What Ecotel Communication does

Ecotel Communication AG is a Düsseldorf-based, publicly listed B2B telecommunications provider founded in 1998 at the onset of the German telecom market liberalization, focused exclusively on business customers rather than residential. It operates an integrated "cloud & fiber" portfolio consisting of cloud telephony (ecotel cloud.phone IP-Centrex with FLEX seat model, including Microsoft Teams Direct Routing), SIP-Trunk services, fiber and DSL internet access (FTTH, VDSL, Gigabit Power up to 1 Gbit/s symmetric), and managed enterprise networking (MPLS-VPN and SD-WAN with up to 10 Gbit/s guaranteed bandwidth). Core infrastructure consists of geo-redundant ISO/IEC 27001 certified data centers in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf, a Multi-Carrier Open Access Platform coupling with 30+ German network operators giving access to over 1 million km of fiber, and proprietary reliability features (ecotel @once call-forwarding backup and LTE guard mobile failover) that together target 99.5% service availability. Custom solutions extend to colocation, hosting, multi-cloud-connect, service numbers, and wholesale carrier services.

Ecotel monetizes primarily through recurring subscriptions (cloud seats, SIP channels, fiber lines, managed VPN) on 12–60 month contracts, supplemented by one-time hardware sales and wholesale traffic. Go-to-market is channel-led, with more than 300 sales partners plus major distributors (ALSO, api, KOMSA) reaching the German Mittelstand, complemented by a direct enterprise field-sales team for large multi-site deployments and a self-service online shop for smaller orders. Named enterprise customers include VGRD (Germany's largest automotive retail group), Sanacorp (17 branches, 7,500 pharmacies), Allianz, Rossmann, KORIAN, Med360, Baloise, Graf Hardenberg, Auto-Scholz, MAPAL, WMF, VR PLUS, and the cities of Coesfeld and Nordkirchen; one SD-WAN project covers approximately 8,800 locations and is among the largest in Europe. As of June 2026, the company trades on the Scale segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, with founder Peter Zils serving as interim CEO following the February 2026 departure of CEO Markus Hendrich.

Name

Ecotel Communication

Legal name

ecotel communication ag

Website

https://ecotel.de

Company type

Public

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ecotel Communication AG is a Düsseldorf-based, publicly listed B2B telecommunications provider serving German mid-market and enterprise customers with cloud telephony (cloud.phone), SIP trunks, fiber internet, MPLS-VPN, and SD-WAN, distributed through 300+ channel partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Telecommunications Services

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Cloud PBX & Hosted Telephony (HDAIAHAB)

Keywords

• Business cloud telephony
• SIP trunk services
• Fiber internet connectivity
• Managed VPN solutions
• B2B telecommunications services

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cloud Telephony Subscriptions: Recurring monthly subscriptions for cloud telephone systems (ecotel cloud.phone) with modular seat pricing. Contract terms of 12, 24, 36, or 60 months. Includes basic functions and optional premium features.
2. SIP Trunk Services: Recurring subscriptions for SIP trunk channels with bundled minutes/packages. Minimum 4 channels available. Includes optional flat rates for national and international calls.
3. Internet Connectivity: Monthly recurring fees for fiber (FTTH), DSL, VDSL, and Super Vectoring internet connections with guaranteed bandwidths. One-time connection fees may apply.
4. Managed VPN Services: Recurring managed services for MPLS-VPN and SD-WAN solutions including hardware, monitoring, and 24/7 NOC support.
5. Hardware Sales: One-time sales of IP routers, phones, and other telecommunications hardware. Equipment remains property of ecotel during contract term.
6. Wholesale Services: Wholesale telecommunications services to other carriers and service providers utilizing ecotel's network infrastructure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ecotel Communication AG is a B2B telecommunications provider selling cloud-based telephony (ecotel cloud.phone IP-Centrex platform), SIP-Trunk connectivity, fiber and DSL internet lines, and MPLS-VPN / SD-WAN managed network services to business customers in Germany. The portfolio combines a 'cloud & fiber' integrated stack with data center colocation, hosting, wholesale carrier services, and Microsoft Teams/RingCentral-certified integrations, delivered from geo-redundant German data centers.

