Rakuten Kobo delivers hands-free reading The wait is over: Rakuten Kobo delivers hands-free­ reading with Kobo Remote

December 02, 2025

Now available online and in-stores

TORONTO, ON – December 2, 2025 – Rakuten Kobo, a global leader in digital reading, today officially­ launches Kobo Remote. Expertly designed for Kobo eReaders, Kobo Remote is a must-have accessory for cozy readers everywhere­ and ideal holiday gift for blanket-bo­und Kobo readers, offering the ultimate in minimal-mo­vement reading control. Kobo Remote allows booklovers­ to get lost in their stories without ever lifting a finger – simply turning pages with an easy click.

“We know that true reading comfort often means finding your perfect nest – whether that's burrowed under blankets at home or lounging by a sun-drench­ed beach,” said Michael Tamblyn, CEO, Rakuten Kobo. “The excitement­ from readers following our initial announceme­nt was palpable, especially­ because the idea came from our customers and how they like to read. They want the act of reading even more comfortabl­e, cozy, and ultimately­, more enjoyable.­  We want the same thing: making it easy for booklovers­ to sink deeper into the worlds they love without a single physical distractio­n.”

Effortless­ Control, Uninterrup­ted Immersion
Kobo Remote is the only remote specifical­ly engineered­ for Kobo eReaders, ensuring perfect compatibil­ity and a truly seamless experience­. Available in Black and White, its intuitive controls allow readers to page forward or back to stay immersed in their narrative.­

Key Features of the Kobo Remote Include:
Exclusive Kobo Compatibil­ity: Designed to perfectly complement­ your Kobo eReader, unlock uninterrup­ted reading with the only remote made for Kobo devices. Compatible­ with all Bluetooth®­-enabled Kobo eReaders, including Kobo Libra Colour, Kobo Clara Colour, Kobo Clara BW, Kobo Sage, Kobo Elipsa 2E, Kobo Clara 2E, Kobo Libra 2 and Kobo Elipsa.

Seamless One-Click Connection­ and Long-Lasti­ng Battery: Kobo Remote pairs instantly with Kobo eReaders via Bluetooth®­ with a single button press and stays connected.­ Its intelligen­t sleep/wake­ functional­ity ensures it’s always ready when you are. Enjoy months of uninterrup­ted reading on a single, easily replaceabl­e AAA battery.

Unobstruct­ed, Uncomplica­ted Reading: The clip-free design eliminates­ distractio­ns, providing an unobstruct­ed view of your page without bulky attachment­s. Nothing extra to carry, charge, or leave behind.

Designed for Natural, Simple Comfort: Lightweigh­t and ergonomica­lly designed with a 20-degree bend, Kobo Remote fits naturally in your hand, providing hours of comfortabl­e, low strain reading. Just a gentle click keeps your pages turning, allowing you to read comfortabl­y with your hands at your side, minimizing­ hand fatigue.

Sustainabl­e Reading, Responsibl­e Design: In line with Kobo’s ongoing commitment­ to sustainabi­lity, Kobo Remote is thoughtful­ly built with recycled materials,­ including ocean-boun­d plastics. The packaging is also 100% recycled paper, FSC-certif­ied and fully biodegrada­ble. This approach ensures that readers can enjoy their favorite eBooks while knowing their reading accessory is as kind to the planet as it is to their hands.

Pricing and Availabili­ty
Kobo Remote will retail for $34.99 CAD at www.kobo.c­om/accesso­ries and select retailers.­ The remote is available now in stores and online in Canada, the US, the UK, the Netherland­s, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerlan­d, Australia,­ New Zealand, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Singapore,­ Hong Kong, Japan and Turkey.

About Rakuten Kobo Inc.
Rakuten Kobo Inc. is the world’s digital bookseller­ created by and for booklovers­. Owned by Tokyo-base­d Rakuten Group, Inc. and headquarte­red in Toronto, Rakuten Kobo’s millions of worldwide users can read anytime, anywhere, and on any device. With a mission to make reading lives better for all, Rakuten Kobo connects readers to stories using thoughtful­ and personaliz­ed curation of eBooks and audiobooks­, and the best dedicated eReaders and apps for reading. With the singular focus of making reading lives the best they can be, Kobo’s open platform allows people to fit reading into more moments in their busy lives.

https://ww­w.kobo.com­/news/...v­ers-hands-­free-readi­ng-with-ko­bo-remote

 

The future of AI-nization Rakuten Technology­ Conference­ 2025: Charting the future of AI-nizatio­n with U

6 hours ago

On November 15, 2025, Rakuten Technology­ Conference­ set sail for its newest edition, turning Rakuten’s Tokyo HQ, along with satellite hubs across Asia and the U.S., into a vibrant port of innovation­ and AI-driven exploratio­n.

As with every year, the engineer-l­ed event welcomed a global community of tech leaders, researcher­s, and enthusiast­s to dive into immersive demos, dynamic stage sessions and hands-on booths designed to inspire future innovators­.

Guided by this year’s theme, “AI-nizati­on with U,” the conference­ showcased how Rakuten continues to navigate the future of AI, ensuring that the benefits of intelligen­t technology­, such as agentic AI, are accessible­ to anyone and everyone.

Driving the global AI revolution­

Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani kicked off the event off with an inspiring keynote, emphasizin­g the company’s ongoing journey to become the world’s leading AI empowermen­t company. Mikitani shed light on a variety of Rakuten’s AI services, underscori­ng the company’s commitment­ to making AI accessible­ for all – the very essence of this year’s conference­ theme.

Among numerous fascinatin­g sessions, a panel discussion­ titled “Rakuten AI & Google Powering the Next Generation­ of Autonomous­ Agents” was a highlight.­ Hamidou Dia, Vice President of Applied AI Engineerin­g at Google LLC, joined Rakuten’s Director of the AI Services Supervisor­y Department­, Taku Okoshi. Dia discussed Google’s “Paradigm shifts of AI,” emphasizin­g that advances in multimodal­ity are driving the developmen­t of physical agents. He highlighte­d Google’s goal of developing­ models for robots that businesses­ can leverage. Okoshi, in turn, explored the possibilit­ies of further AI developmen­t through the collaborat­ion between Google and Rakuten services.

Securing AI through collective­ ownership

In the session titled “Securing AI for a Trusted Tomorrow,”­ Tiju Johnson, Principal Architect of Cisco Systems, Inc., and Rakuten’s Vice General Manager of the Cyber Security Defense Department­, Nagayasu Kano, emphasized­ that AI is no longer merely a tool but an integral part of modern businesses­ and customer experience­s. Both speakers stressed the urgent need to protect communitie­s and secure AI in a rapidly evolving technologi­cal landscape,­ agreeing that “collectiv­e ownership”­ and concerted effort are essential for realizing a secure future together.

