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Pobl Group builds on managed SD-WAN for housing development
Three-year contract for managed software-defined wide area network service follows merger creating Wales’s largest housing association
UK social housing association Pobl Group has engaged MLL Telecom to deploy a managed SD-WAN network
Describing itself as “uniquely” placed to join with others to create positive change in the delivery of housing, care and support across the country, not-for-profit Pobl Group says it is aiming to transform the housing market in Wales by creating places that are diverse, offering more options on tenures and affordability, and designing and regenerating to create homes and spaces where people can live, work and play.
Moreover, investing in 10,000 new homes by 2030 and working at greater scale and pace, it is designing homes that can evolve and meet changes in life stage, needs, energy and technology.
The company sees technology such as digital learning, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), facial recognition, virtual reality, digital assistants and wearable technology playing an increasing part in the way we live, work and play, and as the concepts of smart devices, smart homes and smart cities become common thinking, Pobl says it must adapt and change at pace, taking control of its future by building its own systems and applications, and capitalising on the richness of its data.
Pobl believes faster adoption of technology will further its ambitions by mapping out a digital ecosystem for the next decade, embracing the internet of things to drive sustainability ambitions, and using AI and automation to drive efficiencies, allowing it to focus on value-added services.
This will mean the company using actionable analytics to drive understanding and business improvement, understanding the past to help predict and prevent when looking forward, and taking a digital first approach to service delivery and communication. It will also mean the company building its own technology services tailored to its needs to harness the power of data so it can solve problems and improve customer experience.
Valued at over £700,000, MLL’s network services contract is in support of a digital unification network alignment programme following Pobl Group’s recent merger with Linc Cymru, creating the largest housing association in Wales, set to be rebranded to Codi Group from January 2026. The expanded group will manage more than 24,000 homes in Wales, with plans for growth to deliver more than 4,500 new homes over the next five years. The group employs more than 3,000 people and is a major contributor to the Welsh economy.
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Ahead of the rebrand, MLL will transition around 200 Pobl and Linc Cymru legacy MPLS sites onto a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN). This will feature a zero-trust architecture with managed real-time threat detection and response, and integration with Azure Public Cloud for enabling cross-organisation collaboration. The project is expected to make savings of more than £500,000 over the three-year period through streamlined procurement and infrastructure consolidation.
“This is about more than just technology – it’s about building a secure, scalable and future-ready digital foundation for over 200 sites across Wales,” said Pobl Group head of technology operations Peter Murphy.
“By merging two legacy MPLS networks into a single SD-WAN managed service, we’re enabling seamless collaboration, enhanced cyber resilience and smarter service delivery for our teams and tenants alike,” he said. “This has been a true cross-functional effort with procurement, technology, operations and our partners working together to ensure continuity, compliance and innovation at scale – all to be delivered securely within a tight six-month timeframe to ensure a year-one ROI.”
Gail Harvey, MLL’s business development director, added: “In the immediate and longer term, we look forward to transitioning and managing Pobl’s and, thereafter, Codi Group’s SD-WAN network, while also identifying further opportunities for adding value and innovation and to assisting Pobl with future initiatives.
“We also welcome the opportunity to support the Welsh community through the Pobl Trust, a registered charity that aims to improve the quality of life and create opportunities for people and communities in the areas where Pobl Group works.”
