Asian Enterprises Shift to Managed, Internet-First Networks
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Key Terms
sd-wantechnical
SD‑WAN is a technology that uses software to control and direct wide-area network traffic between offices, data centers and cloud services instead of relying solely on traditional hardware routers. Think of it as a smart traffic manager that chooses the fastest, cheapest or safest route for each data flow, improving performance, cutting telecom costs and simplifying upgrades. Investors care because it can lower operating expenses, enable faster cloud adoption and create steady demand for networking and security services.
sasetechnical
SASE, or Secure Access Service Edge, is a modern technology that combines network security and access management into a single, cloud-based service. It ensures that users can safely connect to company resources from anywhere, much like having a secure, virtual gatekeeper that protects digital information. For investors, SASE matters because it reflects how organizations are adopting advanced security measures to support flexible, remote work environments and protect valuable data.
network-as-a-service (naas)technical
Network-as-a-service (NaaS) is a way companies rent managed networking capabilities — like secure connections, routing and traffic control — from a provider instead of building and running their own hardware. Think of it like paying for utility-grade internet plumbing rather than installing pipes yourself; for investors it signals subscription-style, recurring revenue for providers and can lower customers' upfront costs and scaling risk, affecting demand and margins.
aiopstechnical
AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations) uses machine learning and data analysis to monitor, detect, and resolve problems in an organization’s technology systems automatically. It matters to investors because it can cut downtime and operating costs, speed up fixes, and make digital products more reliable—similar to an autopilot that notices and corrects issues before they disrupt service, which can protect revenue and reduce operational risk.
diatechnical
An ETF that tracks the Dow Jones Industrial Average, DIA lets investors buy a single share that represents a basket of large, well-known U.S. companies, similar to buying a slice of a big fruit salad instead of each fruit separately. It matters because it provides quick exposure to overall market movement for blue‑chip stocks, helps manage risk through diversification, and is commonly used for trading, hedging or long‑term investing.
voiptechnical
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that carries phone calls and other voice services over the internet instead of traditional telephone lines. Like switching from a landline to a streaming service for music, it can cut costs, add features and scale quickly, which matters to investors because it affects a company’s expenses, recurring revenue potential, growth prospects and exposure to network reliability or cybersecurity risks.
vpntechnical
A VPN (virtual private network) creates a secure, private “tunnel” through the public internet that hides a device’s location and encrypts the data sent and received, like sealing a letter inside a locked envelope while it travels through the mail. For investors, VPNs matter because they reduce the risk of data breaches, support remote work and regulatory compliance, and represent a recurring-revenue market driver for companies that sell cybersecurity and networking services.
Companies adopt services based on SD-WAN, SASE architectures to control costs, ensure application performance across diverse infrastructures, ISG Provider Lens® report says
SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Enterprises across Asia Pacific are modernizing enterprise networks with internet-first managed services spanning network, security and cloud operations to improve performance, resilience and governance, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm.
The 2025 ISG Provider Lens® Enterprise Managed Network Services report for Asia Pacific finds that organizations are replacing legacy networks with software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) and secure access service edge (SASE) architectures. As they expand distributed operations, enterprises face rising pressure to ensure consistent application performance, regulatory compliance and cyber resilience while controlling costs and managing skills shortages. These factors are accelerating demand for modern managed network models that support rapid change without sacrificing visibility or control.
“Networks are becoming a strategic foundation for digital operations rather than a static utility,” said Leon Platts, president, Network and Software Advisory, ISG. “As enterprises accelerate AI adoption, robotics, and automation, the network is critical for reliable performance, real-time decision-making and sustained productivity gains. Across Asia Pacific, organizations seek architectures that balance flexibility with predictable performance to support mission-critical workloads.”
Enterprises’ growing use of cloud-native applications and distributed workforces is increasing demand in Asia Pacific for internet-first SD-WAN and SASE architectures, the report says. These models reduce dependence on costly legacy circuits while improving agility across geographically fragmented environments. Organizations are using deterministic underlays only where required for regulatory, latency or resilience reasons. This approach allows enterprises to modernize incrementally while maintaining service consistency across markets with varying infrastructure maturity.
Enterprises in the region are turning to managed and co-managed network services as they address internal skills gaps and increasing multivendor complexity, ISG says. API-first, usage-based network-as-a-service (NaaS) consumption models are growing in importance as companies seek to modernize networks incrementally and shift spending from CapEx to OpEx, ISG says. Automation and AIOps are being applied to provisioning, application assurance and change management to reduce manual effort and error rates. Faster site deployments, lower total cost of ownership and more predictable network performance are among the enterprise benefits of these advances.
There is a growing market in Asia Pacific for local managed network service providers that specialize in operating within sovereign boundaries, the report says. These providers work closely with customers, especially government bodies and private players, offering flexible co-managed models that are aligned with local regulations. They often maintain wholesale arrangements with national telcos while providing intent-based provisioning and real-time observability for quick recovery.
“Successful enterprises are rethinking network operations as a platform capability that underpins growth, customer experience and cost efficiency,” said Yash Jethani, principal analyst, ISG Provider Lens Research, and lead author of the report. “Modern managed network models enable organizations to scale digital initiatives while maintaining governance and service assurance.”
The report also explores additional trends affecting managed network adoption in Asia Pacific, including the growing importance of automation-led operations and the need to address variable last-mile performance and the complexity of edge connectivity.
For more insights into the network challenges facing enterprises in Asia Pacific, along with ISG’s advice for addressing them, see the ISG Provider Lens® Focal Points briefing here.
The 2025 ISG Provider Lens® Enterprise Managed Network Services report for Asia Pacific evaluates the capabilities of 63 providers across four quadrants: Managed Network Services Evolution, Managed Network Services — Local Specialist Providers, Managed Enterprise Connectivity Solutions (DIA, VoIP and VPN) and Network as a Service (NaaS).
The report names Accenture, GTT, NTT DATA, Orange Business, Singtel, Tata Communications, Telstra and Vodafone Business as Leaders in three quadrants each. It names PCCW Global and Verizon Business as Leaders in two quadrants each. BT, Data#3, Globe Business, Hitachi Digital Services, Interactive, KT, Logicalis, Maxis, Microland, SK Telecom, Spark NZ, StarHub, TCS, Telekom Malaysia (TM One), Vocus and Wipro are named as Leaders in one quadrant each.
In addition, Birlasoft, BT, HCLTech and Wipro are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in one quadrant each.
In the area of customer experience, Tata Communications is named the global ISG CX Star Performer for 2025 among Enterprise Managed Network Services providers. Tata Communications earned the highest customer satisfaction scores in ISG's Voice of the Customer survey, part of the ISG Star of Excellence™ program, the premier quality recognition for the technology and business services industry.
The 2025 ISG Provider Lens® Enterprise Managed Network Services report for Asia Pacific is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.
About ISG Provider Lens™ Research
The ISG Provider Lens® Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.
About ISG
ISG (Nasdaq: III) is a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. A trusted partner to more than 900 clients, including 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is a long-time leader in technology and business services that is now at the forefront of leveraging AI to help organizations achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm, founded in 2006, is known for its proprietary market data, in-depth knowledge of provider ecosystems, and the expertise of its 1,600 professionals worldwide working together to help clients maximize the value of their technology investments.
