Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket
20.12.25 17:40
#13801
Libuda
Telco Transormation
ABI Research: Wind River, Red Hat & Rakuten Symphony Lead Telco Cloud-Native Platform Rankings
1d ago
Ray Sharma
The telco cloud-native transformation is intensifying as operators work to optimize operations and prepare their networks for the next phase of the AI supercycle, driven by the distribution of AI inference across the network.
Global technology intelligence firm ABI Research announced the results of its latest competitive ranking of telco cloud-native platforms.
The assessment finds that Wind River, Red Hat, and Rakuten Symphony have emerged as clear leaders in delivering container-as-a-service (CaaS) solutions optimized for 5G core and radio access network (RAN) workloads.
These platforms are setting the pace for innovation and implementation as the telecom industry shifts toward more distributed, automated, and secure cloud-native architectures.
According to ABI Research's Telco Cloud-Native Platforms: CaaS Layers for Core and RAN report, Wind River ranks first overall, driven by extensive deployments across Tier 1 operators and its ability to deliver deterministic performance for RAN and edge environments.
Red Hat follows closely with its OpenShift platform, which has become a de facto standard for telco-grade Kubernetes by offering advanced CI/CD integration and multi-cluster policy governance.
This report is part of the company's Telco AI research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights.
Rakuten Symphony secures the third position, leveraging operational expertise from Rakuten Mobile to deliver automation-first solutions that significantly reduce deployment timelines and operational complexity.
The report highlights several key market trends, including the expansion of network cloudification beyond the core, rising requirements for automation and security, and the growing importance of open ecosystems.
https://www.thefastmode.com/...d-telco-cloud-native-platform-rankings
1d ago
Ray Sharma
The telco cloud-native transformation is intensifying as operators work to optimize operations and prepare their networks for the next phase of the AI supercycle, driven by the distribution of AI inference across the network.
Global technology intelligence firm ABI Research announced the results of its latest competitive ranking of telco cloud-native platforms.
The assessment finds that Wind River, Red Hat, and Rakuten Symphony have emerged as clear leaders in delivering container-as-a-service (CaaS) solutions optimized for 5G core and radio access network (RAN) workloads.
These platforms are setting the pace for innovation and implementation as the telecom industry shifts toward more distributed, automated, and secure cloud-native architectures.
According to ABI Research's Telco Cloud-Native Platforms: CaaS Layers for Core and RAN report, Wind River ranks first overall, driven by extensive deployments across Tier 1 operators and its ability to deliver deterministic performance for RAN and edge environments.
Red Hat follows closely with its OpenShift platform, which has become a de facto standard for telco-grade Kubernetes by offering advanced CI/CD integration and multi-cluster policy governance.
This report is part of the company's Telco AI research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights.
Rakuten Symphony secures the third position, leveraging operational expertise from Rakuten Mobile to deliver automation-first solutions that significantly reduce deployment timelines and operational complexity.
The report highlights several key market trends, including the expansion of network cloudification beyond the core, rising requirements for automation and security, and the growing importance of open ecosystems.
https://www.thefastmode.com/...d-telco-cloud-native-platform-rankings
20.12.25 17:59
#13802
Libuda
Wie hoch ist der Marktanteil von Rakuten Japan?
Mit einem Marktanteil von 27 % in Japan und fast 6 Billionen JPY an inländischen GMS im Jahr 2024 bietet Rakuten Ichiba internationalen Händlern eine Plattform von unübertroffener Größe und Einfluss.
https://www.google.com/...0xLjE5LjPIB8YCgAgA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
https://www.google.com/...0xLjE5LjPIB8YCgAgA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
21.12.25 10:37
#13803
Libuda
How AI unlocks deeper consumer understanding
Inside Rakuten AI Episode 8: Hidefumi Watanabe on how AI unlocks deeper consumer understanding
October 31, 2025
Episode 8 of "Inside Rakuten AI": Hidefumi Watanabe on how AI unlocks deeper consumer understanding is out now! "With AI Chat Interview service we can conduct hundreds of interviews simultaneously, and transcription is instant, leading to speedy delivery and greater impact." Hidefumi shares how Rakuten Insight is revolutionizing marketing research. From pioneering online surveys to leading with AI innovations like their AI Chat Interview and R-Brand Lift Survey, discover how Rakuten Insight combines unparalleled scale and human expertise to deliver robust, evidence-based consumer insights. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes, where we'll continue to explore how Rakuten's AI leaders are shaping the future of AI innovation!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kDDvf0pRxc
October 31, 2025
Episode 8 of "Inside Rakuten AI": Hidefumi Watanabe on how AI unlocks deeper consumer understanding is out now! "With AI Chat Interview service we can conduct hundreds of interviews simultaneously, and transcription is instant, leading to speedy delivery and greater impact." Hidefumi shares how Rakuten Insight is revolutionizing marketing research. From pioneering online surveys to leading with AI innovations like their AI Chat Interview and R-Brand Lift Survey, discover how Rakuten Insight combines unparalleled scale and human expertise to deliver robust, evidence-based consumer insights. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes, where we'll continue to explore how Rakuten's AI leaders are shaping the future of AI innovation!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kDDvf0pRxc
21.12.25 12:50
#13804
Libuda
Insurance Launches Flu Relief
Rakuten Payment and Rakuten Small Short-Term Insurance Launches "Flu Relief" on the "Rakuten Pay" App
December 18, 2025
Rakuten Payments Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Rakuten Payment") and Rakuten Small Amount Short-Term Insurance Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Rakuten Short-term Insurance Co., Ltd.") are pleased to announce that they will start offering "Influenza Relief" on the "Rakuten Pay" cashless payment service "Rakuten Pay" app from today.
Influenza has become a familiar risk that has a significant impact on our daily lives. If infected, you will be restricted from moving for several days due to fever and fatigue, which will not only interfere with work and study, but also cause concern about the spread of infection to those around you. In addition, especially for children and the elderly with weakened immune systems, the risk of severe illness and complications is high, so preparing for unexpected expenses and impact on the lives of influenza is one of the important measures for the child-rearing generation and those with elderly people in their families. In light of this situation, Rakuten Shodan and Rakuten Payment will start offering "Influenza Comfort" that can be easily subscribed to from the "Rakuten Pay" app for the full-fledged influenza epidemic season.
"Influenza Protection" is an insurance that can be purchased from the age of 0. In addition to receiving treatment insurance benefits if diagnosed with influenza, hospitalization insurance benefits can also be received if hospitalization is provided, providing coverage according to the user's situation. The insurance period can be set from 1 month to 4 months, and it is characterized by the fact that it can be purchased according to the period when the flu is prevalent. Users can apply for subscription on the Rakuten Sodan application page, which transitions from the "Influenza Relief" icon displayed in the "Rakuten Pay" app, and can smoothly pay with "Rakuten Pay".
In addition, users can complete everything from confirming enrollment details to insurance claim procedures and uploading the necessary receipts and medical certificates on Rakuten Little My Page, which transitions from the "Rakuten Pay" app. In addition, up to 2.5% of Rakuten Points will be returned to the amount of insurance premiums paid, and Rakuten Points can be used through Rakuten Pay when paying premiums.
Rakuten Shodan and Rakuten Payment will continue to strive to expand their services so that more people can use them comfortably through various measures of mutual cooperation, and will further improve customer satisfaction.
Rakuten Small Short-Term Insurance Co., Ltd. will be the underwriting of this insurance company, Rakuten Insurance Planning Co., Ltd. will be the handling agent, and Rakuten Payment Co., Ltd. will be responsible for supporting the construction of the insurance system and advertising operations.
https://payment.rakuten.co.jp/news/2025121800/
December 18, 2025
Rakuten Payments Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Rakuten Payment") and Rakuten Small Amount Short-Term Insurance Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Rakuten Short-term Insurance Co., Ltd.") are pleased to announce that they will start offering "Influenza Relief" on the "Rakuten Pay" cashless payment service "Rakuten Pay" app from today.
Influenza has become a familiar risk that has a significant impact on our daily lives. If infected, you will be restricted from moving for several days due to fever and fatigue, which will not only interfere with work and study, but also cause concern about the spread of infection to those around you. In addition, especially for children and the elderly with weakened immune systems, the risk of severe illness and complications is high, so preparing for unexpected expenses and impact on the lives of influenza is one of the important measures for the child-rearing generation and those with elderly people in their families. In light of this situation, Rakuten Shodan and Rakuten Payment will start offering "Influenza Comfort" that can be easily subscribed to from the "Rakuten Pay" app for the full-fledged influenza epidemic season.
