The new offering enables BT’s UK business and public sector customers to bring together SD-WAN, SD-branch and security into one place, fully managed by BT’s expert team.
This aims to reduce cyber risk and support customers moving data and applications into the cloud. It can support digital transformation, such as businesses embracing hybrid working and providing better experiences for staff, including clearer video calling.
The service can also support retailers to better meet customer demand, whether online with greater website reliability during peak trading events like Black Friday, or in person through services such as click-and-collect or technology infrastructure for pop up stores.
Ashish Gupta, MD, corporate and public sector, BT, said, “We know that complex network requirements shouldn’t mean compromising on security or flexibility.
“Our new collaboration with Fortinet on software-defined branch networks shows that you can combine both – enabling reliable, secure connectivity within and across multiple sites, all safely managed by BT. We’re already seeing strong interest from customers with a number of contracts won and being deployed.”
Paul Anderson, vice president, UK and Ireland, Fortinet, added, “In a post-pandemic world with relentless pressures on workforces, budgets and an increasingly complex threat landscape, customers are looking for help to evolve their organisations securely and address rapidly changing business challenges.
“By choosing BT and Fortinet, they can be reassured that they are in safe hands on all fronts.”
BT has built on its existing long-term agreement with global cybersecurity vendor Fortinet, with the addition of Fortinet’s secure SD-branch technology.