One or more network devices create, in a network, a network slice with multiple network slice instances (NSIs) having multiple slice instance variations, where each of the multiple slice instance variations services a slice variation type and one of multiple slice variation levels. The slice variation type corresponds to a first performance characteristic of one or more performance characteristics met by the network slice while servicing sessions and the multiple slice variation levels sub-divide the slice variation type into multiple different levels of service within the slice variation type. The one or more network devices allocate, instantiate, and provision virtual resources for each of the multiple NSIs; and services User Equipment (UE) sessions via one of the multiple slice instance variations based on UE selection of one of the multiple slice variation levels of the slice variation type.