Internet Service Provider Recommendation: Init7 (Fiber7)

I've been wanting to write a review (or rather, a recommendation) of Fiber7 as an internet service provider for a while. So this is I; and I outline my reasons in the following text.

If - after reading this article - you want to subscribe to Init7 and save a bit on their hardware - use this referral code:

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Why does the internet provider matter?

Initially, you'd be tempted to go for the cheapest internet service provider (ISP) available. That's a reasonable choice, but I prefer paying a bit more for the provider.

The main reason is not because the internet is faster (it is! see below...), or because the internet is more stable (I never had a major unscheduled outage so far since Init7 has been my ISP in 2017 and if they do have an issue, they are transparent about int and publish them on their website).

The biggest point is, that in the bigger scope, Init7 seems to be a provider fighting for their customers rights.

Here are a few examples of what Init7 does.

Challenge Swisscom Monopoly

Init7 is challenging the abose of it's monopoly by Swisscom, and successfully at that. Read more in the following two press releases:

• https://www.init7.net/de/news/241223-mm-init7-comcom-orders-swisscom-must-operate-zero-settlement-peering-with-init7-en.pdf
• https://www.init7.net/de/news/211005_mm_bvger_p2mp.pdf

It is a fact that every ISP in Switzerland will have to deal with Swisscom at some point, and that fighting Swisscom is also self-serving

Discussing Illegal State Surveillance

I really recommend reading Republik's reporting about the swiss state surveillance. In any case it is clear that the Swiss government has built a bit of a surveillance apparatus in cooperation with major ISPs in Switzerland. Init7 is directly quoted in the article; while I cannot say that they directly fight the surveillance, their willingness to talk about it publicly at least indicates more transparency.

What is offered?

The main reason I'm choosing Init7 is that they offer a fixed IPv4 address (for a price). This is practical in my case as I like to have a VPN setup on my router in order to connect to my home network even when I'm travelling. This affords multiple advantages:

• I can easily host services that are only accessible through local network and that I do not want to expose externally (such as kubectl or ssh access, also PiKVM to access my PC with a thin client)
• I can use my local DNS server for adblocking on all devices, including smart phones (with PiHole)
• With my private DNS and private encrypted network connection, I have better privacy and protection from malware (via using 9.9.9.9 as the upstream DNS server with DNSSEC)
• Even in public WIFI, my internet traffic cannot be intercepted / modified
• I can host my own E-Mail server
• I can host my own servers and websites

I had very good customer support calls, and they were willing to setup a reverse DNS zone for my IP (a requirement for hosting your own e-mail).

I am also hosting my own small librespeed server with which you can check how fast the connection to my servers is: https://speedtest.akehir.com/ Just note that the speedtest is running on a raspberry PI, and therefore the maximum speed that can be achieved is the 1GB/s connection to the raspberry PI. Furthermore it is routed through a reverse proxy with a maximum uplink of 500 MB/s therefore the speed you'll see in the test is even lower. But it is just an example of how the connection is stable enough to host a small speed test server. The blog you're reading is also hosted on a raspberry PI at my home, another example.

Another advantage that no other ISP can offer is raw speed. Init7 offers a symmetrical 25GB/s connection. I have gotten up to 19061.67 Mbps download and 18742.34 Mbps upload from my machine in my testing. The speed is really as fast as advertised. I am sure, my network is not perfectly configured for a maximum speed either. Init7 does have a fair use policy that would kick in if a single user would be saturating the 25 GB/s link, just be warned about that:

Init7 reserves the right to temporarily or permanently restrict or discontinue the provision of services for connections whose data volume exceeds 0.5 petabyte (500 terabytes) in a period of 4 weeks, or to take another suitable measure.

But honestly I doubt that it is very realistic to reach that kind of consumption - and I'm pretty confident that such a high use would be punished at other ISPs as well. In any case I've never reached this limit.

From what I've seen, and compared to other providers in a small sample, the ping of Init7 is usually quite low. That can be good for latency-sensitive applications such as gaming.

I have attached various speed test results further down.

Do not trust just me

Other techies, like Michael Stapelberg use Init7. They are highly recommended generally.

Conclusion

If you want a solid ISP, and a stable, fast internet connection along with competent support, I can fully recommend Init7.

