VAF Bundesverband Telekommunikation e.V.

What VAF Bundesverband Telekommunikation e.V. does

VAF Bundesverband Telekommunikation e.V. is a German non-profit professional association (eingetragener Verein, registered 1951) headquartered in Hilden, North Rhine-Westphalia, serving ITK system integrators, telecommunications companies, security installers, call-system specialists, planners, and manufacturers across Germany. The association operates as a member-governed platform with 9 staff, generating revenue from annual membership dues, fee-based training courses (wissenswerkstatt), conference registrations, and technical publications. Its core product set includes the wissenswerkstatt training program (SIP/VoIP, Wireshark, SSL/TLS, IT law, Rufanlagen certification), the VAF Report journal and Fachpapiere technical paper series, three primary conferences (the annual JTS, the joint Herbsttagung with GFT, and the Fachtag Rufanlagen), plus the Coffeetalk & KI Werkstatt discussion forum and the VAF Cyber Security Center e-learning platform. VAF also develops standardized B2B contract templates for ITK system houses and runs empirical measurement projects (e.g., the Starlink VoIP performance study with Netcor GmbH, published in iX magazine). The association's acquisition motion is direct B2B sales supplemented by event-driven and community-led channels, with specialist circles (Innovation Circle, Technology Circle, IT Law Circle) and DIN VDE 0834-1-aligned certification programs forming the moat against generic industry bodies.

Name

VAF Bundesverband Telekommunikation e.V.

Legal name

VAF Bundesverband Telekommunikation e.V.

Website

https://vaf.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VAF Bundesverband Telekommunikation e.V. is a German non-profit professional association founded in 1951 for ITK system integrators, telecommunications companies, and call-system specialists, providing training (wissenswerkstatt), technical publications, conferences, certification, and B2B contract templates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Industry Association (Telecommunications and ITK System Integration)

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

IT Support & End-User Computing (Helpdesk, Desktop, M365/Google Workspace) (EDABAFAN)

Keywords

• Professional industry association
• ITK system integrator training
• VoIP SIP certification
• Telecommunications industry events
• Technical publications telecom

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: VAF generates revenue primarily from annual membership fees paid by ITK system integrators, telecommunications companies, installers, planners, and manufacturers. Membership provides access to networking, advocacy, training, publications, and specialized services.
2. Training Course Fees: The wissenswerkstatt training arm generates revenue from fee-based professional development courses delivered in-person and online. Courses range from half-day to two-day formats. Pricing is differentiated between members and non-members.
3. Conference and Event Participation Fees: Revenue from registration fees for tagungen (conferences) including the Annual Technical & Service Conference, Autumn Conference (jointly with GFT), and specialist events. Fees cover attendance, meals, and evening events. Additional revenue from exhibition booth sales.
4. Technical Publications: Revenue from sales of technical publications and fachpapiere (specialized papers) on topics including SIP/RTP troubleshooting, VoIP security, Microsoft Teams telephony, and call systems. Publications are available to members via the member portal and to non-members by request.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VAF is a member-funded German industry association for ITK (IT and communications) system integrators. It sells annual memberships, fee-based technical training (wissenswerkstatt), industry conferences (Jahrestagung Technik und Service, Herbsttagung with GFT, Fachtag Rufanlagen), certification programs aligned with DIN VDE 0834-1 for call systems, and technical publications (VAF Report, SIP/RTP Fachpapier series) for ITK system houses, telecommunications companies, planners, installers, and manufacturers.

Product overview

VAF Bundesverband Telekommunikation e.V. is a professional association for ITK (IT and Communications) system houses in Germany, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services. The core offerings include: (1) the wissenswerkstatt training program with technical courses on SIP/VoIP, network analysis, SSL/TLS certificates, IT law, and nurse call systems (Rufanlagen) with associated certifications; (2) VAF Report and Fachpapiere technical publications covering telecommunications topics; (3) annual conferences including the Jahrestagung Technik und Service, joint Herbsttagung with GFT, and Fachtag Rufanlagen; (4) Coffeetalk & KI Werkstatt discussion forums; and (5) the VAF Cyber Security Center for security awareness training. The portfolio is structured as a platform of professional development, technical knowledge resources, and industry events designed for ITK system houses, telecommunications companies, and security technology businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• wissenswerkstatt: The VAF's training division offering professional courses for ITK system house businesses, covering topics such as SIP/VoIP, Wireshark, SSL/TLS certificates, Rufanlagen, IT law, and LinkedIn marketing.

