced at CHF 44 (Easy7) to CHF 64.75 (Fiber7) for residential customers and from CHF 111/month for business internet, supplemented by referral rewards (CHF 111), reseller commissions through the Partner Area, and a growing white-label Ethernet7 wholesale channel. Customer acquisition combines product-led online ordering (address-check tool, PLG funnel), an inside sales team for enterprise, an IT-reseller partner program, and earned media from sustained regulatory wins against Swisscom and 8 consecutive BILANZ gold medals (2018–2025) as Switzerland's best internet provider.

Name

Init7

Legal name

Init7 (Schweiz) AG

Website

https://init7.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Init7 (Schweiz) AG is a privately held Swiss internet service provider operating its own IP backbone (AS13030), delivering fiber internet up to 25 Gbit/s, business connectivity, datacenter/cloud access, and TV services to residential and enterprise customers across Switzerland and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet Services / Broadband ISP

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Backbone & Long-Haul Transport (IP/MPLS, Optical/Wavelength) (HDABALAH), Carrier Ethernet & Wavelength Wholesale (E-Line/E-LAN, OTN, lambda) (HDAIAEAB), Wholesale Fixed Access & Bitstream Providers (HDAIABAF)

Keywords

• Fiber to the home
• Business internet services
• Dark fiber leasing
• Carrier ethernet services
• IP backbone peering

Headquarters

HQ city

Winterthur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Residential Internet Subscriptions: Monthly recurring subscription fees for residential internet access (Fiber7, Easy7, Hybrid7, Copper7, Crossover7). Billing available monthly or annually (yearly billing at discounted rates). Additional revenue from TV7 streaming and Zattoo TV bundles.
2. Business Internet Services: Monthly subscription fees for Fiber7 Business with modular service levels (Internet Access, IPv4 Addresses, Service Level Gold/Silver/Bronze, Backup7). Starting at CHF 111/month for business internet up to 25 Gbit/s.
3. Datacenter Internet Access: DIA (Direct Internet Access) and IP Transit services for datacenter customers, offering bandwidths from 1 to 100 Gbit/s in flat or burstable models, starting at CHF 250/month.
4. Direct Cloud Access: Dedicated direct connectivity to cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, Infomaniak) via Init7's backbone infrastructure, off-internet for enhanced security.
5. Dark Fiber: Dedicated point-to-point fiber connections for enterprise customers, offering symmetrical connections up to 100 Gbit/s with proactive monitoring and 99.8% availability. Prices on request.
6. Site Networking (VLL): Virtual Leased Line services connecting multiple company sites starting at CHF 222/month. Billed per site at same price for 1 Gbit or 10 Gbit bandwidth.
7. BGP Multihoming Services: Redundant internet connectivity through BGP engineering, with optional RIPE membership administration and IPv4/IPv6 address allocation. Offered as hourly engineering, project packages, or monthly all-inclusive subscription.
8. Backup7 Failover Service: Failover service for Fiber7 Business at CHF 77/month, providing automatic VPN-tunneled backup connectivity over a secondary provider.
9. Ethernet7 Carrier Ethernet Service: MEF-compliant Carrier Ethernet Service (CES) using EVPN-VXLAN for L2 VPN Ethernet Mesh, available as wholesale whitelabel product or enterprise site networking. NNI connections at 10 or 100 Gbit Ethernet at same monthly price.
10. Referral Revenue: Referral rewards program generates customer acquisition. Existing customers receive CHF 111 credit; referred new customers receive CHF 111 hardware discount for Fiber7, Crossover7, Hybrid7, Copper7.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Init7 is a Swiss internet service provider that delivers high-speed fiber-optic internet and related connectivity services over its own global IP backbone (AS13030) and 400+ Swiss PoPs. For residential customers it offers Fiber7 (10/25 Gbit/s symmetrical) and Easy7 (up to 1 Gbit/s) along with Hybrid7/Copper7/Crossover7 and a TV7 IPTV service. For business customers it delivers Fiber7 Business, Datacenter Access, Dark Fiber, BGP Multihoming, Site Networking (MPLS/VLL), Ethernet7 Carrier Ethernet, Backup7 failover and Direct Cloud Access to AWS/Azure/GCP/Oracle/Infomaniak.

