Affirmed Networks scored a pair of operator deals this week that will see its virtualized evolved packet core (vEPC) deployed to support 4G LTE and 5G networks in parts of Finland and Latin America. It also follows a growing trend of operators digging deeper into virtualized platforms to provide new services and differentiation in the market.

The Affirmed deals are with Finland’s DNA and Latin America’s Millicom, which operates under the Tigo brand. An Affirmed spokesperson said its platform supports operators migrating from 4G LTE to 5G non-standalone (NSA) and to 5G standalone (SA).

For DNA, Affirmed is providing the virtualized 5G core network for the carrier’s 5G deployment that launched late last year. This includes its 5G NSA network, which taps into the carrier’s already deployed 4G LTE core, and 5G SA network that uses a separate 5G core.

DNA said demand for high-bandwidth digital services and a differentiated offering in its home market drove it toward a virtualized network infrastructure. That deployment is also using a Nokia virtualization platform and radio equipment from Huawei and Ericsson, which already provides radio equipment for DNA’s 4G LTE network .

Millicom is taking the same Affirmed platform to deploy virtualized services running on top of VMware’s vCloud NFV platform to support mobile and WiFi services. VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger touched on the vendor’s growing 5G opportunity as part of its third-quarter fiscal 2020 earnings call.

Millicom’s network plans include the use of a software-defined, automated, NFV-based mobile core running a converged, unified cloud architecture. This will support the roll out of new services using a distributed, mobile core platform based on control and user plane separation (CUPS) technology.

The carrier explained that the virtualized architecture will increase mobile service agility and reduce operating costs across its geographically distributed network. That service agility includes support for localized services targeted at specific locations like edge services and IoT. It will also use Affirmed’s virtualized WiFi gateway to provide seamless handoffs between its cellular and WiFi network.

Affirmed Networks last year launched its UnityCloud cloud-native mobile core that supports 5G SA deployments. That followed on a 5G NSA mobile core platform launch the previous year. Affirmed last year also demonstrated its platform working on top of Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud platform.

Telecom operators are increasingly looking toward such platforms to power new services. This includes traditional telecom operators like AT&T, which is using a virtualized architecture to power its 5G network, and new entrants like Japan’s Rakuten, which is going down the complete virtualized route for its fully virtualized, cloud-native mobile network.