"Influenza Protection" is an insurance that can be purchased from the age of 0. In addition to receiving treatment insurance benefits if diagnosed with influenza, hospitalization insurance benefits can also be received if hospitalization is provided, providing coverage according to the user's situation. The insurance period can be set from 1 month to 4 months, and it is characterized by the fact that it can be purchased according to the period when the flu is prevalent. Users can apply for subscription on the Rakuten Sodan application page, which transitions from the "Influenza Relief" icon displayed in the "Rakuten Pay" app, and can smoothly pay with "Rakuten Pay".
In addition, users can complete everything from confirming enrollment details to insurance claim procedures and uploading the necessary receipts and medical certificates on Rakuten Little My Page, which transitions from the "Rakuten Pay" app. In addition, up to 2.5% of Rakuten Points will be returned to the amount of insurance premiums paid, and Rakuten Points can be used through Rakuten Pay when paying premiums.
Rakuten Shodan and Rakuten Payment will continue to strive to expand their services so that more people can use them comfortably through various measures of mutual cooperation, and will further improve customer satisfaction.
Rakuten Small Short-Term Insurance Co., Ltd. will be the underwriting of this insurance company, Rakuten Insurance Planning Co., Ltd. will be the handling agent, and Rakuten Payment Co., Ltd. will be responsible for supporting the construction of the insurance system and advertising operations.
https://payment.rakuten.co.jp/news/2025121800/
22.12.25 14:19
#13805
Libuda
Topics that are driving our product vision
Our BU Presidents' Vision | Rakuten Symphony at MWC 2025
November 19, 2025
Watch as James Dartnell, Senior Director, Corporate Communications hosts a fascinating session Rakuten Symphony's panel of experts, including Head of OSS, Vivek Murthy, Head of Cloud, Partha Seetala, Head of RAN, Anil Sawkar and our Head of Internet Services, Ryan Son. The leaders from the four key pillars of Rakuten Symphony's business discuss the most interesting topics that are driving our product vision and strategy, and just what it takes to deliver success in telecom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNz_-UQOGlM&t=43s
November 19, 2025
Watch as James Dartnell, Senior Director, Corporate Communications hosts a fascinating session Rakuten Symphony's panel of experts, including Head of OSS, Vivek Murthy, Head of Cloud, Partha Seetala, Head of RAN, Anil Sawkar and our Head of Internet Services, Ryan Son. The leaders from the four key pillars of Rakuten Symphony's business discuss the most interesting topics that are driving our product vision and strategy, and just what it takes to deliver success in telecom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNz_-UQOGlM&t=43s
22.12.25 14:37
#13806
Libuda
Rakuten Inside Working
https://insight.rakuten.co.jp/knowledge/column/
https://insight.rakuten.co.jp/knowledge/column/
22.12.25 22:45
#13807
Libuda
Rakuten Travel Revamps Review and Rating Features
Monday, December 22, 2025
https://en.traicy.com/posts/2025122231127/
Monday, December 22, 2025
https://en.traicy.com/posts/2025122231127/
22.12.25 23:37
#13808
Libuda
January to March Japan E-commerce Calendar 2026
Rakuten Shopping Marathon
Rakuten Ichiba, one of Japan’s leading e-commerce platforms, kicks off its first Shopping Marathon of the year in mid-January. Shoppers can expect bonus points, free shipping, and discount coupons to start the year off right.
Rakuten Super Sale
March marks the first Rakuten Super Sale of the year, Japan’s biggest shopping event that happens quarterly. For one week, shoppers can snap up half-price deals, bonus points, instant rebates, and free shipping on everything from furniture and beauty to mobile services and travel bookings.
https://wpic.co/blog/january-march-japan-ecommerce-calendar/
Rakuten Shopping Marathon
Rakuten Ichiba, one of Japan’s leading e-commerce platforms, kicks off its first Shopping Marathon of the year in mid-January. Shoppers can expect bonus points, free shipping, and discount coupons to start the year off right.
Rakuten Super Sale
March marks the first Rakuten Super Sale of the year, Japan’s biggest shopping event that happens quarterly. For one week, shoppers can snap up half-price deals, bonus points, instant rebates, and free shipping on everything from furniture and beauty to mobile services and travel bookings.
https://wpic.co/blog/january-march-japan-ecommerce-calendar/
23.12.25 09:48
#13809
Libuda
VEON Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony
VEON’s Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to Advance Next-Generation Connectivity and Digital Infrastructure
Almaty, Dubai and Tokyo, December 23, 2025: VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator (“VEON”), and Rakuten Group, Inc. (TSE: 4755), announced today that Beeline Kazakhstan Holding, VEON’s digital operator in Kazakhstan, and Rakuten Symphony, a subsidiary of Rakuten Group, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore strategic collaboration on next-generation connectivity, digital services, and cloud-native network infrastructure.
The MoU establishes a framework for cooperation focused on the evolution of modern, software-driven telecom networks and scalable digital platforms. Under this framework, the parties will assess opportunities to deepen collaboration across priority technology areas, including Open RAN architectures, AI-powered network intelligence, next-generation digital platforms, cloud solutions, and global IoT and mobile workforce connectivity.
By combining Beeline Kazakhstan’s strong market position and expanding digital ecosystem with Rakuten Symphony’s experience in cloud-native networks and open, automated architectures, the collaboration aims to support the long-term modernization of connectivity infrastructure and the development of advanced digital services in Kazakhstan.
“Our networks and business models are undergoing a profound transformation driven by cloud, automation and artificial intelligence,” said Evgeniy Nastradin, CEO of Beeline Kazakhstan Holding. “This collaboration reflects our ambition to explore next-generation network architectures and digital platforms that can enhance efficiency, resilience, and customer experience. By pairing our local expertise with Rakuten Symphony’s global innovation capabilities, we seek to unlock new opportunities for Kazakhstan’s digital ecosystem.”
About VEON
VEON is a digital operator that provides connectivity and digital services to nearly 150 million connectivity and 140 million digital users. Operating across five countries that are home to more than 6% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on NASDAQ.
About Beeline Kazakhstan
Beeline Kazakhstan serves 11.9 million customers with mobile connectivity and around one million with fixed internet services. Since 2018, the company has been executing its digital operator strategy. Over the past five years, leveraging its expertise in digital solution development, Beeline Kazakhstan has created an ecosystem of 60 internal and external products. Beeline Kazakhstan is majority-owned by VEON.
https://www.veon.com/newsroom/press-releases/...igital-infrastructure
Almaty, Dubai and Tokyo, December 23, 2025: VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator (“VEON”), and Rakuten Group, Inc. (TSE: 4755), announced today that Beeline Kazakhstan Holding, VEON’s digital operator in Kazakhstan, and Rakuten Symphony, a subsidiary of Rakuten Group, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore strategic collaboration on next-generation connectivity, digital services, and cloud-native network infrastructure.
The MoU establishes a framework for cooperation focused on the evolution of modern, software-driven telecom networks and scalable digital platforms. Under this framework, the parties will assess opportunities to deepen collaboration across priority technology areas, including Open RAN architectures, AI-powered network intelligence, next-generation digital platforms, cloud solutions, and global IoT and mobile workforce connectivity.
By combining Beeline Kazakhstan’s strong market position and expanding digital ecosystem with Rakuten Symphony’s experience in cloud-native networks and open, automated architectures, the collaboration aims to support the long-term modernization of connectivity infrastructure and the development of advanced digital services in Kazakhstan.
“Our networks and business models are undergoing a profound transformation driven by cloud, automation and artificial intelligence,” said Evgeniy Nastradin, CEO of Beeline Kazakhstan Holding. “This collaboration reflects our ambition to explore next-generation network architectures and digital platforms that can enhance efficiency, resilience, and customer experience. By pairing our local expertise with Rakuten Symphony’s global innovation capabilities, we seek to unlock new opportunities for Kazakhstan’s digital ecosystem.”
About VEON
VEON is a digital operator that provides connectivity and digital services to nearly 150 million connectivity and 140 million digital users. Operating across five countries that are home to more than 6% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on NASDAQ.
