Rakuten Mobile to Support Commercial Deployment of Open Radio Units in the U.S.

- Partnering with NTIA’s project to support the development of open and interoperable wireless networks

Tokyo, January 20, 2025 – Rakuten Mobile, Japan’s newest and most modern mobile network, today announced it will support the commercial deployment of open radio units (RUs) developed by U.S.-based vendors, as part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) project to advance Open RAN development with funding by the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund*1.

Rakuten Mobile has already built a nationwide mobile network based on Open RAN standards in Japan. Leveraging this expertise, the company will collaborate with RU vendors selected by NTIA’s project, including Battelle Memorial Institute, Microelectronics Technology, Eridan Communications and Airspan Networks. Rakuten Mobile will assist these vendors in the verification and integration processes required for the commercial deployment of their open RUs and support proof-of-concept trials in commercial networks. These trials will utilize Rakuten Symphony’s Open RAN-compatible distributed units (DUs) and centralized units (CUs).

The Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund aims to support the development of Open RAN, promote competition in the wireless market and strengthen the global supply chain. Each RU vendor will work toward the development and commercial deployment of RUs that comply with international standards, including those defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a global body that develops technical standards for mobile telecommunications, and the O-RAN specifications established by the O-RAN ALLIANCE, a worldwide community promoting the development of Open RAN specifications.

By leveraging its Open RAN technology and fostering collaboration with RU vendors, Rakuten Mobile is committed to driving the adoption of Open RAN networks across the United States.

Notes
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