Product overview

Init7 is a Swiss ISP offering a comprehensive portfolio of internet, TV, and enterprise networking services. The consumer/residential lineup centers on Easy7 (simple 1 Gbit/s service with router), Fiber7 (premium 10/25 Gbit/s fiber with TV), and Hybrid7/Copper7/Crossover7 (alternatives for non-fiber areas). For business customers, Fiber7 Business provides modular internet with optional IPv4 addressing, service levels, and Backup7 failover. TV services include proprietary TV7 (200 channels) and Zattoo TV partnership (300+ channels). Enterprise offerings span Direct Cloud Access (AWS/Azure/GCP connectivity), Ethernet7 (Carrier Ethernet), Dark Fiber, BGP Multihoming, Site Networking (VLL/MPLS), and Datacenter Access. The company operates its own global IP backbone (AS13030) with approximately 8000 peering sessions and 400+ PoPs across Switzerland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fiber7: High-performance fiber optic internet service offering 10 or 25 Gbit/s symmetric speeds with TV7 included
• Easy7
• Fiber7 Business
• TV7
• Copper7
• Crossover7
• Hybrid7
• Backup7
• Ethernet7
• Direct Cloud
• Dark Fiber

Products and services

• Easy7 Entry-level residential internet subscription offering up to 1 Gbit/s symmetric bandwidth with a loaned FRITZ!Box 5530 or 7682 router and optional Zattoo Home TV bundle; for households wanting plug-and-play FTTH internet.
• Fiber7 Premium residential fiber internet offering 10 or 25 Gbit/s symmetric speeds on P2P (MaxFix) fiber, free router selection, and included TV7 IPTV service; for power users and tech enthusiasts ("nerds") in FTTH-covered Swiss homes.
• Copper7 DSL/VDSL and G.Fast copper-based internet service for locations without fiber coverage, using VDSL2 (17a) or G.Fast with PPPoE connection.
• Crossover7 Hybrid fiber/copper internet service combining fiber and existing copper infrastructure for residential customers in areas where pure FTTH is not yet available.
• Hybrid7 XGS-PON based fiber internet service using point-to-multipoint topology, primarily over third-party infrastructure; compatible with Zyxel and FRITZ!Box hardware, possibly migratable to Fiber7 in future.
• TV7 IPTV service offering approximately 200 TV channels with over 85 in Full-HD quality, delivered over Init7's own network, also available via the TV7 app and playlists; included free with Fiber7.
• Zattoo TV Streaming TV product offered through the Zattoo partnership, providing 300+ channels via Zattoo Premium or Ultimate (with replay TV, ad-skip, pause/restart and multiple simultaneous streams); available as a discounted bundle (Zattoo Home) with Init7 internet subscriptions.
• Fiber7 Business Tailor-made business internet service for SMEs and large enterprises offering 10 or 25 Gbit/s bandwidth, an included managed MikroTik device, 1 fixed IPv4 address, and modular add-ons (additional IPv4 subnets, Service Levels Bronze/Silver/Gold, Backup7 failover); for Swiss business customers needing reliable primary internet.
• Backup7 Failover service for Fiber7 Business providing automatic secondary connectivity within seconds via VRRP and an encrypted WireGuard VPN tunnel over any third-party ISP; includes Backup7 router and preserves public IP addresses for CHF 77/month.
• Direct Cloud Access Dedicated, private connectivity service linking business sites directly to AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud or Swiss provider Infomaniak via Init7's backbone, completely separated from the public internet for security and lower latency.
• Ethernet7 MEF-compliant Carrier Ethernet Service using EVPN-VXLAN for Layer-2 VPN Ethernet Mesh networking, offered for multi-site enterprises and wholesale/reseller partners with 10 or 100 Gbit Ethernet NNIs at 50+ carrier-neutral datacenters across Switzerland and Europe.
• Dark Fiber Dedicated point-to-point fiber connections for enterprise customers offering symmetrical bandwidth up to 100 Gbit/s with or without internet access, proactive monitoring, 24/7 support and 99.8% availability.
• BGP Multihoming Redundant internet connectivity service connecting equipment at Init7 PoPs to two separate internet backbones via BGP, with optional RIPE membership administration, IPv4/IPv6 address allocation and load balancing; offered as hourly engineering, project packages or a monthly all-inclusive BGP Maintenance subscription.
• Site Networking (VLL) Virtual Leased Line service using MPLS (VLL) to interconnect multiple company sites over dedicated or virtual point-to-point links with up to 10 Gbit/s bandwidth, billed per site at the same monthly price for 1 or 10 Gbit; combinable with internet access.
• Datacenter Access Internet connectivity solutions for 40+ carrier-neutral datacenters across Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Netherlands and the UK, offering 1–100 Gbit/s bandwidth as Direct Internet Access (DIA) or IP Transit with BGP Multihoming, in flat or burstable models.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 25 Gbit/s symmetrical (downstream and upstream) fiber internet — the fastest residential internet in Switzerland
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FC WinterthurminorOthers · 20 March 2024Init7 and FCW (FC Winterthur) solidified their partnership in March 2024, continuing the co-sponsorship relationship established in 2020.
• ORIGON AGminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2023Init7 acquired the provider business of ORIGON AG in December 2023. This acquisition expanded Init7's customer base and service coverage.
• ZattoocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 August 2023Init7 partnered with Zattoo to launch 'Zattoo Home' in August 2023, a joint bundle offering combining Init7's fiber internet with Zattoo's streaming TV service. Available for Fiber7, Crossover7, Hybrid7, Copper7, and Easy7 customers at discounted rates. Zattoo Ultimate (300+ channels, 4K, replay TV) and Zattoo Premium options offered.
• FC WinterthurminorOthers · 30 July 2020Init7 became co-sponsor of FC Winterthur (FCW) in July 2020, under the 'Hopp Winti!' campaign. The sponsorship reinforces Init7's commitment to the Winterthur region where it is headquartered. Sponsorship continued through at least 2024.
• Swiss Fibre NetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Fibre Net is a partner network that provides FTTH infrastructure data to Init7 for its fiber availability mapping and service delivery. Init7 participates in the Swiss Fiber Net consortium for fiber network expansion data sharing.
• iwb (Industrielle Werke Basel)coreStrategic or Co-development Partneriwb (Industrielle Werke Basel) provides fiber infrastructure in the Basel region that Init7 uses to deliver FTTH services. Init7 operates BSL-1 at iwb's facility in Basel.
• eco — Verband der InternetwirtschaftminorOtherseco is a German internet industry association. Init7 holds membership for industry collaboration and network policy participation in the European internet ecosystem.
• RIPE NCCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIPE NCC is the Regional Internet Registry for Europe, Middle East, and parts of Central Asia. Init7 is an accredited member, managing its own IPv4 and IPv6 address allocations. Init7 is the Swiss market leader in IPv6 address allocation.
• Swinog (Swiss Network Operators Group)minorOthersSwinog is a Swiss network operators group. Init7 maintains membership for peer collaboration and knowledge sharing within the Swiss internet operations community.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or IntegrationAWS is listed as a cloud platform supported by Init7's Direct Cloud Access service, which provides dedicated connectivity from customer premises to AWS infrastructure via Init7's backbone, off the public internet.
• Microsoft AzurecoreTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft Azure is supported via Init7's Direct Cloud Access service, providing dedicated private connectivity to Azure cloud services for enterprise customers.
• Google CloudcoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Cloud is supported via Init7's Direct Cloud Access service for enterprise customers requiring dedicated cloud connectivity.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Liberty Global: International broadband and telecom group (owner of Sunrise/UPC Switzerland and other European cable operators). A broader incumbent with overlapping capabilities in fiber, cable, and mobile; relevant as Init7's most powerful deep-pocketed competitor in Switzerland.