About Beeline Kazakhstan
Beeline Kazakhstan serves 11.9 million customers with mobile connectivity and around one million with fixed internet services. Since 2018, the company has been executing its digital operator strategy. Over the past five years, leveraging its expertise in digital solution development, Beeline Kazakhstan has created an ecosystem of 60 internal and external products. Beeline Kazakhstan is majority-owned by VEON.
https://www.veon.com/newsroom/press-releases/...igital-infrastructure
23.12.25 13:51
#13810
Libuda
Rakuten Travelwith Discounts and Point Giveaway
Rakuten Travel to Hold New Year Fair with Discounts and Point Giveaway
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Rakuten Group will hold a “New Year Fair” on its travel booking website “Rakuten Travel” from 10:00 a.m. on December 22 through January 9, 2026.
By using coupons, domestic hotel stays can be discounted by up to 15%, overseas tour packages by up to 50,000 yen, domestic tour packages by up to 15,000 yen, activities and experiences by up to 5%, and rental cars by up to 55%. Some coupons can be used in combination.
In addition, those who register for the promotion and travel during the campaign will share a total of 3 million Rakuten Points. Rakuten Mobile subscribers can earn double points. The eligible travel period is from December 22 to February 28, 2026.
https://en.traicy.com/posts/2025122331167/
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Rakuten Group will hold a “New Year Fair” on its travel booking website “Rakuten Travel” from 10:00 a.m. on December 22 through January 9, 2026.
By using coupons, domestic hotel stays can be discounted by up to 15%, overseas tour packages by up to 50,000 yen, domestic tour packages by up to 15,000 yen, activities and experiences by up to 5%, and rental cars by up to 55%. Some coupons can be used in combination.
In addition, those who register for the promotion and travel during the campaign will share a total of 3 million Rakuten Points. Rakuten Mobile subscribers can earn double points. The eligible travel period is from December 22 to February 28, 2026.
https://en.traicy.com/posts/2025122331167/
23.12.25 16:39
#13811
Libuda
Beeline Kazakhstan
“We are delighted to expand our partnership with VEON through this collaboration with Beeline Kazakhstan, a forward-thinking operator that shares our vision for the future of telecommunications,” said Sharad Sriwastawa, President of Rakuten Symphony. “Today’s announcement underscores our shared commitment to driving the future of telecom with open, cloud-native architectures. By combining our expertise in Open RAN, AI-powered automation, and digital platforms with Beeline Kazakhstan's local expertise, we aim to deliver innovation and enhanced digital experiences for the region.”
“Beeline Kazakhstan has consistently demonstrated its leadership in translating advanced technologies into meaningful digital services for the people of Kazakhstan and the broader region,” said Kaan Terzioglu, VEON Group CEO. “This collaboration will enable us to explore how Rakuten Symphony’s cutting-edge capabilities and business model can enhance Beeline Kazakhstan’s continued network evolution and digital service ambitions. We are delighted to expand our collaboration with Rakuten to a second VEON Group company following Kyivstar Group in Ukraine.”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...tan-rakuten-symphony-060000222.html
“Beeline Kazakhstan has consistently demonstrated its leadership in translating advanced technologies into meaningful digital services for the people of Kazakhstan and the broader region,” said Kaan Terzioglu, VEON Group CEO. “This collaboration will enable us to explore how Rakuten Symphony’s cutting-edge capabilities and business model can enhance Beeline Kazakhstan’s continued network evolution and digital service ambitions. We are delighted to expand our collaboration with Rakuten to a second VEON Group company following Kyivstar Group in Ukraine.”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...tan-rakuten-symphony-060000222.html
24.12.25 12:46
#13812
Libuda
Launches Rakuten Beauty Agent Beta
Rakuten Beauty Launches Rakuten Beauty Agent Beta, an AI Agent Offering Users Customized Support for Salon Selection
- New agent assists users in selecting salons tailored to their needs, leveraging robust data and salon details
Tokyo, December 24, 2025 - Rakuten Beauty, Rakuten Group, Inc.’s beauty salon reservation service, today announced the launch of Rakuten Beauty Agent Beta. This new AI agent assists users in selecting the most suitable salon based on personal preferences.
Now available as an open beta version, Rakuten Beauty Agent Beta is an AI agent that supports users in selecting salons tailored to their needs. Recommendations are based on robust data from salons listed in the Rakuten Beauty platform* including basic salon information, service menus, staff details, customer reviews and reservation availability. The free service is available to all users from the Rakuten Beauty mobile website.
The AI agent’s key features include the ability to understand natural language and accurately grasp requests, a function to list and compare multiple salons, as well as display salon locations on a map. The ability to conveniently complete the salon search and process before the actual reservation on a single screen is a significant advantage.
Users can use natural language to input their desired services, location and other search criteria into the chat interface. The AI agent then interprets the user's needs from their chat input and recommends the best salon choices based on a wealth of data, including information from Rakuten Beauty’s listed salons.
To complete the reservation, users are redirected from the AI chat to the online booking screen to easily complete the booking with their recommended salon. Additionally, the AI agent’s Search Suggestions feature displays suggested keywords on the screen to assist users as they type. These functions help AI beginners find their ideal salon quickly and effortlessly.
Leveraging this new AI agent search method, salons can expect enhanced discoverability and a higher likelihood of attracting users who match well with their unique offerings. Rakuten Beauty will leverage feedback from both users and salons to further improve Rakuten Beauty Agent Beta’s convenience.
Rakuten is leveraging its "AI-nization" initiative to promote the use of AI in all aspects of its businesses to achieve further growth. In addition, the company will continuously improve and expand the capabilities of Rakuten AI, which aims to empower society and individuals through innovation, creativity and collaboration. The company seeks to expand its AI agent support to encompass even more of the Rakuten Ecosystem, providing users with more personalized experiences.
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/1224_01.html
- New agent assists users in selecting salons tailored to their needs, leveraging robust data and salon details
Tokyo, December 24, 2025 - Rakuten Beauty, Rakuten Group, Inc.’s beauty salon reservation service, today announced the launch of Rakuten Beauty Agent Beta. This new AI agent assists users in selecting the most suitable salon based on personal preferences.
Now available as an open beta version, Rakuten Beauty Agent Beta is an AI agent that supports users in selecting salons tailored to their needs. Recommendations are based on robust data from salons listed in the Rakuten Beauty platform* including basic salon information, service menus, staff details, customer reviews and reservation availability. The free service is available to all users from the Rakuten Beauty mobile website.
The AI agent’s key features include the ability to understand natural language and accurately grasp requests, a function to list and compare multiple salons, as well as display salon locations on a map. The ability to conveniently complete the salon search and process before the actual reservation on a single screen is a significant advantage.
Users can use natural language to input their desired services, location and other search criteria into the chat interface. The AI agent then interprets the user's needs from their chat input and recommends the best salon choices based on a wealth of data, including information from Rakuten Beauty’s listed salons.
To complete the reservation, users are redirected from the AI chat to the online booking screen to easily complete the booking with their recommended salon. Additionally, the AI agent’s Search Suggestions feature displays suggested keywords on the screen to assist users as they type. These functions help AI beginners find their ideal salon quickly and effortlessly.
Leveraging this new AI agent search method, salons can expect enhanced discoverability and a higher likelihood of attracting users who match well with their unique offerings. Rakuten Beauty will leverage feedback from both users and salons to further improve Rakuten Beauty Agent Beta’s convenience.
Rakuten is leveraging its "AI-nization" initiative to promote the use of AI in all aspects of its businesses to achieve further growth. In addition, the company will continuously improve and expand the capabilities of Rakuten AI, which aims to empower society and individuals through innovation, creativity and collaboration. The company seeks to expand its AI agent support to encompass even more of the Rakuten Ecosystem, providing users with more personalized experiences.
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/1224_01.html
24.12.25 14:19
#13813
Libuda
Agentic AI in telecom
Agentic AI in telecom: Why 2026 will be the breakout year and how telcos can actually get there
By Udai Kanukolanu
December 22, 2025
For years, telecom operators have talked about AI with a mix of hope and caution. It promised efficiency, smarter networks, fewer outages, and happier customers, but in practice, most AI projects stayed on the fringes. They automated small tasks, predicted a handful of events, or assisted call center teams, yet they rarely changed how networks or operations fundamentally worked.
Between 2024 and 2025, that picture shifted dramatically. A new class of systems called agentic AI began moving from research labs into live telecom environments. Unlike traditional AI, which predicts or recommends, agentic AI understands goals, plans actions, executes across systems, and learns continuously. For a domain as distributed, complex, and time-sensitive as telecom, this shift is foundational.
Across global enterprises, agentic AI is moving rapidly from experimentation to execution. A growing share of companies have already put agents into production, not just pilots, and most expect to scale them further. Organizations increasingly view agentic AI not only as an efficiency lever but as a path to new revenue streams and reimagined operations. What was once an early-stage experiment is now becoming a mainstream strategic priority.
