Zen Internet launches Meraki to deliver SD-WAN portfolio

As businesses increasingly look for ways to harness lower-cost connectivity without compromising on performance, independent broadband provider (altnet) Zen Internet has expanded its enterprise networking portfolio with the launch of Cisco Meraki services.

The company said that its service expansion comes as more altnets expand their fibre footprint, with the offering intended to position the provider as one of the “most complete” software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) players in the UK market.

Building on its experience in offering MPLS services, Zen’s Meraki service – spanning LAN, Wi-Fi and SD-WAN – is designed to allow businesses of all sizes to benefit from simpler, cloud-managed networking combined with enterprise-grade security.

Cisco’s Catalyst SD-WAN already caters to enterprises with complex, global operations, but Meraki potentially opens the door to a broader base of customers, particularly mid-sized businesses that may previously have been priced out of advanced networking solutions.

Moreover, by pairing SD-WAN with lower-cost altnet connectivity, Zen said that it promises to help organisations cut costs at a time when IT budgets are under pressure, while still safeguarding against rising cyber threats.

The company said this combination makes its SD-WAN portfolio one of the most flexible in the UK. Larger enterprises can opt for fully integrated, full-stack solutions, while mid-market firms and SMEs can adopt a “lighter-touch” approach by upgrading just Wi-Fi or LAN today, while keeping the option open to move towards SD-WAN in the future.

Zen sees the Meraki launch as not replacing Cisco’s Catalyst SD-WAN but complementing it, giving the ability to support the full spectrum of business needs, from simple, cloud-managed networking through to the most advanced enterprise deployments.

“Security and cost are the two big challenges facing UK businesses right now. By combining the simplicity of Meraki with the security and intelligence of SD-WAN, alongside the cost benefits of our alt-net connectivity footprint, we’re giving customers a genuine choice,” said Jon Nowell, managing director of Zen Business.

“They can modernise their networks without the complexity or expense that has traditionally come with enterprise-grade solutions. Rising cyber crime, coupled with economic uncertainty, is forcing UK firms to seek more for less from their IT investments. At the same time, the shift to hybrid work has increased demand for reliable, secure connectivity across multiple sites. Businesses are no longer asking if they should adopt SD-WAN, but when.”

Aine Rogers, Cisco’s UK&I SME managing director, added: “Businesses across the UK are reimagining how they connect people, places and applications securely to drive better outcomes for all. Cloud-managed solutions like Cisco Meraki enable organisations to boost productivity, improve security posture and reduce IT complexity – all while controlling costs. Through our partnership with Zen, we’re helping businesses achieve faster growth, seamless operations and secure digital transformation – whether modernising a single office or scaling their entire network.”

The launch comes just days after Zen announced that it had expanded its longstanding partnership with business connectivity provider Neos Networks with a major upgrade to 400Gbps connectivity between Manchester and London. Delivered over Neos Networks’ nationwide fibre network, the upgrade to the advanced corridor is designed to support the UK’s growing bandwidth requirements as datacentre investment, AI adoption and full-fibre roll-out increase across the UK.