Microsoft has announced an agreement to acquire Affirmed Networks, the “virtualized, cloud-native mobile network” startup.

The acquisition will help Microsoft as networks transition to 5G. In the past, “wireless networks have been based on purpose-built hardware,” writes Yousef Khalidi, Corporate Vice President, Azure Networking. “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.”

That’s where Affirmed Networks comes in. The company offers “Affirmed UnityCloud™ 5g core (5gc) is a cloud-native solution built on an open, webscale architecture that enables mobile operators to build the most innovative 5GC network, and dramatically reduce the costs of operating the network up to 90% by simplifying and automating network functions. UnityCloud converges ‘Any G’, including 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G core networks, and wireline core, onto one unified platform, greatly simplifying the overall network architecture.”

Combined with Azure, Affirmed Networks’ platforms will give Microsoft an edge in the competitive 5G landscape.