Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

Rakuten Mobile, Fujitsu to develop 4G and 5G Open RAN services

Tuesday 18 May 2021 | 08:53 CET | News

Rakuten Mobile and Fujitsu have agreed to jointly develop Open RAN services for the global market. Under the terms of the deal, Fujitsu will develop new O-RAN based 4G and 5G radio units that Rakuten Mobile will integrate into its Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP) offering, to expand into the global market.

https://www.telecompaper.com/news/...nd-5g-open-ran-services--1383418

 

I think RCP is going to be a very, very large business for us

Tareq Amin: Yes. We believe RCP is going to have a significant impact, not little impact, but a significant impact in terms of revenue projection. So the total addressable market is a very large market, as you know, especially for 5G. And through looking at any analysts report, we estimate that there is about $1 trillion that will be spent on 5G. And a good portion of that is the market that we're going to go after for RCP. So hopefully in the near future, we'll be able to share a little bit more specifics on what is the revenue forecast for the entire platform. Today, Rakuten owns OSS/BSS orchestration and the cloud and infra that we are marketing and selling to global operators. So stay tuned. I think this is going to be a very, very large business for us.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/...-results-earnings-call-transcript
 

http://ein.iconnect007.com/index.php/article/...rket/127592/?skin=ein  

By David Manners 18th May 2021

Rakuten Mobile and NEC sign O-RAN MoU

Rakuten Mobile and NEC have signed an MoU to promote O-RAN.

In Japan, NEC is currently providing 5G radio units  for Rakuten Mobile’s fully virtualized cloud-native mobile network.

The two companies are also jointly developing Rakuten Mobile’s containerized 5G Stand Alone (SA) core network (5GC).

Under the MoU, Rakuten Mobile and NEC will expand upon their domestic collaboration to date to provide 5G and 4G Radios and engineering services for O-RAN systems aligned with O-RAN specifications for global markets, and accelerate the global expansion of the Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP).

Rakuten  and NEC are looking to promote O-RAN standards in the global market in order to further boost network scalability and the operational efficiency made possible by virtualization.

https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/business/...o-ran-mou-2021-05/
 

Is Rakuten the Best or Worst Example of Open RAN?

Matt Kapko | Editor9 hours ago

https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/news/...mple-of-open-ran/2021/05/
 

So I think word of mouth is paying right now, because a lot of people around them will tell them that Rakuten seems to be good

Hiroshi Mikitani

But after this one year free campaign, we have the three months free campaign that is still going on. But we are having steady increase in the subscribers and baseline is higher, much higher than in the past. 96% coverage is expected. That's population coverage in this upcoming summer. So I think that things are going quite steadily there. Yes. And also, carrier aggregation, iPhone, we are already starting that. And word of mouth is important when I talk with people around me. Some people have not decided, although they hear good things about Rakuten. So I think word of mouth is paying right now, because a lot of people around them will tell them that Rakuten seems to be good and Rakuten Card is now a number one credit card. So in a similar fashion, maybe with a speed of 3x as fast. Of course, we would like to have a three-fold speed compared to the growth of Rakuten Card in seeing the mobile adoption. So did it take 11 years? Then one third of that time is what I would like to see happen.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/...-results-earnings-call-transcript
 

Dec/19 = 1,150 million ID’s
Mar/20 = 1,169 million ID‘s
Jun/20 = 1,186 million ID‘s
Sep/20 = 1,209 million ID’s
Dec/20 = 1,237 million ID‘s
Mar/21 = 1,262 million ID‘s

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/investors/
Latest IR Materials
First Quarter 2021
 

A better choice is to take an open approach and to avoid integrated black box solutions for private networks

Although some network equipment providers are putting together so-called integrated black box solutions, Edlund says a better choice is to take an open approach that exposes the API for the 5G network so that different applications can take advantage of 5G characteristics. "An open Network Exposure Function (NEF) would allow new applications and services to be onboarded. We're advocates of an open approach," Edlund says. For example, he explains, a robot manufacturer could establish a 5G connection to its robots through the NEF that would enable a service representative to access telemetry information. Or that same robot could be programmed via the NEF to interwork with supply chain participants or even other factories, Edlund says.

