Frequently asked questions
We have identified some of the questions you may have. For some of them, it's difficult to provide very detailed answers, as situations vary so widely between the market segments we address. Don't hesitate to contact us directly with your questions!
About Wifirst
Wifirst is the European leader in professional network infrastructures and Network Intelligence solutions offered in "as a service" mode. The company designs, deploys and operates high-performance, secure and sustainable connectivity solutions, designed to meet the highest standards of reliability, security and governance for large organizations. A robust and fast-growing player, Wifirst is backed by leading investors.
Our distinction is based on a tailor-made engineering approach and total mastery of the value chain. Unlike traditional integrators, we are a Managed Services Operator. We develop our own supervision tools, audit sites ourselves and commit to results (SLA). Our experience in critical environments (French Army, Hospitals, Mass Retail) gives us a unique expertise in high density.
Wifirst has established itself as a truly European operator. In addition to our historic subsidiaries in the UK, Spain and Italy, we have expanded our network through major strategic acquisitions in Germany (The Cloud Networks, Hotsplots) and Benelux (ITT, Ontzorg). This strength enables us to support our international customers well beyond these borders: we now have customers in over 70 countries.
We equip all organizations with critical connectivity needs:
-
Accommodation: Hotels, Campsites (HPA), Student residences, Coliving.
-
Healthcare: EHPAD, Senior Residences, Clinics, Hospitals.
-
Business: Retail & Supermarkets, Offices, Warehouses & Logistics.
-
Institutional: Public Sector, Defense, Local Authorities.
Offers & Technologies
We offer a one-stop shop for your connectivity:
-
Internet access: dedicated optical fiber (FTTO), FTTH pro, 4G/5G, satellite.
-
Local Area Networks (LAN/WLAN) : high-density managed WiFi, switching, unified architecture.
-
Wide Area Networks (WAN): SD-WAN solutions to interconnect and secure your sites.
-
Managed Services : Cybersecurity (Firewall as a Service), IP telephony, TV & Chromecast, Digital Signage.
It's all about the guarantee. Fiber To The Office (FTTO ) offers symmetrical, 100% guaranteed throughput (not shared with neighbors) and, above all, a 4-hour Guaranteed Restoration Time (GRT) in the event of an outage. This is the essential option for companies whose business depends on the Internet.
WiFi as a Service (WaaS) is a turnkey, subscription-based solution. Rather than buying equipment that ages quickly, you subscribe to a complete service including audit, hardware, installation, 24/7 supervision, on-site maintenance and security updates. You move from a heavy capital expenditure (CAPEX) to a predictable operating expense (OPEX).
We're technology agnostic. We select the best hardware for your context (density, budget, physical constraints). We work closely with the market leaders: Cisco Meraki, Aruba, Ruckus, Extreme Networks, Fortinet, Cambium and Huawei. Our strength lies in our ability to supervise these heterogeneous fleets via a single interface.
SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) is a technology that makes your network intelligent. It enables you to aggregate several connections (e.g. a main Fiber + a backup 4G) so that, in the event of a failure of one, the other automatically takes over without interruption. Ideal for retail or mission-critical sites that can't afford a single minute of downtime.
Safety & Legal
Wifirst is certified to ISO/IEC 27001, the international standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). This certification attests to Wifirst's commitment to establishing, implementing, maintaining and continuously improving a system to protect its information against threats.
Certification scope
Wifirst's ISO 27001 certification covers a precise scope of activities, ensuring that security measures are rigorously applied to essential services: INSTALLATION, OPERATION, SUPERVISION OF MANAGED NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURES (WIFI, LAN, WAN, SD-WAN), INTERNET ACCESS SUPPLY AND SERVICES.
Declaration of Applicability (DoA)
The implementation of the certification is detailed in the Declaration of Applicability (DoA) V 5. This essential document specifies the control objectives and security controls of Annex A of the ISO 27001 standard that have been selected and applied by Wifirst based on the risk assessment.
Obtaining the Certificate
If you would like to obtain a copy of the latest certificate issued by AFNOR Certification, please use our contact form.
Yes, this is a major point. As a telecom operator registered with ARCEP, Wifirst assumes legal responsibility for keeping connection logs (in compliance with the 2006 anti-terrorism law). We also ensure the RGPD compliance of our captive portals. By working with Wifirst, you are relieving yourself of this legal risk.
The security challenges associated with connectivity are as follows:
- Confidentiality and integrity of data in transit on the LAN and WiFi network.
- Traceability of actions (logical and physical) on the active elements feeding the LAN. Centralized logging, analysis and reporting solutions, offering a single, real-time view of the network's security status, are being adopted for complete security visibility.
- Service availability.
Wifirst is regularly audited by its most demanding security customers (La Banque Postale, the French Army, Groupement des Mousquetaires, etc.). Our solution is systematically validated by these customers.
Wifirst is also ISO-27001 certified for its entire scope of activity.
Deployment & Support
We follow a proven methodology:
-
Audit & Design: Needs analysis and coverage study (on plan or on site) to define the optimum layout.
-
Deployment: Installation of cabling and equipment by our certified technicians.
-
Acceptance & VSR: Regular Service Verification to validate performance.
-
Operation: Proactive supervision, maintenance and customer support. A dedicated Project Manager supports you from A to Z.
We don't sell equipment, we sell functional service. We supervise your equipment 24/7. We are contractually committed to service availability (generally > 99%) and guaranteed response times (GTR) throughout Europe.
We fight against programmed obsolescence. Thanks to our software expertise, we can maintain our equipment in operational condition for up to 8 or 10 years (compared with the market standard of 3 to 5 years), drastically reducing the carbon footprint associated with hardware renewal. We also give priority to reconditioning and network convergence (a single terminal for multiple uses).
Contractual issues
In most cases, with the "As a Service" model, Wifirst retains ownership of the equipment. This is a major advantage for you: we assume responsibility for the equipment, provide free replacement in the event of breakdown (D+1), and manage its end-of-life or reconditioning. You have no stock to manage and no assets to depreciate. But on the whole, we're highly adaptable.
Our contracts generally range from 36 to 72 months. This duration enables us to smooth out investment costs (hardware, installation, engineering) over the long term to offer you a competitive monthly subscription, while guaranteeing service stability and optimal ROI.
You're never on your own. A dedicated Deployment Project Manager coordinates installation through to commissioning. Then an Account Operations Manager (AOM) or Customer Success Manager takes over contractual follow-up, backed up by our 24/7 multilingual technical support.