MPLS Replacement
SD-WAN Cost per Site, SD-WAN vs MPLS, Managed SD-WAN Providers and the Migration
A 1 Gbps MPLS site runs a median $1,439 a month. SD-WAN over two broadband links runs about $947. Send us your site list once: we source the circuits and providers and negotiate the terms.
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MPLS replacement means moving a company's sites off private MPLS circuits onto SD-WAN running over broadband and dedicated internet, usually with cloud security (SASE) added at the same time. A typical 1 Gbps MPLS site costs a median $1,439 a month in North America, while two 1 Gbps business broadband circuits plus SD-WAN service come to about $947 a month (Lightyear circuit medians, TeleGeography SD-WAN median, MCA calculation). Most companies have already started: MPLS fell from 82 percent of enterprise sites in 2018 to 22 percent by late 2025, while dedicated internet rose from 27 to 54 percent (TeleGeography, August 2026). This page shows what each design costs per site, what 10, 25 and 50 sites cost a year, how the migration runs, and when to skip straight to SASE. We source the circuits and the SD-WAN or SASE provider for multi-site companies and negotiate the terms, and the provider you choose pays us. See how we work.
MCA calculation. Circuit medians from Lightyear (North America, April 2026): MPLS 1 Gbps $1,439, DIA 1 Gbps $966, broadband 1 Gbps $307. SD-WAN service $333 a month at 1 Gbps, the latest published median from TeleGeography (2021 data). SASE security: 25 users x $15.57, TeleGeography's 2025 large-enterprise managed median (source). MPLS rows exclude the central firewall most MPLS sites use for internet security. Figures as of October 2026. Free to cite with a link to this page.
Send your site list with bandwidth, users per site and the date your MPLS contract ends. You'll hear back within 24 hours. From there, we work out what the replacement should cost and which providers fit. Send it before you request quotes: once a provider has priced you directly, it will not register an advisor, and you negotiate alone.
SD-WAN vs MPLS Cost
The chart makes one thing plain: SD-WAN is not automatically cheaper per site. It depends on the circuits. A site on two business broadband circuits costs about a third less than a single MPLS circuit and gets two paths instead of one. A site on dedicated internet with broadband backup costs about the same as MPLS plus a local internet line, with a guaranteed primary circuit and local breakout to the cloud. The saving comes from matching each site to the circuits it needs rather than buying the same private circuit everywhere.
| Circuit | 100 Mbps | 1 Gbps | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPLSprivate carrier network | Not published | $1,439 | One managed private circuit with end-to-end performance guarantees |
| Dedicated internet (DIA) | $503 | $966 | Symmetrical, uncontended bandwidth with a service level |
| Business broadband | $141 | $307 | Shared, best-effort bandwidth at the lowest price |
| SD-WAN serviceoverlay, per site | $81 | $333 | Steers traffic across circuits; one-time appliance $452 to $1,422 |
Monthly medians, North America. Circuits: Lightyear, April 2026. SD-WAN service and appliance: TeleGeography, 2021 data, published 2022.
The pattern holds globally. In all 10 key markets TeleGeography tracked in early 2026, MPLS cost 50 to 500 percent more than dedicated internet at the same speed, which is why 74 percent of companies still run MPLS somewhere but only at about one site in five. Sites that keep MPLS are usually the ones with a specific reason: a trading floor, a plant floor system, a location with poor internet options. Where copper MPLS sits alongside retiring copper phone lines, both moves can be planned together; see POTS line replacement.
SD-WAN Cost for 10, 25 and 50 Sites
The table scales the per-site figures to a full estate for one year. Every site is modeled as a 1 Gbps branch for a clean comparison; in practice smaller sites run on 100 Mbps circuits and cost less in every column.
| Design, per year | 10 sites | 25 sites | 50 sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPLS plus local broadband$1,746 x 12 | $209,520 | $523,800 | $1,047,600 |
| SD-WAN, DIA plus broadband$1,606 x 12 | $192,720 | $481,800 | $963,600 |
| MPLS alone$1,439 x 12 | $172,680 | $431,700 | $863,400 |
| SASE, two broadband links$1,336.25 x 12 | $160,350 | $400,875 | $801,750 |
| SD-WAN, two broadband links$947 x 12 | $113,640 | $284,100 | $568,200 |
| One-time SD-WAN appliances$1,422 per site | $14,220 | $35,550 | $71,100 |
| Three months of MPLS overlap$1,439 x 3 per site | $43,170 | $107,925 | $215,850 |
MCA calculation from the medians above. Recurring rows are per year; one-time rows are paid once during migration. Excludes installation charges, which vary by carrier and site.