Yet even as industry-wide adoption grows, telecom operators are deploying agentic AI in a controlled and heavily supervised manner. Agents today operate under strict guardrails: they can detect faults, reroute traffic, restart failing elements, or trigger basic remediation steps, but any impactful action, such as changing radio parameters, modifying live configurations, or initiating site-level maintenance, still requires explicit human approval. Customer-facing workflows allow agents to resolve common issues automatically, while billing, identity, or policy-sensitive actions remain human-controlled. Even in field operations, agents can diagnose and recommend fixes, but technicians still confirm execution.
In summary, most operators allow autonomy only in low-risk zones, with humans overseeing every decision that carries real operational consequences. The industry is clearly moving toward deeper autonomy, but today’s deployments remain intentionally conservative, balancing innovation with safety, predictability, and regulatory trust.
What agentic AI has already changed
The earliest progress came from customer operations. Voice agents that sounded clunky and robotic just a year ago can now hold more natural conversations. Digital agents are evolving beyond chatbots into execution engines that can troubleshoot simple issues, update subscription plans, generate workflows, and close loops without human assistance.
Network and field operations are not far behind. Agents can already detect congestion patterns, tune RAN parameters, trigger small cell activation, adjust power levels, and resolve certain issues autonomously. Field teams benefit from automated diagnostics and smarter ticket triage. IT operations are seeing agent-driven patching, scaling, and resource optimization. The industry has also strengthened its governance backbone: identity layers, auditability, and policy-restricted autonomy are now common in early deployments.
These early wins have set the stage for what is likely to come next, but it’s important to note how far away still we are from the finish line.
Key agentic AI trends reshaping telecom
A lot is changing, but a few agentic AI shifts stand out for how quickly they’re moving from pilots to real-world impact.
Collaborative multi-agent ecosystems across domains
The biggest shift is the rise of interconnected agents coordinating network operations, customer care, billing, security, and service assurance. These systems work toward shared intent, enabling telecom environments to behave more like holistic and autonomous digital ecosystems.
Self-optimizing and self-healing networks
Instead of engineers chasing alarms, agents now identify congestion, adjust parameters, reroute traffic, and resolve issues before customers ever notice – bringing true closed-loop automation closer to reality.
Autonomous customer experience journeys
Customer interactions are becoming end-to-end agent-driven, as we discussed previously.
Real-time fraud and security intelligence
Security agents continuously detect anomalies, block suspicious behavior, and work with network and CX agents to mitigate risks instantly, reducing both fraud losses and response times.
Agentic OSS/BSS automation and intent-driven service orchestration
OSS and BSS are becoming far more dynamic, with agents handling service provisioning, order fallout, policy enforcement, charging logic, and workflow generation. This shifts telcos from reactive back-office processes to real-time, intent-driven operations.
What 2026 looks like to me
2026 will move the industry a step closer to true autonomy, with networks becoming more self-managing and intelligent across domains. We will see coherent, multi-agent systems operating across domains in ways that meaningfully reduce operational friction. For example, telecom NOCs will begin to resemble multi-agent NOCs, where specialized agents detect, diagnose, orchestrate, execute, and verify tasks in parallel.
Across RAN, transport, and core, near-real-time optimization will become far more achievable, especially as cloud-native architectures and open APIs become standard. Customer experience will become more predictive, with agents identifying QoE degradation or churn risk before users feel the impact. Enterprise connectivity (think SD-WAN, private 5G, cloud integration) will shift toward self-adjusting systems. And more operational artifacts, like runbooks, remediation workflows, and dashboards, will be generated by agents.
Key aspects of this breakout will include:
Market growth: The global agentic AI market is projected to grow substantially around the 2026 timeframe, indicating a large-scale market transition.
Shift from "AI as a helper" to "AI as a doer": Agentic AI systems will move beyond simply providing insights or following instructions to autonomously observing, deciding, and acting within defined guardrails – at least in newer, select areas.
Massive scale and integration: Rather than isolated use cases, agentic AI will be embedded across all business functions. It will be integrated into core enterprise platforms and workflows.
Autonomous operations: Networks are expected to achieve the next level of self-optimizing. AI agents will manage traffic dynamically, predicting and preventing failures, and resolving issues in real-time.
Tangible business value: Telcos will make demands for concrete, measurable ROI, such as significant cost reductions and new revenue streams from AI.
New human-AI workforce model: The integration will necessitate new organizational structures and roles, with human employees and AI agents working as "hybrid teams" or "digital teammates”.
Trust and governance maturity: The increased autonomy will force the industry to prioritize and implement robust governance, transparency, and ethical frameworks to build trust and ensure end-accountability.
None of this would be possible without the groundwork laid over the last five years. Disaggregated networks, cloud-native platforms, automation-first design, and orchestration layers have created the programmable environment agentic AI needs.
Interestingly, Rakuten Symphony demonstrated automation-led, cloud-native operations at scale and helped prove these foundations even before agentic AI entered the spotlight.
To wrap up the first segment of my two-part blog – where does all this leave us? We certainly won’t disappear. My bet is: humans will simply move into supervisory and policy-defining roles instead of coordinating every task manually.
In 2026, what telcos need is not hype, but a structured path to deploy agentic AI safely and at scale. That’s what I’ll look to explore in Part 2.
https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...ow-telcos-can-actually-get-there
By Udai Kanukolanu
December 22, 2025
For years, telecom operators have talked about AI with a mix of hope and caution. It promised efficiency, smarter networks, fewer outages, and happier customers, but in practice, most AI projects stayed on the fringes. They automated small tasks, predicted a handful of events, or assisted call center teams, yet they rarely changed how networks or operations fundamentally worked.
Between 2024 and 2025, that picture shifted dramatically. A new class of systems called agentic AI began moving from research labs into live telecom environments. Unlike traditional AI, which predicts or recommends, agentic AI understands goals, plans actions, executes across systems, and learns continuously. For a domain as distributed, complex, and time-sensitive as telecom, this shift is foundational.
Across global enterprises, agentic AI is moving rapidly from experimentation to execution. A growing share of companies have already put agents into production, not just pilots, and most expect to scale them further. Organizations increasingly view agentic AI not only as an efficiency lever but as a path to new revenue streams and reimagined operations. What was once an early-stage experiment is now becoming a mainstream strategic priority.
Yet even as industry-wide adoption grows, telecom operators are deploying agentic AI in a controlled and heavily supervised manner. Agents today operate under strict guardrails: they can detect faults, reroute traffic, restart failing elements, or trigger basic remediation steps, but any impactful action, such as changing radio parameters, modifying live configurations, or initiating site-level maintenance, still requires explicit human approval. Customer-facing workflows allow agents to resolve common issues automatically, while billing, identity, or policy-sensitive actions remain human-controlled. Even in field operations, agents can diagnose and recommend fixes, but technicians still confirm execution.
In summary, most operators allow autonomy only in low-risk zones, with humans overseeing every decision that carries real operational consequences. The industry is clearly moving toward deeper autonomy, but today’s deployments remain intentionally conservative, balancing innovation with safety, predictability, and regulatory trust.
What agentic AI has already changed
The earliest progress came from customer operations. Voice agents that sounded clunky and robotic just a year ago can now hold more natural conversations. Digital agents are evolving beyond chatbots into execution engines that can troubleshoot simple issues, update subscription plans, generate workflows, and close loops without human assistance.
Network and field operations are not far behind. Agents can already detect congestion patterns, tune RAN parameters, trigger small cell activation, adjust power levels, and resolve certain issues autonomously. Field teams benefit from automated diagnostics and smarter ticket triage. IT operations are seeing agent-driven patching, scaling, and resource optimization. The industry has also strengthened its governance backbone: identity layers, auditability, and policy-restricted autonomy are now common in early deployments.
These early wins have set the stage for what is likely to come next, but it’s important to note how far away still we are from the finish line.
Key agentic AI trends reshaping telecom
A lot is changing, but a few agentic AI shifts stand out for how quickly they’re moving from pilots to real-world impact.
Collaborative multi-agent ecosystems across domains
The biggest shift is the rise of interconnected agents coordinating network operations, customer care, billing, security, and service assurance. These systems work toward shared intent, enabling telecom environments to behave more like holistic and autonomous digital ecosystems.
Self-optimizing and self-healing networks
Instead of engineers chasing alarms, agents now identify congestion, adjust parameters, reroute traffic, and resolve issues before customers ever notice – bringing true closed-loop automation closer to reality.
