Affirmed Networks Delivers Industry First with Fine-Grained Network Slicing Across Legacy, Virtualized, Multi-Vendor and Future 5G Networks

ACTON, Mass., July 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Affirmed Networks, the leader in virtualized mobile networks, today introduced the Affirmed Virtual Slice Selection Function (vSSF) which enables fine-grained network slicing across legacy, virtualized and multi-vendor network environments.  The Affirmed vSSF also supports fine-grained selection of network resources for 5G networks delivering operators a "5G Ready" solution now. 

Currently, operators are generally limited to the use of APNs (Access Point Names) to allocate network resources.  This approach is highly inefficient and time consuming as it requires configuration across multiple network elements and does not offer fine-grained control of network resources.  As a result, overall profitability of services is diminished as operators are unable to effectively optimize network resources.  The Affirmed vSSF resolves these challenges by delivering a "one-touch" centralized function that transparently inserts into existing networks without requiring configuration changes, making it easy to build network slices across any network.

The  Affirmed vSSF allows network resources to be allocated by device type, service type, customer ID, location, time-of-day and essentially any other attribute, giving operators unprecedented flexibility and control in assigning network resources to meet the needs of a specific service.  Mobile operators can now deliver differentiated services maximizing profitability and providing an exceptional quality of experience.  The Affirmed vSSF represents the industry's only solution capable of providing network slicing over legacy,  virtualized, and multi-vendor network environments both today and in future 5G networks.

"Un-relenting mobile traffic growth and competition from over-the-top providers has changed service provider business models.  Operators now require enormous control and flexibility from their networks to maximize profitability," said Hassan Ahmed, Chairman and CEO, Affirmed Networks.  "The Affirmed Virtual Slice Selection Function fulfills this need in an operator's existing legacy, virtualized,  multi-vendor and future 5G networks with fine-grained network slicing. The vSSF is a result of Affirmed's  continued focus on providing operators with advanced capabilities to drive revenue growth and profitability."

"Network slicing is fundamental to operators seeking to scale across different industrial sectors. By making network connectivity part of the fabric of an enterprise process, operators can diversify their customer base and increase revenues massively and sustainably," says Gabriel Brown, Principal Analyst, Heavy Reading.  "In 4G networks, virtual EPC, in combination with dynamic resource selection, offers operators the opportunity to introduce commercial "slicing" propositions in the near-term. One of the challenges of using dedicated core networks and APNs is the integration and management overhead. To fully take advantage of slicing, operators need to simplify resource allocation processes."

Combining the vSSF with other Affirmed innovations, such as the Affirmed Service Automation Platform,  operators can rapidly deploy network slices and new revenue generating services, reducing the time-to-market and operational costs by as much as 90%.  Adding the Affirmed Virtual Probe, operators receive real-time analytics on individual slices and services, enabling them to improve service quality, reduce network support costs and identify new service opportunities.

The Affirmed vSSF is available today, more information can be found on the vSSF solutions page at: http://www.affirmednetworks.com/products-solutions/network-slicing/.

Affirmed Networks serves more than 50 customers across five continents, including some of the world's largest and most innovative operators.

About Affirmed Networks, Inc.
Affirmed Networks has achieved significant attention as its Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) solution has become the standard for the world's top mobile operators. Currently, the company has been deployed commercially, including in Tier 1 and Tier 2 mobile networks, and is engaged in many trials worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.affirmednetworks.com.

SOURCE Affirmed Networks

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