References

• https://www.republik.ch/2024/01/09/der-bund-ueberwacht-uns-alle
• https://blog.init7.net/de/ueberwachung-im-internet/
• https://www.digitec.ch/en/page/init7-rebels-against-the-public-prosecutors-request-to-block-networks-41720
• https://michael.stapelberg.ch/posts/2021-05-28-configured-and-returned-mikrotik-ccr2004-for-fiber7/
• https://www.init7.net/de/kleingedrucktes/072021_contractual-conditions-init7.pdf

Speedtest

2026-05-08

speedtest
Speedtest by Ookla
Server: Michael Stapelberg - Zürich (id: 50092)
ISP: Init7
Idle Latency:     0.47 ms   (jitter: 0.01ms, low: 0.47ms, high: 0.48ms)
Download: 19061.67 Mbps (data used: 31.6 GB)
			  1.18 ms   (jitter: 10.02ms, low: 0.48ms, high: 211.07ms)
Upload: 18742.34 Mbps (data used: 22.1 GB)
			  0.99 ms   (jitter: 4.62ms, low: 0.53ms, high: 209.31ms)
Packet Loss:     0.3%
Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/24f7cbb1-c87d-4f5c-848f-d40dba7f90c1

speedtest
Speedtest by Ookla
Server: Michael Stapelberg - Zürich (id: 50092)
ISP: Init7   Idle Latency:     0.47 ms   (jitter: 0.00ms, low: 0.47ms, high: 0.48ms)
Download: 13889.12 Mbps (data used: 23.8 GB)
			 22.65 ms   (jitter: 37.53ms, low: 0.57ms, high: 790.95ms)
Upload: 16061.34 Mbps (data used: 8.7 GB)
			  0.70 ms   (jitter: 5.03ms, low: 0.50ms, high: 205.81ms)
Packet Loss:     0.0%
Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/7ac96054-37e2-41a6-8dfb-af210a05d868

$ sudo speedtest -s 50092

   Speedtest by Ookla

      Server: Michael Stapelberg - Zurich (id: 50092)
         ISP: Init7
Idle Latency:     0.48 ms   (jitter: 0.01ms, low: 0.47ms, high: 0.50ms)
    Download:  6399.23 Mbps (data used: 5.2 GB)
                  0.66 ms   (jitter: 3.31ms, low: 0.54ms, high: 208.64ms)
      Upload:  9508.56 Mbps (data used: 6.4 GB)
                  1.55 ms   (jitter: 0.26ms, low: 0.69ms, high: 2.19ms)
 Packet Loss:     0.0%
  Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/5da48a94-55d9-434d-85b6-56fe3100987d

sudo speedtest -s 54445

   Speedtest by Ookla

      Server: Mete Balci - Zug (id: 54445)
         ISP: Init7
Idle Latency:     1.22 ms   (jitter: 0.09ms, low: 1.15ms, high: 1.36ms)
    Download:  9366.61 Mbps (data used: 10.6 GB)
                  4.17 ms   (jitter: 0.46ms, low: 1.15ms, high: 10.58ms)
      Upload:  3266.34 Mbps (data used: 3.4 GB)
                  3.21 ms   (jitter: 0.54ms, low: 1.22ms, high: 4.90ms)
 Packet Loss:     0.0%
  Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/e57a57c9-21fc-4396-88d5-99e82d0b13ff

sudo speedtest -s 50092

   Speedtest by Ookla

      Server: Michael Stapelberg - Zurich (id: 50092)
         ISP: Init7
Idle Latency:     0.49 ms   (jitter: 0.01ms, low: 0.49ms, high: 0.51ms)
    Download:  6363.81 Mbps (data used: 4.1 GB)
                  0.64 ms   (jitter: 0.09ms, low: 0.52ms, high: 1.08ms)
      Upload: 13302.56 Mbps (data used: 17.7 GB)
                  0.79 ms   (jitter: 2.20ms, low: 0.51ms, high: 211.18ms)
 Packet Loss:     0.0%
  Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/ea7437b7-7fea-4ea7-bd7c-731ca41ac50f

   Speedtest by Ookla

      Server: Michael Stapelberg - Zurich (id: 50092)
         ISP: Init7
Idle Latency:     0.51 ms   (jitter: 0.01ms, low: 0.50ms, high: 0.52ms)
    Download: 12493.96 Mbps (data used: 21.9 GB)
                  0.81 ms   (jitter: 1.64ms, low: 0.52ms, high: 207.05ms)
      Upload: 10948.15 Mbps (data used: 10.3 GB)
                  0.61 ms   (jitter: 0.05ms, low: 0.53ms, high: 0.76ms)
 Packet Loss:     0.0%
  Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/06d12545-774b-4d2b-b3b9-1932dc9a944f

2026-05-05

  Speedtest by Ookla

      Server: iway AG - Zürich (id: 3188)
         ISP: Init7
Idle Latency:     0.93 ms   (jitter: 0.19ms, low: 0.79ms, high: 1.09ms)
    Download: 14008.38 Mbps (data used: 21.0 GB)
                  0.93 ms   (jitter: 0.30ms, low: 0.62ms, high: 6.39ms)
      Upload: 18628.88 Mbps (data used: 34.0 GB)
                  0.90 ms   (jitter: 1.67ms, low: 0.61ms, high: 205.12ms)
 Packet Loss:     0.0%
  Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/9663559d-781a-4849-ab79-e7915489c23f