Autonomous customer experience journeys
Customer interactions are becoming end-to-end agent-driven, as we discussed previously.
Real-time fraud and security intelligence
Security agents continuously detect anomalies, block suspicious behavior, and work with network and CX agents to mitigate risks instantly, reducing both fraud losses and response times.
Agentic OSS/BSS automation and intent-driven service orchestration
OSS and BSS are becoming far more dynamic, with agents handling service provisioning, order fallout, policy enforcement, charging logic, and workflow generation. This shifts telcos from reactive back-office processes to real-time, intent-driven operations.
What 2026 looks like to me
2026 will move the industry a step closer to true autonomy, with networks becoming more self-managing and intelligent across domains. We will see coherent, multi-agent systems operating across domains in ways that meaningfully reduce operational friction. For example, telecom NOCs will begin to resemble multi-agent NOCs, where specialized agents detect, diagnose, orchestrate, execute, and verify tasks in parallel.
Across RAN, transport, and core, near-real-time optimization will become far more achievable, especially as cloud-native architectures and open APIs become standard. Customer experience will become more predictive, with agents identifying QoE degradation or churn risk before users feel the impact. Enterprise connectivity (think SD-WAN, private 5G, cloud integration) will shift toward self-adjusting systems. And more operational artifacts, like runbooks, remediation workflows, and dashboards, will be generated by agents.
Key aspects of this breakout will include:
Market growth: The global agentic AI market is projected to grow substantially around the 2026 timeframe, indicating a large-scale market transition.
Shift from "AI as a helper" to "AI as a doer": Agentic AI systems will move beyond simply providing insights or following instructions to autonomously observing, deciding, and acting within defined guardrails – at least in newer, select areas.
Massive scale and integration: Rather than isolated use cases, agentic AI will be embedded across all business functions. It will be integrated into core enterprise platforms and workflows.
Autonomous operations: Networks are expected to achieve the next level of self-optimizing. AI agents will manage traffic dynamically, predicting and preventing failures, and resolving issues in real-time.
Tangible business value: Telcos will make demands for concrete, measurable ROI, such as significant cost reductions and new revenue streams from AI.
New human-AI workforce model: The integration will necessitate new organizational structures and roles, with human employees and AI agents working as "hybrid teams" or "digital teammates”.
Trust and governance maturity: The increased autonomy will force the industry to prioritize and implement robust governance, transparency, and ethical frameworks to build trust and ensure end-accountability.
None of this would be possible without the groundwork laid over the last five years. Disaggregated networks, cloud-native platforms, automation-first design, and orchestration layers have created the programmable environment agentic AI needs.
Interestingly, Rakuten Symphony demonstrated automation-led, cloud-native operations at scale and helped prove these foundations even before agentic AI entered the spotlight.
To wrap up the first segment of my two-part blog – where does all this leave us? We certainly won’t disappear. My bet is: humans will simply move into supervisory and policy-defining roles instead of coordinating every task manually.
In 2026, what telcos need is not hype, but a structured path to deploy agentic AI safely and at scale. That’s what I’ll look to explore in Part 2.
https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...ow-telcos-can-actually-get-there
24.12.25 17:12
#13814
Libuda
Rakuten owning 31 million AST-shares
Indian rocket deploys AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 6 satellite
AST plans to lift off 45-60 satellites by the end of 2026 to deliver direct text, voice, and 5G data services
An Indian LVM3 rocket successfully launched AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 6 satellite on December 23.
This major launch of the cutting-edge direct-to-direct satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).
ISRO chairman V. Narayanan stated the mission brought India’s total to 434 satellites launched for 34 countries, and described BlueBird 6—at about 6,100 kilograms, as the heaviest satellite launched in the history of India.
AST founder and CEO Abel Avellan confirmed the company had taken complete control of the spacecraft and reported nominal telemetry.
Once launched, BlueBird 6 unfolds a 223-square-meter phased-array antenna, marking it nearly 3.5 times larger as compared to the AST’s earlier BlueBird satellites lifted off last year.
Starting in early 2026, the larger Block 2 BlueBirds will integrate in-house chips enabling 10 gigahertz of processing bandwidth, supporting peak data speeds of up to 120 Mbps.
AST plans to lift off 45-60 satellites by the end of 2026 to deliver direct text, voice, and 5G data services to standard mobile phones.
Several more launches are expected on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, alongside SpaceX, in the near future, with increasing competitors among rivals, including Starlink
https://jang.com.pk/en/...-ast-spacemobiles-bluebird-6-satellite-news
AST plans to lift off 45-60 satellites by the end of 2026 to deliver direct text, voice, and 5G data services
An Indian LVM3 rocket successfully launched AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 6 satellite on December 23.
This major launch of the cutting-edge direct-to-direct satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).
ISRO chairman V. Narayanan stated the mission brought India’s total to 434 satellites launched for 34 countries, and described BlueBird 6—at about 6,100 kilograms, as the heaviest satellite launched in the history of India.
AST founder and CEO Abel Avellan confirmed the company had taken complete control of the spacecraft and reported nominal telemetry.
Once launched, BlueBird 6 unfolds a 223-square-meter phased-array antenna, marking it nearly 3.5 times larger as compared to the AST’s earlier BlueBird satellites lifted off last year.
Starting in early 2026, the larger Block 2 BlueBirds will integrate in-house chips enabling 10 gigahertz of processing bandwidth, supporting peak data speeds of up to 120 Mbps.
AST plans to lift off 45-60 satellites by the end of 2026 to deliver direct text, voice, and 5G data services to standard mobile phones.
Several more launches are expected on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, alongside SpaceX, in the near future, with increasing competitors among rivals, including Starlink
https://jang.com.pk/en/...-ast-spacemobiles-bluebird-6-satellite-news
25.12.25 12:25
#13815
Libuda
Rakuten Mobile Surpasses 10 Million Subscribers
- Special thank you campaign launched to celebrate milestone
Tokyo, December 25, 2025 – Rakuten Mobile, Japan’s newest and most modern mobile network, today announced that its total number of subscribers has surpassed 10 million as of December 25, 2025. Thanks to strong support from customers and business partners, Rakuten Mobile has achieved 10 million subscribers in only 5 years and 8 months since its full-scale commercial launch in April 2020.
To coincide with this major milestone, Rakuten Mobile will launch a commemorative campaign, offering special benefits to customers in appreciation of their continuous support. The campaign will be on the company’s official social media channels and Rakuten Mobile shops nationwide.
10 Million Subscribers Celebration: New Year Lucky Draw Campaign
Campaign winners will be randomly selected from among participants who follow Rakuten Mobile's official X account, repost the campaign post and join the lucky draw contest. Winners will receive prizes such as a Rakuten Mobile original Daruma doll, a gold replica SIM card or Rakuten Points.
10 Million Subscribers Celebration: Rakuten Mobile Shop Estimate & Apply to Share in 10 Million Points Campaign
This campaign will share 10 million points among participants who conduct a price estimate and apply for Rakuten Mobile at a Rakuten Mobile shop. From January 15, 2026, Rakuten Mobile will distribute limited-edition Okaimono Panda stickers, with a special design celebrating the 10 million subscribers, at all shops.
Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten Group, said, “Rakuten Mobile has reached a significant milestone by surpassing 10 million subscribers. We sincerely appreciate the support of each and every one of our customers and the cooperation of all our partners, who made this success possible. Since entering the mobile carrier business with the goal of democratizing the mobile market, we have relentlessly pursued disruptive innovation. Today’s achievement is a new starting line, we remain committed to delivering even more enjoyable and convenient services that enrich our customers' lives."
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/1225_01.html
- Special thank you campaign launched to celebrate milestone
Tokyo, December 25, 2025 – Rakuten Mobile, Japan’s newest and most modern mobile network, today announced that its total number of subscribers has surpassed 10 million as of December 25, 2025. Thanks to strong support from customers and business partners, Rakuten Mobile has achieved 10 million subscribers in only 5 years and 8 months since its full-scale commercial launch in April 2020.
To coincide with this major milestone, Rakuten Mobile will launch a commemorative campaign, offering special benefits to customers in appreciation of their continuous support. The campaign will be on the company’s official social media channels and Rakuten Mobile shops nationwide.
10 Million Subscribers Celebration: New Year Lucky Draw Campaign
Campaign winners will be randomly selected from among participants who follow Rakuten Mobile's official X account, repost the campaign post and join the lucky draw contest. Winners will receive prizes such as a Rakuten Mobile original Daruma doll, a gold replica SIM card or Rakuten Points.
