Business Network Solutions UK: Compare WAN, SD-WAN, MPLS & SASE Quick answer
Not sure whether your business needs SD-WAN , Managed WAN , MPLS , SASE or simply better backup connectivity? Our guide compares the options, costs and use cases so you can choose the right network before requesting quotes.
The best business network solution for you MPLS and SD-WAN .
Rather – your network could look at combining:
business broadband
FTTP
leased lines
dedicated internet access
Managed WAN
SD-WAN
MPLS
SASE
VPN
4G/5G backup
cloud connectivity
As a quick starting point:
If your business needs…
Someone else to manage the whole network
Smarter routing across several connections
Private and predictable site-to-site connectivity
Several offices, shops, warehouses or branches connected
Networking and cloud-delivered security together
Protection when your main internet line fails
Dedicated bandwidth at an important site
A mixture of old and new network technology
You do not know which you need
Compare network providers based on your sites and requirements
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Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist 10+ Years’ Experience)
Reviewed by: James Ward (Telecoms Specialist, 12+ Years Experience)
Last Updated: August 2026
Contents
Which business network solution should you choose?
Managed WAN vs SD-WAN vs MPLS vs SASE
Are these options actually alternatives?
Which option is best by number of sites?
Best network solution by business type
What is multi-site connectivity?
What is Managed WAN?
What is MPLS?
What is SASE?
What is broadband backup?
Broadband backup vs SD-WAN
MPLS vs SD-WAN
Managed WAN vs SD-WAN
SASE vs SD-WAN
Leased lines vs SD-WAN
Business network costs UK
How much resilience do you need?
Which business network solution should you choose?
Solution Best for Main benefit Main drawback
Managed WAN
Multi-site businesses wanting outsourced management
One provider manages network performance and support
More expensive than managing everything internally
SD-WAN
Cloud-first and multi-site businesses
Smart routing, failover and central control
Needs good underlying internet connections
MPLS
Businesses needing predictable private connectivity
Reliable private site-to-site performance
Often less flexible and more expensive
Multi-site connectivity
Any organisation operating several locations
Creates a joined-up connectivity strategy
It is an overall requirement rather than one technology
SASE
Hybrid businesses needing network and security together
Secures users, sites and cloud applications
More complex than basic WAN connectivity
Broadband backup
Businesses where downtime is costly
Keeps critical services online during outages
Backup capacity may be lower than the primary connection
Leased line / DIA
Critical or high-bandwidth sites
Dedicated symmetric bandwidth and stronger SLA
Hybrid WAN
Businesses retaining MPLS while adopting newer connectivity
Allows gradual modernisation
More technologies to manage
Managed WAN vs SD-WAN vs MPLS vs SASE These terms are often compared as though they are four versions of the same thing.
They are not.
Which is one of the most important things to understand before requesting quotes.
Managed WAN describes who manages the network – a Managed WAN is a network that a provider manages on your behalf and could contain:
SD-WAN
MPLS
leased lines
broadband
Ethernet
4G/5G
firewalls
cloud connectivity
So: Managed WAN is a service model, not one specific network technology.
SD-WAN describes how network traffic is controlled
SD-WAN stands for Software-Defined Wide Area Network and creates a software-controlled layer across connections such as:
broadband
FTTP
leased lines
DIA
MPLS
4G
5G
The SD-WAN platform can then choose how traffic travels across those connections – for example:
Microsoft Teams → strongest available link software updates → lower-cost broadband payment traffic → primary connection with automatic 5G failover
which can improve:
resilience
performance
visibility
cloud access
traffic prioritisation
network management
MPLS is a private networking technology
MPLS connects business locations through a private provider network and has traditionally been popular where businesses need:
predictable performance
low latency
QoS
private site-to-site traffic
centralised networks
MPLS has not disappeared, however, cloud applications have changed the way businesses design networks.
SASE combines networking and security
SASE combines networking capabilities with cloud-delivered security and a SASE service can include:
SD-WAN
secure web gateway
firewall-as-a-service
zero trust network access
cloud access security broker
threat protection
identity-based access controls
Are these options actually alternatives? Not always! You could use:
SD-WAN + leased lines + 5G backup + SASE
at the same time.
