Resilient Connectivity for Banking & Financial Services
Low-latency, high-uptime networks built for critical financial transactions supporting FCA/PRA operational resilience requirements, and DORA readiness for financial institutions with EU operations.
From multi-path SD-WAN to hybrid MPLS, we draw on 29 years of experience to design resilient banking connectivity built for continuous uptime - not just at deployment, but as an ongoing part of your operational resilience posture.
Secure, ultra-resilient connectivity for banking and financial services
We support critical banking and trading transactions with enterprise-grade, secure connectivity. Our solutions are trusted by global banks and financial institutions that require minimal latency and consistent network resilience. We deploy multi-path resilient options blending LEO satellite, 5G/4G, dedicated Ethernet, FTTP, and SOGEA into a blended network engineered for maximum uptime and continuity of critical services.
Rapid deployment, refresh & 29 years of expertise for Banking
With Claranet's 29 years of history supporting banking's most complex WAN requirements, we've perfected rapid deployment. Our service includes full lifecycle management from quick site turn-up to seamless support and proactive equipment refresh helping your network support your operational resilience and business continuity commitments, rather than becoming a point of failure.
Flexible SD-WAN & MPLS hybrid networks for banking & financial services
We're seasoned in banking and financial services connectivity. We connect sites through a flexible series of MPLS and SD-WAN options, including running SD-WAN over your existing MPLS for a smooth, phased transition. If your trading applications demand it, we maintain an ultra-low-latency MPLS network. Throughout, network resilience is designed in from the start not bolted on - so ICT resilience becomes part of how your infrastructure is built, not a separate compliance exercise.
Supporting operational resilience including DORA readiness
UK banks and financial institutions operate under the FCA's and PRA's operational resilience rules (PS21/3 and SS1/21), which require firms to remain within impact tolerance for important business services during severe but plausible disruption. Network connectivity is frequently one of the underlying dependencies for these services, so path diversity, failover, and continuous uptime aren't just performance features - they're part of how resilience gets demonstrated.
For banks and financial institutions with EU operations or entities, the EU's Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) introduces similar - though separate - requirements around ICT risk management and third-party resilience. DORA applies directly to in-scope EU financial entities and their critical ICT providers; it does not apply to UK-only firms, but many UK banking groups with EU subsidiaries or branches need connectivity that supports both frameworks.
Our multi-path, hitless-failover connectivity is designed to reduce a key point of operational fragility - the network layer - whichever resilience framework applies to your organisation.
Ready to strengthen your network resilience?
Whether you're modernising a trading network, supporting FCA/PRA operational resilience requirements, or preparing ICT infrastructure for DORA-in-scope operations, our team can design a connectivity solution around your risk and uptime requirements.
Speak to a Connectivity Expert
Or call us on 0330 390 0507
Connectivity & SD‑WAN Faqs for Banking
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DORA (the Digital Operational Resilience Act) is an EU regulation, in force since January 2025, that requires in-scope EU financial entities and their critical ICT providers to manage ICT risk, test resilience, and report major operational incidents. It applies directly to EU financial entities - UK-only firms are not directly bound by it, though UK groups with EU operations often need to comply.
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DORA-ready connectivity refers to network infrastructure designed with the resilience characteristics DORA expects of critical ICT services - path diversity, documented failover, and continuous monitoring so that connectivity doesn't become a weak point in an organisation's ICT risk management framework.
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Operational resilience rules (under the FCA/PRA in the UK, or DORA in the EU) require firms to keep important business services running within defined impact tolerances during disruption. Since most digital banking services depend on network connectivity, resilient, multi-path connectivity with automated failover directly supports a firm's ability to meet those tolerances.
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MPLS provides a private, highly reliable connection with guaranteed low latency and packet delivery, often preferred for critical trading. SD-WAN is a flexible, cost-effective overlay that can bond multiple connections (Ethernet, 5G, LEO) for high resilience and optimized application routing. We often run SD-WAN over MPLS for a 'best of both worlds' hybrid solution.
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We achieve this through 'path diversity.' We deploy multiple, independent connections from different carriers and technologies (e.g., a primary Ethernet line, a secondary SOGEA/FTTP, and a tertiary 5G/LEO satellite link). Our SD-WAN appliance actively monitors all paths, routing traffic over the fastest link and providing seamless, hitless failover if a connection degrades or fails.
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LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite provides high-speed, low-latency internet (unlike traditional satellite) and is an excellent option for diverse backup or for connecting hard-to-reach locations. While it may not replace a primary trading line, it is a game-changing 'tertiary' failover option that is completely independent of ground-based fibre networks.
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As part of our managed WAN service, we proactively monitor the entire network. This includes managing the lifecycle of your on-site hardware (routers, SD-WAN appliances). We handle all firmware updates, security patching, and will proactively replace end-of-life equipment to prevent performance degradation or security risks.
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Yes. Our rapid deployment model uses 'day zero' connectivity. We can ship a pre-configured 5G/4G-enabled SD-WAN appliance to your new site. It connects to our network securely, providing immediate, high-speed connectivity for your branch to operate from day one. We then manage the fixed-line (Ethernet/FTTP) installation in the background with no disruption.