SBR-net Consulting

What SBR-net Consulting does

SBR-net Consulting GmbH is a privately held management consulting firm founded in 2004 and 100% owned by CEO Dr. Ernst-Olav Ruhle. The firm specializes in regulated network industries, with core practices in telecommunications regulation, broadband and fibre network deployment, spectrum regulation, network economics, and — more recently — sustainability reporting (VSME, CSRD) for municipal clients. It operates from two offices in Düsseldorf (headquarters) and Vienna, serving municipalities, local authorities, Stadtwerke (municipal utilities), state and federal governments, and international institutions including the World Bank.

The company's core offering is project-based professional consulting across strategy, technical infrastructure, economic modelling, cost accounting, market analysis, funding advisory, and Open Access network design. It does not develop proprietary software products but produces original analytical frameworks and studies — including a VSME sustainability reporting framework (2024), a network utilisation models study for VATM, and an Open Access white paper with OpenNet GmbH. In 2026 the firm launched SBR Glasfaser-Abo+, a monthly subscription service for municipal utilities engaged in fibre expansion, marking the first recurring-revenue productized offering alongside the traditional consulting model.

Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements, paid event participation (Country Conference, Country Workshops) priced at EUR 275–530 plus VAT for private sector attendees with free admission for public sector representatives, free sustainability webinars, and the new Glasfaser-Abo+ subscription. Marketing and client development rely on thought-leadership events (the annual Länderkonferenz, now in its 13th edition), publications, and an ecosystem of partners including VATM, BREKO, SBR Schuster und Partner, LS Telcom AG, and TU Wien.

Name

SBR-net Consulting

Legal name

SBR-net Consulting GmbH

Website

https://sbr-netconsulting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SBR-net Consulting is a German-Austrian boutique consulting firm, founded in 2004, advising municipalities, Stadtwerke, public sector bodies, and international institutions on telecommunications regulation, broadband and fibre infrastructure, spectrum, and sustainability reporting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications Regulatory Consulting

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships Advisory (JVs, Alliances, Carve-outs) (BPAHAOAG)

Keywords

• Telecommunications consulting
• Broadband infrastructure advisory
• Regulatory economics consulting
• Spectrum management advisory
• Fibre network consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Consulting Services: SBR-net Consulting generates revenue through project-based consulting engagements for municipalities, public utilities (Stadtwerke), public sector organisations, and international institutions. The firm delivers expert advisory services across strategy, economics, technical consulting, and regulatory matters in regulated network industries. Results are pragmatic, actionable, and client-focused.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SBR-net Consulting is an independent management consulting firm providing expert advisory services in regulated network industries, particularly telecommunications, broadband expansion, mobile communications, spectrum regulation, fibre networks, and digitalization. The firm serves municipalities, municipal utilities (Stadtwerke), state and federal governments, and international institutions such as the World Bank, delivering strategy, technical, economic, regulatory, and sustainability consulting services. It also offers subscription-based market updates and recurring conferences, workshops, and webinars on broadband expansion and sustainability topics.

