SD-WAN Comparison Matrix 2026 | UK Providers and MSPs

BT Service Stack & Network Architecture

Enterprise-grade managed SD-WAN with security and global connectivity. BT Business operates as an MSP whose core value lies in combining SD-WAN overlay with their own global backbone, offering end-to-end SLAs that pure-play software vendors cannot match.

This differs from cloud-native competitors. The key difference is infrastructure ownership: BT owns its core physical network infrastructure, whilst others build virtual overlays on leased capacity.

Key Differentiators

The Underlay Advantage: BT owns the physical network infrastructure underneath the SD-WAN overlay. Whilst software-only vendors can route traffic, they cannot guarantee the performance of the internet connections. Within the UK, BT controls the path, delivering predictable latency and guaranteed SLAs that pure-play vendors cannot offer.

UK Sovereignty: BT offers UK-based 24/7 support with security clearance capabilities, making it ideal for Government and Finance sectors where data sovereignty is critical.

Analysis

We often compare Aryaka to Cato, given both deliver SD-WAN as a fully managed global service. Whilst their PoPs in London and Manchester sound identical to Cato, they differ through partnerships with security vendors such as Palo Alto Networks and Zscaler, offering a multi-layered security approach.

With a strong presence in the China region, Aryaka suits UK businesses with significant international operations, such as manufacturers with Asian suppliers who need consistent performance across continents. Aryaka provides the entire solution including their private global backbone, simplifying procurement.

Analysis

Serving over 700,000 enterprises, Fortinet holds UK government G-Cloud 14 framework approval. FortiGate SD-WAN's strength lies in purpose-built security processors (ASICs) designed to maintain inspection performance under heavy load. Their integrated firewall, sandboxing and SSL inspection happen without backhauling traffic.

Analysis

Cato Networks is an ideal choice for businesses needing a simplified approach to SASE. As a pioneer of cloud-native SASE, Cato provides services via their global cloud platform and small edge devices (Sockets) rather than through large-scale appliances.

Cato offers PoPs in UK cities such as London and Manchester that these Sockets establish encrypted tunnels to. Every Cato PoP includes a full security stack covering NGFW, SWG, CASB, DLP and ZTNA, meaning UK branch traffic gets inspected at a local PoP without backhauling anywhere.

Analysis

Palo Alto Networks Prisma SD-WAN is the gold standard for security-conscious enterprises. Their Layer 7 visibility is unmatched, allowing granular policy control based on applications rather than just ports and protocols.

Analysis

Virgin Media O2 Business delivers managed SD-WAN primarily via Versa Networks. As the main competitor to BT in the UK, they own significant fibre infrastructure, allowing them to offer competitive pricing for domestic multi-site networks.

Analysis

Cisco Meraki is the default choice for organisations prioritising ease of use. The dashboard is legendary for its intuitive design, allowing junior staff to manage complex networks. However, advanced routing features are limited compared to Viptela or Versa.

Analysis

GTT owns one of the largest Tier-1 IP backbones in the world. This allows them to offer SD-WAN with fewer hops and lower latency than competitors who lease lines. Ideal for data-heavy multinationals.

Analysis

Formerly Silver Peak, Aruba EdgeConnect is renowned for its WAN optimisation capabilities. Its "First-Packet iQ" technology identifies applications instantly, ensuring critical traffic is prioritised immediately.

Analysis

Versa is unique in offering a fully unified SASE OS that runs on white-box hardware. It is heavily used by MSPs due to its robust multi-tenancy capabilities, allowing providers to manage hundreds of distinct customers on one platform.