Overview of Rakuten Mobile
Rakuten Mobile is Japan's fourth-largest mobile operator and part of Rakuten Group. It runs the world's first end-to-end cloud-native mobile network, using Open RAN and virtualisation, so it depends less on traditional telecom equipment. The model is an operator run as a technology company.
That cloud-native design is used for elastic IoT connections, large deployments, and flexible charging. Links with Rakuten e-commerce, finance, and logistics extend the service from connectivity into data analysis.
Rakuten Mobile facts
- Founded: 2014 (mobile licence in 2018; full commercial service in April 2020)
- Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
- Parent: Rakuten Group
- Users: more than 8 million (October 2024, 4.5 years after launch)
- Position: Japan's fourth-largest mobile operator
- Radio access: 4G LTE and 5G NR, on a cloud-native architecture
- Notable for: the world's first end-to-end cloud-native mobile network, and Open RAN
History and milestones
The business started in 2014 and received Japan's fourth mobile licence in 2018. Full commercial service began in April 2020, and it was the first Japanese operator on a cloud-native architecture. From April 2020 to October 2024 the user base grew from zero to 8 million, the fastest growth recorded for a Japanese operator.
The RAN and core use virtualised systems from vendors including Ericsson, Nokia, and Altiostar, and the network is fully in the cloud. In 2021 low-price plans such as Rakuten UN-LIMIT VII sped up user growth. In 2024 it launched a strongest-family plan in February, a strongest-youth plan in March, a strongest-children's plan in May, and a strongest-senior plan in September. Those offers took the base past 8 million. In September 2024 it ranked first among Japanese operators for growth in primary-number use.
The subsidiary Rakuten Symphony sells Open RAN and cloud-native network systems to operators in other countries, including Germany and the United States.
Core technical capabilities
Cloud-native network
An end-to-end cloud-native mobile network that can scale and be deployed quickly, including for large IoT fleets
Open RAN
Open radio access, lower deployment cost, and equipment from more than one vendor
Rakuten services
Tied to Rakuten commerce, payments, and logistics
Pricing
Low-price plans for low-cost IoT connections
Network standards and coverage
| Technology | Coverage | Uses | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G LTE | Nationwide in Japan | Primary IoT connectivity | Main network |
| 5G NR | Still expanding in major cities | High-speed IoT and industrial 5G | Still being built |
| Rakuten Wi-Fi | Hotspots nationwide | Extra coverage | Used alongside the mobile network |
Industry Solutions
Retail and Logistics
- Rakuten commerce and logistics tracking
- Smart shelf management
- Unstaffed convenience stores
- Warehousing IoT
Financial Technology
- Rakuten Pay terminal connectivity
- ATM network monitoring
- POS device management
- Anti-fraud monitoring
Smart city
- Intelligent transportation
- Environmental monitoring
- Public Safety
- Energy management
Consumer Electronics
- Wearable Devices
- Smart home
- In-vehicle infotainment
- eSIM devices
Competitive advantages
- Cloud-native network: The world's first end-to-end cloud-native mobile network, with a lower operating cost
- Rakuten services: Commerce, finance, and logistics in one group, with room to use IoT data across them
- Rakuten Symphony: Open RAN systems sold to operators in other countries
- Price: Low-cost connections for large IoT deployments
- Growth: More than 8 million users in 4.5 years
Support
Enterprise
- SIMs for IoT
- Custom enterprise plans
- API integration
- Connection to Rakuten Cloud
Developers
- Developer portal
- Open network APIs
- IoT sandbox
- Rakuten innovation lab
Group services
- Rakuten commerce and logistics
- Rakuten Pay
- One Rakuten ID for sign-in
- Data shared across Rakuten services