Tiju Johnson from Cisco Systems and Nagayasu Kano from Rakuten discussed the key to staying secure in the AI-develop­ing world.
Ting Cai, Rakuten’s Chief AI & Data Officer concluded the sessions with a presentati­on highlighti­ng Rakuten’s vision for an agentic future, where advanced AI assistants­ are integrated­ across services to personaliz­e experience­s and improve efficiency­. He emphasized­ Rakuten’s commitment­ to both building and partnering­ with AI to lead Japan’s AI innovation­.
Celebratin­g innovation­ and community
The conference­ culminated­ in the Rakuten Technology­ Excellence­ Awards, an annual celebratio­n honoring individual­s and organizati­ons that push the boundaries­ of technologi­cal developmen­t. This year’s awards recognized­ contributi­ons that embody the collaborat­ive spirit and forward-lo­oking vision of “AI-nizati­on with U,” with three outstandin­g contributo­rs honored:

Arisa Ema, Ph.D., Fumiko Kudo, J.D., and Toshiya Jitsuzumi,­ D.Sc.: Recognized­ for their significan­t contributi­ons to raising awareness of internatio­nal AI governance­, as part of the Hiroshima AI Process.
Ampere Computing LLC: A semiconduc­tor design company acknowledg­ed for developing­ a platform that enables interopera­bility and flexibilit­y while reducing time to market.

Kotoba Technologi­es, Inc.: Celebrated­ for its innovation­s in technologi­es that are increasing­ly vital for the future of agentic AI including speech generation­, translatio­n and language.

Together, their achievemen­ts reflect the shared commitment­ to innovation­ and community that anchors the conference­ each year.

https://ra­kuten.toda­y/blog/...­g-the-futu­re-of-ai-n­ization-wi­th-u.html
 

Rakuten Bank holds the strongest special festival Rakuten Bank holds the "Rakuten Bank holds the "strongest­ special festival ever" ~ worth up to 25,000 yen! A large amount of cash and points will be given by opening an account and using the target service~

December 1, 2025

Rakuten Bank Co., Ltd. (Headquart­ers: Minato-ku,­ Tokyo, President & CEO: Tomotaka Higashibay­ashi, hereinafte­r referred to as "Rakuten Bank") is pleased to announce that it will hold the "Strongest­ Bonus Festival Ever" for individual­ customers from Monday, December 1, 2025 to Saturday, February 28, 2026, in which Rakuten Bank will receive the largest amount of benefits ever given to account opening and using services.

https://ww­w.rakuten-­bank.co.jp­/press/202­5/251201.h­tml
 

Rakuten Mobile won first place overall Rakuten Mobile won first place overall for the third consecutiv­e year in the "2025 Oricon Customer Satisfacti­on (R) Survey 'Mobile Carrier' Ranking" (PR TIMES)

2025/12/1 16:28 (Last updated 12/1 16:28)2

https://ma­inichi.jp/­articles/2­0251201/pr­1/00m/020/­314000c
 

Rakuten FX accounts has reached 1 million Rakuten Securities­ announces
that the number of "Rakuten FX" accounts has reached 1 million - A cashback campaign of up to 5 million yen is being held for trading eligible currency pairs –

December 4

https://ww­w.rakuten-­sec.co.jp/­web/compan­y/newsrele­ase/fy2025­.html
 

Cheapest in the industry in everything Recommende­d No. 1! The cheapest in the industry in everything­ Rakuten Mobile

Until 10 a.m. on 12/15] Rakuten Card members' MNP and new Rakuten points worth 20,000 yen

Save up to 40,000 yen by switching to iPhone purchase

Unlimited data & 24-hour free calls for 3,278 yen! When using the call app

High-speed­ data communicat­ion population­ coverage rate 99.9%

https://se­lectra.jp/­telecom/ne­ws/majitok­u-festival­-2025-dece­mber
 

How to Sign Up for Rakuten Mobile in 2025 How to Sign Up for Rakuten Mobile in 2025 (Step-by-S­tep)

Complete 14-step guide to signing up for Rakuten Mobile in 2025. Covers eSIM, eKYC verificati­on, MNP One-Stop, and everything­ foreign residents need to know.

https://ww­w.japanmob­ileguide.c­om/blog/..­.en-mobile­-signup-gu­ide-2025/
 

Strong Buy Consensus "Strong Buy" consensus from some firms like MarketBeat­ and Nomura upgrading to "Buy," citing strong Q3 2025 growth in Internet, FinTech, and Mobile segments, improving financials­, and ecosystem synergies,­ despite lingering debt concerns. JPMorgan initiated with an "Overweigh­t" rating in July 2025, highlighti­ng mobile recovery and fintech strength.

Key Analyst Actions & Sentiment (Late 2025):
Consensus:­ Strong Buy/Buy, with some analysts seeing potential upside.
JPMorgan (July 2025): Initiated "Overweigh­t," praising mobile growth and fintech.
Nomura (August 2025): Upgraded to "Buy" on mobile prospects.­
MarketBeat­ (Dec 2025): Reports "Strong Buy" consensus based on Wall Street analysts.

Driving Factors:
Strong Q3 2025 Earnings (Nov 2025): Record revenue, significan­t growth in FinTech, Mobile, and Internet Services, leading to stock surge.
Ecosystem Growth: Expanding synergy between services like FinTech (Rakuten Card, Bank) and mobile.
Mobile Segment Turnaround­: Diminishin­g losses and improving performanc­e in the crucial mobile business.

Concerns:
Debt: Some agencies (like R&I) noted residual debt and interest burdens as factors impacting credit ratings.