Products and services

• wissenswerkstatt Training Program
• Fachkraft für Rufanlagen (Call System Specialist Certification)
• Fachplaner für Rufanlagen (Call System Planner Certification)
• SIP- & RTP-Troubleshooting Training Course
• Wireshark Einführung Training Course
• SSL-/TLS-Zertifikate im VoIP- & UC-Umfeld Training Course
• IT-Recht und Verträge für ITK-Systemhäuser Training Course
• Professioneller Einstieg bei LinkedIn Training Course
• VAF Report (Technical Journal)
• SIP-/RTP-Troubleshooting Fachpapier-Reihe (Three-Part Technical Paper Series)
• Microsoft Teams und Telefonie Fachpapier
• VAF Contract Templates and AGB (B2B)
• VAF Cyber Security Center
• Jahrestagung Technik und Service (Annual Technical & Service Conference)
• Herbsttagung von GFT & VAF (Autumn Conference)
• Fachtag Rufanlagen (Call Systems Specialist Day)
• Coffeetalk & KI Werkstatt (Online Discussion Series)
• Fachbereich Rufanlagen (Call Systems Specialist Department)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 members attended a single Coffeetalk session on the DIN VDE 0834-1 standard draft, demonstrating strong member engagement.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Netcor GmbHcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 February 2024Netcor GmbH served as project partner in VAF's Starlink VoIP measurement campaign. Netcor provided measurement equipment including hardware and software measurement agents (GeNiEnd2End) and virtual servers, and its Technical Director Henrik Wahsner jointly conducted measurements and analysis with the VAF project team. Netcor is listed as an Associated Member (Assoziiertes Mitglied) of VAF.
• Institut für Internetsicherheit if(is)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023VAF serves as an Associate Partner (Assoziierter Partner) in the TrustKI research project, led by the Institut für Internetsicherheit if(is) and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). The project examines AI platform requirements from an end-user perspective in preparation for EU AI regulation, with the goal of developing a 'trust platform'.
• Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon OhmminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017VAF partnered with the Georg-Simon-Ohm University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg for a research cooperation (2017-2018) focused on telecommunications research. The project was supported through member company sponsorships. A follow-up research sponsorship program was initiated subsequently.
• GFT Gemeinschaft Fernmelde-Technik eGflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVAF and GFT co-organize the annual Autumn Conference (Herbsttagung) bringing together top ITK system integrator decision-makers with suppliers and solution partners. The two associations also jointly hold events such as the Call Systems Specialist Day (Fachtag Rufanlagen). Their collaboration spans decades, with GFT celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022. Joint privacy policies and AGB govern shared events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bitkom e.V. Bitkom is Germany's largest digital industry association, covering IT, telecom, and digital services broadly. It overlaps with VAF's ITK system integrator audience but at a much larger scale and with broader policy and event activities, making it a dominant incumbent peer.
• eco - Verband der Internetwirtschaft e.V. eco is the leading German Internet economy association, covering ISPs, hosting, and infrastructure providers. Some VAF members fall into eco's membership, and it runs comparable training, conferences, and policy advocacy, making it an adjacent broader-peer.
• DEKRA e.V. DEKRA is a major German testing, inspection, and certification organization. It overlaps with VAF's VDE 0834-1 certification training and cybersecurity awareness offerings, but at vastly larger scale and broader scope across industries.
• TÜV SÜD AG: TÜV SÜD is a large German testing, inspection, and certification body that offers sector-specific training and certification programs. It is comparable to VAF in offering compliance-driven certification content, though at a much broader industry scope.
• ANGA Verband Deutscher Kabelnetzbetreiber e.V. ANGA is the German association of cable broadband operators and audiovisual service providers. It hosts major trade fairs (ANGA COM) and serves a comparable member-services model relevant to VAF's telecom integrator audience.
• BREKO Bundesverband Breitbandkommunikation e.V. BREKO is the German broadband operators association, representing alternative carriers and fiber network operators. It shares VAF's telecommunications infrastructure focus and runs conferences, working groups, and policy advocacy at a broader, operator-focused scale.

Direct peers

• GFT Gemeinschaft Fernmelde-Technik eG: GFT is a German cooperative/association serving telecommunications suppliers and system integrators, with a near-identical member base to VAF. They co-organize the annual Herbsttagung and Fachtag Rufanlagen, making them the closest direct peer in mission, members, and portfolio.
• Bundesverband IT-Mittelstand e.V. (BITMI): BITMI is the German IT SME association, representing small and mid-sized IT companies including system integrators and MSPs. Its target member profile closely mirrors VAF's ITK system houses, making it a direct peer in SME-focused IT industry representation.

Regional players

• SIBB e.V. (Software / IT in Berlin-Brandenburg): SIBB is the regional IT and software industry association for Berlin-Brandenburg. It parallels VAF's mission (training, events, networking, advocacy) but is geographically limited to the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

Emerging players

• AFCEA Bonn e.V. AFCEA Bonn is a German chapter of the international AFCEA defense/security IT association. It serves an overlapping ITK-and-security installer audience with networking events, training, and working groups, although focused on public-sector/defense customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vaf-bundesverband-telekommunikation-e-v

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about VAF Bundesverband Telekommunikation e.V.