ftth fr

What ftth fr does

ftth fr SA is a Swiss fiber optic infrastructure operator that designs, builds, operates, and maintains a Fiber To The Home (FTTH) network across the entire Canton of Fribourg. Founded in 2012 as a joint venture between the State of Fribourg, Groupe E, IB Murten, and Gruyère Energie, the company deploys glass-core optical fiber (9-micron core) capable of carrying up to 100 Gb/s per strand to residential and commercial buildings, with Building Entry Points (BEPs) and optical termination outlets (OTOs) installed in apartments and commercial spaces. The network reached over 100,000 connections across 27,800 buildings by 2024, with 85 localities connected and a mandated target of 90% building coverage by 2028.

The company operates under an Open Access wholesale model: ftth fr does not sell retail telecom services itself but provides non-discriminatory fiber access to multiple service providers — including net+FR, Sunrise, Salt, Swisscom, init7, senseLAN, and yallo — who in turn deliver internet, TV, and telephony to end customers. Revenue is generated through recurring network access fees charged to ISPs and related wholesale infrastructure services. Building connections are provided free of charge to property owners during the initial 6-12 month construction window of a given zone, after which paid connection applies. Go-to-market combines proactive direct outreach to property owners and property managers when areas enter construction phase, with a network of approved installation partners handling in-building fiber work.

ftth fr is a private joint-stock company (société anonyme) headquartered in Granges-Paccot, with a lean team of approximately 11-50 employees organized across direction/administration, network architecture, and network operations functions. The shareholder structure combines public capital (State of Fribourg) with the operational infrastructure of regional electricity utilities, enabling fiber deployment to leverage existing underground utility corridors. The business is geographically confined to the single canton of Fribourg and has no subsidiaries, with all expansion occurring organically within the cantonal mandate.

Name

ftth fr

Legal name

ftth fr SA

Website

https://ftth-fr.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ftth fr SA operates a wholesale open-access fiber optic network across the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland, enabling multiple ISPs to deliver internet, TV, and telephony services to over 100,000 residential and commercial connections since 2012.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecom Fiber Infrastructure

NAICS

Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711)

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 Broadband & Cooperative Fiber Operators (HDAIACAG)

Keywords

• Fiber optic networks
• FTTH infrastructure
• Open access broadband
• Wholesale telecom network
• Passive fiber infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Granges

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Infrastructure Network Operations: ftth fr designs, builds, operates, maintains, and commercializes the cantonal fiber optic network. Revenue comes from enabling service providers to use the network infrastructure. State of Fribourg invested 40 million CHF for 90% building coverage by 2028.
2. Network Access Fees: Service providers pay for access to use the FTTH network to deliver internet, TV, telephone services to end customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ftth fr SA designs, builds, operates, maintains, and commercializes a cantonal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network across the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland, deploying optical fiber directly to residential and commercial buildings. The company sells wholesale network access to multiple ISPs under an open-access model, while offering free building connections to property owners during the initial 6-12 month construction phase. The network supports up to 100 Gb/s per fiber and covers both urban and rural localities with a state-mandated target of 90% building coverage by 2028.

Product overview

ftth fr SA operates a unified FTTH (Fiber To The Home) network infrastructure across Canton Fribourg, Switzerland. The company's core offering consists of the deployment and operation of a cantonal fiber optic network that covers both urban and rural areas. Key products include the FTTH network infrastructure itself, building connection services (including BEP installation), optical socket (OTO) installation in apartments and commercial spaces, a network availability checker tool, and an interactive network map. The network operates on an 'open access' principle, allowing multiple service providers (including net+FR, Sunrise, Salt, Swisscom, senseLAN, yallo, and Init7) to offer services over the same infrastructure, giving customers free choice of provider. The network reached over 100,000 connections by 2024 and serves approximately 93,600 connections in 27,800 buildings as of 2023.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FTTH Network Infrastructure Canton-wide Fiber-to-the-Home passive network infrastructure deployed and operated across the Canton of Fribourg, covering both urban and rural areas. The infrastructure supports up to 100 Gb/s per fiber using 9-micron glass core optical fiber and operates under an open-access wholesale model, sold to licensed service providers (ISPs) who deliver internet, IPTV, and telephony services to end customers.
• Building Connection Service Connection of residential and commercial buildings to the cantonal FTTH network, including installation of the Building Entry Point (BEP) and termination of multiple fiber cables at the building entry. Free for property owners during the 6-12 month initial construction window of their zone; paid thereafter. Sold to property owners and property management companies in Fribourg canton.
• Optical Socket (OTO) Installation Installation of optical termination points (OTO - Optical Telecommunication Outlet) inside apartments and commercial premises, connecting in-unit cabling to the building's fiber infrastructure. One OTO per apartment or commercial unit is included free with the building connection during the construction window; additional sockets are charged to the property owner.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 100 Gb/s data transfer per fiber optic strand
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, core and minor.

• SwisscomsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2019Cooperation agreement signed October 31, 2019 for point-specific FTTH network expansion. First joint projects in Broc (joint deployment) and Cottens (Swisscom access to ftth fr network). Previous partnership ended 2017, resumed in 2019. Creates synergies by avoiding parallel networks.
• Groupe EcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Fribourg energy company (Gruppe E) is a founding shareholder and co-investor in ftth fr SA. Provides electricity distribution infrastructure and synergies for fiber deployment using existing underground infrastructure.
• Canton of Fribourg (Etat de Fribourg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState of Fribourg is a founding shareholder providing 40 million CHF investment. The cantonal government mandated the FTTH deployment covering 90% of buildings by 2028.
• IB MurtencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIB Murten (electricity and water supply company) is a founding shareholder in the joint venture, contributing to fiber optic network deployment in the canton.
• Gruyère EnergiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGruyère Energie is a founding shareholder contributing to the FTTH project, leveraging existing energy distribution infrastructure for fiber deployment.
• Gruyère Energie ServicesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOfficial installation partner for fiber optic socket installations in residential units.
• GE ConnectminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOfficial installation partner handling fiber optic socket installations.
• NetComProminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOfficial installation partner for fiber optic socket installations.
• VeloxnumminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOfficial installation partner for fiber optic socket installations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NetCologne: Municipal fiber and telecom operator in the Cologne region operating its own FTTH network with city utility backing. Comparable as a regionally-concentrated, utility-affiliated fiber operator with open-access-style wholesale dynamics.
• Deutsche Glasfaser: Germany's largest FTTH open-access wholesale operator deploying fiber in rural and suburban areas with a multi-ISP service-provider model. Closest international analog to ftth fr in terms of wholesale FTTH economics and rural-first deployment strategy.
• Swiss Fiber Net (SFN): Swiss open-access FTTH cooperative network aggregating regional fiber operators across multiple cantons under a single wholesale platform. Operates an Open-Access model analogous to ftth fr, enabling multiple ISPs to deliver services over member-owned fiber — the most structurally comparable peer in Switzerland.
• Init7 (Schweiz) AG: Swiss independent fiber network and hosting operator with its own fiber infrastructure and data centers. Operates a fiber backbone and last-mile services in Switzerland, comparable as a smaller-scale fiber network operator pursuing open-access-style service delivery.
• M-Net Telekommunikations GmbH: Regional German fiber operator in Bavaria owned by municipal utilities and infrastructure partners. Comparable business model: utility-backed, regionally-concentrated FTTH deployment with open-access wholesale to multiple ISPs.
• EWE TEL GmbH: German regional fiber and telecom operator in northwestern Germany with utility ownership. Comparable as a utility-backed regional FTTH operator delivering connectivity services over its own infrastructure with an open-access component.
• Glasfaser Nordwest: Joint-venture FTTH wholesale operator in northwest Germany (owned by Deutsche Telekom and EWE) deploying open-access fiber with multiple ISP tenants. Structurally comparable as a utility-backed open-access FTTH wholesaler.
• Swisscom: Swiss national incumbent operating the largest FTTH/P2P fiber footprint in Switzerland. Directly competes in the same Fribourg geography while simultaneously being a service provider tenant on ftth fr's network under the 2019 cooperation agreement — making it both peer and customer.

Broad incumbents

• Salt Mobile SA: Swiss challenger telecom offering mobile, broadband, and TV. Operates as a service-provider tenant on ftth fr's Open Access network while also leveraging its own infrastructure elsewhere — a broader incumbent in Swiss connectivity.
• Sunrise UPC (Liberty Global): Major Swiss quad-play telecom operator delivering broadband, TV, mobile, and landline across multiple network types. Functions as a service-provider tenant on ftth fr's network while operating its own fiber in other regions — a broader incumbent that overlaps on connectivity but not on pure FTTH wholesale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=KmKgiWqYiYw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ftthfr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ftth-fr-sa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 ftth fr