ImproWare
ImproWare AG is a Swiss IT and telecommunications operator serving 120,000+ households and businesses in Northwestern Switzerland via 10 cable networks in 77 municipalities, offering broadband, telephony, hosting, Ethernet, and colocation under the Breitband.ch and ColoBâle brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersPratteln, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What ImproWare does
ImproWare AG is a Swiss IT and telecommunications operator headquartered in Pratteln, Switzerland, serving residential and business customers in Northwestern Switzerland under the Breitband.ch consumer brand and the ColoBâle colocation brand. The company's installed footprint covers more than 120,000 households across 10 cable networks in 77 municipalities, and its product portfolio spans residential broadband, fixed and mobile telephony (Voice SIP Trunk, Mobile Telephony), carrier-grade email (Internet Postoffice, MXgate), hosting and rack connectivity (Internet LAN/Rack Connect), Ethernet services up to 10 Gbps, and colocation at a 2,000 m² ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified facility.
Underpinning the offering is a proprietary IDMS provisioning, billing, and conditional access platform originally developed for cable network operators, now deployed across 15 or more third-party operator networks in addition to ImproWare's own footprint. The technical stack is anchored on Arris E6000 CER and DOCSIS 3.0/3.1 infrastructure with TM3402 gateways, reflecting a long-standing Advanced VAR Gold partnership with Arris dating to 2004. The ColoBâle facility functions as a carrier-neutral regional hub serving ISPs, carriers, and enterprise customers.
ImproWare generates revenue through a mix of consumer broadband subscriptions under Breitband.ch, B2B telecom services (SIP trunking, Ethernet, colocation, rack hosting), wholesale provisioning software licensing for cable operators, and carrier-grade messaging and email services. Its go-to-market relies on municipal and cooperative cable utility partnerships structured as Full-Service-Partner (FSP) arrangements, in which ImproWare acts as the operating service provider for the local network. The company operates as a Swiss Aktiengesellschaft (AG) with leadership including CEO Sacha Gloor and CTO Patrick Guélat, and has executed at least one inorganic expansion (AmboNet AG, November 2019) to consolidate its cable network footprint.
ImproWare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ImproWare
- Legal name
- ImproWare AG
- Website
- https://imp.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ImproWare AG is a Swiss IT and telecommunications operator serving 120,000+ households and businesses in Northwestern Switzerland via 10 cable networks in 77 municipalities, offering broadband, telephony, hosting, Ethernet, and colocation under the Breitband.ch and ColoBâle brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ImproWare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Telecommunications Services
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385), Wholesale-Computers & Peripheral Equipment & Software (5045)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Retail Colocation (Multi-Tenant Data Centers) (HDABACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Wholesale Colocation (Powered Shells / Suites) (HDABACAB)
Keywords
Where ImproWare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pratteln
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
ImproWare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Telecommunications Services (B2C and B2B): Recurring subscription revenue from internet, telephony, TV, and mobile services delivered to end consumers in over 77 municipalities under the Breitband.ch brand. Also includes SIP Trunk and business internet services for enterprise customers.
- Cable Network Provider Services: Full-service provider arrangement with 10 cable networks, offering provisioning, email, CMTS infrastructure, and customer premise equipment. Revenue from wholesale/white-label arrangements with cable network operators.
- Voice SIP Trunk Channels and Minutes: Monthly subscription fees for SIP trunk channels (4er/8er/16er/30er trunks) plus optional call packages (Quantum 2500/5000/10000) for fixed and mobile calls within Switzerland. Additional revenue from number porting and setup fees.
- Carrier Grade E-Mail Service: Billing based on number of mailboxes and mailbox size. Scalable platform that dynamically adjusts to customer count.
- Internet MXgate (E-Mail Filtering): Subscription-based pricing per number of emails processed per month (1,000 to 20,000 emails), with additional per-email charges for overages. Only delivered emails are billed.
- Internet Postoffice (Cloud E-Mail): Monthly subscription tiers based on number of included email addresses (1, 5, 10, 25, or 100 addresses). Swiss-hosted cloud email service with webmail.
- Colocation Services (ColoBâle): Rental of rack space (1/4, 1/2, full rack), dedicated cages, and private suites, plus dedicated internet connectivity and Ethernet services for colocation customers.
- Hardware Sales: Sale of Arris customer premise equipment (modems, gateways, CMTS) as an Advanced VAR Gold partner. Equipment includes DOCSIS 3.0 and 3.1 cable modems and wireless gateways.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Monthly | Internet MXgate: 1,000 emails/month at CHF 14 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Internet Postoffice: 1 email address at CHF 10/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Voice SIP Trunk: setup from CHF 350, channels from CHF 36/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | ColoBâle colocation: flexible rack configurations from 1/4 rack |
| Subscription | Monthly | Internet LAN Connect: dedicated internet for businesses via fiber or DSL |
| Subscription | Monthly | Ethernet Service: LAN-to-LAN connections with bandwidth from 10 Mbit/s to 10 Gbit/s |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
ImproWare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ImproWare AG is a Swiss telecommunications company that operates as a Full-Service Provider for cable networks and municipalities, delivering integrated internet, telephony, TV, and mobile services. The company supplies proprietary provisioning and email platforms (IDMS, Carrier Grade E-Mail), distributes Arris DOCSIS cable network equipment, and runs its own ISO-certified colocation data center (ColoBâle). It also offers business customers direct connectivity, SIP trunking, cloud email, and Ethernet services, while reaching residential end-users via its Breitband.ch brand across 77 municipalities.
