Efficient Site Connectivity: The Right Underlay Can Make All the Difference

Fortunately, network security is a hot topic these days. We also hear a lot about the more or less trendy network technologies: Entire technical articles and user forums are buzzing with discussions about MPLS vs. SD-WAN. However, the all-important foundation of internet access—the so-called “underlay”—often gets overlooked. Yet, with the right underlay, organizations with internationally connected locations in particular can increase reliability, reduce complexity, and save money.

The underlay is the invisible nervous system of any company with more than one location. Whether fiber optic, copper, 5G/LTE, or satellite—whether transported underground or through the air—the physical layer carries data streams from location to location, to data centers, and to the cloud. More and more forward-thinking organizations are consistently separating logical management (overlay) from the underlay. With the right partner by their side, they can not only drastically increase reliability but also reduce network complexity and significantly ease the strain on the IT budget.

The Traditional Model

When implementing their underlay, companies often have to deal with providers’ traditional approach. These providers frequently aim primarily to utilize their own infrastructure to full capacity, which often means that higher-performance or more cost-effective regional alternatives on-site are overlooked. Furthermore, the promised reliability often turns out to be deceptive “redundancy”: When primary and backup lines come from the same provider, they frequently use identical cable routes, switching centers, or data centers, meaning that a single central failure can cripple both connections at the same time.

International procurement also presents organizational hurdles: Involving intermediaries often leads to high costs and lengthy communication channels, while independent purchasing abroad entails complex administrative burdens involving a wide variety of contracts, currencies, regulations, and time zones. In the event of a disruption—particularly when underlay lines and overlay technologies such as SD-WAN are managed separately—this fragmentation often results in a nerve-wracking blame game, with the service providers involved shifting responsibility onto one another. The situation is further complicated by rigid corporate structures and lengthy bureaucratic processes, which often cause deployment times in an international context to stretch to six to twelve months and make flexible responses to market changes nearly impossible.

The Shift in Network Sourcing: Virtual Network Operator

Companies with international locations often face the challenge of combining global coverage with local-level service quality and reasonable administrative overhead. A future-proof network design breaks free from dependence on individual, rigid infrastructures and instead relies on the Virtual Network Operator (VNO) model.

An independent network aggregator combines the best offerings from the global telecommunications market into a customized end-to-end solution:

• Network on Demand: Rather than trying to sell centrally predefined standard products, A1 Digital—as a VNO—analyzes each location individually. If there is a strong regional provider on-site, we integrate them into the solution. This could be, for example, a fiber-optic or broadband provider with a high-performance network. This guarantees the best performance at every location.
• True redundancy through diversity: Reliability comes only through true independence. By decoupling providers and technologies (e.g., combining fiber optics from a local provider with 5G/satellite from another partner), primary and backup paths are physically and organizationally separate. The probability of failure thus approaches zero.
• Optimized terms without long chains of intermediaries: Through direct contacts with local infrastructure providers worldwide and in-depth market knowledge, we secure the best local procurement prices and significantly shorten time-to-service.

IT expertise meets global presence: A1 Digital as a VNO

A1 Digital combines in-depth IT and cybersecurity expertise with the clout and presence of a global telecommunications group. As an aggregating partner, we assume full responsibility for your global underlay:

• Single Point of Contact: You receive your global network from a single source, with a central point of contact for needs analysis, proof of concept, global contracts, and ongoing support.
• End-to-End Responsibility: If a disruption occurs—whether at a location in Munich or on the last mile in Shanghai—A1 Digital handles the resolution directly. Instead of getting caught in a cycle of shifting responsibility, we assume full responsibility and provide the expertise to find a solution.
• Vendor- and Technology-Neutrality: We provide impartial advice and design the underlay to precisely match your existing or planned overlay and SD-WAN architecture.

In short, here’s how the underlay works with A1 Digital as your VNO: You tell us your network requirements, and we take care of the rest. We’d also be happy to discuss with you the most efficient combination of a cost-effective and reliable underlay with the best possible, state-of-the-art overlay. No matter which combination you choose, you’ll have a single point of contact for the entire package who will handle everything—from needs analysis and proof of concept to troubleshooting. If a problem arises, we’ll identify and resolve it centrally.

Ready for a future-proof network foundation?

Let us analyze your current network structures with no obligation. We’ll transparently show you where hidden failure risks lie within your current underlay and how you can achieve greater resilience, higher performance, and significant cost reductions with A1 Digital.