Rakuten Mobile, the world's first company to implement an open-LAN-based nationwide 5G network, is expanding its existing services, focusing on its telecommunications business.

At the '2023 World IT Show' hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, which opened on the 17th, Rakuten Symphony Korea CEO Son Seung-yeon presented on the topic of 'Innovation Beyond Borders: AI-Driven Nationwide Open RAN 5G Network.'

Rakuten Mobile, a telecommunications company of the Rakuten Group that emphasizes diversity and integration, is Japan's fourth official telecommunications operator and is aiming to become the number one operator in Japan by connecting with existing services and securing global customers.

Rakuten Mobile's market strategy relies on network virtualization. The company has achieved the world's first nationwide 5G network based on Open RAN. It currently has approximately 60,000 4G base stations and over 10,000 5G base stations in Japan. CEO Son stated, "Starting in the first quarter of 2020, we installed base stations in just three years, enabling us to cover 98.8% of the Japanese population (4G) with our own network. Including our partner networks, this figure rises to approximately 99.9%." It was also introduced that the German mobile carrier '1&1' had successfully built a nationwide open LAN 5G network from August 2021 to last year.

Rakuten Symphony, a subsidiary of Rakuten Mobile, provides cloud-based mobile technologies and integrates 80 services, including e-commerce and securities. CEO Son explained, "Rakuten Symphony has seen increased product sales and revenue growth due to the amplified synergy between its telecommunications business and existing services." Rakuten Symphony manages its mobile subscribers through the super app "Link" and provides integrated service support.



Open LAN technology, which Rakuten Mobile adopted to secure competitiveness in the communications market, separates the hardware and software of wireless communications equipment and standardizes the fronthaul interface and base station OS in an open manner, thereby enabling interoperability of equipment from different manufacturers.

The introduction of OpenLAN offers the unique advantages of low cost and ultra-high-speed operation. By integrating communications equipment into software, base station connection is possible with just an update, reducing real estate and hardware replacement costs. Furthermore, by eliminating hardware dependency, it ensures price competitiveness. While previously, inter-device connectivity required a single communications equipment manufacturer, the open nature of APIs eliminates dependence on a single device. This provides flexibility and avoids the price hikes of monopolistic manufacturers.

Rakuten Mobile is pursuing a "communications AI" strategy. Its goal is to automate its AI-based mobile network 100% nationwide. Users will be provided with an AI-based service that automatically detects and resolves any issues that may arise on the communications network.

For example, just as Tesla announced that its autonomous vehicles would reach Level 3 and then move to Level 5, offering robotaxi services, telecommunications also has autonomous mobile network stages. Level 0, which offers no automation, Level 1, which is operational, and Level 2, which offers some automation. Level 3 and above require next-generation network technology. Level 3, which offers end-to-end automation for complex scenarios, Level 4, which requires minimal human intervention, and finally Level 5, which achieves complete network automation.

“Currently, the autonomous network level is at level 2, and Rakuten Symphony Mobile is aiming for level 5 autonomous mobile network, and we believe it is currently between level 3 and 4,” said CEO Son. “We are increasing productivity and efficiency for companies starting telecommunications companies around the world.”