cegecom/artelis Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Alternative telecom operator cegecom, a subsidiary of the Luxembourg-based artelis group, is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Tuesday 29 April 2025 at the CELO in Hesperange which will see Serge Eiffes succeeding Didier Wasilewski as CEO of cegecom, artelis* and VSE Net.

The group has new ambitions, with the aim of developing a range of value-added IT services based on robust and resilient infrastructures.

25 years ago, Compagnie Grand-Ducale d’Électricité du Luxembourg (Cegedel), which later became Enovos International/Encevo, created the Grand Duchy’s first alternative telecommunications operator: cegecom. The idea was to take advantage of the development and management of the electricity network to roll out fibre optics throughout the country. cegecom was thus a forerunner in the implementation of one of the most efficient connectivity infrastructures in the country.

At the service of businesses and operators.

Over the last 25 years, cegecom has developed its activities, gradually extending its range of services to meet the needs of its professional customers: companies operating in Luxembourg and Germany, as well as third-party operators.

"We have grown steadily, first connecting Luxembourg’s industrial customers, then the major business districts as they developed", explained Didier Wasilewski, Managing Director since 2024, who has been involved in this entrepreneurial adventure from the outset. "We became an Internet Service Provider, developed a telephony offering and then data centres in Luxembourg. More recently, we have also set up a range of services in the field of cybersecurity. We have always sought to meet the current and future needs of businesses by building on a robust infrastructure."

As the business grew, cegecom and VSE NET, an operator active in Germany, joined forces in 2006 to form artelis. In 2017, the Luxembourg shareholder sold its stake in the group to VSE. Today, cegecom is still part of the artelis group, which employs 240 people. The business is essentially supported from Luxembourg, where 70 employees are based and are responsible in particular for operational functions.

An alternative, robust and reliable operator

According to the company, cegecom/artelis is now seen as a solid player in the market by business customers who are particularly keen to ensure continuity of their services and strengthen their resilience.

"We don’t see ourselves as a competitor to the incumbent operator, but rather as an alternative to the existing offering. Today’s SME managers are faced with an increasing profusion of alternatives when it comes to choosing technical solutions. The right choice will have a profound impact on their operations and management. For a service provider, it has become essential to listen to them and understand their questions", added Didier Wasilewski. "By remaining responsive and flexible, and guaranteeing a stable infrastructure, we are positioning ourselves as an essential complementary player in the market, with the distinctive feature that we work mainly with European suppliers and partners."

Serge Eiffes to succeed Didier Wasilewski at the head of the company

cegecom’s 25th anniversary marks the handover from Didier Wasilewski, who took over the management of artelis in 2024, to his successor Serge Eiffes, who joined the company last November.

After a rich career in the telecommunications sector in Luxembourg, Serge Eiffes will be managing the group alongside his counterpart Marc Kahabka, who is active on the German side.

Over the past six months, Didier Wasilewski and Serge Eiffes have worked closely together to ensure a smooth transition and lay the foundations for the future development of cegecom/artelis.

Developing added value solutions

"Thanks to Didier’s support, I have been fully operational since 1 January, with the determination to support the development of a company with great potential", explained Serge Eiffes, paying a warm tribute to his predecessor.

For the new CEO, cegecom benefits from a positioning and a corporate culture that are unique in Luxembourg and that stem naturally from its history. Like most of its customers, cegecom is an SME on a human scale, distinguished by its ability to create proximity and dialogue with all the parties involved. This kind of intimacy enables it to offer its customers tailor-made solutions and to support them with personalised customer service.

"cegecom benefits not only from the quality of the infrastructures that we have put in place and that we manage, but also from the skills and commitment of its teams", continued Serge Eiffes. "We have an active dialogue with our customers, and we position ourselves as a partner who understands the strategic issues faced by entrepreneurs. The challenge for the future lies in establishing value-added ICT services based on these foundations, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. cegecom will benefit from the know-how and expertise of the artelis group, made in Luxembourg."

After meeting with customers and staff, Serge Eiffes presented a programme of change and relaunch for cegecom and artelis in Luxembourg.

In the future, the alternative operator intends to develop strategic partnerships with various players, with a view to offering innovative solutions to its customers. The expansion of the service offering is already well under way, with a number of announcements to be made over the coming months.

ABOUT ARTELIS

Founded in 2006, the artelis Group encompasses the activities of two telecommunications companies: cegecom S.A. (active in Luxembourg since 1999) and VSE NET GmbH (active in Germany since 1998). Drawing on the extensive experience of these two companies, the artelis group is able to offer new products more rapidly and cost-effectively, expanding its services beyond national borders. The sites and data centres are located in both Luxembourg and Germany.