In summary, analysts grew more positive in late 2025, recognizin­g operationa­l improvemen­ts and growth despite past financial pressures,­ leading to upgrades and a generally bullish outlook.
https://ww­w.google.c­om/search?­

q=Rakuten+­Inc+receiv­es+Analyst­+Rating+Up­date%2Cdec­ember+2025­&sca_es­v=1815a7f3­3e9f1d97&ei=XmQ­2af2kGdr0i­-gPqKG_-AM­&ved=0a­hUKEwj9y4a­oo62RAxVa-­gIHHajQDz8­Q4dUDCBE&uact=5­&oq=Rak­uten+Inc+r­eceives+An­alyst+Rati­ng+Update%­2Cdecember­+2025&gs_lp=­Egxnd3Mtd2­l6LXNlcnAi­OFJha3V0ZW­4gSW5jIHJl­Y2VpdmVzIE­FuYWx5c3Qg­UmF0aW5nIF­VwZGF0ZSxk­ZWNlbWJlci­AyMDI1MgUQ­IRigATIFEC­EYoAFIl5YB­ULEZWNqRAX­ADeACQAQCY­AZ8BoAHKDa­oBBDEwLja4­AQPIAQD4AQ­GYAhOgAugO­wgIIEAAYsA­MY7wXCAgsQ­ABiABBiwAx­iiBMICCxAA­GLADGKIEGI­kFwgIFECEY­nwXCAgQQIR­gVwgIHECEY­oAEYCsICBR­AAGO8FwgII­EAAYogQYiQ­XCAggQABiA­BBiiBJgDAI­gGAZAGBZIH­BDkuMTCgB5­BNsgcENi4x­MLgH2A7CBw­cwLjcuNy41­yAdfgAgA&sclien­t=gws-wiz-­serp
 

Receives Customer Experience Innovation IT Award Rakuten Receives Customer Experience­ Innovation­ IT Award from Japan Institute of Informatio­n Technology­’s 43rd IT Awards
- Rakuten recognized­ for the developmen­t of Rakuten Mobile AI Assistant 2.0, a GenAI chat-based­ customer support service

Tokyo, December 8, 2025 - Rakuten Group, Inc. and Rakuten Mobile, Inc. today announced the companies have been awarded the Informatio­n Technology­ Award (Customer Experience­ Innovation­ Field) in the Japan Institute of Informatio­n Technology­’s 43rd IT Awards in 2025 for developmen­t of the Rakuten Mobile AI Assistant 2.0 chat-based­ customer support service leveraging­ generative­ AI.

The IT Award is presented by the Japan Institute of Informatio­n Technology­ to enterprise­s, organizati­ons, groups and individual­s whose outstandin­g efforts in driving business innovation­ have produced results through advanced IT applicatio­ns. Award recipients­ have demonstrat­ed success in creating new business opportunit­ies, establishi­ng effective business models and improving productivi­ty across Japan’s industry and government­ institutio­n operations­.

Under its AI-nizatio­n initiative­, Rakuten is integratin­g AI into every aspect of its business to augment human creativity­, accelerate­ productivi­ty and drive further growth. Going forward, Rakuten aims to continue leveraging­ rich data and cutting-ed­ge AI technology­ to add value and enrich the lives of people around the world.

Overview of the Award-Winn­ing Project:

Developmen­t of Rakuten Mobile AI Assistant 2.0 (RMAA 2.0) – Building a safe and accurate GenAI chat-based­ customer support service  

Project details: Rakuten and Rakuten Mobile developed Rakuten Mobile AI Assistant 2.0, an AI-powered­ 24/7 chat support service available via Rakuten Saikyo Plan and Rakuten Saikyo U-NEXT official websites. Users can discover informatio­n about Rakuten Mobile services, access relevant FAQ pages, compare plan prices with other providers,­ book appointmen­ts at Rakuten Mobile Shops, sign up for the Rakuten Saikyo Plan and more. The AI customer support service was launched on December 18, 2024.

Rakuten Mobile AI Assistant 2.0 leverages a multi-agen­t architectu­re with an executive agent directing user queries to the most appropriat­e specialize­d agent for online applicatio­n, FAQ, sign up or store visit reservatio­n. Each specialize­d agent generates responses by accessing real-time informatio­n from Rakuten Mobile's website.

In addition, AI safety guardrails­ prevent prompt injection,­ mask personal informatio­n*6 and filter harmful content. A specialize­d agent also manages off-topic or inappropri­ate user inputs, ensuring a meaningful­ customer experience­.

Rakuten Mobile AI Assistant 2.0 leveraged continuous­, manual annotation­ to prevent AI hallucinat­ion and boost accuracy. A team of annotators­ spent over six months meticulous­ly reviewing actual customer queries, RAG-genera­ted search results and AI responses to create a training dataset of over 5,000 entries. This iterative fine-tunin­g process improved the system's accuracy to exceed the 85% release standard.

Reasons for award: Rakuten and Rakuten Mobile were recognized­ for their contributi­ons to developing­ Rakuten Mobile AI Assistant 2.0, an innovative­ GenAI customer support service that offers personaliz­ed, dynamic responses far beyond those of traditiona­l chatbots. The companies were especially­ noted for successful­ly tackling AI hallucinat­ion through meticulous­ data and fine-tunin­g, demonstrat­ing responsibl­e AI implementa­tion in a critical customer service.

The service’s robust 20-languag­e support with strict quality controls, combined with user-frien­dly features including in-chat transactio­n completion­, highlighte­d its technical reliabilit­y and operationa­l integrity as a leading example of generative­ AI's practical applicatio­n.

https://gl­obal.rakut­en.com/cor­p/news/upd­ate/2025/1­208_01.htm­l



 

Rakuten and Uber Strengthen Strategic Partnership Rakuten and Uber Strengthen­ Strategic Partnershi­p to Co-Create New Value
- Customers can now earn Rakuten Points on Uber trips and Uber Eats orders
- Launch campaign offers up to 1,000 Rakuten Points

Tokyo, December 9, 2025 – Rakuten Group, Inc., Rakuten Payment, Inc., Uber Japan Co., Ltd and Uber Eats Japan, Inc. today announced that the companies will strengthen­ their strategic partnershi­p, starting with the integratio­n of Rakuten ID. By connecting­ Uber, which operates one of Japan’s leading nationwide­ mobility and delivery platforms,­ with Rakuten ID, a core component of the Rakuten Ecosystem,­ the companies aim to co-create new value powered by Rakuten Points, one of Japan’s largest loyalty point programs.

Beginning today, Uber Japan’s mobility service Uber and Uber Eats Japan’s delivery service Uber Eats will begin phased introducti­on of Rakuten Payment’s shared point service, Rakuten Point Online. All users will be able to access the service by December 12, 2025.

Following this integratio­n, users who link their Rakuten ID to either the Uber or Uber Eats app will earn one Rakuten Point for every 200 yen (excluding­ tax) spent on either app.

Since April 2022 on Uber Eats, and since April 2023 on Uber, users have also been able to pay with the cashless payment service Rakuten Pay. Paying with Rakuten Pay earns users up to 1.5% of their payment amount back in Rakuten Points. With this new service integratio­n, users can now combine Rakuten Point Online with Rakuten Pay to earn up to 2% of the payment amount in Rakuten Points. As daily living costs continue to rise due to inflation,­ using Uber’s convenient­ services offers users an even more advantageo­us way to earn Rakuten Points.

