14 July 2025
MLL Telecom has announced the award of an initial three-year managed SD-WAN network services contract from Pobl Group, marking a significant milestone in the UK housing association sector.
The contract, valued at over £700,000, was procured under the YPO Framework — a framework on which MLL was accepted less than three months ago — highlighting the company’s rapid integration into key public sector supply chains.
This strategic partnership supports Pobl Group’s ambitious ‘Network Alignment’ programme, which is part of their recent merger with Linc Cymru. The merger creates the largest housing association in Wales, soon to be rebranded as Codi Group from January 2026. The expanded organisation will oversee more than 24,000 homes across Wales, with plans to deliver over 4,500 new homes over the next five years. Employing more than 3,000 staff, the group is a vital contributor to the Welsh economy.
As part of the project, MLL will transition around 200 legacy MPLS sites from both Pobl and Linc Cymru onto a unified, secure SD-WAN network. This network will incorporate a Zero-trust architecture with managed real-time threat detection and response, alongside integration with Azure Public Cloud, facilitating seamless collaboration across the organisation. The initiative is projected to generate cost savings exceeding £500,000 over the three-year period through streamlined procurement processes and infrastructure consolidation.
“It’s about building a secure, scalable, and future-ready digital foundation for over 200 sites across Wales,” said Peter Murphy, Head of Technology Operations at Pobl Group, emphasised that the project is about more than just technology. “By merging two legacy MPLS networks into a single SD-WAN managed service, we’re enabling seamless collaboration, enhanced cyber resilience, and smarter service delivery for our teams and tenants alike. This has been a true cross-functional effort with procurement, technology, operations, and our partners working together to ensure continuity, compliance, and innovation at scale – all to be delivered securely within a tight six-month timeframe to ensure a year-one ROI.”
“We are delighted to have won this significant UK housing association contract, especially in a competitive tender where quality, expertise, and customer service were key factors. Our leading-edge technology and engineering capabilities demonstrated our ability to deliver at the highest standards,” said Gail Harvey, MLL’s Business Development Director.