Product overview

Ecotel Communication operates as a B2B telecommunications provider offering an integrated 'cloud & fiber' product portfolio. The core offering combines cloud-based telephony solutions (ecotel cloud.phone, SIP-Trunk products, Centrex Premium) with high-speed fiber and DSL internet connectivity (Business DSL, FTTH, Business Glasfaser). The portfolio extends to network solutions including SD-WAN and MPLS-VPN for multi-site connectivity, complemented by data center services (Housing, Hosting) and value-added services (Multi-Cloud-Connect, Servicerufnummern). The company also provides backup and redundancy solutions (ecotel @once, LTE guard) for business continuity. All services leverage a multi-carrier concept accessing over 1 million km of German fiber networks, with infrastructure operated from ISO-certified data centers in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• cloud.phone: Cloud-based telephone system (IP-Centrex) for business customers with features including video meetings, direct messages, group chats, file sharing, and screen sharing. Available via desktop app, mobile app, and web client.
• cloud.phone Premium
• SIP-Trunk
• cloud.ucc
• ecotel @once
• GigabitPower

Products and services

• ecotel cloud.phone IP-Centrex-based cloud telephony PBX for business customers, replacing on-premise telephone systems with cloud-hosted functionality including web client, desktop control app, voicemail, call forwarding, conference functions, video meetings, direct messages, group chats, file and screen sharing, with Microsoft Teams Direct Routing included per FLEX seat.
• ecotel SIP-Trunk SIP-based voice trunk service connecting existing IP telephone systems to the PSTN over SIP protocol, with scalable channel capacity (minimum 4 channels), bundled minutes, and optional national/international flat rates for business customers.
• ecotel Internet / Glasfaser (FTTH and DSL) High-speed business internet connections including FTTH fiber-to-the-home (up to 1 Gbit/s symmetric with 99.5% service availability) and VDSL/Super Vectoring DSL variants (up to 250 Mbit/s), delivered across Germany via the multi-carrier open access platform with guaranteed bandwidths.
• ecotel SD-WAN Software-defined WAN service for flexible multi-site network management and orchestration, including centralized policy control for distributed enterprise branch networks.
• ecotel MPLS-VPN MPLS-based virtual private network for secure multi-site enterprise connectivity with guaranteed bandwidths, Ethernet-VPN connectivity, QoS, and 24/7 NOC monitoring — supports hybrid combinations of fiber, VDSL and mobile backup lines.
• ecotel Housing / Colocation Data center colocation services providing physical space, power, cooling, and security for customer hardware in ISO/IEC 27001-certified ecotel data centers in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf.
• ecotel Hosting Managed hosting services in German data centers with high availability, operational security and ISO-certified infrastructure for business customers.
• ecotel Wholesale Wholesale telecommunications services for carriers and service providers, providing access to ecotel's network infrastructure for SIP, voice and data services.
• ecotel Servicerufnummern Premium rate and service telephone numbers for customer engagement and value-added services for business customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.5% service availability through @once and LTE guard combination (80%+ lower failure probability vs 97% industry standard)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, major and core.