Another idea might be to use:
Managed WAN + SD-WAN + MPLS
during a gradual MPLS migration.
Which is why choosing the network based on a single technology name can be misleading – so, te better question is:
What does each site need?
Start with your business problem “Our branches regularly lose internet”
Compare: Broadband backup or SD-WAN with automatic failover
As a second connection can keep important systems online if the primary connection fails.
“We have ten locations and nobody knows which provider to call”
Compare: Managed WAN
As your provider can become the single point of responsibility for:
circuits
routers
faults
monitoring
suppliers
changes
“Our MPLS network is expensive”
Compare: SD-WAN or hybrid WAN
You could be able to use lower-cost internet circuits at appropriate sites while retaining MPLS where it still adds value.
“Microsoft 365 and Teams perform badly at branches”
Compare: SD-WAN with local internet breakout
Rather than sending traffic unnecessarily through a central site, SD-WAN can route suitable cloud traffic directly towards the application.
“Security is becoming harder with remote working”
Compare: SASE
As SASE extends security controls towards users and cloud applications rather than relying entirely on the traditional office perimeter.
“Our head office cannot afford an outage”
Compare: Leased line/DIA + diverse backup connection (potentially combined with SD-WAN for automatic failover.)
Which option is best by number of sites?
Business
One small office
One critical office
2-3 offices
VPN, managed connectivity or SD-WAN
4-10 locations
10-50 locations
Managed SD-WAN / secure WAN
50+ locations
Enterprise SD-WAN, SASE, MPLS or hybrid WAN
International locations
Global WAN / managed SD-WAN
Best network solution by business type Retail -a retailer will often depend on:
card payments
EPOS
stock systems
CCTV
VoIP
cloud applications
guest Wi-Fi
A good starting point is: SD-WAN + FTTP/broadband + 4G/5G backup, and critical stores or head offices may also use leased lines.
Hospitality
Hotels, restaurants, pubs and venues often need to separate:
guest Wi-Fi
EPOS
booking systems
staff systems
CCTV
payment traffic
Compare: Managed WAN or secure SD-WAN with backup connectivity at revenue-critical sites.
Care homes
Connectivity can support:
care records
telephony
medication systems
cloud applications
staff systems
visitor Wi-Fi
So compare: Managed WAN or secure SD-WAN with resilient connectivity.
Professional services
Accountants, solicitors, consultants and recruiters often rely heavily on:
Microsoft 365
Teams
VoIP
CRM
hosted desktops
cloud file systems
So compare: SD-WAN, cloud connectivity or SASE depending on site count and security requirements.
Warehousing and logistics
A warehouse may depend on:
inventory systems
handheld devices
scanners
VoIP
transport systems
cloud applications
Compare: leased line/DIA at key sites + SD-WAN or Managed WAN across the wider estate.
Franchises
Franchises often need consistent networking across independently operated sites, so here managed SD-WAN can provide:
standardised equipment
central policies
monitoring
security
new-site deployment
resilient connectivity
Construction
Temporary offices and changing locations make flexibility important so compare:
4G/5G
business broadband
temporary connectivity
SD-WAN
satellite where fixed connectivity is unavailable
Healthcare and clinics
Security and availability are particularly important.
Compare: secure Managed WAN, SD-WAN or SASE with suitable resilient connections.
What is multi-site connectivity? Multi-site connectivity is not one particular network product, rather, it means designing connectivity across several business locations which can involve:
broadband
FTTP
leased lines
SD-WAN
MPLS
VPN
4G/5G
SASE
cloud connections
For example:
Site
Head office
Large branch
FTTP + secondary broadband
Small branch
Warehouse
Temporary site
5G
All locations
What is Managed WAN? Managed WAN means outsourcing some or all responsibility for your wide area network and these providers can manage:
network design
connectivity
routers
firewalls
SD-WAN
MPLS
broadband
leased lines
monitoring
fault management
carrier escalation
reporting
security
network changes
Best if you:
have several sites
lack internal networking expertise
use multiple carriers
need central support
want one company accountable for network performance
See our complete guide: Managed WAN Services UK
What is SD-WAN? SD-WAN uses software to control traffic across a business WAN and it can make decisions according to factors such as:
application
latency
packet loss
jitter
available bandwidth
link health
business policy
It can use more than one connection simultaneously which means a branch might have:
FTTP + 5G
or:
leased line + broadband
with SD-WAN choosing which path traffic should use – see our full guide here: SD-WAN Providers UK
What is MPLS? MPLS is a long-established way of providing private WAN connectivity and using this can give you some notable advantages:
predictable routing
private connectivity
QoS
low latency
proven enterprise use
On the other hand, potential disadvantages include:
price
longer provisioning
less direct cloud access
less flexibility
dependence on carrier architecture
MPLS can still be appropriate – so the important question is whether it still needs to carry all business traffic.
