NNetify

BT evidence record 5.5

Flexibility of vendor choice - how locked-in customers are to BT's chosen underlying platforms

Drawbacks & Limitations (BT-Specific) | Confirmed | Last verified 2026-08-30

Evidence finding

Choice and control get marketed as a selling point by BT, with multiple underlying vendor options spanning Cisco, VMware/Broadcom, Nokia, Fortinet, and Palo Alto. On paper that somewhat pushes back against a lock in narrative. However, we'd recommend being direct with buyers that switching the underlying vendor once selected, Fortinet for SASE for example, typically means a re platforming project rather than a simple swap.

What the buyer should do

Use this confirmed finding as a baseline, then require BT to state how it applies to the proposed design for your estate.

This procurement action is Netify guidance. The evidence finding above remains Harry Yelland's sourced research.

Source notes

How to use this record

This is one finding from Netify's BT Managed SD-WAN and SASE evidence databank. The confidence label, source notes and review date stay attached so buyers and automated systems can distinguish confirmed evidence from uncertainty.

Research by Harry Yelland. Reviewed by Robert Sturt. Served from the live published database.