One Requirement, the Whole Market, at No Cost to You
An MPLS replacement touches a carrier for every site, an SD-WAN or SASE provider, and often a security provider. We run all of it from one requirement.
MPLS to SD-WAN Migration: Steps and Timeline
Inventory and contract dates
Every site, circuit, bandwidth, users and MPLS contract end date. The end dates set the schedule, because early termination is usually the most expensive line in a migration.
Design and provider choice
Circuit type per site, SD-WAN alone or SASE, managed or co-managed, and which providers fit. Decide the security model here, not after cutover.
Order circuits
Broadband and DIA ordered for every site, with diverse paths where the site matters. Circuit delivery is usually the slowest step, so order early.
Pilot alongside MPLS
A few representative sites run SD-WAN in parallel with MPLS, so applications are proven before anything is turned off.
Cut over in waves, retire MPLS
Sites move in groups. MPLS is cancelled on its contract dates, with notice given before any automatic renewal, and kept only where a site still needs it.
The overlap period is the hidden cost. Each site pays for MPLS and new circuits at once until cutover, which is why ordering circuits early and timing waves to contract end dates saves real money. In our market read, a 25-site estate commonly takes six to twelve months end to end, most of it circuit lead time.
Circuits: broadband, DIA or both
Broadband suits offices where a short outage is tolerable and two diverse providers are available. Dedicated internet suits sites that need a service level, symmetrical bandwidth or heavy voice and video. Most estates mix them: DIA plus broadband at headquarters and critical sites, dual broadband at smaller offices, and a cellular backup where wired diversity is not available. Data centers and colocation sites usually keep a private path, through data center connectivity such as cloud on-ramps and cross connects, or dark fiber and wavelengths between your own facilities.
That date sets the whole plan. Send it with the site list and we will source circuits and providers in time to avoid paying twice for longer than you need. If you have already spoken to one provider, tell us which; we can still run the rest of the market.
Managed SD-WAN Providers
Managed SD-WAN providers fall into three groups. The platform matters less than who runs it, how circuits are bought and what the service level covers.
Carriers
AT&T, Verizon, Lumen, Comcast Business, Spectrum Enterprise and others bundle SD-WAN with their own circuits and management, often on Cisco, Fortinet or other platforms. Strong when one carrier covers most of your footprint.
Service-delivered SD-WAN and SASE
Providers that deliver SD-WAN and security as a cloud service over their own global network, such as Aryaka and Cato Networks. You bring circuits from any carrier; they run the overlay, the backbone and the security.
Managed service providers
MSPs that run Fortinet, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN, HPE Aruba EdgeConnect, Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN, Versa and similar platforms for you, often alongside managed firewall and help desk.
Managed vs co-managed SD-WAN
| Fully managed | Co-managed | Self-managed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who changes policy | The provider, on your request | Your team, with provider support | Your team |
| Who monitors | Provider, around the clock | Provider, with shared visibility | Your team or tools |
| Who handles circuits | Often the provider | Either | Your team |
| Cost | Highest monthly fee | Middle | Lowest fees, highest staff time |
| Fits | Lean IT teams, many small sites | Teams that want control of changes | Large network teams |
The managed premium shows up clearly on the security side: TeleGeography's 2025 data put managed providers' median at $15.57 per user per month for large enterprises, against $7.21 from vendors directly. The same logic applies to the network: a managed fee buys someone else's engineers. About 75 percent of enterprises now run SD-WAN in some form, according to TeleGeography, so every model is well proven.
We price both against your site list and team size, so the managed premium is visible before you sign. The provider you choose pays us, so it costs you nothing.
When to Go Straight to SASE
An MPLS replacement is the natural moment to change how sites are secured, because the reason most MPLS networks exist, backhauling traffic to a central firewall, goes away with local internet breakout. Going straight to SASE fits when:
Branch firewalls are due for refresh
Replacing hardware at every site and then replacing it again with cloud security is paying twice. Time both to one project.
Most traffic goes to SaaS and cloud
When users mainly reach Microsoft 365, Salesforce and cloud workloads, securing the path to the cloud matters more than the path to headquarters.
Remote users need the same policy
SASE applies one policy to offices and remote staff, which also replaces the VPN. Gartner expects 65 percent of new SD-WAN purchases to be single-vendor SASE by 2027 (SDxCentral).
SD-WAN first, security later, still fits when firewalls are new, the security team has a separate roadmap, or contracts end at different times. Per-user SASE prices, Zscaler alternatives and an RFP checklist are on the SASE providers and Zscaler pricing page, and wider security sourcing is under managed security services. A larger redesign across network, security and hosting can be scoped as paid IT infrastructure consulting, with engagements from $45,000.