For our full guide: MPLS Networks
What is SASE? SASE brings networking and security together through cloud-delivered services so is really relevant to businesses where users connect from:
offices
homes
customer sites
mobile devices
branches
to applications located in:
Microsoft 365
Azure
AWS
SaaS platforms
company data centres
private cloud
SASE can combine technologies including:
SD-WAN
ZTNA
secure web gateway
CASB
firewall-as-a-service
What is broadband backup? Broadband backup provides another route online when the primary connection fails and main options include:
second broadband line
FTTP
another network provider
4G
5G
leased-line backup
The important word is:
diversity.
Two connections are not genuinely resilient if they rely on the same physical route or infrastructure and fail together.
For our dedicated guide see: Business Broadband Backup Lines
Broadband backup vs SD-WAN These solve related but different problems.
Broadband backup
Provides another connection
Manages traffic across connections
Mainly resilience-focused
Performance + resilience + control
Can use manual failover
Simple
Lower cost
Higher management/platform cost
Good for one site
Particularly useful across several sites
They can also be used together.
SD-WAN can control the backup connection.
MPLS vs SD-WAN
Feature MPLS SD-WAN
Network model
Carrier-managed private network
Software-controlled overlay
Underlying links
MPLS circuits
Broadband, DIA, MPLS, 4G/5G etc.
Cloud access
Often centrally routed
Can use local/direct breakout
Flexibility
Lower
Higher
Failover
Depends on design
Core capability
Application awareness
Limited
Strong
Cost
Often higher
Can use lower-cost links
Best for
Predictable private traffic
Cloud-first multi-site networks
Managed WAN vs SD-WAN This is not a direct either/or comparison as a Managed WAN describes who manages it .
SD-WAN describes how traffic is controlled .
You can therefore buy: managed SD-WAN
where your chosen provider designs, supplies, monitors and supports the SD-WAN network.
SASE vs SD-WAN SD-WAN primarily solves networking problems and SASE extends this with cloud-delivered security and user access.
SD-WAN SASE
Site connectivity
Sites + users
Traffic routing
Failover
Failover
Application prioritisation
Network overlay
Cloud-delivered security architecture
Branch focused
Leased lines vs SD-WAN These are also not direct alternatives.
A leased line provides connectivity.
SD-WAN controls traffic across connectivity.
A common design is:
leased line + broadband + SD-WAN
at an important office.
The leased line gives the location dedicated bandwidth.
The broadband provides diversity.
SD-WAN manages both.
Business network costs UK There is no single WAN price because the final network can contain several services but we’ve made a simple budgeting guide:
Component
Business broadband / FTTP
Leased line / DIA
£150-£800+ per site/month
4G/5G backup
SD-WAN licence/support
Managed WAN
£50-£300+ per site/month before connectivity
Router/firewall
£10-£150+ per site/month or included
MPLS
SASE
Per-user/per-site or bespoke
Installation
Network design/migration
Your costs depend on:
number of sites
bandwidth
postcode
underlying circuits
SLA
support level
hardware
security
resilience
cloud connections
contract length
How much resilience do you need? Not every location needs identical resilience, so you should group locations according to what happens if connectivity fails.
Site Outage impact Suggested approach
Revenue-critical
Severe
Primary + diverse backup
Head office
High
Leased line/DIA + backup
Call centre
High
Dual connections + failover
Retail store
High
Broadband + 4G/5G
Small branch
Moderate
FTTP + optional backup
Temporary office
Lower
4G/5G or broadband
Questions to ask network providers Ask:
Which technology do you recommend and why?