https://www.hpe.com/us/en/insights/articles/...-on-the-rise-2102.html
 

Hiroshi Mikitani: Apple has a very high requirement for the quality of network and services. And we are happy that we got to reach to the agreement with Apple, so that -- because 50% of the Japanese mobile users are using iPhones. And then not only we can sell iPhones, but because of the carrier aggregation, it is going to be much easier for iPhone users, existing iPhone users to switch from the other telecom services to Rakuten Mobile. So this is a huge impact. So we are very, very delighted and always, always at – iPhone, the license and ability to sell iPhone directly to the consumer is going to make a huge difference. So not only iPhone, but including the Apple Watch and other accessories, and I think we're going to just keep strengthening that as well. So that's a huge plus for us. And particularly, I think iPhone users tend to use more data than others I think. So that's another contribution as well. And they will probably use more Rakuten Ecosystem services, including shopping and so forth. So I think this is a big milestone we have achieved.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/...-results-earnings-call-transcript
 

https://www.onlinemarktplatz.de/202665/...-ergebnisse-fuer-q1-fy2021/  

Rakuten and NEC

"Rakuten Mobile has successfully designed, launched and now operates a fully virtualized mobile network. This unique network architecture built on Open RAN standards continues to attract significant interest from operators, enterprises and governments around the world," commented Tareq Amin, Representative Director, Executive Vice President and CTO of Rakuten Mobile. "With NEC's excellent level of technical expertise in radio and track record of providing our high quality 5G sub-6 RU, this collaboration will accelerate the global expansion of Rakuten Communications Platform and promote adoption of Open RAN in global markets."

"This MoU will empower both NEC and Rakuten Mobile to contribute in an even more comprehensive way to the opening and virtualization of cellular networks around the world," commented NEC Executive Vice President Atsuo Kawamura. "NEC is already providing Rakuten Mobile with BSS/OSS, 5G RU and 5G core solutions for its revolutionary fully virtualized cloud-native network. We hope to continue contributing to the expansion of the Rakuten Communications Platform as it rolls out around the globe."

http://en.acnnewswire.com/article.asp?art_id=66696
 

Hiroshi Mikitani: Yes. The company that we acquired is called Innoeye. And Altiostar is another one. It’s a set [ph] to complete 100% acquisition, but it's a partial acquisition by these two companies to a great extent are actually selling software to large global telcos and companies. And so with these as a starting point, software that we develop in RCP platform overall will be sold to different entities. That's what we're starting to do. And I think good news will be able to be shared with you in the future. And in that sense, in the telecom industry of Japan, something really epic making is to happen. That is what we're expecting. And in conjunction with that, revenue will be positively and greatly impacted.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/...-results-earnings-call-transcript  

„It's not written here, but the business in the United States or Viber or Kobo, they grew pretty well and contribute to revenue and profit. So the profit making business is stable. And we think that business is performing super well.“

https://seekingalpha.com/article/...-results-earnings-call-transcript
 

zu wertenden gestrigen Meldungen zu Fujitsu und NEC überrascht mich nicht, denn gleiche Muster hatten wir in der Vergangenheit bei ähnlichen Meldungen von Rakuten schon öfter - vermutlich gehen dann Investoren davon aus, dass dies zusätzliches Kapital nötig mache und Rakuten überfordere.

Dabei will Rakuten ja gerade durch die Einbindung von NEC und Fujitsu beispielsweise mit Hardware-Leistungen und auch vielen Software-Leistungen das gerade vermeiden - also nur Know How einbringen und Service-Leistungen, für die kaum neu investiert werden muss, denn die kommen vermutlich fastt komplett von der 100igen Tochter Innoeye und Altiostar, wo man die Mehrheit hält.  

KEN WIELAND 5/19/202

"Paying customers

Speaking at a virtual roundtable with members of the media earlier this year, Amin said Rakuten Mobile was working with 15 paying customers when it came to RCP, but he did not divulge any names or the amounts involved.

"A lot of people don't know that the sales already started," he said. "And these are not small customers. Some of them are very, very massive."

Revenues, he said, were initially coming from the OSS layer and network orchestration.

https://www.lightreading.com/asia/...ec-for-global-push/d/d-id/769629  

Published by Statista Research Department, May 14, 2021

As of March 2021, the number of bank accounts at Rakuten Bank, Ltd. reached 10.52 million. Rakuten Bank was the first online bank in Japan to surpass 10 million accounts. Since 2012, the number of bank accounts has more than doubled.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1230750/...mber-of-bank-accounts/

Very important: Click on the address!  

