BT, Cisco bring intelligent connectivity to UK businesses
March 4, 2020
BT has launched a new managed software defined wide area network (SD-WAN) service for UK business customers, as it continues to develop its portfolio of converged business networking products.
BT says the new Managed SD-WAN offering enables secure, high-bandwidth connections across multiple sites using fixed and mobile networks. As part of the launch, BT is offering two different Managed SD-WAN options based on the requirements of a customer’s network, including Cisco SD-WAN powered by Viptela, and Cisco SD-WAN powered by Meraki.
BT’s Managed SD-WAN simplifies complicated network infrastructures and provides customers with complete visibility across their networks, allowing them to optimise traffic to suit business needs — balancing performance and agility.
“Every organisation – whether big or small – is on a journey towards digital transformation. But their success depends on whether they have a solution that is robust, agile and intelligent enough to meet new business demands,” says Steve Best, MD, Customer Solutions, BT. “From today, our business customers can benefit from a fully converged software defined solution that brings together the very best of BT. This includes fixed line connectivity, mobile data, dedicated security expertise, access to best-of-breed SD-WAN vendors and our enhanced proactive Managed Services with a single point of contact.”
The launch builds on the announcements made with Cisco in 2018 and further expands on BT’s portfolio of Cisco based software defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualisation (NFV) solutions in the UK.
“As more enterprises look to transform their networks in a secure, cost effective and seamless manner they often turn to leading managed service providers with expertise, experience, reach and a world-class offering in SD-WAN,” said JL Valente, vice president of product management, managed services for Cisco’s Intent Based Networking Group. “BT combines all these attributes and offers customers a long-term partner that can efficiently implement and manage a fully-fledged, secure SD-WAN platform. With BT expanding its portfolio of Cisco-based managed services, enterprise customers now benefit from more Cisco options to power their network, simplify their operations, and securely connect their users and machines to any cloud, anywhere.”