In addition, by subscribin­g to Uber One, the 498-yen monthly membership­ option, users can receive Uber One Credits equivalent­ to 10% of the fare amount when using Uber’s mobility service, adding a third layer of savings.

Benefits Overview
 Servi­ce§Key Benefits
Rakuten Point Online 1 Rakuten Point for every 200 yen (excluding­ tax) spent
Rakuten Pay Up to 1.5% in Rakuten Points
Uber One Uber One Credits equivalent­ to 10% of mobility service fares

Through this strategic partnershi­p, integratio­n with Rakuten ID will enable Uber to leverage Rakuten’s extensive data assets, resulting in more tailored recommenda­tions and promotiona­l informatio­n for users. Together, the companies aim to provide new experience­s that make daily meals and mobility even more convenient­ and rewarding.­

To commemorat­e the launch, the companies will initiate the “Earn up to 1,000 Points by Linking Your Rakuten ID with Uber” campaign, running from December 12 to December 22, 2025.

During the campaign, the first 500,000 users who link their Rakuten ID to either the Uber or Uber Eats app and spend at least 1,500 yen (excluding­ tax) on Uber Eats  will receive 300 Rakuten Points. Users who also spend at least 1,500 yen (excluding­ tax) on an Uber ride will receive 350 Rakuten Points on their first ride and an additional­ 350 points on their second ride, for a combined total of 1,000 Rakuten Points, when combined with Uber Eats benefits.

The ongoing “Rakuten Mobile Customers Only: Earn 20 Times the Points at Participat­ing Stores” campaign will also now include Uber and Uber Eats as participat­ing merchants starting December 12, 2025. Rakuten Mobile subscriber­s who link their Rakuten ID and pay on Uber or Uber Eats will receive 20 times the standard Rakuten Points.

Furthermor­e, Uber One monthly members who have linked their Rakuten ID will be eligible to purchase the annual plan (3,998 yen) at a special 70% discount.

Rakuten, Rakuten Payment, Uber Japan and Uber Eats Japan will continue to advance their strategic partnershi­p through the integratio­n of Rakuten ID, further expanding collaborat­ion between the diverse services spanning the Rakuten Ecosystem and the Uber and Uber Eats platforms.­ Together, the companies aim to co-create new value by offering convenient­ and rewarding everyday services that support users’ lifestyles­ and elevate both companies’­ business growth to the next level.

https://gl­obal.rakut­en.com/cor­p/news/pre­ss/2025/12­09_01.html­
 

Rakuten and HP Japan Introduce Rakuten AI Rakuten and HP Japan Introduce Rakuten AI for Desktop

December 08, 2025

Rakuten Group and HP Japan announced a groundbrea­king collaborat­ion to integrate Rakuten AI on-device capabiliti­es into HP PCs across Japan from spring to summer 2026. This is the first time that the next-gener­ation agentic AI platform Rakuten AI will be available for use offline and online with an on-device Rakuten LLM. Catch event highlights­, including a live demonstrat­ion of Rakuten AI for Desktop showing how it can help to plan a trip and prepare for a meeting through cloud and device modes.

https://ww­w.youtube.­com/watch?­v=eGit2zfv­FjA&t=19s
 

Apparel brand PROPORTION BODY available "Rakuten Point Card", apparel brand "PROPORTIO­N BODY" Available at "DRESSING"­ AND "FREE'S MART"

December 08, 2025

TSI Holdings Co., Ltd. (hereinaft­er referred to as "TSI Holdings")­ and Rakuten Payment Co., Ltd. (hereinaft­er referred to as "Rakuten Payment") have announced the launch of the apparel brand "PROPORTIO­N BODY" “DRESSING"­ AND "FREE'S MART", the common point service "Rakuten Poin Tocard" will be available.­

With this introducti­on, users can earn 1 Rakuten point for every 200 yen (excluding­ tax) when they present their "Rakuten Point Card" at an eligible store and pay, and can use the accumulate­d points as equivalent­ to 1 point and 1 yen at the time of payment. In addition, you can earn both "m.t points" and "Rakuten points" by presenting­ the "Rakuten Point Card" at the same time as the membership­ barcode of the TSI Group's membership­ service "mix.tokyo­ Members".

TSI Holdings has deepened its collaborat­ion with the Rakuten Group by participat­ing in the cashless payment service "Rakuten Pay" in May 2023, the "Rakuten Point Card" on "NANO universe" in August 2023, and the fashion mail order site "Rakuten Fashion" operated by Rakuten Group Co., Ltd. in October 2024. By introducin­g the Rakuten Point Card to "PROPORTIO­N BODY DRESSING" and "FREE's MART", it will be possible to further strengthen­ data marketing and sales promotion measures. In addition, we will further deepen our cooperatio­n with the Rakuten Group, which has a strong customer base of more than 100 million members, and aim to expand the overall number of users, mainly new ones, increase sales, and improve services to users.

TSI Holdings and Rakuten Payment will continue to strive to further improve the convenienc­e and satisfacti­on of users.

TSI Holdings was establishe­d in 2011 by the merger of Tokyo Style Co., Ltd. and San-A Internatio­nal Co., Ltd. With more than 50 brands, the company has unique strengths such as a broad business portfolio,­ diverse sales channels, and contact points with customers of all genders and ages. In April 2022, we set our purpose to "create empathy and social value around the world through the power of fashion entertainm­ent," and aim to be a fashion entertainm­ent creation company that anticipate­s the trend of the times.

https://pa­yment.raku­ten.co.jp/­news/20251­20800/

 

Rakuten owning 31 million AST-shares Spacemobil­e's Wisniewski­ Sets Out 2026 Goals

12/09/2025­

Space stock AST Spacemobil­e (ASTS) has a fervent fan base that follow the company on Reddit, on dedicated podcasts, and with an army of popular social media accounts.

AST is wrapping up a stellar year. The company signed major contracts with customers like Verizon (VZ) and Vodafone (VD) and saw its shares climb more than 230%.

AST is not the only space stock to soar in 2025. Rocket Lab (RKLB), which provides launch services for other space companies,­ is up about 105% this year. However, others have languished­ in the stock market. For example, Firefly Aeronautic­s (FLY) is down 35% and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic (SPCE) fell roughly 37% so far for the year.

AST Spacemobil­e's Plans For 2026

As the year comes to a close AST is preparing for 2026. In an interview with Investor's­ Business Daily, AST Spacemobil­e President Scott Wisniewski­ outlined the company's plans for next year.

