Rakuten Mobile - Japan

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Rakuten Mobile
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Rakuten Mobile (Japan) uses 2 LTE bands and 2 5G NR bands. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work with Rakuten Mobile (Japan). See the tables below for details.

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Carrier website: https://network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/

Last updated: 2024/08/03 - See latest updates

Rakuten Mobile, Inc. is a Japanese mobile network operator (MNO) headquartered in Setagaya, Tokyo. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten. Rakuten Mobile was founded in January 2018 and launched its cellular service in Japan in April 2020, becoming the fourth telecom operator in the country. The company started rolling out its 5G service in October 2020 in selected regions of Japan.

Key Services and Innovations

  • Mobile Communications Services: Rakuten Mobile provides mobile communications services nationwide, operating both mobile network operator (MNO) and mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) businesses. It aims to offer convenient and easy-to-use communications services, leveraging synergies with Rakuten Group services to revolutionize the way people live and work in the 5G era.

  • Rakuten Turbo: This service provides Wi-Fi at home without the need for construction, using the compatible product "Rakuten Turbo 5G." It is recommended for customers who cannot install fiber optic lines at home or those who want to use Wi-Fi immediately after moving in.

  • Rakuten Hikari: This is a high-speed internet service with a maximum speed of 1Gbps, utilizing the fiber optic lines of NTT East/West through Rakuten Broadband. It offers various services, including free options, designed to meet customers' needs.

  • Rakuten Senior: This service aims to extend the healthy life expectancy of users by providing a variety of health-related functions, event participation, and content through the "Rakuten Senior" app. It also supports the digitalization of society by offering smartphone classes and event platforms.

Milestones and Achievements

  • Subscriber Growth: As of June 16, 2024, Rakuten Mobile has surpassed 7 million subscribers, marking the largest ever three-month net increase in subscribers since the launch of the Rakuten UN-LIMIT VII plan.

  • Service Expansion: The company has introduced various service plans, including the Saikyo Kids Program, which rewards customers aged 12 and under with Rakuten Points for low data usage. It also offers the Rakuten Mobile Buddycom Set, a special discount package for corporate customers.

  • Network Quality: Rakuten Mobile has been recognized by Opensignal as Japan’s leading mobile network service provider across five network performance areas. The company is continuously improving network quality and expanding its services to cater to a wide range of demographics.

Technological Innovations

  • Fully Virtualized Cloud-Native Mobile Network: Rakuten Mobile has built the world's first fully virtualized cloud-native mobile network, which significantly reduces capital investment and operation costs. This innovative approach allows for greater flexibility and resilience in the network.

  • 5G and 700 MHz Spectrum: The company has started radio frequency testing for the 700 MHz spectrum and aims to roll out commercial service using this band on its own base stations, starting with urban areas.

Rakuten Mobile is committed to providing innovative, high-quality, and cost-effective mobile services, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to disrupt the telecommunications industry.

Frequency Bands

LTE

Name Interface Description
B3 (1800 MHz +) LTE

Rakuten Mobile Japan uses the 1.7 GHz band (band 3/band 9) for its LTE services. This band is being deployed and operated nationwide with 4G LTE. Most of Rakuten’s base stations are for this band. The deployment of this band began in mid-2018 when Rakuten started building its greenfield wireless network in Japan.
B18 (800 MHz Lower) LTE

Rakuten Mobile Japan uses the 800 MHz band (LTE B18) for its mobile network. This band is widely deployed nationwide with 4G LTE. The deployment of this band started in 2020, when Rakuten Mobile launched its full-scale commercial 4G mobile service.

Supported LTE Protocols

Name Generation
LTE 4G
LTE-A 4G

5G NR

Name Interface Description
N77 (3700 MHz) 5G NR

Rakuten Mobile Japan has not deployed the 5G NR N77 (3700 MHz) frequency band.
N257 (mmWave 28 GHz) 5G NR

Rakuten Mobile Japan uses the 5G NR N257 (mmWave 28 GHz) frequency band. This band was deployed in October 2020.

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