Modern Network. Every site online, every user secured
Replace MPLS lines, branch VPNs and a firewall box at every site with three layers from one provider: FirstNet broadband underneath, a Peplink router at each site, and Cloudflare securing every user and app, wherever they work.
Your network was built for the office. Your people and apps moved on
MPLS costs and one link
Private lines are expensive, and a site with one link stops when that link does, often during load-shedding.
VPNs that strain
Remote staff and contractors are put on the whole network through a VPN that is slow, hard to scale and broad in what it exposes.
A box at every branch
Each site needs its own firewall to buy, patch and renew, while users and data now sit in the cloud.
The modern network. Three layers, one service
FirstNet broadband is the foundation. Peplink at every site turns those links into one connection that stays up, and Cloudflare secures every user and app, wherever they work. One provider, one SLA, run by the FirstNet NOC.
1. The links: FirstNet broadband
Carrier-grade underlays, supplied and supported by FirstNet.
- Business fibre and dedicated internet access (DIA)
- LTE/5G and fixed wireless for path diversity
- LEO satellite for remote or critical sites
- Two diverse links per site, under one SLA
2. The edge: Peplink
One connection that rides through fibre cuts and load-shedding.
- Bonds every link into one virtual connection
- Sub-second failover: live calls and remote desktop stay up
- Balance, MAX and BR1 routers sized per site
- Managed in InControl 2 by the FirstNet NOC
3. The cloud: Cloudflare
Security that follows every user and app, not the building.
- Zero trust access to private apps, no VPN
- Web filtering and DNS security for every device
- Data loss prevention, including AI tools
- Served from Cloudflare data centres in South Africa
What it replaces. And what it keeps
MPLS lines
Bonded FirstNet broadband carries site traffic. MPLS can stay alongside while each site moves across.
Branch VPNs
Cloudflare Access gives each user access to the apps they need, not the whole network.
Web proxies
Cloudflare Gateway filters web and DNS traffic in the office and on the road.
A firewall at every branch
Cloudflare's cloud firewall protects sites through a tunnel. Fortinet or Sophos stays where a site needs a full firewall.
Four ways to buy. One accountable provider
Start from nothing, keep the links you already have, start on a budget, or go all the way to a regulated security stack. Every package includes identity integration and zero trust access, so it is more than a router or a firewall.
Complete
Starting from scratch: everything from one provider.
- FirstNet fibre with LTE backup
- Peplink router at every site
- Cloudflare zero trust and cloud firewall
- 24/7 management by the FirstNet NOC
- SLA: end to end on FirstNet links
Overlay
Keep your current links and contracts.
- Peplink router on your existing connectivity
- Cloudflare zero trust for every user
- No need to break connectivity contracts
- SLA: the managed device and security overlay
Essentials
The lowest-cost way into zero trust.
- FirstNet business broadband
- Compact Peplink router
- Cloudflare app on every user device
- Best effort, no SLA
Advanced
For regulated or high-risk organisations.
- Fortinet or Sophos firewall on site
- Vendor zero trust agent for every user
- Optional 24/7 detect and respond
- SLA-backed on FirstNet fibre or DIA
How we get you there. Site by site, not a big bang
Survey
Links, power, users and apps at each site, and the contracts that are running.
Design
The link mix, the Peplink model per site and the Cloudflare policies, agreed with your team.
Pilot
One site and one team live, with identity connected to Microsoft Entra ID, Okta or Google.
Roll out and manage
Sites move in waves around contract dates, then the FirstNet NOC runs links, routers and policies.
Why FirstNet. Links, edge and security from one partner
Peplink Certified Partner
Peplink Certified Engineers with years of bonded connectivity work across South African branches, mines and fleets.
Cloudflare partner
Zero trust, web filtering and DLP designed, deployed and tuned by FirstNet, with partner escalation into Cloudflare.
Your links, our network
FirstNet fibre, DIA, LTE/5G, wireless and LEO satellite under one contract, so the foundation is ours to fix.
Modern Network questions
Straight answers from the FirstNet team.
Read every answer in the Knowledge HubWhat is a modern network?
Three layers from one provider: FirstNet broadband as the links, Peplink at each site to keep it online, and Cloudflare to secure every user and app.
Which modern network package is right for us?
It depends on your links, budget and security needs. Complete suits a fresh start, Overlay keeps your links, Essentials is the low-cost entry and Advanced suits regulated sites.
Does a Peplink router connect directly to Cloudflare?
Users and apps reach Cloudflare whatever router is on site. A site tunnel from Peplink to Cloudflare, which also protects printers and cameras, is designed and tested per site.
Do we still need a firewall?
Usually not a box at every branch: Cloudflare's cloud firewall and web filtering protect users and sites. Regulated sites can keep a Fortinet or Sophos firewall in the Advanced package.
Do we have to replace MPLS all at once?
No. A Peplink router can run your MPLS line alongside FirstNet broadband while each site moves across, so MPLS is retired site by site as contracts end.
From the Knowledge Hub
Where connectivity fits
- Sovereign AI AI that stays home, in every layer.
- Voice Every call, clear.
- Security Threats, contained.
- Cloud Data, protected.
- Connectivity Always connected.
Enriched by Sovereign AI: reach the AI Factory over FirstNet’s own network, with a direct, low-latency path that stays on South African soil. Explore the AI Factory