10 Million Subscribers Celebration: Rakuten Mobile Shop Estimate & Apply to Share in 10 Million Points Campaign
This campaign will share 10 million points among participants who conduct a price estimate and apply for Rakuten Mobile at a Rakuten Mobile shop. From January 15, 2026, Rakuten Mobile will distribute limited-edition Okaimono Panda stickers, with a special design celebrating the 10 million subscribers, at all shops.
Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten Group, said, “Rakuten Mobile has reached a significant milestone by surpassing 10 million subscribers. We sincerely appreciate the support of each and every one of our customers and the cooperation of all our partners, who made this success possible. Since entering the mobile carrier business with the goal of democratizing the mobile market, we have relentlessly pursued disruptive innovation. Today’s achievement is a new starting line, we remain committed to delivering even more enjoyable and convenient services that enrich our customers' lives."
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/1225_01.html
25.12.25 15:55
#13816
Libuda
AIdiverges from Big Tech in prioritizing low cost
Rakuten AI boss diverges from Big Tech in prioritizing low cost
Rakuten Group is expanding its AI team under the stewardship of a Google veteran and building models with a focus on cost efficiency.
Ting Cai, now three years into his tenure at the head of the e-commerce pioneer’s artificial intelligence team, has the task of creating AI systems that would augment the company’s many businesses and support the handling of commercial transactions at a minimal cost. He oversees a team that’s grown to 1,000 this year and has a battery of “thousands” of Nvidia chips to work with.
“Rakuten is very business-focused, applying the latest tech to solve customer problems,” Cai, 53, said in an interview. “In order to do this at large scale, we have to deliver the maximum margin. That’s why reducing the cost is super important for us in deploying generative AI.”
“Rakuten is very business-focused, applying the latest tech to solve customer problems,” Cai, 53, said in an interview. “In order to do this at large scale, we have to deliver the maximum margin. That’s why reducing the cost is super important for us in deploying generative AI.”
AI functions contributed ¥10.5 billion ($67 million) to operating income in 2024, and the company aims to double that figure this year. Intelligent ad targeting and placement have boosted the return-on-investment for sellers using Rakuten’s online storefront, while AI-powered semantic search and personalized recommendations have lifted user engagement and click-through rates.
“A lot of people are already depending on Rakuten. But I think we can do so much more than that,” Cai said. “Rakuten’s goal is to become Japan’s leading AI empowerment company.”
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/12/23/.../rakuten-ai-boss/
Rakuten Group is expanding its AI team under the stewardship of a Google veteran and building models with a focus on cost efficiency.
Ting Cai, now three years into his tenure at the head of the e-commerce pioneer’s artificial intelligence team, has the task of creating AI systems that would augment the company’s many businesses and support the handling of commercial transactions at a minimal cost. He oversees a team that’s grown to 1,000 this year and has a battery of “thousands” of Nvidia chips to work with.
“Rakuten is very business-focused, applying the latest tech to solve customer problems,” Cai, 53, said in an interview. “In order to do this at large scale, we have to deliver the maximum margin. That’s why reducing the cost is super important for us in deploying generative AI.”
“Rakuten is very business-focused, applying the latest tech to solve customer problems,” Cai, 53, said in an interview. “In order to do this at large scale, we have to deliver the maximum margin. That’s why reducing the cost is super important for us in deploying generative AI.”
AI functions contributed ¥10.5 billion ($67 million) to operating income in 2024, and the company aims to double that figure this year. Intelligent ad targeting and placement have boosted the return-on-investment for sellers using Rakuten’s online storefront, while AI-powered semantic search and personalized recommendations have lifted user engagement and click-through rates.
“A lot of people are already depending on Rakuten. But I think we can do so much more than that,” Cai said. “Rakuten’s goal is to become Japan’s leading AI empowerment company.”
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/12/23/.../rakuten-ai-boss/
25.12.25 22:12
#13817
Libuda
Important Step
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) announced the successful orbital launch of BlueBird 6. The BlueBird 6 mission lifted off at 10:25 p.m. EST on December 23 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. BlueBird 6 becomes now the largest commercial communications array ever deployed in low Earth orbit, spanning nearly 2,400 square feet, three times larger than AST SpaceMobile’s previous record-breaking BlueBirds 1-5, engineered to deliver commercial and government applications, including high-speed 4G and 5G space-based cellular broadband directly to standard, unmodified smartphones, and government applications that benefit from the power, size, and patented technology of AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird spacecrafts.
25.12.25 22:52
#13818
Libuda
Seibu Sogo official online store as an advertiser
Link Share Japan participates in "Link Share Affiliate" with Seibu Sogo's official online store "e.department store" as an advertiser
- Able to introduce high-quality products of a wide range of genres carefully selected by department stores –
2025/12/25
Rakuten Group's LinkShare Japan Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "LinkShare Japan") is pleased to announce that the official online store "e.Department Store" operated by Sogo Seibu Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Sogo Seibu") has participated as an advertiser in the affiliate network "LinkShare Affiliate".
As a result, "e. Department Store" has launched an affiliate program for affiliate partners of "Link Share Affiliate" today. Affiliate partners will be able to introduce a wide range of products, from seasonal gifts to everyday use, such as high-quality cosmetics, food, and gifts carefully selected by department stores, through LinkShare Japan's affiliate network.
"Link Share Affiliate" has a full support system such as guides, seminars, and email support for beginners so that advertisers who are just starting to become affiliates can work with peace of mind. Sogo and Seibu decided to participate because they sympathized with the consistent support system dedicated to "Link Share Affiliates".
In order to contribute to maximizing corporate marketing performance, LinkShare Japan will continue to propose cutting-edge initiatives that combine the vast amount of data and knowledge accumulated by the Rakuten Group with ad technology from around the world.
About
"e.Department Store" Seibu Sogo's official online store "e.Department Store" is an e-commerce site that offers a wide range of product genres, from seasonal gifts to items that can be used in everyday life, offering a wide range of cosmetics, food, gifts, etc. unique to department stores.
About
Link Share Japan Co., Ltd. Link Share Japan Co., Ltd., the digital marketing company of the Rakuten Group, focuses on performance-based affiliate advertising, display advertising, listing advertising, influencer services using Rakuten's accumulated consumer behavior analysis data and AI. We offer a wide range of digital marketing solutions. In particular, we have strengths in marketing support for e-commerce sites and the financial industry, and support advertisers in solving their problems.
https://jp.linkshare.com/news/20251225
- Able to introduce high-quality products of a wide range of genres carefully selected by department stores –
2025/12/25
Rakuten Group's LinkShare Japan Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "LinkShare Japan") is pleased to announce that the official online store "e.Department Store" operated by Sogo Seibu Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Sogo Seibu") has participated as an advertiser in the affiliate network "LinkShare Affiliate".
As a result, "e. Department Store" has launched an affiliate program for affiliate partners of "Link Share Affiliate" today. Affiliate partners will be able to introduce a wide range of products, from seasonal gifts to everyday use, such as high-quality cosmetics, food, and gifts carefully selected by department stores, through LinkShare Japan's affiliate network.
"Link Share Affiliate" has a full support system such as guides, seminars, and email support for beginners so that advertisers who are just starting to become affiliates can work with peace of mind. Sogo and Seibu decided to participate because they sympathized with the consistent support system dedicated to "Link Share Affiliates".
In order to contribute to maximizing corporate marketing performance, LinkShare Japan will continue to propose cutting-edge initiatives that combine the vast amount of data and knowledge accumulated by the Rakuten Group with ad technology from around the world.
About
"e.Department Store" Seibu Sogo's official online store "e.Department Store" is an e-commerce site that offers a wide range of product genres, from seasonal gifts to items that can be used in everyday life, offering a wide range of cosmetics, food, gifts, etc. unique to department stores.
About
Link Share Japan Co., Ltd. Link Share Japan Co., Ltd., the digital marketing company of the Rakuten Group, focuses on performance-based affiliate advertising, display advertising, listing advertising, influencer services using Rakuten's accumulated consumer behavior analysis data and AI. We offer a wide range of digital marketing solutions. In particular, we have strengths in marketing support for e-commerce sites and the financial industry, and support advertisers in solving their problems.
https://jp.linkshare.com/news/20251225
26.12.25 10:46
#13819
Libuda
LinkShare Japan Launches Four New Features
LinkShare Japan Launches Four New Features with LinkSurge, an integrated analysis tool for SEO, AIO, AND GEO
-Enables quantitative analysis and monitoring of keywords and domains cited by AI platforms-
2025/12/22
Rakuten Group's Link Share Japan Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Link Share Japan") today launched four new functions in LinkSurge, an integrated analysis tool for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), AIO (AI Search Optimization), and GEO (Generative AI Engine Optimization) jointly developed and provided by Benji Co., Ltd. in November this year.
