Colt adds Fortinet-powered SASE and quantum-ready SD WAN to portfolio
Colt Technology Services has expanded its managed secure networking portfolio with a new suite of Fortinet-powered SD WAN and SASE solutions, positioning the offering as a single managed service that converges connectivity and security. The launch targets enterprises contending with growing network complexity and the emerging threat from quantum computing advances capable of breaking today's encryption standards.
The solutions combine Colt's owned global network infrastructure with Fortinet's unified SASE platform, supporting both single-vendor and multi-vendor deployment models. Colt says consistent security policies will apply across branch sites, remote users and cloud applications without requiring separate management tooling. The company cited its own research, the Cost of Complexity study, which found that 36% of organisations identify security and compliance as a major source of operational complexity, and that 53% of security teams report frustration with infrastructure management.
Peter Coppens, VP of Product at Colt Technology Services, said the new solutions bring "networking and security together in a single managed service," adding that the result is "stronger protection, simpler operations and a future-ready foundation."
Post-quantum positioning
A notable aspect of the announcement is explicit positioning around post-quantum cryptography. Colt says the solution is designed to support emerging post-quantum cryptographic capabilities, addressing the scenario in which encrypted traffic intercepted today could be decrypted once sufficiently powerful quantum computers become available. This attack vector, commonly referred to as "harvest now, decrypt later," is increasingly cited by standards bodies as a near-term planning concern for enterprises handling sensitive data.
The timing aligns with the maturing of NIST's post-quantum cryptography standardisation process. NIST finalised its first set of post-quantum algorithm standards in 2024, and the UK National Cyber Security Centre has issued guidance encouraging organisations to begin migration planning now. Regulated industries, including financial services, critical national infrastructure and government supply chains, are under the most immediate pressure to demonstrate roadmaps toward quantum-safe communications.
Market context
The SASE market is one of the faster-growing segments within enterprise networking and security. Dell'Oro Group, cited in the release, forecasts global SASE revenue will reach US$24 billion by 2030, growing at a 15% compound annual growth rate. That trajectory has drawn investment from a wide field of competitors: Cisco (via its Meraki and Umbrella portfolios), Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler and VMware by Broadcom all have established SASE or SSE offerings, alongside specialist pure-plays. Telco-adjacent managed service providers such as Colt occupy a distinct position, combining owned network infrastructure with third-party security technology partnerships rather than building security stacks in-house.
Colt's partnership with Fortinet follows a model common among network operators seeking to accelerate security portfolio expansion without the capital and engineering overhead of acquiring a security vendor outright. The depth of integration, the scope of management responsibilities and the pricing structure were not disclosed in the release.
What comes next
Colt separately announced this week the launch of Tohan Platinum Connect, a new third route on its West Japan network connecting Tokyo and Osaka with reduced latency. The route, backed by a total investment of 15 billion yen in the West Japan network since 2023, is expected to be commercially available from spring 2027. Colt said it operates across 40 or more countries, manages eight subsea cable systems and co-manages AS3356, described as the most widely peered network in the world.
Enterprise buyers evaluating the new SASE offering will be watching for published latency and throughput benchmarks across Colt's network, named reference customers and clarification on how post-quantum algorithm support will be delivered as the NIST-standardised suite matures across vendor platforms.