Product overview
ImproWare AG is a telecommunications company offering an integrated portfolio of connectivity, communication, and data center services. The product portfolio includes Voice SIP Trunk (business telephony), Internet Postoffice and MXgate (email services), Internet LAN Connect/Rack Connect (dedicated internet), Ethernet Service (site connectivity), and Colocation Center ColoBâle. For cable networks and providers, they offer IDMS Provisioning (subscriber management), Carrier Grade E-Mail Service, and Arris hardware products (E6000 CMTS, TG/TM series gateways/modems). Services are delivered under the consumer brand Breitband.ch across 77 municipalities in Northwest Switzerland via partnerships with 10 cable networks serving over 120,000 households.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Breitband.ch: Product line of ImproWare AG offering cable network services (digital radio, TV, internet, telephony, PayTV with Video on Demand, and time-shifted TV) in 77 municipalities in Northwest Switzerland serving over 120,000 households through 10 cable network partners.
- ColoBâle
Products and services
- Voice SIP Trunk
Quantifiable outcome
- 120,000+ households served across 10 cable networks and 77 municipalities
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use ImproWare
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ImproWare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
Feature7 records
ImproWare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
28 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Gemeinde MuttenzcoreImproWare became Full-Service Provider for Muttenz multimedia network starting January 2021, succeeding as new provider after a competitive provider transition process.
- Gemeinde Reinach BLcoreImproWare became Full-Service Provider for Reinach BL multimedia network from January 2021.
- AmboNet AG (Büsserach)coreAcquired by ImproWare AG in November 2019. Serves as a cable network operator partner in the Oberbaselbiet region.
- Gemeinde RiehencoreImproWare became Full-Service Provider for Riehen's cable network starting January 2017, serving approximately 7,500 households. The partnership was approved by public referendum with a clear 'Yes' vote.
- Gemeinde BettingencoreImproWare became Full-Service Provider for Bettingen's cable network starting January 2017. Partnership approved by public referendum without a single dissenting vote.
- Gemeinde DornachmajorPartnership and provider for Gemeinde Dornach cable network since 2015.
- Gemeinde BinningenmajorPartnership and provider for Gemeinde Binningen cable network since 2014. Contract renewed until 2021.
- Arris InternationalcoreSince 2004, ImproWare has held an Advanced VAR Gold partnership with Arris — the highest partner tier — distributing Arris CMTS equipment, DOCSIS 3.0/3.1 cable modems, wireless gateways, and telephony modems. The partnership has been recognized with multiple awards (2016, 2018, 2019) for excellence and long-term commitment. ImproWare was awarded 'ARRIS Customer First' in 2016.
- EBL Telecom AGcorePartnership and provider arrangement for EBL cable networks since 2002. ImproWare delivers full-service telecommunications services to EBL's cable network subscribers.
- Fernsehgenossenschaft BubendorfmajorPartnership and provider for Fernsehgenossenschaft Bubendorf cable network since 2002.
- GGA Reinach und UmgebungmajorPartnership and provider for GGA Reinach und Umgebung cable network since 2000.
- GGA Pratteln und UmgebungcoreLongest-standing cable network partnership since 1999, when ImproWare enabled the first DOCSIS-based internet via cable network in Switzerland. GGA Pratteln provides cable network infrastructure; ImproWare provides full-service provisioning, internet, TV, and telephony services. Joint production of digital TV basic offering.
- MCH Messe Schweiz (Messe Basel)majorPartnership since 1996 as provider of internet connections for exhibitors at Messe Basel trade shows. One of ImproWare's longest-standing partnerships, serving large-scale temporary events with high-bandwidth connectivity.
- R. Geissmann AGmajorLong-standing partner since 2002 for cable networks in the Oberbaselbiet region. Also a network construction and maintenance partner for ImproWare for more than 10 years.
- SwisscommajorImproWare operates its own interconnection to Swisscom for fixed-line telephony services and maintains connections to numerous national and international telephony providers, ensuring high availability and regulatory compliance.
- ColoBernminorColocation partnership in Bern, complementing ImproWare's own ColoBâle facility in Pratteln.
- ColoZürichminorColocation partnership in Zürich, complementing ImproWare's own ColoBâle facility in Pratteln.
- Selmoni Installation AGminorPartner for on-site support and installation of telephone systems and devices for ImproWare's business telephony customers.
- Salchli & Willi AGminorPartner for on-site support and installation of telephone systems and devices for ImproWare's business telephony customers.
- Olma Messen St. GallenminorClose partnership providing internet and TV services for trade shows and exhibitions at Olma Messen St. Gallen.