Regional players

• NetCologne: Regional fiber and telecom operator in the Cologne region of Germany. Comparable as a city-region fiber ISP with own infrastructure, similar positioning to Init7 but operating in a different geography.
• M-net: Regional fiber ISP in Germany (Bavaria/parts of southern Germany) operating its own backbone with FTTH/B subscriptions. Comparable to Init7 in model (own fiber backbone, premium positioning, regional focus) but geographically separate.

Direct peers

• Sunrise (UPC Switzerland): Second-largest Swiss fixed-line and mobile operator, now part of Liberty Global following the UPC Switzerland merger. Competes directly with Init7 in residential fiber, business connectivity, and TV across Switzerland.
• Quickline: Swiss regional fiber ISP consortium serving multiple cantons through partner utilities (including iwb). Comparable to Init7 in offering FTTH over partner fiber infrastructure and bundled TV; operates as a horizontally similar challenger.
• Swisscom: Switzerland's incumbent telecom operator offering fiber internet (including 10 Gbit/s), TV, mobile, and bundled services. Direct competitor to Init7's Fiber7 and Easy7, and a primary counterparty in Init7's regulatory disputes over fiber access.
• Salt Mobile: Swiss challenger telecom providing fiber and mobile services. Competes with Init7 for price-sensitive residential broadband customers and is expanding in Swiss fixed-line, making it a relevant direct peer for Easy7-class offerings.
• VTX Telecom: Swiss independent telecom offering fiber internet, business connectivity, and telephony. Directly comparable Swiss ISP competing in similar residential and SME segments with overlapping product lines.
• iWay: Swiss independent ISP offering broadband, fiber, hosting, and mobile services. Comparable mid-sized Swiss ISP competing for residential and SME customers with similar product breadth (internet, TV, cloud, hosting).

Others

• Green.ch: Swiss datacenter and hosting provider (operator of many of Init7's colocation PoPs). Less a direct ISP competitor and more of a partner/supplier enabling Init7's datacenter access and business services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/init7.net
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/init7
• Instagraminstagram.com/init7_net
• Xx.com/init7

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Init7