Product overview

SBR-net Consulting is a consulting company established in 2004 offering advisory services in regulated network industries, particularly telecommunications, broadband, and digitalization. The company operates from two locations (Düsseldorf and Vienna) and serves municipal utilities, public sector entities, and institutions nationally and internationally. The service portfolio consists of specialized consulting offerings including: Strategy consulting; Technical consulting (infrastructure services, network expansion planning, spectrum consulting); Economic and commercial support (cost accounting, economic modeling, market analysis); Grant/funding advisory for broadband projects; Open Access consulting; and subscription services (SBR Glasfaser-Abo+) providing ongoing market updates. The company also organizes regular events including the Länderkonferenz (Country Conference) series and various webinars on sustainability and digitalization topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carrier Management Consulting services for telecommunications carrier management, providing operational and strategic advisory for network operators and service providers in regulated network industries.
• Förderberatung (Grant/Funding Advisory) Advisory services for broadband funding and subsidy programs, supporting municipalities and municipal utilities in obtaining public funding for network infrastructure projects in Germany and Austria.
• Frequenzberatung (Spectrum Consulting) Advisory services on radio spectrum allocation, licensing, and regulatory matters for telecommunications operators and public sector clients.
• Infrastruktur Services Technical consulting services for telecommunications network infrastructure planning, deployment, and management.
• Kostenrechnung (Cost Accounting) Cost modeling and accounting services for telecommunications networks, including regulatory cost accounting frameworks used in tariff and access regulation proceedings.
• Marktanalyse (Market Analysis) Market research and competitive analysis services for telecommunications and broadband markets in Germany, Austria, and internationally.
• Netzausbau und Ökonomische Planung (Network Expansion and Economic Planning) Strategic and economic planning services for broadband network expansion projects, supporting clients with rollout prioritization and investment business cases.
• Ökonomische Modellierung (Economic Modeling) Economic modeling services for telecommunications infrastructure investments and regulatory proceedings, including NGN and fibre deployment scenarios.
• Open Access Consulting Advisory services for Open Access network models, including partner selection, win-win cooperation structures, and the practical implementation of Open Access in German fibre networks. Co-developed with OpenNet GmbH as a White Paper framework.
• SBR Glasfaser-Abo+ (Fibre Subscription Plus) Monthly subscription service providing continuous updates on fibre broadband market developments, regulatory and economic backgrounds, Open Access developments, copper-to-fibre migration trends, and industry analyses for municipal utilities engaged in fibre expansion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Advises over 20 Stadtwerke on sustainability and broadband matters
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Watson Farley & WilliamscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025SBR-net Consulting AG and Watson Farley & Williams co-hosted a joint webinar on 'The Future of Municipal Infrastructure' on November 6, 2025. The webinar addressed cooperation models, partnerships, and investment structures for fibre networks, combining SBR's regulatory and economic expertise with Watson Farley & Williams' legal expertise in corporate/M&A and regulatory matters. Speakers included Dr. Ernst-Olav Ruhle (CEO of SBR-net Consulting), Christian R. Schindler (Partner, WFW), Rebecca Trampe-Berger (Counsel, WFW), and Dieter Lindauer (Managing Director, Stadtwerke Neustadt a. Rbge.).
• Haver & Mailänder Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024SBR-net Consulting AG entered a cooperation with Haver & Mailänder Rechtsanwälte to jointly support Stadtwerke in sustainability reporting and sustainable procurement decisions. The partnership combines SBR's expertise in broadband infrastructure and sustainability with Haver & Mailänder's legal capabilities, helping municipal utilities navigate both legal requirements and genuine environmental contributions.
• OpenNet GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBR-net Consulting AG and OpenNet GmbH co-authored a White Paper on Open Access in German fibre networks. The paper addresses what Open Access requires in practice, how to select an Open Access partner, and how to achieve a Win-Win cooperation. The White Paper is available for download on SBR's website.
• SBR Schuster und PartnercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBR-net Consulting offers cross-disciplinary, integrated consulting in legal, economic, and technical questions together with SBR Schuster und Partner. This partnership provides clients with comprehensive advisory services spanning regulatory, legal, and technical dimensions of telecommunications and broadband infrastructure.
• Breitbandzentrum Niedersachsen-BremencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBR-net Consulting AG and the Breitbandzentrum Niedersachsen-Bremen co-organise the annual Country Workshops on broadband strategies in Germany and Austria. The partnership began in 2013 and has produced 10+ editions, bringing together federal state representatives and telecom industry participants for exchange on broadband expansion.
• Thomas Wimmer, MScminorOthersThomas Wimmer, MSc, has been a consultant at SBR-net Consulting since December 1, 2014. He coordinates new customer acquisition, supports sales activities, and manages broadband funding projects for municipalities and utilities in Austria and Germany.
• VATM (Verband der Anbieter von Telekommunikations- und Mehrwertdiensten)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSBR-net Consulting works with VATM on industry events and studies. SBR produced a study on network utilisation models in Germany's fibre market for VATM, presented at VATM events in Bonn. The partnership provides SBR with access to the VATM member network and industry visibility.
• BREKO Verband (Bundesverband Breitbandkommunikation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSBR-net Consulting participates in BREKO working groups, particularly the Regulation & Strategy working group. BREKO is Germany's largest Fibre-Breenband association. SBR attends the annual joint working group sessions and contributes expertise on regulatory and strategy topics.
• FC St. Pauli Chess DepartmentminorOthersSBR-net Consulting AG sponsors the chess department of FC St. Pauli, which competes in the Bundesliga. CEO Dr. Ernst-Olav Ruhle is involved as one of the driving forces behind the Bundesliga project. The sponsorship also serves as a platform for demonstrating the connection between strategic consulting and strategic thinking in chess.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sbr_net
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbr-net-consulting-ag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 SBR-net Consulting