Airspan Networks, a leading global provider of wireless network solutions, announced that it has been selected by Rakuten Mobile to provide Open RAN compliant radios to be deployed across Rakuten’s nationwide mobile network in Japan.
This milestone represents the industry’s first commercial deployment directly supported through grants from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for Open RAN (ORAN) development and solidifies Airspan’s position as a strategic radio unit (RU) provider for Rakuten Mobile’s cloud-native Open RAN mobile network.
Rakuten Mobile has deployed the world’s first fully cloud-native network and is the largest HetNet Open RAN Network with over 345,000 cells deployed from different radio vendors with a single unified common software layer. Beyond Technical Exercise; disrupting the industry, paving the way for new era of Telecommunications
For this deployment, Airspan’s open-standard radios integrate seamlessly with other network elements while supporting mid-band spectrum to meet both coverage and capacity requirements. For Rakuten Mobile, this translates into efficient network delivery and comprehensive nationwide reach – across urban, suburban, and many rural areas – while providing the enhanced capacity needed to handle growing data demand and advanced services.
The Rakuten Mobile deployment offers a blueprint for how ORAN, supported by strategic government funding, can be deployed rapidly at scale while delivering comprehensive benefits.
Glenn Laxdal, CEO of Airspan Networks
Being part of the first commercial Open RAN deployment linked to NTIA awards is a strategic milestone for Airspan. Delivering open, interoperable radios at scale in one of the world’s most advanced and demanding mobile markets both validates the maturity of the ORAN ecosystem and underscores the capabilities of Airspan’s engineering and product teams. Our work with Rakuten Mobile showcases how US innovation and ORAN approach can give operators a more flexible, cloud-native architecture to accelerate deployment, strengthen supply chain diversity, and improve network economics.
Sharad Sriwastawa, co-CEO of Rakuten Mobile
Rakuten Mobile is committed to an open, multi-vendor ecosystem that drives innovation, performance, and cost efficiency. By integrating Airspan’s ORAN radio units, we benefit from interoperable, easy-to-integrate RUs that help us deliver high-quality voice, data, and digital services to customers across Japan, while retaining the flexibility to continuously enhance and expand our cloud-native Open RAN network effectively.