• Communi5supportingTechnology or Integration · 21 September 2023Partnership to optimize offerings for modern business customer communications. Communi5 provides additional capabilities for ecotel's telecommunications portfolio.
• KOMSAmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 August 2022Distribution partnership expanded to drive sustainable digitalization of business customers. KOMSA distributes ecotel products through its channel network.
• municallsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 August 2022Channel partnership bringing fresh momentum to marketing of cloud and fiber products for business customers.
• MichaelTelecomsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 July 2022Nationwide marketing partnership for ITK solutions through MichaelTelecom partner network.
• Vodafone/UnitymediamajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 April 2021Extended partnership for marketing broadband connections. Originally Unitymedia partnership expanded through Vodafone acquisition. Builds on strong fiber footprint in Germany.
• RingCentralcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 March 2021Partnership for marketing UCaaS solutions to business customers in Germany. ecotel offers RingCentral integrated with its telecommunications infrastructure. Includes joint partner roadshows and go-to-market activities.
• Bright Skies GmbHsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 15 December 2020Cloud specialist providing optional Onboarding Package for Microsoft Teams and ecotel SIP-Trunk/centrex integration. Bright Skies is Microsoft Gold Partner (12x Gold, 3x Silver certified).
• ALSO, api (Distributors)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2019Distribution through major German IT distributors ALSO and api for LANCOM/ecotel All-IP bundle products.
• LANCOM SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic technology partnership for SD-WAN and network infrastructure. LANCOM provides hardware infrastructure (IPsec VPN routers) and cloud-based management platform (LANCOM Management Cloud). ecotel serves as general contractor for operations, migration, rollout, and field service. One of Europe's largest SD-WAN projects (8,800 locations) built on this partnership.
• TECHNO - DIE AUTO-HAUS-KOOPERATIONsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology partner listing in automotive dealership cooperation. Numerous members benefit from ecotel solutions. Partnership enables ecotel to serve automotive sector through established cooperative channels.
• SAVE CALLsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerITK consulting company from Munich specialized in advising on business telecommunications solutions. Evaluated ecotel for Sanacorp project based on Multi-Carrier concept and fiber availability.
• upDate Service GmbHsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerITK consulting company from Neumarkt specialized in advising on ITK solutions for business customers. Advised Auto-Scholz on selecting ecotel for VPN project.
• SCHNEIDER's communikation's GmbHsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSales partner instrumental in winning Stadt Coesfeld customer account. Contributed strategic insight, sales strength, and clear understanding of customer requirements.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft Teams integration with ecotel cloud.phone (Direct Routing), centrex Premium, and SIP-Trunk. ecotel operates Microsoft-certified SBC infrastructure in its data centers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• NetCologne: NetCologne is a regional telecom operator in the Cologne/Rhineland area offering fiber, business internet, and cloud telephony — comparable to ecotel on product mix, with a regionally constrained sales territory.
• M-net Telekommunikation: M-net is a regional German telecom carrier (Bavaria/parts of Hessen) offering fiber, business internet, and cloud telephony to mid-market and SME customers — overlapping with ecotel's product set within a more limited regional footprint.

Direct peers

• 1&1 Versatel: 1&1 Versatel is a major German B2B telecommunications carrier offering fiber, MPLS-VPN, SD-WAN, SIP trunking, and managed network services — directly overlapping with ecotel's core mid-market and enterprise portfolio across Germany.
• Plusnet (EnBW): Plusnet, an EnBW subsidiary, is a German B2B-focused telecom operator providing broadband, SIP, cloud telephony, and managed services to mid-market and enterprise customers — the same niche ecotel addresses, and notably the former employer of ecotel's previous CEO.
• QSC AG (now part of EnBW/Plusnet): QSC AG was a long-standing German B2B IT/cloud/telecom specialist serving mid-market enterprises — a direct comparable to ecotel prior to its integration into Plusnet, and overlapping with ecotel on cloud telephony, hosting, and managed network services.

Broad incumbents

• Vodafone Germany: Vodafone Germany (including the former Unitymedia) is one of Germany's largest telecom operators with extensive fixed-line, fiber, mobile, and B2B UCaaS offerings — directly competing with ecotel and also serving as an upstream wholesale fiber partner.
• Telefónica Germany (O2): O2 Business, Telefónica Germany's B2B arm, provides mobile, fixed-line, fiber, and unified communications services to German business customers — overlapping with ecotel's portfolio at the mid-market and enterprise tiers.
• Deutsche Telekom (T-Systems / Geschäftskunden): Deutsche Telekom is Germany's incumbent telecom operator with a comprehensive B2B portfolio including fiber, cloud telephony, SD-WAN, and managed services; it competes with ecotel across all its core product categories while serving a much broader customer base.

Emerging players

• Sipgate: Sipgate is a German SIP trunking and cloud telephony provider for SMBs and self-employed users, with a channel-led model — overlapping with ecotel's SIP-trunk and cloud.phone offerings in the smaller mid-market segment.
• NFON: NFON is a European cloud telephony (UCaaS) provider with a German market focus and channel-driven distribution — closely comparable to ecotel's cloud.phone product line for SMB and mid-market customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecotel-communication-ag

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A5 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Ecotel Communication