SD-WAN vs MPLS: Which is Better for Indian Enterprises in 2025?

April 13, 2025 | 6 min read | Linsys Team

For decades, Indian enterprises with multiple branches relied on expensive MPLS circuits. Today, SD-WAN delivers the same reliability with better performance at a fraction of the cost.

What is MPLS?

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is a private network technology that routes data through dedicated leased lines provided by telecom operators. It has been the gold standard for enterprise WANs for over 20 years because it offers guaranteed bandwidth, low latency, and predictable performance.

But MPLS has serious downsides: it is expensive (Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 2,00,000+ per branch per month), takes 60-120 days to provision, requires long contracts, and offers limited flexibility for cloud applications.

What is SD-WAN?

SD-WAN uses regular internet connections - broadband, fiber, 4G/5G - and intelligent software to create a virtual WAN connecting all your branches. The intelligence is in the software, which dynamically routes traffic over the best available path based on application requirements.

Linsys SD-WAN combines multiple internet connections at each site, applies application-aware routing policies, and includes built-in Zero Trust security. The result is a network that is faster, cheaper, and more flexible than MPLS.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Why Indian Enterprises Are Switching

• 40% cost savings on average compared to MPLS
• Faster cloud apps - direct break-out for SaaS
• Better video conferencing - QoS prioritizes Zoom, Teams
• Built-in security - no separate firewalls
• Quick deployment - new branches in days, not months
• Centralized control - manage all locations from one dashboard

A Tamil Nadu manufacturing company with 12 plants migrated from MPLS to Linsys SD-WAN. Connectivity costs dropped from Rs. 18 lakh/month to Rs. 7 lakh/month while video conferencing quality improved across all sites.

When MPLS Still Makes Sense

MPLS is not dead. There are use cases where MPLS is still right: ultra-low latency requirements (sub-10ms), strict regulatory mandates for private networks, and very stable predictable workloads with no cloud usage. For 90% of Indian enterprises, however, SD-WAN is the better choice.

Migration Path

You do not need to rip out MPLS overnight. Linsys recommends a hybrid approach: deploy SD-WAN at new branches first, run SD-WAN alongside MPLS at existing branches for 3-6 months, then progressively decommission MPLS as contracts expire.