Checklist · 23 points

Choosing a connectivity provider: the checklist

Work through it before you go out to tender or sign a contract: what you need, the service itself, resilience and security, procurement and the contract, support and exit. Each point links to the guide that explains why it matters.

Know what you need

Before you talk to suppliers, pin down your sites, users and plans.

List every site, building and hall of residence that needs connecting

Include out-of-term and conference use of halls: public users can’t be carried over Janet in the ordinary way.

Read: Broadband in student accommodation
Check which standards apply to you

Colleges in England fall under the DfE digital and technology standards; universities aren’t named in them. KCSIE applies to colleges, 16–19 academies and ITPs for under-18s.

Read: Which standards apply to colleges, universities and training providers?
Confirm your Janet category and what your Jisc membership already includes

Universities and FE colleges are Category 1. If you’re a training provider and unsure, the policy says to ask the Jisc Service Desk.

Read: Who can connect to Janet: the connection policy explained
Audit everything that still uses a copper phone line

Alarms, lift lines, door entry, card machines and backup broadband — before Openreach’s 31 January 2027 date.

Read: The phone line switch-off: what colleges and universities need to check
Put the current contracts and their end dates in your contracts register

The DfE leadership and governance standard asks for a contracts register; end dates decide when you can move.

Read: Buying connectivity and network services through frameworks

The service itself

Speeds, what is included, and how it connects to Janet and the internet.

Compare any offer with what your Janet IP connection already gives you

DDoS mitigation, CSIRT, DNS protection and IP addresses are packaged in. Extra bandwidth or resilience connections are charged, plus VAT.

Read: What is Janet, and what does a Janet IP connection include?
FE in England: check the line gives capacity for 1Gbps download and upload over full fibre

The DfE broadband standard’s 2030 target. Copper connections don’t meet it.

Read: Which standards apply to colleges, universities and training providers?
Check new Wi-Fi meets the standard you’re working to

For colleges in England: at least Wi-Fi 7, WPA3 or certificate-based authentication, central management and segregated guest access.

Read: Campus networks: Wi-Fi and switching
Make sure eduroam (and govroam, if you want it) will work on the new network

eduroam is available at no extra cost to organisations eligible for Jisc services.

Read: eduroam and govroam: roaming Wi-Fi for education and the public sector
Plan how public, conference and out-of-term users will reach the internet

Their traffic must go to a public ISP, or be authenticated and tunnelled across Janet to one.

Read: Who can connect to Janet: the connection policy explained

Resilience & security

What happens when something breaks, or someone attacks.

Have a second connection of a different type, with automatic failover

The DfE backup standard: for example a leased line with FTTP, or FTTP with low Earth orbit satellite.

Read: Resilience: backup lines, failover and power
Put core network equipment and routers on backup power

Redundant power on core equipment, UPS on core switches, and battery backup for routers that carry phones.

Read: Resilience: backup lines, failover and power
Decide whether you need more than Foundation DDoS mitigation

Foundation plus gives 24/7 protection; critical services protection covers DNS, websites and VPNs.

Read: DDoS protection and Jisc’s CSIRT
Check a filtering provider is an IWF member and signed up to CTIRU

The DfE standard says IWF and CTIRU blocklists must be in place and must not be overridable — even by administrators.

Read: Filtering and monitoring in colleges and training providers
Make sure your college holds Cyber Essentials

Colleges in England must hold it under their funding agreement.

Read: Cyber security for colleges and universities

Procurement & contract

How you buy, how long you are tied in, and what it really costs.

Check whether a framework already covers what you’re buying

Jisc network solutions and telecommunications frameworks, GCA Network Services 3, and the purchasing consortia.

Read: Buying connectivity and network services through frameworks
Check the framework’s end date before you call off from it

GCA’s Network Services 3 ends on 17 July 2027 for most lots. We couldn’t see the end dates of the Jisc frameworks.

Read: Buying connectivity and network services through frameworks
Verify a supplier’s framework claims on the framework’s own supplier list

Our directory marks a framework as verified only when we have found the supplier on the framework’s list.

Read: Buying connectivity and network services through frameworks
Ask your procurement adviser about a UK5 notice for the Jisc subscription

Jisc recommends one where the cost is over the relevant threshold.

Read: Jisc membership for colleges and universities: what it costs and what’s included

Support & exit

Who you call, how fast they respond, and how you leave.

Compare hardware fix times with what Jisc offers

Jisc’s managed router service gives same business day hardware support (4 hours + 1), subject to site access.

Read: What is Janet, and what does a Janet IP connection include?
Know who you report a cyber incident to, and when

A further education institution should consider Jisc as well as Report Fraud, the DfE sector cyber team, its insurer or RPA, and the ICO within 72 hours for high-risk breaches.

Read: Cyber security for colleges and universities
Check network kit will be supported for at least 5 years

The DfE switching standard asks for warranty and support, including firmware updates, for at least 5 years.

Read: Campus networks: Wi-Fi and switching
Decide how old network equipment will be wiped and recycled

Our sister site Green ITAD lists secure IT recycling and data-wiping companies.

Read: Replacing old network kit

From the “choosing a provider” checklist at broadbandforeducation.co.uk/choosing-a-provider/ — general information only. Checked 25 October 2026.