The new feature expands the analytics capabilities of AI platforms, such as "AI Overviews," an AI-generated summary that appears at the top of Google search results, and generative AI chat. Specifically, there are "GEO Domain Analysis" that allows you to analyze whether the domain to be analyzed is cited on an AI platform on a page-by-page basis, and the "GEO Competitive Comparison Analysis" that allows you to compare and analyze whether multiple keywords and domains are cited on the AI platform at once. In addition, "GEO Monitoring", which visualizes daily numerical changes by setting up to 50 prompts and observing whether keywords and domains such as your company or competitors' brand names are quoted on the AI platform, and analyzes how the specified keywords were asked and quoted on the AI platform. These are the four "GEO brand mentions" that allow you to get search volume and citations (number of mentions).
Previously, the functions were mainly analyzed and suggested for improvement to make the site structure easier to be cited by "AI Overviews" and generative AI chat, but with this expansion, it is now possible to quantitatively analyze the citation status of keywords and domains on the AI platform. As a result, "LinkSurge" has further evolved as an analysis and improvement suggestion tool to maximize brand exposure in the AI search era.
Since "LinkSurge" began offering to website and e-commerce site operators in November this year, it has been widely introduced by both individuals and companies. In addition, while receiving a lot of feedback from users on their awareness of issues and countermeasures for AIO and GEO, we found that analyzing AIO and GEO involves a lot of tedious tasks, such as manually measuring the citation status of your own brand one by one and spending a huge amount of time comparing domains and keywords with multiple competing services. This function was developed as a tool that automates such time-consuming fixed-point observations and comparative analysis of multiple keywords or domains, making it easier and more accurate to analyze the actual state of the market in the era of AI search.
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/20251222
-Enables quantitative analysis and monitoring of keywords and domains cited by AI platforms-
2025/12/22
Rakuten Group's Link Share Japan Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Link Share Japan") today launched four new functions in LinkSurge, an integrated analysis tool for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), AIO (AI Search Optimization), and GEO (Generative AI Engine Optimization) jointly developed and provided by Benji Co., Ltd. in November this year.
The new feature expands the analytics capabilities of AI platforms, such as "AI Overviews," an AI-generated summary that appears at the top of Google search results, and generative AI chat. Specifically, there are "GEO Domain Analysis" that allows you to analyze whether the domain to be analyzed is cited on an AI platform on a page-by-page basis, and the "GEO Competitive Comparison Analysis" that allows you to compare and analyze whether multiple keywords and domains are cited on the AI platform at once. In addition, "GEO Monitoring", which visualizes daily numerical changes by setting up to 50 prompts and observing whether keywords and domains such as your company or competitors' brand names are quoted on the AI platform, and analyzes how the specified keywords were asked and quoted on the AI platform. These are the four "GEO brand mentions" that allow you to get search volume and citations (number of mentions).
Previously, the functions were mainly analyzed and suggested for improvement to make the site structure easier to be cited by "AI Overviews" and generative AI chat, but with this expansion, it is now possible to quantitatively analyze the citation status of keywords and domains on the AI platform. As a result, "LinkSurge" has further evolved as an analysis and improvement suggestion tool to maximize brand exposure in the AI search era.
Since "LinkSurge" began offering to website and e-commerce site operators in November this year, it has been widely introduced by both individuals and companies. In addition, while receiving a lot of feedback from users on their awareness of issues and countermeasures for AIO and GEO, we found that analyzing AIO and GEO involves a lot of tedious tasks, such as manually measuring the citation status of your own brand one by one and spending a huge amount of time comparing domains and keywords with multiple competing services. This function was developed as a tool that automates such time-consuming fixed-point observations and comparative analysis of multiple keywords or domains, making it easier and more accurate to analyze the actual state of the market in the era of AI search.
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/20251222
26.12.25 14:56
#13820
Libuda
GenAI for businesses of all sizes
January also welcomed Rakuten Mobile’s launch of Rakuten AI for Business, a practical generative AI platform designed to help companies, big and small, leverage the latest AI tech.
The tools are browser-based, easy to use, and tuned for Japanese business, offering support for drafting documents, translation, analyzing in-house data and more, with built-in safeguards to keep sensitive data protected.
Rakuten Mobile is empowering Japanese businesses with accessible AI.
The platform leverages the real-world expertise gleaned from Rakuten’s own internal usage of advanced AI tools in sales, operations, and marketing, providing pre-made templates to help businesses hit the ground running.
The goal is to make AI accessible for businesses of any size, unlocking new potential at an affordable price point. The platform leverages the real-world expertise gleaned from Rakuten’s own internal usage of advanced AI tools in sales, operations, and marketing, providing pre-made templates to help businesses hit the ground running.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...kuten-mobile-nine-major-milestones.html
January also welcomed Rakuten Mobile’s launch of Rakuten AI for Business, a practical generative AI platform designed to help companies, big and small, leverage the latest AI tech.
The tools are browser-based, easy to use, and tuned for Japanese business, offering support for drafting documents, translation, analyzing in-house data and more, with built-in safeguards to keep sensitive data protected.
Rakuten Mobile is empowering Japanese businesses with accessible AI.
The platform leverages the real-world expertise gleaned from Rakuten’s own internal usage of advanced AI tools in sales, operations, and marketing, providing pre-made templates to help businesses hit the ground running.
The goal is to make AI accessible for businesses of any size, unlocking new potential at an affordable price point. The platform leverages the real-world expertise gleaned from Rakuten’s own internal usage of advanced AI tools in sales, operations, and marketing, providing pre-made templates to help businesses hit the ground running.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...kuten-mobile-nine-major-milestones.html
26.12.25 18:35
#13821
Libuda
Value of Rakuten's AST-shares = $ 2.5 billion
45% of Alphabet’s $3 Billion Hidden Portfolio Is in Just 2 White-Hot Stocks
Rich Duprey
Fri, December 26, 2025
A lesser-known aspect is Alphabet also directly invests in public companies through its venture arms GV and CapitalG. This portfolio held 38 stocks at the end of the third quarter with assets under management of about $2.5 billion and spanning sectors like healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI), and technology.
Yet there is one sector where Alphabet has placed its biggest bets: space. According to McKinsey, the space sector is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, so it's not surprising Alphabet is attempting to cash in on the explosive growth expected. What's notable about Alphabet's space investments is that it has concentrated its focus on just two stocks, which comprise 45% of the portfolio's AUM at current valuations.
AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) and Planet Labs (NYSE:PL) stand out as the largest positions in the portfolio, so let's see whether they warrant an investment from you, too.
AST SpaceMobile builds a space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard smartphones. Alphabet participated in a $155 million strategic investment round in early 2024 alongside AT&T (NYSE:T) and Vodafone (NASDAQ:VOD), supporting the company's satellite constellation development.
Google collaborates on product development, testing, and implementation for network connectivity on Android devices. In the first quarter of 2025, Alphabet added 8.9 million shares valued at approximately $203 million. Today, those shares are worth almost $700 million and represent the portfolio's largest holding, or 23.3% of the total.
AST achieved a key milestone on Wednesday with the successful launch and orbital deployment of BlueBird 6, the largest commercial communications array in low Earth orbit. This validates its technology for direct-to-device connectivity.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...bet-3-billion-hidden-155528071.html
Rich Duprey
Fri, December 26, 2025
A lesser-known aspect is Alphabet also directly invests in public companies through its venture arms GV and CapitalG. This portfolio held 38 stocks at the end of the third quarter with assets under management of about $2.5 billion and spanning sectors like healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI), and technology.
Yet there is one sector where Alphabet has placed its biggest bets: space. According to McKinsey, the space sector is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, so it's not surprising Alphabet is attempting to cash in on the explosive growth expected. What's notable about Alphabet's space investments is that it has concentrated its focus on just two stocks, which comprise 45% of the portfolio's AUM at current valuations.
AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) and Planet Labs (NYSE:PL) stand out as the largest positions in the portfolio, so let's see whether they warrant an investment from you, too.
AST SpaceMobile builds a space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard smartphones. Alphabet participated in a $155 million strategic investment round in early 2024 alongside AT&T (NYSE:T) and Vodafone (NASDAQ:VOD), supporting the company's satellite constellation development.
