Microsoft officially acquires Affirmed Networks

Microsoft today officially signed a definitive agreement to acquire a mobile network virtualization industry leader, Affirmed Networks. At present, more than 100 telecom operators in more than 80 countries around the world have provided 5G network services by using NFV (Network Function Virtualization) solutions provided by Affirmed Networks, including cellular networks, Internet of Things, operators services such as Wi-Fi roaming and IoT cars.

It is currently recognized that the use of NFV solutions provided by Affirmed Networks can reduce daily operating costs by up to 90% through its network virtualization services. After being acquired by Microsoft, Affirmed Networks can provide operators with more powerful technical support from Microsoft Solutions for customized needs, such as cloud management server network load.

After Microsoft acquired Affirmed Networks, operators can also use Microsoft ’s Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform to more efficiently deploy and maintain 5G networks and services.

Microsoft writes:

“Previous generations of wireless networks have been based on purpose-built hardware. We believe that with innovation in software and by making use of broadly available cloud computing platforms like Microsoft Azure, operators can deploy and maintain 5G networks and services more efficiently, more cost effectively, more rapidly and more securely.

We look forward to building on the great work by Affirmed Networks with its leadership in virtualized mobile networks. Bringing this technology and team of experts into Microsoft allows us to extend our cloud offering to operators everywhere as they increasingly look to run their networks in a hybrid environment. We’re excited about our future together where carriers will be able to better leverage Microsoft’s cloud to improve overall profitability and create new revenue streams.”