Today, Communications Service Providers (CSPs) are facing competition on many fronts while continuing to operate in an industry in the midst of one of its most significant transformations it has ever faced. While industry pundits have many ideas in terms of what is needed to compete in this changing environment, the un-ending growth of data on networks globally is making it critical for CSPs to focus on improving both the scale and performance on their network.

The types of performance and scalability improvements that are required, however, cannot be achieved through traditional approaches. Mobile service providers need a different model for scaling their networks: one that relies on software rather than hardware to cost-effectively grow the network.

As a trusted provider to CSPs, Affirmed Networks has always been focused on improving the speed and performance of VNFs in the mobile core. We deliver the highest levels of performance across the industry by leveraging the latest advancements and innovations in chipsets and processors developed by partners such as Intel. To prove this point, recent joint testing with Intel achieved record-breaking performance benchmarks with our virtual evolved packet core (vEPC) that reached speeds 10X higher than competitive alternatives—over 150 Gbps on a single Intel Xeon server — allowing CSPs to significantly lower their cost per bit.

Achieving these levels of performance will be critical for CSPs to support the high-bandwidth applications such as fixed wireless and augmented/virtual reality.

in the face of increasing competition and an industry in transition, CSPs can feel confident that a focus on turbocharging their network will pay dividends as they race to 5G.