Rakuten Mobile and TEPCO Power Grid establish new company for base station construction solutions

Tokyo, July 1, 2022 - Rakuten Mobile, Inc. and TEPCO Power Grid, Inc. today announced the establishment of "Rakuten Mobile Infra Solution, Inc.," a new company to provide construction solutions for base stations. The new company has started business today, July 1, 2022.

Rakuten Mobile Infra Solution will further improve the efficiency of base station construction by effectively utilizing public assets to expand Rakuten Mobile's network, developing installation specifications for Rakuten Mobile's base station equipment and managing installation work. Through this work, the company aims to contribute to the provision of a stable communications environment.

In the construction of its network, Rakuten Mobile is already utilizing some power assets^*1 to enable rapid network construction. This has contributed to Rakuten Mobile achieving its target for 4G population coverage on its network about four years ahead of schedule^*2. With the establishment of the new company, Rakuten Mobile will further expand its 4G and 5G coverage, increase the densification of its base stations and strengthen the development of communications infrastructure to provide a stable service. In addition, utilizing existing power assets will improve the cost efficiency of base station construction.

TEPCO PG is actively engaged in infrastructure sharing^*3 that utilizes electric power assets such as distribution ground equipment, and has been considering the possibility of new social contributions through its electric power assets. Through the establishment of this new company, TEPCO PG will contribute to the realization of a stable communications environment by supporting the efficient installation of base stations and reducing capital investment, through utilization of the assets, construction capabilities and know-how of the TEPCO PG Group.

Company name: Rakuten Mobile Infra Solution, Inc.

Location: 1-14-1 Tamagawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

Capital: 300 million yen

Investment ratio: Rakuten Mobile, Inc. 51%, TEPCO Power Grid, Inc. 49%

Representative: Shunsuke Yazawa, Representative Director (President, Rakuten Mobile, Inc.)

Date of establishment: May 31, 2022

Date of start of operations: July 1, 2022

Business: Electrical engineering business and telecommunications business

*1 https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2018/0306_01.html

*2 https://corp.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/english/news/press/2022/0204_01/

*3 https://www.tepco.co.jp/pg/company/press-information/press/2020/1546375_8615.html

Rakuten Mobile, Inc. is a Rakuten Group company responsible for mobile communications. As the fourth entrant to the mobile carrier business in Japan, Rakuten Mobile aims to redefine industry expectations and provide simple and easy-to-use mobile services through its innovative network technology.

As a general power transmission and distribution business operator, TEPCO Power Grid, Inc. efficiently maintains the power transmission and distribution network, which is an important social infrastructure, in order to fulfill its mission of continuing to support stable and inexpensive power supply. At the same time, it is working to improve its resiliency. In addition, it will utilize the large quantities of electric power assets at its disposal, from city centers to mountainous regions, in cooperation with telecommunications carriers, etc. It will contribute to efficient base station installation support and the reduction of capital investment.

* The company names, product names, service names, etc. in this press release are registered trademarks or trademarks of each company.