Rakuten Mobile expands Open RAN with 1Finity 5G radios across Japan
The carrier begins large‑scale deployment of 1Finity’s Open RAN kit, boosting its 5G footprint and signaling a shift toward vendor‑agnostic networks.
- Rakuten Mobile starts installing 1Finity Open RAN 5G radios across major Japanese cities.
- The deployment integrates with Rakuten’s cloud‑native core, aiming for nationwide 5G coverage.
- Industry sees the move as a milestone for Open RAN, but cost and interoperability remain under review.
- Future phases will expand the rollout, open the testbed to partners, and inform regulator assessments.
Lede
Rakuten Mobile announced the rollout of 1Finity’s Open RAN 5G radios, marking the next phase of its network‑modernisation effort. The deployment, described by industry outlets as a "ramp‑up," adds thousands of sites to the carrier’s already‑extensive 5G footprint and underscores Japan’s push toward open, multi‑vendor mobile infrastructure.
Core developments
According to Data Center Dynamics, Rakuten Mobile has begun installing 1Finity’s 5G radio units as part of a broader Open RAN strategy that aims to replace traditional, single‑vendor base stations with a disaggregated architecture. The carrier’s engineering team is integrating the radios with its existing virtualised core, which already runs on a cloud‑native platform built on OpenStack and Kubernetes.
SDxCentral notes that the 1Finity kit includes a radio unit, a digital front‑end, and a software stack that complies with the O‑RAN Alliance specifications. The kit is designed to be interchangeable with other O‑RAN‑compliant components, allowing Rakuten to source hardware from multiple suppliers and avoid lock‑in to a single vendor.
Mobile World Live adds that the rollout targets both urban and suburban cells, with the first wave covering major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. The carrier plans to extend the deployment to regional markets over the coming months, leveraging the modular nature of the Open RAN solution to accelerate site build‑out.
All three sources confirm that the deployment is part of Rakuten’s five‑year roadmap to achieve full nationwide 5G coverage. The company has previously relied on a fully virtualised, end‑to‑end network that it built from the ground up, and the Open RAN expansion represents the next logical step in that evolution.
Why it matters
Open RAN promises to lower capital and operating expenses by enabling operators to mix and match hardware and software from different vendors. For Rakuten Mobile, which entered the Japanese market in 2020 with a fully cloud‑native network, the move reinforces its identity as a disruptive, technology‑first carrier.
Japan’s telecom regulators have been encouraging Open RAN adoption to diversify the supply chain and reduce dependence on a handful of traditional equipment manufacturers. By deploying 1Finity’s kit, Rakuten demonstrates a viable commercial pathway for Open RAN at scale, potentially influencing other Japanese operators such as NTT Docomo and KDDI to accelerate similar projects.
From a consumer perspective, the additional radios are expected to improve indoor coverage and increase capacity in high‑traffic zones. The modular design also means future upgrades—such as 6G‑ready hardware—can be introduced without a complete site overhaul, extending the lifespan of the infrastructure.
Globally, the deployment adds weight to the argument that Open RAN is no longer a pilot‑only technology. Analysts have cited Rakuten’s earlier success with a fully virtualised core as proof that open, software‑driven networks can meet the performance demands of a dense, data‑hungry market.
Differing viewpoints and reactions
Industry observers highlighted both optimism and caution. Data Center Dynamics emphasised the technical achievement of integrating the radios with Rakuten’s existing cloud core, calling it a "significant milestone" for Open RAN deployments in a market as demanding as Japan.
SDxCentral, however, warned that the true cost benefits will only become clear once the carrier begins scaling the solution across its entire network. The outlet pointed out that while the 1Finity kit adheres to O‑RAN standards, interoperability testing with other vendors’ components remains a critical hurdle.
Mobile World Live quoted an unnamed Rakuten engineer who described the rollout as "a strategic step toward network resilience," suggesting that the open architecture will make the system more adaptable to future spectrum allocations and traffic patterns.
Collectively, the sources present a balanced view: the deployment is technically impressive and aligns with policy goals, yet its economic impact and long‑term interoperability are still subjects of industry scrutiny.
What’s next
Rakuten Mobile plans to continue the phased installation of 1Finity radios over the next twelve months, with a focus on filling coverage gaps identified in its recent radio‑frequency planning studies. The carrier also intends to open its Open RAN testbed to additional ecosystem partners, inviting software developers to create new RAN‑optimised applications.
Regulators are expected to monitor the rollout’s performance metrics, particularly latency and throughput, to assess whether the Open RAN approach can meet the stringent quality‑of‑service standards set for Japanese 5G services.
Looking ahead, analysts suggest that a successful large‑scale Open RAN deployment by Rakuten could set a benchmark for other operators worldwide, potentially accelerating the shift away from proprietary RAN solutions toward more open, competitive markets.