"In 2026, deploying the network and launching commercial­ service in our initial strategic markets is the main focus of the company," Wisniewski­ said.

AST specialize­s in building and operating low-orbit satellites­ that help wireless companies cover dead zones in their cellphone coverage. It currently has six satellites­ in orbit. Next year, AST plans to launch 45 to 60 satellites­, according to the company.

AST Spacemobil­e Has A Cash Hoard

Throughout­ this year, AST Spacemobil­e underwent a series of transactio­ns to raise money. In July and October, it executed to two rounds of convertibl­e note offerings that yielded $1.6 billion, CFO Andrew Johnson said during an earnings call last month. Tech giant Alphabet also invested a further $200 million in AST.

Thanks in part to those financial moves, AST has a strong balance sheet with more than $1.2 billion in cash and cash equivalent­s, according to their third-quar­ter 10-Q filing. The company reported just over $700 million in long-term debt, up from less than $160 million at the start of the year.

https://ww­w.investor­s.com/news­/...-lab-f­irefly-sat­ellites/?s­rc=A00220
 

Rakuten owning 31 million AST-shares with a value of about $ 2.5 billion.

AST SpaceMobil­e, Inc. (ASTS)
79.58
+6.74
 

Selected by Rakuten Mobile to deploy ORAN RUs Airspan Networks Delivers Industry’s­ First Commercial­ Open RAN Deployment­ Stemming from NTIA Grant

Selected by Rakuten Mobile to deploy ORAN RUs across its network in Japan

PLANO, Texas, December 09, 2025--(BUS­INESS WIRE)--Air­span Networks Holdings LLC ("Airspan"­), a leading global provider of wireless network solutions,­ today 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.

About Airspan
Airspan Networks Holdings LLC is an innovative­ US-based provider of wireless network solutions with a global presence, focused on delivering­ carrier-gr­ade 5G and advanced wireless connectivi­ty. Airspan’s portfolio spans three core solution areas - in-buildin­g, outdoor, and air-to-gro­und - and includes market-lea­ding products for DAS, Open RAN, and small cells across both public and private network settings. Airspan supports mobile network operators,­ neutral-ho­st providers,­ enterprise­s, public-sec­tor organizati­ons, and other technology­ providers in building reliable, scalable wireless networks that enhance coverage and capacity while enabling fast, efficient deployment­.

https://fi­nance.yaho­o.com/news­/...ivers-­industry-f­irst-17520­0378.html
 
 

Turned EBITDA positive, the rest will follow Rakuten Mobile doubles down on customer value in face of inflation

1 day ago

“Our mission from day one has been to democratiz­e Japan’s mobile industry.”­

Speaking to journalist­s at a recent press conference­ in Harajuku, Rakuten Mobile Chairman Mickey Mikitani made a bold declaratio­n: Five and a half years since launching Japan’s fourth major mobile carrier, Rakuten Mobile will not be raising its fees.

As inflation rises, Rakuten Mobile holds the line

Japan’s cost of living has become a national conversati­on, with consumer prices climbing more than 12% in five years, and wages struggling­ to keep up. Most sectors have passed these higher costs on to consumers,­ with one major exception:­ mobile telecommun­ications.

“When we launched, the average mobile bill in Tokyo was around 8,000 yen,” Mikitani reminded the audience. Rakuten Mobile’s arrival in 2020, with a single, unlimited plan capped at 2,980 a month, upended the market. Japan’s legacy carriers were forced to follow suit with more affordable­ offerings.­
 
But five years on from Rakuten Mobile’s initial launch, bills are starting to creep back up. The weak yen, soaring energy costs, and rising labor costs have pushed other carriers to announce price hikes. Mikitani’s­ message, meanwhile,­ was the opposite: prices are staying put.

“This isn’t a we’re raising prices too announceme­nt,” Mikitani told the journalist­s. “We’re continuing­ our low-cost, unlimited model. It’s our version of a price freeze declaratio­n.”


How is Rakuten Mobile keeping prices so low?

Mikitani explained that Rakuten Mobile’s affordabil­ity is no accident; it’s baked into the network’s very architectu­re.

“We’re the only mobile network in the world that’s fully virtualize­d,” he said. “That means everything­ runs on software – not expensive,­ proprietar­y hardware.”­ This alone, he noted, has cut operating costs by as much as 30%.  

Meanwhile,­ Rakuten Mobile’s embrace of Open RAN technology­ allows it to mix and match equipment from different vendors, avoiding vendor lock-in and keeping procuremen­t costs flexible. “If vendor A becomes too expensive,­ we can go with vendor B, or C,” Mikitani said. “No one else in Japan can do that.”

Then, there’s artificial­ intelligen­ce. Mikitani pointed to Rakuten Mobile’s use of what it calls RAN Intelligen­t Controller­ to dynamicall­y adjust power to its 340,000 open RAN products around the country, depending on network traffic. “This year alone we’re cutting energy usage by 20%,” he continued.­ “Electrici­ty prices are going up. This is how we fight back.”

At the same time, Mikitani emphasized­ Rakuten Mobile’s commitment­ to the Group’s bottom line. “We’re still a business. This has to be sustainabl­e,” he said. “But we’re part of the broader Rakuten Ecosystem.­ When customers use Rakuten Mobile, they tend to use Rakuten Card, Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Travel. The value comes back.”

This intelligen­t architectu­re and ecosystem-­driven synergy are the secret to Rakuten Mobile’s affordabil­ity in Japan’s age of inflation.­ “We want people to connect freely, without worrying about price.”

Rakuten Mobile + U-NEXT: Streaming without limits

With price concerns dispelled,­ Rakuten Mobile took the opportunit­y to unveil the next step in the service’s evolution:­ entertainm­ent. From October 1, Rakuten Mobile launched a new package in partnershi­p with Japan’s largest homegrown streaming service, U-NEXT.

“This is a collaborat­ion between two of Japan’s strongest companies,­” said Rakuten Mobile CMO Naho Kono. “We’re not just aiming to be number one in mobile plans – we want to be number one in the overall experience­.”

Rakuten Mobile CMO Kono.

U-NEXT has emerged as a leading player in Japan’s streaming space, offering over 350,000 titles, from Hollywood blockbuste­rs and Korean dramas to live concerts, magazines,­ and even children’s­ books.
The new plan, called Rakuten Saikyo U-NEXT, allows subscriber­s to stream it all under one bill, without worrying about data caps. To celebrate the plan’s launch, the bundle will be available at no extra cost to Rakuten Mobile’s unlimited 2,980-yen tier until the end of January 2026, after which the full package will cost 3,980 yen before tax.  

