Affirmed Networks launches 5G SA network core

Affirmed Networks is supporting several fledgling Standalone 5G trials with its new UnityCloud solution, which it described as bringing together 5G and webscale technology on a virtualized network platform that allows operators to converge their networks onto a single core. UnityCloud, the company said, is an evolution of its Mobile Content Cloud virtualized solution for Nonstandalone 5G networks, which is deployed in than 100 service provider networks globally and is supporting services including consumer mobile, Wi-Fi, the internet of things and 5G broadband. “We’re taking all the experience we’ve gained over the last six years and using it to address the SA market,” said Scott Heinlein, senior director of marketing at Affirmed Networks. While virtualization helped address network capital costs related to purpose-built hardware, operating expenses are still a big challenge, according to Scott Heinlein. Bringing new services to market rapidly and efficiently, life cycle management and monitoring are among the aspects that are “still very painful, that virtualization did not solve,” he added.