What connectivity will each site use?
Is SD-WAN actually necessary?
Do we still need MPLS?
Are the backup connections physically diverse?
What happens when the primary circuit fails?
Is failover automatic?
How quickly does failover occur?
Are VoIP and Teams prioritised?
How is cloud traffic routed?
Is the service fully managed?
Who monitors the network?
Who handles carrier faults?
What security is included?
Is SASE appropriate?
What hardware is required?
Who owns the equipment?
What SLA applies?
Is support 24/7?
How are new sites added?
Can we retain existing circuits?
How long does migration take?
What happens during cutover?
What is the total monthly cost per site?
What costs extra?
What is the contract length?
What information should you provide when comparing quotes? Providers can quote more accurately if you know:
number of locations
site postcodes
number of employees per site
current providers
current connection types
current bandwidth
contract end dates
applications used
VoIP usage
Microsoft 365 usage
cloud platforms
existing MPLS
current monthly spend
outage problems
security requirements
backup connectivity
remote workers
growth plans
You do not need to know whether you need SD-WAN before requesting quotes as a good provider should help work that out.
Do you need SD-WAN? We think you should seriously compare SD-WAN if you have:
several locations
more than one connection at sites
significant cloud usage
Microsoft 365
VoIP
critical applications
MPLS costs you want to reduce
unreliable branch connectivity
a need for automatic failover
limited visibility across sites
You probably will not need SD-WAN if:
you have one small office
one standard broadband line is sufficient
outages have little business impact
you have very simple connectivity requirements
Do you still need MPLS? Possibly. MPLS can remain useful for:
predictable private connectivity
legacy systems
latency-sensitive applications
certain voice environments
data-centre connectivity
organisations with mature MPLS networks
But you should review whether all traffic still needs MPLS as cloud applications, remote work and direct internet access have changed network design considerably.
Do you need SASE? SASE becomes worth comparing where the challenge is no longer simply:
“How do we connect our offices?”
but:
“How do we securely connect users to applications wherever either of them happens to be?”
That is increasingly relevant for hybrid and cloud-first businesses.
Do you need broadband backup? If losing internet means you cannot:
take card payments
answer VoIP calls
access patient/customer records
use your EPOS
process orders
operate warehouse systems
access cloud software
then backup connectivity should at least be considered as the cost of the backup should be compared with the cost of the outage.
Our Final verdict There is no single “best WAN”.
Your best business network option is the one designed around:
your locations
critical applications
cloud usage
security
uptime requirements
growth plans
budget
For many multi-site businesses, a strong starting point is: SD-WAN + suitable connectivity at each site + automatic backup
Businesses wanting the provider to handle this can choose a: Managed WAN or managed SD-WAN service.
Businesses with stricter private-network requirements should retain: MPLS either permanently or as part of a hybrid WAN.
Cloud-first and hybrid organisations with more complex security requirements should also compare: SASE.
And businesses where the main issue is simply staying online could only need: better broadband backup.
Do not start by choosing the acronym.
Start with what your business needs the network to achieve.
Compare Business Network Solutions
Free quotes • No obligation • Tell us what you need and compare suitable UK WAN and connectivity providers
FAQs: business network solutions What is the best network solution for a multi-site business?
There is no universal best option. Managed SD-WAN is a strong choice for many multi-site organisations because it provides central management, routing and failover, but MPLS, leased lines, broadband and SASE can also form part of the network.
What is the difference between WAN and SD-WAN?
WAN is the wider network connecting locations. SD-WAN is a software-defined way of managing traffic across that WAN.
What is the difference between Managed WAN and SD-WAN?
Managed WAN describes an outsourced management service. SD-WAN describes networking technology. A provider can therefore offer a managed SD-WAN service.
Is SD-WAN better than MPLS?
SD-WAN is more flexible for many cloud-first businesses and can use multiple types of connectivity. MPLS can still be useful where predictable private site-to-site performance is particularly important.
Is MPLS outdated?
No. MPLS is still used by businesses with specific private-network, QoS and latency requirements, although many organisations now use it alongside or replace parts of it with SD-WAN.
What is SASE?
SASE combines networking and cloud-delivered security capabilities to securely connect users and locations to applications.