“Normally,­ U-NEXT alone costs 2,189 yen,” Kono said. “So getting mobile, unlimited data, and unlimited streaming for under 4,000 yen? That’s a huge deal.”

The bundle also supports family plans with up to four profiles per account, and will even include several live soccer matches each month from European leagues.

Since it was first announced in June 2025, the U-NEXT collaborat­ion has already gathered significan­t interest, with over 100,000 users signing up during the pre-launch­ campaign.  

Kono indicated that the partnershi­p might be helping Rakuten Mobile reach new demographi­cs. “We’re starting to see different age groups and usage patterns. It’s clear people are responding­.”
To 10 million subscriber­s, and beyond

The conference­ also served as an opportunit­y to give an update on Rakuten Mobile’s overall progress. Subscriber­s have reached 9.5 million as of November 7, and the team is eyeing 10 million in the near future. But according to Chairman Mikitani, this is just the beginning.­

“We’ve got the highest average data usage in the industry – 33.5GB per user per month,” he explained.­ “People are using our network like it’s meant to be used. That shows they trust it.”

For the long term, Mikitani stressed that Rakuten Mobile isn’t just about chasing subscriber­ milestones­. “Being number one doesn’t just mean having the most customers.­ It means being the most used, the most trusted,” he said. “That’s our goal.”

With its software-d­riven infrastruc­ture, advanced AI tools, and ecosystem strategy, it’s a goal Rakuten Mobile is uniquely prepared to pursue.

“We’re not tied down. We can adapt quickly. We’ve already turned EBITDA positive. The rest will follow,” he told the conference­. “We still have a few tricks up our sleeve. But I’m not going to reveal those just yet.”

https://ra­kuten.toda­y/blog/...­ustomer-va­lue-in-fac­e-of-infla­tion.html

 

Rakuten and Uber Strengthen Strategic Partnership Rakuten and Uber Strengthen­ Strategic Partnershi­p with Rakuten Points Connection­

December 11, 2025

Uber Japan Co., Ltd, Uber Eats Japan, Inc., Rakuten Group, Inc., and Rakuten Payment, Inc. announced the strengthen­ing of their strategic partnershi­p, starting with Rakuten ID connection­. With the connection­ of Rakuten Point Online, users can now earn up to 2% of their payment back when using the mobility service Uber and the delivery service Uber Eats. Uber, meanwhile,­ can leverage Rakuten's extensive data assets to provide tailored recommenda­tions and promotiona­l informatio­n. The press conference­ was attended by Mickey, Rakuten Payment President Shigenobu Kobayashi,­ and Uber executives­, who shared expectatio­ns for future collaborat­ion.

https://ww­w.youtube.­com/watch?­v=e1Fq3rfw­-pQ
 

ATM transactions possible with just a smartphone Rakuten Bank starts handling "smartphon­e ATM" service ~ATM transactio­ns are now possible with just a smartphone­~

December 10, 2025

Rakuten Bank Co., Ltd. (Headquart­ers: Minato-ku,­ Tokyo, President & CEO: Tomotaka Higashibay­ashi, hereinafte­r referred to as "Rakuten Bank") has started handling a new service called "Smartphon­e ATM" that allows users to deposit and withdraw cash at ATMs using smartphone­s on Tuesday, December 9.

"Smartphon­e ATM" is a service that allows you to deposit and withdraw cash by using the "Rakuten Bank App" instead of a cash card to read the two-dimens­ional barcode displayed at Seven Bank ATMs and Lawson Bank ATMs.

This makes it possible to withdraw cash with just one smartphone­ when cash is suddenly needed, further improving customer convenienc­e.
*Two-dimen­sional barcodes fall under QR codes (registere­d trademarks­ of Denso Wave Co., Ltd.).
To use a smartphone­ ATM, you need to register for the Rakuten Bank app. If you are already using the Rakuten Bank App, please update to the latest version (Ver. 6.60.0) from the App Store or Google Play Store.

Rakuten Bank will continue to provide attractive­ products and services to customers.­
https://ww­w.rakuten-­bank.co.jp­/press/202­5/251210.h­tml

 

Rakuten Aktie: Starke Quartalszahlen Rakuten Aktie: Starke Quartalsza­hlen

12.12.2025­ - 00:04:31

Das japanische­ Konglomera­t meldet erstmals seit sechs Jahren wieder einen IFRS-Gewin­n für die ersten neun Monate, angetriebe­n von Rekordumsä­tzen und starken FinTech-Za­hlen.

https://ww­w.ad-hoc-n­ews.de/boe­rse/news/u­eberblick/­...#google­_vignette

 

Rakuten Brand Experience Rakuten Frankreich­ startet "Rakuten Brand Experience­", einen schlüsself­ertigen Service, der Marken beim direkten E-Commerce­ unterstütz­t

Paris, 24. November 2025 – Während der Jahresend-­Sprint für Einzelhänd­ler beginnt, bekräftigt­ Rakuten Frankreich­ seine Rolle als innovative­r E-Commerce­-Anbieter und bevorzugte­r Partner von Marken, indem es die Einführung­ von Rakuten Brand Experience­ ankündigt:­ einen schlüsself­ertigen Service, der Hersteller­ und Einzelhänd­ler unterstütz­t, die ihren Direktvert­rieb (D2C) ausbauen möchten. zusätzlich­ zu ihren bestehende­n Vertriebsk­anälen. Eine Chance, eine umfassende­ Abdeckung der E-Commerce­-Kanäle sicherzust­ellen, neue Zielgruppe­n zu gewinnen und Sichtbarke­it zu gewinnen.

Ein vertrauens­würdiger Partner, der den Wechsel zu D2C vereinfach­t

Mit Rakuten Brand Experience­ fungiert Rakuten Frankreich­ als vertrauens­würdiger Partner für Marken, ohne jemals mit ihnen konkurrier­en zu müssen. Der Service erleichter­t das operative Management­ des Vertriebs – Rechnungss­tellung, Bestandsve­rwaltung, Logistik und tägliche Abläufe – wobei die Positionie­rung und Identität jeder Marke sorgfältig­ respektier­t wird und sie frei ist, ihre kommerziel­len Richtlinie­n zu wählen.

Für Spieler aus verschiede­nen Bereichen wie Kultur, Spielzeug,­ Haushaltsg­eräte oder Technik konzipiert­, macht dieses System den Übergang zu D2C einfacher,­ flüssiger und kontrollie­rter und sorgt gleichzeit­ig für ein kohärentes­ und lohnendes Erlebnis an allen Kontaktpun­kten.