Google collaborates on product development, testing, and implementation for network connectivity on Android devices. In the first quarter of 2025, Alphabet added 8.9 million shares valued at approximately $203 million. Today, those shares are worth almost $700 million and represent the portfolio's largest holding, or 23.3% of the total.
AST achieved a key milestone on Wednesday with the successful launch and orbital deployment of BlueBird 6, the largest commercial communications array in low Earth orbit. This validates its technology for direct-to-device connectivity.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...bet-3-billion-hidden-155528071.html
26.12.25 22:00
#13822
Libuda
Money Bridge
Rakuten Bank × Rakuten Securities Account Linkage Service "Money Bridge" Rakuten Increases the Maximum Preferential Interest Rate for Savings Deposits to 10 Million Yen & Revises Preferential Interest Rate - Supporting Affordable and Convenient Asset Management for More Customers -
December 25, 2025
Rakuten Bank Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Tomotaka Higashibayashi, hereinafter referred to as "Rakuten Bank") and Rakuten Securities Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Yuji Kusunoki, hereinafter referred to as "Rakuten Securities") is pleased to announce that the balance of the highest preferential interest rate for savings deposits under the account linkage service "Money Bridge" of both companies will be increased from the current 3 million yen to 10 million yen from the current 3 million yen from January 1, 2026 (Thursday). In addition, we would like to inform you that the preferential interest rate will be revised from Sunday, February 1, 2026.
Previously, Rakuten Bank had applied the highest preferential interest rate to customers using Money Bridge for the portion of Rakuten Bank's savings account balance of 3 million yen or less, but in response to customer expectations, we have decided to increase the balance of this preferential interest rate to 10 million yen. In addition, from Sunday, February 1, 2026, we will revise the preferential interest rate for Money Bridge. As a result, from Sunday, February 1, 2026, a preferential interest rate of 0.38% per year (0.302% after tax) will be applied to the portion of 10 million yen or less.
In addition, Rakuten Bank is currently holding the "Strongest Bonus Festival Ever" for a limited time until Saturday, February 28, 2026, where Rakuten Bank will offer the largest amount of benefits ever for opening an account and using the service. If you apply for a Rakuten Bank account and a Rakuten Securities account at the same time (customers who already have a Rakuten Bank account can apply for a Rakuten Securities account from the Rakuten Bank website) and meet the conditions such as "Money Bridge" registration, you will receive up to 5,000 yen.
"Money Bridge" is an account linkage service between Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities, and anyone with both accounts can apply for free. Once the setting is completed, Rakuten Bank's savings deposit interest rate will be preferential, and you can use the sweep function that automatically deposits and withdrawals between your bank account and your securities account, making asset management more convenient and cost-effective. Since the launch of the service in 2011, it has been used by many customers, and the number of users has steadily expanded, with the number of accounts set up exceeding 6 million in September 2025. As we enter a world with interest rates, we have decided to make this change in order to provide customers of both companies with the opportunity to manage their assets more efficiently than ever before.
Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities will continue to strongly support customers' asset formation through the "Money Bridge" and other collaborative services between the two companies. By providing services that are both convenient and economical, we aim to be close to each customer's life plan and make financial services more accessible.
https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/press/2025/20251225.html
December 25, 2025
Rakuten Bank Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Tomotaka Higashibayashi, hereinafter referred to as "Rakuten Bank") and Rakuten Securities Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Yuji Kusunoki, hereinafter referred to as "Rakuten Securities") is pleased to announce that the balance of the highest preferential interest rate for savings deposits under the account linkage service "Money Bridge" of both companies will be increased from the current 3 million yen to 10 million yen from the current 3 million yen from January 1, 2026 (Thursday). In addition, we would like to inform you that the preferential interest rate will be revised from Sunday, February 1, 2026.
Previously, Rakuten Bank had applied the highest preferential interest rate to customers using Money Bridge for the portion of Rakuten Bank's savings account balance of 3 million yen or less, but in response to customer expectations, we have decided to increase the balance of this preferential interest rate to 10 million yen. In addition, from Sunday, February 1, 2026, we will revise the preferential interest rate for Money Bridge. As a result, from Sunday, February 1, 2026, a preferential interest rate of 0.38% per year (0.302% after tax) will be applied to the portion of 10 million yen or less.
In addition, Rakuten Bank is currently holding the "Strongest Bonus Festival Ever" for a limited time until Saturday, February 28, 2026, where Rakuten Bank will offer the largest amount of benefits ever for opening an account and using the service. If you apply for a Rakuten Bank account and a Rakuten Securities account at the same time (customers who already have a Rakuten Bank account can apply for a Rakuten Securities account from the Rakuten Bank website) and meet the conditions such as "Money Bridge" registration, you will receive up to 5,000 yen.
"Money Bridge" is an account linkage service between Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities, and anyone with both accounts can apply for free. Once the setting is completed, Rakuten Bank's savings deposit interest rate will be preferential, and you can use the sweep function that automatically deposits and withdrawals between your bank account and your securities account, making asset management more convenient and cost-effective. Since the launch of the service in 2011, it has been used by many customers, and the number of users has steadily expanded, with the number of accounts set up exceeding 6 million in September 2025. As we enter a world with interest rates, we have decided to make this change in order to provide customers of both companies with the opportunity to manage their assets more efficiently than ever before.
Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities will continue to strongly support customers' asset formation through the "Money Bridge" and other collaborative services between the two companies. By providing services that are both convenient and economical, we aim to be close to each customer's life plan and make financial services more accessible.
https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/press/2025/20251225.html
26.12.25 22:53
#13823
Libuda
If AST get only 10% of market = $ 180 billion
I
According to McKinsey, the space sector is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, so it's not surprising Alphabet is attempting to cash in on the explosive growth expected.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...bet-3-billion-hidden-155528071.html
According to McKinsey, the space sector is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, so it's not surprising Alphabet is attempting to cash in on the explosive growth expected.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...bet-3-billion-hidden-155528071.html
27.12.25 11:15
#13824
Libuda
Rakuten Card was valued at $7.3 billion
10/15/2025 12:25
Mizuho Financial Group Inc (MFG, Financial) holds a strategic 15% stake in Rakuten's credit card segment, valued at $1.1 billion.
Rakuten is considering a U.S. IPO for its credit card operations, highlighting a trend among Japanese firms exploring international markets.
Mizuho (MFG) has a vested interest in Rakuten's credit card segment, owning a 15% stake, which was acquired for $1.1 billion. Currently, Rakuten is exploring a possible U.S. IPO for its credit card operations, although these plans are still in preliminary discussions. An alternative strategy under consideration is selling a stake to a strategic partner. This reflects a broader trend of Japanese companies evaluating international market opportunities.
Source: GuruFocus News
10/15/2025 12:25
Mizuho Financial Group Inc (MFG, Financial) holds a strategic 15% stake in Rakuten's credit card segment, valued at $1.1 billion.
Rakuten is considering a U.S. IPO for its credit card operations, highlighting a trend among Japanese firms exploring international markets.
Mizuho (MFG) has a vested interest in Rakuten's credit card segment, owning a 15% stake, which was acquired for $1.1 billion. Currently, Rakuten is exploring a possible U.S. IPO for its credit card operations, although these plans are still in preliminary discussions. An alternative strategy under consideration is selling a stake to a strategic partner. This reflects a broader trend of Japanese companies evaluating international market opportunities.
Source: GuruFocus News
27.12.25 18:35
#13825
Libuda
Agentic AI in Action
Agentic AI in Action: How AI, ML & Automation Are Transforming Network Operations - Featuring Axiata
12.12.2025
Agentic AI is redefining how telcos operate. Rakuten Symphony and Axiata leaders explore how AI, machine learning, and automation are driving autonomous networks, improving efficiency, and enabling intelligent, goal-directed decision-making across APAC.
Speakers:
Ahmed Saady Yaamin – Group Head of AI and Analytics, Axiata
Vivek Murthy – Executive Officer and President, OSS BU, Rakuten Symphony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-DvlDr-Vjg&t=31s
12.12.2025
Agentic AI is redefining how telcos operate. Rakuten Symphony and Axiata leaders explore how AI, machine learning, and automation are driving autonomous networks, improving efficiency, and enabling intelligent, goal-directed decision-making across APAC.
Speakers:
Ahmed Saady Yaamin – Group Head of AI and Analytics, Axiata
Vivek Murthy – Executive Officer and President, OSS BU, Rakuten Symphony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-DvlDr-Vjg&t=31s