Is SASE the same as SD-WAN?
No. SD-WAN primarily manages network traffic. SASE combines networking with security services and may include SD-WAN as part of the architecture.
What is broadband failover?
Broadband failover automatically switches traffic onto a backup internet connection if the primary service fails.
Can 5G be used as business internet backup?
Yes. 4G and 5G are commonly used as backup connectivity where suitable mobile coverage is available.
Do I need a leased line with SD-WAN?
Not necessarily. SD-WAN can use broadband, FTTP, leased lines, MPLS and mobile connections. Critical sites may still benefit from leased lines underneath SD-WAN.
Can SD-WAN replace MPLS?
Sometimes. Many organisations replace some or all MPLS circuits with internet connectivity and SD-WAN. Other businesses retain MPLS as part of a hybrid design.
Is Managed WAN worth it?
It can be particularly useful where a business has several locations, limited internal network expertise or several connectivity suppliers that need coordinating.
How much does a business WAN cost?
Costs vary by number of locations and network design. Broadband may cost £30-£150+ per site/month, leased lines around £150-£800+, and SD-WAN or managed WAN layers around £50-£300+ per site/month before underlying connectivity.
What is a hybrid WAN?
A hybrid WAN uses more than one networking or connectivity technology, for example MPLS alongside broadband, leased lines and SD-WAN.
What is multi-site connectivity?
Multi-site connectivity is the overall network strategy used to connect several business locations. It can use broadband, leased lines, MPLS, SD-WAN, VPN, SASE and mobile connectivity.
How do I choose between SD-WAN and SASE?
Choose based on the problem you are trying to solve. SD-WAN is primarily about network performance, routing and resilience. SASE becomes more relevant where secure access for users, branches and cloud applications is also a major requirement.
What is the best network for retail businesses?
Retailers often benefit from SD-WAN with business broadband or FTTP and 4G/5G backup, particularly where payment systems and EPOS must remain online.
What is the best network for care homes?
Managed WAN or secure SD-WAN with resilient connections is worth comparing because care homes often rely on cloud systems, telephony and digital records.
What is the best network for hotels?
Managed WAN or SD-WAN can help hotels separate guest, payment and business traffic while providing central management and backup connectivity.
What is the best network for offices using Microsoft 365?
SD-WAN can improve routing and resilience for cloud-heavy businesses, although the underlying broadband or leased-line quality remains important.
Should every branch have a leased line?
Not necessarily. A network can use stronger leased lines at critical sites and lower-cost FTTP or broadband at smaller locations.
Should backup internet use a different provider?
Where resilience is important, the backup should ideally have sufficient physical and provider diversity to avoid sharing the same likely point of failure.
How do I compare WAN providers?
Compare network design, connectivity options, support ownership, SLAs, security, monitoring, resilience, migration support and total monthly cost rather than focusing on one technology or headline price.
Related leased line, WAN and SD-WAN guides Leased line and dedicated connectivity Leased Line Costs UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/leased-line-costs
Leased Line Providers UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/leased-line-providers
Dedicated Internet Access https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/dedicated-internet-access
Ethernet Access Direct https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/ethernet-access-direct
Point-to-Point Leased Lines https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/point-to-point-leased-line
WAN and multi-site connectivity Multi-Site Connectivity https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/multi-site-connectivity
WAN Providers UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/wan-providers-uk
Managed WAN Services https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/managed-wan-services
Hybrid WAN Architecture https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/hybrid-wan-architecture
Global WAN Solutions https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/global-wan-solutions
SD-WAN and security SD-WAN Providers UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/sd-wan
Managed SD-WAN Services https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/managed-sd-wan-services
SD-WAN Costs UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/sd-wan-costs
SD-WAN vs MPLS https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/sd-wan-vs-mpls
Business Internet Security https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/business-internet-security
Compare Business Network Solutions Tell us:
how many sites you have
what connectivity you use today
which systems are business-critical
whether you need backup connectivity
whether you use cloud applications
your security requirements
whether you want the network fully managed
and compare suitable UK business network providers.
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Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.over a decade of experience in the B2B sector, I specialise in simplifying complex topics like leased lines, VoIP, business energy, HR and payroll solutions, accounting software, and EPOS systems .HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.