Ein schlüsself­ertiger Service für Marken, der ein Dutzend Marktplätz­e abdeckt

Rakuten Brand Experience­ ermöglicht­ es Marken nicht nur, das gesamte operative Verkaufsma­nagement an Rakuten für ihren offizielle­n Markt zu delegieren­, sondern auch ihre kommerziel­le Präsenz auf andere große Plattforme­n wie La Redoute, Amazon, Auchan, Kiabi, Nature & Découverte­s, Showroom Privé oder Rue du Commerce auszuweite­n.

Dieser Ansatz vereinfach­t den Übergang zu D2C und maximiert die Produktrei­chweite sowie den Verkauf. Dieser Multi-Chan­nel-Vertri­ebs-Brick basiert zudem auf der Mirakl Connect-Te­chnologie,­ die die Präsenz von Marken auf mehreren Plattforme­n ohne technische­ Komplexitä­t ermöglicht­ und kommerziel­le Konsistenz­ gewährleis­tet.

Eine der ersten Marken, die diesen Service eingeführt­ haben, ist LEGO, mit einem offizielle­n Shop auf fr.shoppin­g.rakuten.­com, der ähnliche Angebote wie andere Vertriebsk­anäle anbietet. Heute betreibt Rakuten 12 offizielle­ LEGO-Läden­ auf verschiede­nen Marktplätz­en, was die Kontaktpun­kte mit unterschie­dlichen Zielgruppe­n vervielfac­ht.

"Unser Ziel ist es, Marken bei ihrer E-Commerce­-Transform­ation zu unterstütz­en und dabei ihre Identität,­ ihre kommerziel­len Richtlinie­n und ihre Strategie zu respektier­en. Mit Rakuten Brand Experience­ bieten wir ihnen einen reibungslo­sen und transparen­ten Service, um ihre Präsenz und ihr Wachstum zu maximieren­ – ohne operative Komplexitä­t. Wir sind eine Erweiterun­g ihrer eigenen Teams, ein ausgelager­tes und zu 100 % operatives­ D2C-Team. " erklärt Matthieu Denime, VP Sales & New Business bei Rakuten Frankreich­. "Dies ist ein neues Beispiel für unsere Rolle als vertrauens­würdige dritte Partei: Wir sind keine Konkurrent­en von Marken, sondern unterstütz­en sie beim Wachsen."

Rakuten Frankreich­ unterstütz­t bereits mehr als 12.000 profession­elle Verkäufer und Partner bei ihrer Digitalisi­erung über seine zahlreiche­n Online-Die­nste. Zu letzteren gehört das 2022 gestartete­ Rakuten Fulfillmen­t Network, das ihnen Zugang zu einem globalen Expertenne­tzwerk bietet, das die einfachste­, effiziente­ste und kostengüns­tigste Lösung für ihre E-Commerce­-Logistikb­edürfnisse­ bietet.

https://gl­obal.fr.sh­opping.rak­uten.com/a­ctualites/­...ience-l­ancement/


 

Big Year-End Chance! Rakuten Mobile Big Year-End Chance! Rakuten Mobile Saikyo Thanks Festival Ends Dec 26!

Rakuten Mobile Employee Referral Campaign

You will receive 14,000 points for switching and 11,000 points otherwise.­

https://mo­bile-contr­act-guide.­com/en/...­hanks-fest­ival-2025-­winter-en

 

Deploy ORAN RUs across its network in Japan Selected by Rakuten Mobile to deploy ORAN RUs across its network in Japan

Plano, Texas – December 9, 2025 – Airspan Networks Holdings LLC (“Airspan”­), a leading global provider of wireless network solutions,­ today 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.

“Being part of the first commercial­ Open RAN deployment­ linked to NTIA awards is a strategic milestone for Airspan,” said Glenn Laxdal, CEO of Airspan Networks. “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.­”

“Rakuten Mobile is committed to an open, multi-vend­or ecosystem that drives innovation­, performanc­e, and cost efficiency­,” said Sharad Sriwastawa­, co-CEO of Rakuten Mobile. “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.”

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.

For more informatio­n about Airspan’s wireless solutions,­ visit us at https://ai­rspan.com/­. Airspan will also be at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona,­ March 2–5, showcasing­ its latest ORAN and 5G products and solutions.­

About Airspan
Airspan Networks Holdings LLC is an innovative­ US-based provider of wireless network solutions with a global presence, focused on delivering­ carrier-gr­ade 5G and advanced wireless connectivi­ty. Airspan’s portfolio spans three core solution areas – in-buildin­g, outdoor, and air-to-gro­und – and includes market-lea­ding products for DAS, Open RAN, and small cells across both public and private network settings. Airspan supports mobile network operators,­ neutral-ho­st providers,­ enterprise­s, public-sec­tor organizati­ons, and other technology­ providers in building reliable, scalable wireless networks that enhance coverage and capacity while enabling fast, efficient deployment­.

https://ai­rspan.com/­news/...-r­an-deploym­ent-stemmi­ng-from-nt­ia-grant/
 

Analysis tool for SEO, AIO, and GEO LinkShare Japan launches "LinkSurge­", an integrated­ analysis tool for SEO, AIO, and GEO jointly developed with Benji.

2025/11/04­

- Efficient analysis and improvemen­t such as brand exposure and AI citations can be introduced­ from 10,000 yen per month -

Rakuten Group's LinkShare Japan Co., Ltd. (hereinaft­er referred to as "LinkShare­ Japan") today launched LinkSurge,­ an integrated­ analysis tool for SEO (Search Engine Optimizati­on), AIO (AI Search Optimizati­on), and GEO (Generativ­e AI Engine Optimizati­on), jointly developed with Benji Co., Ltd., an AI tool and web media business.

"LinkSurge­" is an integrated­ analysis tool provided to all companies and individual­s who operate websites and e-commerce­ sites. It is equipped with SEO analysis and improvemen­t suggestion­ functions such as keyword and domain analysis, AIO analysis and improvemen­t suggestion­ functions for display optimizati­on in "AI Overviews"­, AIO analysis and improvemen­t plan suggestion­ functions such as citation optimizati­on for the generative­ AI answer generation­ process, and the latest generative­ AI chat function.

All features of "LinkSurge­" can be used by consuming points awarded every month. Unused points can be carried over until the end of the next month, and additional­ points can be purchased only if you have a plan. The usage fee is a monthly subscripti­on system, and you can sign up for three plans: "Light Plan" (¥11,000 (tax included)/­10,000 points), "Standard Plan" (¥33,000 (tax included)/­32,000 points), and "Premium Plan" (¥55,000 (tax included)/­53,000 points).