Five Common Mistakes
Missing the MPLS notice date
Many carrier contracts renew automatically unless notice is given months ahead. Miss it and the overlap becomes a renewal term.
Buying two circuits from one path
Two providers on the same conduit fail together. Ask for route diversity, not just a second carrier.
Ordering circuits last
Circuit delivery is usually the long pole. Ordering after the SD-WAN contract is signed stretches the overlap at every site.
Treating security as phase two
Local internet breakout without a security plan moves the firewall problem to every branch. Decide the model before cutover.
One design for every site
Headquarters, a plant and a five-person office need different circuits. Matching each site is where most of the saving comes from.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MPLS replacement?
MPLS replacement is moving a company's sites off private MPLS circuits onto SD-WAN running over broadband and dedicated internet, usually adding cloud security at the same time. MPLS fell from 82 percent of enterprise sites in 2018 to 22 percent by late 2025, according to TeleGeography.
How much does SD-WAN cost per site?
SD-WAN service ran a median $81 a month for a 100 Mbps site and $333 for 1 Gbps in TeleGeography's latest published data, plus a one-time appliance charge of $452 to $1,422. Circuits are extra: two 1 Gbps broadband circuits plus SD-WAN come to about $947 a month per site.
Is SD-WAN cheaper than MPLS?
Usually, but it depends on the circuits. A 1 Gbps MPLS site runs a median $1,439 a month in North America. SD-WAN over two broadband circuits is about $947, a third less; SD-WAN over dedicated internet plus broadband is about $1,606, close to MPLS plus a local internet line.
How much does MPLS cost per month?
A typical 1 Gbps MPLS circuit costs a median $1,439 a month in North America, according to Lightyear's 2026 data. TeleGeography found MPLS 50 to 500 percent more expensive than dedicated internet at the same speed in all 10 key global markets it tracked in early 2026.
How much does it cost to replace MPLS for 25 sites?
At 1 Gbps per site, SD-WAN over two broadband links runs about $284,100 a year for 25 sites, against $431,700 for MPLS alone. One-time costs of about $35,550 for appliances and $107,925 for three months of MPLS overlap mean the move pays for itself in about 12 months.
How long does an MPLS to SD-WAN migration take?
A 25-site estate commonly takes six to twelve months end to end, and most of that is circuit lead time. The MPLS contract end dates set the schedule, so planning starts with the inventory of sites, circuits and notice dates.
What are the steps to migrate from MPLS to SD-WAN?
Inventory sites, circuits and MPLS contract dates; choose the design, security model and provider; order broadband and DIA early; pilot a few sites alongside MPLS; then cut over in waves and cancel MPLS on its contract dates.
Who are the managed SD-WAN providers?
Three groups: carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, Lumen, Comcast Business and Spectrum Enterprise; service-delivered SD-WAN and SASE providers such as Aryaka and Cato Networks; and managed service providers running platforms from Fortinet, Cisco, HPE Aruba, Palo Alto Networks, Versa and others.
What is the difference between managed and co-managed SD-WAN?
In fully managed SD-WAN, the provider makes changes and monitors the network for you. In co-managed SD-WAN, your team makes changes with provider support and shared visibility. Fully managed costs more per month and suits lean IT teams.
Should I replace MPLS with SD-WAN or SASE?
Go straight to SASE when branch firewalls are due for refresh, most traffic goes to SaaS and cloud, or remote users need the same policy as offices. Choose SD-WAN first when firewalls are new or security contracts end at a different time.
Do I still need MPLS anywhere?
Sometimes. Sites with strict performance needs or poor internet options can keep it, and 74 percent of companies still run MPLS at one or more sites, per TeleGeography. Data centers usually keep a private path through cross connects, cloud on-ramps or dark fiber.
Send the Site List Before You Request Quotes
If your MPLS contract ends in the next year or two, or you are adding sites and do not want more MPLS, send the site list with bandwidth, users per site and the contract end date. You'll hear back within 24 hours. From there, we work out what the replacement should cost and which providers fit. The provider you choose pays us, so it costs you nothing. If it isn't a fit, we will say so.
One site list, the carriers and providers that fit, and negotiated terms on the ones you choose. Send it before any provider has priced you directly.
Network and security: SASE providers and pricing, managed firewall, managed security services and POTS line replacement.
Data centers and cloud: data center connectivity, dark fiber, hybrid cloud colocation, cloud migration and disaster recovery colocation.
Recovery and compliance: DRaaS, backup as a service, CMMC enclave and data center migration.
Planning and cost: IT infrastructure consulting, data center consulting, data center cost, colocation pricing guide and cloud repatriation.
