128 Technology set its sights on helping service providers scale to meet customer demand with the launch of its Flexible Service Edge (FSE) platform. The vendor claims the platform will enable service providers to realize new revenues by making it easier to transition customers onto high-margin services like SD-WAN.

FSE is built on 128 Technology's existing software-based Session Smart router, and it allows service providers to roll out new functionality as needed to address customer needs. For example, customers might initially deploy FSE for managed connectivity services, but as their needs change, they can add managed routing, SD-WAN, or SD-branch capabilities in the future.

“With the coming of 5G and the litany of new services that will accompany it, service providers have an opportunity to expand from delivering mere connectivity services to a higher level of offerings that provide transformational benefits for their networks and the bottom line,” said Andy Ory, CEO 128 Technology, in a statement. “With Flexible Service Edge, service providers now have a launching point to deliver a host of new service offerings that can help them along their journey from managed circuits to managed SD-WAN, to total digital transformation.”

At the heart of FSE is a Layer 3 network interface device, which serves as a point of demarcation between the service provider and the enterprise across any access network, regardless of whether it's fixed or mobile. 128 Technology claims the platform will not only provide service providers more flexibility but greater network visibility and the ability to guarantee more rigorous service-level agreements.

Several service providers, including Atlanta-based Momentum Telecom, are already trialing 128 Technology's FSE platform.

“FSE is exactly what we had been looking for as it gives us the flexibility to begin rolling out new services at our own pace offering a ‘pay-as-you-grow’ model that allows us to continue to expand in line with customer adoption,” said Mark Marquez, EVP of technology at Momentum Telecom, in a statement.

128 Technology's Session Smart routing platform, which functions as a software router capable of running on bare metal or in a virtual machine, has won the company service provider contracts in recent months, including one with SoftBank earlier this year.

The SD-WAN vendor has also been quick to add new functionality. In May, the company introduced support for branch offices, remote worker, and 5G networking to its Session Smart Routing platform.