- Saphir Group AGminorNetwork construction and maintenance partner for ImproWare for more than 10 years, handling cable and fiber network build-out in municipalities.
- WD Regionet AGminorNetwork construction and maintenance partner for ImproWare for more than 10 years.
- Rechsteiner AGminorNetwork construction and maintenance partner for ImproWare for more than 10 years.
- Flarcom GmbHminorNetwork construction and maintenance partner for ImproWare for more than 10 years.
- SwissIXminorInternet exchange point membership, providing peering with multiple national and international providers for improved network performance and redundancy.
- AsutminorSwiss telecommunications industry association membership for industry visibility and networking.
- SuissedigitalminorSwiss cable network association membership, providing industry representation and best practice sharing.
- KMU PrattelnminorLocal business association membership in Pratteln, ImproWare's home location.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ImproWare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Swisscom AG: Switzerland's national fixed-line, mobile, and broadband incumbent. Competes with ImproWare for SMB connectivity, SIP trunking, and consumer broadband, and is also a key interconnection partner.
- Sunrise (UPC Switzerland): Major Swiss cable and mobile operator post-UPC merger. Competes directly with ImproWare's cable-broadband, telephony, and PayTV services and is a likely consolidator of regional cable networks that currently partner with ImproWare.
- Salt (Mobile Switzerland): Swiss mobile and broadband challenger. Competes with ImproWare's mobile (Breitband.ch) and broadband offerings and represents the kind of well-capitalized competitor pressing on the Swiss regional telecom market.
Direct peers
- Safe Host SA: Swiss data center operator with facilities in Gland and Zurich offering retail colocation and managed services. Comparable to ImproWare's ColoBâle offering in the Swiss retail colocation market.
- Init7 (Fiber7): Independent Swiss fiber ISP and hosting provider offering dedicated internet, colocation, and email services to SMBs and prosumers. Comparable to ImproWare's Internet LAN Connect, Rack Connect, and Postoffice/MXgate stack, with similar engineering-led positioning.
- Quickline AG: Swiss cable network alliance providing internet, TV, telephony, and mobile services through member cable networks. Closely comparable to ImproWare as a multi-network full-service provider in Switzerland serving regional cable operators.
- Green Datacenter AG: Swiss colocation and cloud provider with multiple data center locations. Comparable to ImproWare's ColoBâle colocation and Internet Postoffice/MXgate services for Swiss enterprise and SMB hosting customers.
- VTX Telecom: Swiss SMB-focused telecom and IT services provider offering internet, SIP telephony, cloud, and hosting. Direct overlap with ImproWare's Voice SIP Trunk, Internet Postoffice, and Internet LAN Connect offerings for business customers.
- IWB Telecom (Datacider): Basel-region multi-utility telecom operator offering internet, TV, telephony, and mobile over fiber and HFC. Operates in the same northwestern Swiss geography as ImproWare with comparable SMB and residential service lines.
Emerging players
- Infomaniak Network SA: Swiss independent cloud, email, and hosting provider. Comparable to ImproWare's Postoffice, MXgate, and colocation offerings from an independent Swiss provider perspective, with stronger public-cloud positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ImproWare social profiles
Digital presenceImproWare compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
ImproWare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ImproWare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
ImproWare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ImproWare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ImproWare
What does ImproWare do?
ImproWare AG is a Swiss telecommunications company that operates as a Full-Service Provider for cable networks and municipalities, delivering integrated internet, telephony, TV, and mobile services. The company supplies proprietary provisioning and email platforms (IDMS, Carrier Grade E-Mail), distributes Arris DOCSIS cable network equipment, and runs its own ISO-certified colocation data center (ColoBâle). It also offers business customers direct connectivity, SIP trunking, cloud email, and Ethernet services, while reaching residential end-users via its Breitband.ch brand across 77 municipalities.
Is ImproWare a public or private company?
ImproWare is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ImproWare founded?
ImproWare was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ImproWare based?
ImproWare is headquartered in Pratteln, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does ImproWare make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Telecommunications Services (B2C and B2B) is the primary driver. The others are cable Network Provider Services, voice SIP Trunk Channels and Minutes, carrier Grade E-Mail Service, internet MXgate (E-Mail Filtering), internet Postoffice (Cloud E-Mail), colocation Services (ColoBâle) and hardware Sales.
Who are ImproWare's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Swisscom AG, Sunrise (UPC Switzerland) and Salt (Mobile Switzerland). Direct peers are Safe Host SA, Init7 (Fiber7), Quickline AG, Green Datacenter AG, VTX Telecom and IWB Telecom (Datacider). Infomaniak Network SA is listed as an emerging player.
Does ImproWare have an API?
No public API is recorded for ImproWare.
What industry is ImproWare in?
ImproWare's product category is Telecommunications Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDABACAA, Retail Colocation (Multi-Tenant Data Centers), with a secondary code of HDABACAB, Wholesale Colocation (Powered Shells / Suites). Its NAICS code is 518 and its SIC code is 7385.