Despite the many other compelling reasons to work with an independent telecom agent, a recent technology advancement has made the business case even stronger: Software Defined Networking, or SD-WAN. SD-WAN is a feature-rich, game-changing technology that could be discussed in several articles. However, for my purpose today, I am going to pivot away from that granular detail and instead focus on the mere logistics.
In the MPLS world, businesses were required to go “all in” with a single provider to provide the circuits, network management, and billing. It’s an effective, but expensive, umbrella. The beauty of the SD-WAN environment is that that you can mix / match providers in an à la carte fashion, choosing from a mix of broadband, dedicated, and LTE wireless. This enables you to tailor solutions for maximum efficiency in each location, at the best price point. But having all this freedom adds complexity, and that’s where an independent telecom agent like Modern Telecom Consulting can help.
- We can, through our national channels, provide competing Internet service quotes for multiple locations from multiple providers. This will save you so much time up front, and having so many options to choose from, allow you to choose the best solution for each site.
- From an installation perspective, SD-WAN can deploy much faster than the traditional MPLS, which means that the vendor and site coordination needs to be handled more quickly. Again, a vital service offered by the independent agent.
- And finally, after the solution is effectively running, someone needs to keep track of these various services and be willing to assist with billing questions, service problems, and change requests. Ongoing account management – regardless of the particular carrier – is a central responsibility of the independent agent. And this works hand in hand with the centralized management portal that SD-WAN solutions include.
As you can see, SD-WAN technology actually underscores the inherent benefits of partnering with an independent agent. And since most of our work is at little or no cost to our clients — having been subsidized by the carriers themselves — it’s like having your own telecom management team for no added cost.
If your business needs some help, or you’d like to discuss SD-WAN in more detail, I encourage you to reach out. We’re here to help.
Note: This article was originally published on LinkedIn on March 14, 2017
