Microsoft Buys 5G Cloud Provider Affirmed Networks

In purchasing Affirmed Networks, Microsoft is hoping to boost its commitment to highly advanced 5G networks going forward, according to a company blog post.

Affirmed, which works with cloud-based tech, was acquired by Microsoft this week. 5G networks offer faster download speeds than lower-generation capacities.

Microsoft said its intentions with the buy are to increase its capabilities on delivering next-generation services in terms of wireless networks. The services Affirmed Networks offers include better costs, more simple network operations, and quick ways to implement new features.

The idea is to keep improving the ways 5G networks operate, Microsoft said in its post. By using cloud computing programs like Microsoft Azure, the company can deploy 5G networks that work even better than any current ones.

5G networks have increasingly become desired by those looking to operate the internet, and the next wave, Microsoft anticipates, will involve new kinds of technology, such as smart cities, self-driving cars and virtual reality simulations. Those things, the post states, will allow the floodgates to open for new economic opportunities, ideas and more.

However, right now, the field is open for innovators who can deliver new ways to advance 5G in terms of speed and security, and Microsoft said it thought there was plenty of room for collaborations between organizations that could speed things along.

Currently, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown the world into disarray, and 5G networks could help with the rising numbers of people forced to stay home, thus turning more to internet-related services.

The last few weeks have seen a spike in bandwidth of up to 75 percent greater than it had been, and the need for services like video chat for online schooling and telecommuting has only compounded the need for better, faster service.

5G services, with their heightened levels of speed and capabilities, could be the answer.