Network as a Service is a cloud-based service model that allows organisations to outsource their networking infrastructure. Instead of building and maintaining their own network components, businesses can rent network services from cloud providers.

With the increased speed of network innovations, many organisations face significant technical debt in upgrading (and continue to upgrade) their own infrastructure.

Standardised network models including virtual private networks, multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) connections and on-premise networking hardware are quickly becoming obsolete. These changes are making it an increasingly attractive option to simply off-load this capability to an external service provider, and save on in-house expenditure.

Key Drivers for NaaS Adoption

  • Cost Efficiency: NaaS reduces capital expenditures (CapEx) and operational expenditures (OpEx) by eliminating the need for physical hardware investments and allowing for predictable, subscription-based pricing.
  • Cloud-Centric Workflows: Traditional network architectures often struggle with the demands of cloud-based applications and remote workforces. NaaS offers scalable and flexible solutions that align with modern, cloud-first business models.
  • Environmental Sustainability: By utilising energy-efficient, virtualised network functions hosted in optimised data centres, NaaS can significantly decrease a network’s carbon footprint.
  • Automation and AI Integration: NaaS platforms often incorporate AI-driven insights and automation, enabling easier resource allocation, improved network efficiency, and reduced manual intervention.
Learn How Air Internet Uses Colt On Demand

Benefits of Network as a Service

  • Simplified Infrastructure: Providers manage the network, including hardware and software upgrades, reducing the complexity for businesses.
  • Enhanced Security: NaaS solutions often come with integrated, cloud-based security features, supporting a Zero Trust approach and reducing the burden on internal IT teams.
  • Flexibility and Scalability: Businesses can quickly adjust bandwidth and services to meet changing demands, with configurations made via software rather than physical hardware changes.
  • Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Support: NaaS bridges on-premises and cloud environments, facilitating secure communication across diverse architectures.

Challenges in Migrating to NaaS

When looking into a Network as a Service model, it doesn’t have to mean that you switch off your existing network overnight. In fact, it would be heavily recommended to look at a piecemeal strategy that can gradually replace parts of your network in order to mitigate challenges such as:

  • Integration Complexity: Organisations with legacy systems may face challenges integrating NaaS solutions seamlessly.
  • Multi-Vendor Environments: Managing networks with multiple vendors can complicate NaaS adoption, potentially leading to compatibility issues.
  • Security and Compliance: Ensuring that NaaS solutions align with specific security policies and compliance standards is crucial.

NaaS APIs & Interoperability

As organisations increasingly adopt Network as a Service (NaaS) to modernise their connectivity infrastructure, the importance of robust APIs and seamless interoperability has become paramount in order to provide:

  • Multi-cloud connectivity: Support for providers like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.
  • Hybrid environments: Smooth integration between on-premises data centers and cloud networks.
  • Standards compliance: Use of common protocols (e.g. MEF standards) to ensure compatibility with networking equipment and services from different vendors.
  • Vendor neutrality: Allows businesses to avoid vendor lock-in and build flexible, future-proof network architectures.

At Colt we work closely with MEF and are an industry leader when it comes to API development and integration maintaining both a Colt proprietary SDN API and an MEF Sonata API. Colt has been working with MEF for a number of years and was the first service provider member to utilise the LSO Sonata APIs in partnership with AT&T.

Colt SDN APIMEF LSO Sonata APIs
TypeProprietaryStandardised
FocusAll On Demand portal functionalityInter-provider service automation
ExampleCustomer ordering of Colt network servicesOrdering of MEF compliant Access E-Line services e.g. inter-carrier transactions for Carrier Ethernet services

“We’re solving for business to business – to have complete interoperability between any service provider, it’s all uniform, open standards, fully interoperable and a federation style, which is many to many.”

Pascal Menezes, CTO for MEF

For more information see our ebook on How the on-demand experience has changed telco relationships.

Colt’s NaaS Offering

It’s been almost seven years since we first launched Colt On Demand and introduced the power of SDN into the network. The first launch was for data centre to data centre connectivity, and since then, we’ve gone from strength to strength.

Colt’s On Demand platform exemplifies the NaaS model, providing real-time, flexible connectivity between data centers, enterprise locations, major cloud providers, and the public internet.

Key features include:

  • Portal-Based Ordering: A user-friendly portal allows for faster and simpler service ordering compared to traditional methods.
  • Rapid Bandwidth Upgrades: Bandwidth can be scaled in near real-time to meet urgent demands, with services adjustable on a per-hour basis. Colt pre-provision capacity at key data centres and cloud PoPs.
  • Integration with Major Cloud Providers: Direct connections to providers like AWS, Google Cloud, IBM, Microsoft Azure, and Oracle are supported.
  • Flexible Billing Models: Customers can choose between fully flexible, usage-based billing or longer-term subscription models.

For businesses seeking agile, scalable, and sustainable networking solutions, Colt’s NaaS offerings provide a compelling alternative to traditional network infrastructures.

Launch the Colt On Demand interactive demo

Colt On Demand supports point to point connections between data centres and enterprise offices, private connections to the public cloud and internet connectivity. Visit the On Demand solution page to discover more about On Demand and how it can help you find the right pathway for your business.

See how it works with our 2 minute interactive demo. That’s as long as it takes to make a on-demand connection, whether it’s an internet, ethernet or cloud connection.

Recent Colt NaaS Updates

Why Colt?

Our network empowers customers with real-time control over their global technology infrastructure. With services provisioned in minutes—not weeks or months—directly through an intuitive customer portal, users can instantly scale bandwidth up or down as needed. This flexible, on-demand model breaks free from traditional fixed-term contracts and offers greater agility, value, and responsiveness.

With more than 55,000km of owned fibre infrastructure and an additional 135,000km of leased capacity, Colt delivers high-performance connectivity to over 40 countries, ensuring exceptional network reach and reliability.

Our innovative technology sets us apart. Colt was among the first to introduce on-demand provisioning and continues to lead the industry with API-driven solutions, SDN capabilities, and Edge compute readiness.

We provide direct fibre access to over 31,000 buildings and connect more data centres across Europe, the U.S., and Asia than any other provider—giving customers unmatched convenience and enhanced security without compromise.

See How Berlinale Scaled in Real Time

Try NaaS for yourself

Want to see how it works? Click here to take Colt On Demand for a test drive and see how it works in 5 minutes.

“We’re removing as much of the old, time-consuming approach as possible, reducing the risk of errors and speeding things up for our customers. Once quotes have been received, orders can be placed in just a few clicks – either via Colt Online or through the customers’ own platform. Once the initial integration and commercials have been agreed, it means that there’s no filling out forms and chasing up account teams to get orders in process. If you’re still waiting to hear back on quotes, or stuck in the old way of ordering, maybe it’s time for a change?”.

Fahim Sabir, Director of Network On-Demand, Colt
Launch the Colt On Demand interactive demo