For years, MPLS was the gold standard for business networking. But things have changed. Cloud apps, remote work, and rising costs are making UK businesses ask: is MPLS still worth it?
The answer for many? Not anymore.
Let’s break down the differences between SD-WAN and MPLS — and help you decide what’s best for your setup.
⚖️ SD-WAN vs MPLS at a Glance
| Feature | MPLS | SD-WAN |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | High | Lower (up to 50% less) |
| Scalability | Slow (weeks/months) | Fast (days) |
| Bandwidth Flexibility | Limited | Very flexible |
| Cloud Access | Indirect | Direct, faster |
| Resilience | Needs manual failover | Automatic failover |
| Management | Provider-controlled | Centrally managed via software |
| Internet Use | Limited | Fully optimised |
Cost Comparison
MPLS costs can spiral, especially with multi-site setups. You pay per site, per bandwidth level — often with 3–5 year contracts.
SD-WAN uses affordable UK internet connections (fibre, FTTP, 5G) and overlays a smart control layer. That means:
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Better use of existing connectivity
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No more paying premium prices for limited bandwidth
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Lower total cost of ownership
At Connect2, our SD-WAN solutions typically save clients 30–50% compared to their old MPLS setups — and deliver more.
☁️ Cloud-First Advantage
MPLS wasn’t built for the cloud. Traffic often has to backhaul through a central office or data centre, creating latency.
SD-WAN supports local internet breakout, meaning your branch offices can access Microsoft 365, Salesforce, or Zoom directly — faster and smoother.
⚙️ Resilience & Performance
MPLS gives you one path. If it fails, you’re down unless there’s an expensive backup.
SD-WAN lets you combine multiple connections — leased line + FTTP + 4G, for example — and automatically reroute traffic during outages. It’s built for uptime.
Security
MPLS is private, but not inherently encrypted.
SD-WAN offers end-to-end encryption, traffic segmentation, and built-in or integrated firewall controls. At Connect2, we pair SD-WAN with UK-based data centres and 24/7 monitoring for rock-solid security.
⚡ So Which Should You Choose?
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Stick with MPLS if: you have strict legacy apps that require it (some banks still do).
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Choose SD-WAN if: you want better cloud performance, lower costs, and agility.
You can even run both during a transition — and let SD-WAN phase out MPLS at your pace.
We’ll Help You Make the Switch (Or Run Hybrid)
At Connect2, we’ve helped dozens of UK companies move from MPLS to SD-WAN — with no downtime, no headaches, and big cost savings.
Get your free SD-WAN quote and see what your future network could look like.
