Rakuten Mobile Surpasses 11 Million Subscribers
– Ranked No. 1 in customer loyalty and as the preferred carrier for switching mobile service
– Saikyo Family Discount adoption up approximately 40% year-on-year
– Weekly in-store smartphone classes launched in June 2026 to support senior users
Tokyo, September 25, 2026 – Rakuten Mobile, Japan’s newest and most modern mobile network, today announced that its total number of subscribers has surpassed 11 million as of September 24, 2026*1. The company also ranked No. 1 among Japanese mobile carriers for both customer loyalty and as the preferred choice for users considering a carrier switch, according to a recent third-party survey*2, marking the sixth consecutive year it has held the top spot as the most considered carrier for switching mobile service.
According to the August 2026 Survey on Consumers’ Consideration for Switching Mobile Service conducted by Mobile Marketing Data Labo (MMD), Rakuten Mobile achieved the highest customer loyalty among users. For the sixth consecutive year, it also ranked first as the carrier customers are most likely to consider when switching, reflecting its growth as the mobile carrier of choice for many customers*2. This momentum has been driven by the following initiatives.
Initiatives Driving Rakuten Mobile's Growth
1. Service expansion to better cater to individual lifestyles
Building on the Rakuten Saikyo Plan, the company introduced Rakuten Saikyo U-NEXT in October 2025, providing access to the extensive video and digital content library available through U-NEXT*3, alongside unlimited data. Additionally, the number of subscribers using the Saikyo Family Discount, launched in February 2024, has increased by approximately 40% over last year, and its share of total contracts is rising*4. Rakuten Mobile’s services remain the most affordable choice for families among all carriers*5, with various age-specific discounts and programs available.
2. Strengthening synergies within the Rakuten Ecosystem
Since December 2025, the company has enhanced its Saikyo Senior Program, providing Anti-Fraud Insurance in collaboration with Rakuten General Insurance. It also introduced the Rakuten Mobile and Rakuten Bank Bonus Interest Rate in February 2026, further leveraging the strengths of the Rakuten Ecosystem.
3. Strengthening in-person support
The company has been holding weekly Smartphone Classes at Rakuten Mobile shops nationwide since June 2026 to provide in-person guidance on smartphone usage, primarily targeting senior users. Rakuten Mobile is building out its support system to respond to customer needs through both digital and physical touchpoints.
In addition to these initiatives, Rakuten Mobile has achieved top rankings in various third-party customer satisfaction surveys. It received the top overall ranking in the 2025 ORICON Customer Satisfaction® Survey of Mobile Carriers for the third consecutive year*6. In the enterprise sector, it also achieved its first overall No. 1 satisfaction rating in MMD’s April 2026 Survey on Corporate Mobile Phones for Japan’s Four Major Carriers*7.
To commemorate its 11 million subscriber milestone, the Rakuten Mobile Official X Account will hold a campaign from 2 p.m. on September 25, 2026, to 11:59 p.m. on October 9, 2026 (Japan Standard Time), where 100 selected winners will receive 1,100 Rakuten Points*8. Users can participate by following Rakuten Mobile’s X account and reposting the designated campaign post.
Rakuten Mobile remains committed to improving network quality and expanding services to better support the daily lives of each customer.
Rakuten Mobile Official Website
https://network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/
Notes
*1 The 11 million includes Rakuten Saikyo Plan, Rakuten Saikyo Plan Business, Rakuten Turbo, Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) and Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE) subscribers as of September 24, 2026. The number of subscribers in this press release includes Business Continuity Plan (BCP) customers. The total number of subscribers, excluding BCP lines, for MNO, MVNO and MVNE combined is 10.96 million. The number of MNO subscribers (excluding BCP, MVNO and MVNE) is 10.18 million.
*2 Mobile Marketing Data Labo’s August 2026 Survey on Consumers’ Consideration for Switching Mobile Service: https://mmdlabo.jp/investigation/detail_2569.html (Japanese page)
Survey Period: August 1-6, 2026. Target Audience: Men and women aged 18-79 who use a smartphone as their primary mobile service (n=36,830); includes individuals who are currently considering a specific carrier as their next destination for switching (n=4,920).
*3 Network speeds may decrease due to factors like network congestion, equal service provision and environment.
*4 Based on a comparison of the number of contracts applying the Saikyo Family Discount at the end of August with the previous year.
*5 “Most affordable” is based on in-house research as of June 2026, comparing the 3GB, 20GB and unlimited plans of Japan’s four major carriers (excluding sub-brands/low-cost plans) with only family discounts applied. When sub-brands are included, the service may not be the cheapest in the 20GB to 30GB range.
*6 2025 ORICON Customer Satisfaction® Survey for Mobile Carriers: https://life.oricon.co.jp/information/894/
*7 Mobile Marketing Data Labo’s April 2026 Survey on Corporate Mobile Phones for Japan’s Four Major Carriers: https://mmdlabo.jp/investigation/detail_2534.html
Survey Period: April 24-28, 2026. Target Audience: Individuals involved in the introduction or consideration of corporate mobile phones from the four major MNO carriers (n=871).
*8 Details of the campaign will be announced on Rakuten Mobile’s Official X Account after 2 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026: https://x.com/Rakuten_Mobile
*U-NEXT is a trademark or registered trademark of U-NEXT Holdings Co., Ltd. Product names and service names published in this press release are generally trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Trademarks such as TM and ® may be omitted when trademarks are listed in this press release.