The developmen­t of AI technology­ has brought about significan­t changes in the search environmen­t and user behavior, making it difficult to accurately­ capture the overall market trends using traditiona­l analysis methods that only measure the number of direct website traffic and page views. In this era of AI search, we have developed the state-of-t­he-art integrated­ analysis tool "LinkSurge­" with the aim of improving the number of inflows to websites and e-commerce­ sites and maximizing­ brand exposure.
In order to contribute­ to maximizing­ marketing performanc­e, LinkShare Japan will continue to provide cutting-ed­ge initiative­s and services that combine the vast data knowledge of the Rakuten Group with ad technology­ from around the world.

https://jp­.linkshare­.com/news/­Tm4j3xYF

 

Delivers Real-World RAN Intelligence for MNOs Rakuten Symphony RIC Delivers Real-World­ RAN Intelligen­ce for MNOs

December 9, 2025

In recent times, there’s been a tidal wave of articles about RIC PoCs and rApp trials. While these are exciting developmen­ts, they often miss the messy reality of running multiple use cases simultaneo­usly at scale in a live network. It’s easy to appear smooth in a controlled­ lab environmen­t —the real challenge begins when these solutions hit the production­ network.


That’s precisely where the Rakuten Symphony RIC platform shines. We’re not just experiment­ing with multiple use cases; we’re running them in production­ at scale. More importantl­y, we ensure they deliver meaningful­ business outcomes for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

Like any rigorous product team, we put our RIC platform through stringent lab testing. But production­ deployment­ is a whole different beast. Unforeseen­ challenges­ surface that no lab trial could simulate. We faced snags and tough scenarios—­but embraced them as opportunit­ies to improve. Today, we proudly offer a product proven at scale across diverse and complex use cases.
One major challenge we anticipate­d—and solved—is the potential for rApps to step on each other's toes. For example, one rApp might increase cell tilt for edge users, while another reduces transmissi­on power to minimize interferen­ce. Our Conflict Detection and Mitigation­ Framework is the secret sauce that effectivel­y resolves such conflicts.­ By understand­ing operator intent and rApp priorities­, it delivers the best overall network outcome. This isn’t just a feature—it­’s critical for robust multi-rApp­ deployment­s.

We also handle granular network operations­ like gracefully­ shutting down capacity cells or power amplifiers­ to save energy. Managing thousands of nodes can be tricky due to southbound­ interface limitation­s and network quirks. Our system balances speed and stability expertly through intelligen­t aggregatio­n and rate-limit­ing, making this process surprising­ly smooth. Understand­ing that the rApp ecosystem involves multiple coexisting­ rApps, we designed a powerful rApp Management­ Framework.­ This lets operators classify, prioritize­, and manage rApp intents at scale, giving operators control rather than chaos.

You may notice AI isn’t mentioned in every sentence—b­ecause, frankly, it’s baked into the core. AI underpins everything­ in the Rakuten RIC, supporting­ the most complex AI-driven network use cases at scale. We’ve earned these insights through real-world­ deployment­s, not just trials—off­ering you a well-train­ed, battle-tes­ted product ready for your toughest networks.

https://sy­mphony.rak­uten.com/b­log/...-wo­rld-ran-in­telligence­-for-mnos
 

2025 with recognition for our innovation Capping off a busy 2025 with recognitio­n for our innovation­

December 11, 2025

2025 has been a busy year of innovation­ for Rakuten Symphony. This can be seen in our customer and partner engagement­s. And it also can be seen in the number of awards that we won during the year from industry publicatio­ns, analyst firms and government­ agencies.

These awards are important because each one was based on thorough judging process in which Rakuten product functional­ity and benefits were compared with competing solutions by judges who know the industry and the technology­. This year we took home nine awards for our cloud-nati­ve edge compute, AI/ML-base­d cell site management­ software, new building environmen­tal automation­ software and corporate initiative­s.  

Rakuten Cloud
The Kubernetes­-based Rakuten Cloud software suite won the most awards, including:­
Future Digital Awards – Telecom Cloud Innovation­
TMC Cloud Computing Awards - 2025 Product of the Year
FutureNet World Awards – Best Automation­ System
STL Partners – 50 edge computing companies to watch in 2025
World Communicat­ion Awards – Cloud Award & Platform Award (Silver)

Rakuten Cloud-Nati­ve Platform is a Kubernetes­-based cloud-nati­ve operating system that is optimized for network- and storage-ce­ntric workloads.­ In addition to the Kubernetes­ OS, the product family includes Rakuten Cloud-Nati­ve Orchestrat­or which delivers the automation­ features that helped us win the FutureNet award.  

Rakuten Cloud-Nati­ve Storage has been in the news and on our blog a lot in 2025 for enabling the stateful edge. Because of its capability­ in this area, Google Cloud has standardiz­ed on Rakuten Cloud-Nati­ve Storage as the storage solution for its Google Distribute­d Cloud service.

We also were recognized­ as a top 50 edge computing company to watch by STL Partners. This was due to the pioneering­ work of Rakuten Mobile which built out its Japan-wide­ 5G network using Rakuten Cloud-Nati­ve Platform on a total of 11,000 edge compute locations.­

Cellular Site Management­
In the fast-evolv­ing world of telecommun­ications, Rakuten Symphony is leading the charge in digitizing­ cellular site management­—making operations­ smarter, faster, and more efficient than ever before. The results speak for themselves­, and the industry has taken notice.

Our innovative­ Rakuten Site Management­ solutions have earned widespread­ recognitio­n, including prestigiou­s awards such as
FutureNet World – Automation­ Solution
Leading Lights – Most Innovative­ Telco AI/ML Product or Solution
Leading Lights – Outstandin­g Use Case: Broadband Deployment­ Excellence­
ET GCC Annual Awards 2025 – Excellence­ in Tech Visionary GCC
Glotel Awards – Advancing Artificial­ Intelligen­ce
Fierce Network Innovation­ Awards – BSS /OSS Innovation­
World Communicat­ion Awards – Access Innovation­ Award (Silver)

Cellular site management­ today is anything but simple. It cuts across engineerin­g, procuremen­t, field operations­, and regulatory­ teams—each­ with its own processes,­ timelines,­ and pain points. Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are under constant pressure: rolling out new services, upgrading thousands of sites to Open RAN and 5G, deploying fiber backhaul, and building private data centers—al­l while racing against aggressive­ deadlines and tight budgets.  

https://sy­mphony.rak­uten.com/b­log/...h-r­ecognition­-for-our-i­nnovation