(Content = 60%, Telco = 40%) to Q1/2021 (Content = 62%, Telco = 38%)

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/investors/
Latest IR Materials
First Quarter 2021
 

Take note: Rakuten Kobo introduces Kobo Elipsa Your bookstore, book and notebook combined in one eReader

MAY 20, 2021

Rakuten Kobo announces Kobo Elipsa, an innovative eReader packed with features only a Kobo device can offer. Boasting new accessories, including the Kobo Stylus, Kobo Elipsa provides an unmatched digital reading and writing experience.

With Kobo Elipsa, Rakuten Kobo’s expert product designers and software developers looked beyond the standard eReading experience to create a must-have writing and reading package that bridges the gap between print and eBooks, and between reading and creating. Complete with an expansive 10.3” E Ink Carta 1200 glare-free screen, ComfortLight adjustable brightness, 32 GB of storage, a stylus and versatile SleepCover, Kobo Elipsa is the next frontier of digital reading. The device is available in Midnight Blue, with the Kobo Stylus in Black and SleepCover in Slate Blue.

https://prod-news.kobo.com/news/...d-notebook-combined-in-one-ereader  

The 10.3-inch Kobo Elipsa brings back super-sized e-readers

Kindle DX fans, eat your hearts out

By Chaim Gartenberg@cgartenberg May 20, 2021, 12:01am EDT

Kobo has a new e-reader out, and its the company’s biggest yet: the Kobo Elipsa, which features a 10.3-inch, 1404 x 1872 resolution (227 ppi) E Ink display, a bundled stylus, and the ability to not just read books, but to annotate, underline, and mark them up just like a real paper book.

Gigantic e-readers, like the 9.7-inch Kindle DX, once were more common, but recent devices have trended towards more pocketable formats — Amazon’s Kindle’s max out at 7-inches, and Kobo’s Forma (its previous largest size) offers an 8-inch display.

But the Elipsa is one of the largest mainstream e-readers yet, offering a massive display that presumably isn’t just good for reading — it’ll also feature a bundled stylus, a first for the company. The new Kobo Stylus allows the tablet to be used to note-taking and annotations as well, complete with an OCR feature that promises to convert written notes into typed text.

Functionally, that makes the Elipsa not too dissimilar of a product than other giant E Ink tablets, like the reMarkable 2, which also features a 10.3-inch E Ink panel and a stylus that allows it to be used as a note-taking device. But there’s a big different in intent: the reMarkable is a device focused on note-taking, one that’s designed to replace a paper notebook, but happens to also support eBooks.

https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/20/22444637/...ce-release-date-stylus  

Vertical Partners and Endeavor Catalyst

23 November 2020

Ladorian, a Madrid, Spain-based SAAS startup providing personalising messages in physical spaces, announced securing a seed funding round of €5 million ($6M).
The money was raised from investors including Rakuten Capital, Vertical Partners and Endeavor Catalyst.

Proceeds will be used to boost product development and sophistication, help consolidate the company’s presence in the markets where it is already operating, and accelerate its international expansion into countries such as Mexico, France, Germany and the UK.

Ladorian, founded in 2016 by CEO Alejandro Gutiérrez-Bolívar and incubated at Lanzadera, developed a SAAS product called software Ladorian iDS, which adapts the messages it displays on different physical supports to suit different businesses and customers, identifying the right moments to highlight a specific product or service.

https://nordic9.com/news/...ers-and-endeavor-catalyst-news1087175633/
 

https://www.overture.life/extra.html#about  

Rakuten Ramps up Logistics to Increase Lead in E-Commerce

20 May 2021 10:29

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Rakuten is playing catch up with Amazon in logistics and this is the primary driver behind its new collaboration with Japan Post.

The two companies will set up a new joint business in July to cover the country in new, efficient fulfilment centres.

As a result, Rakuten will be able to save substantially on capital investment in its own logistics network, particularly the most expensive part of that: the last mile network Rakuten Express, which will now be cancelled in favour of partner services centred on Japan Post.

This will allow Rakuten to focus logistics investment on full coverage at the national level.
Rakuten is growing faster than Z Holding's in e-commerce, including in 1Q2021 and looks set to continue to do so, with the new logistics platform a key part of this, ensuring consumers receive the kind of fulfilment speed and consistency normally only associated with Amazon Japan.

https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/...to-increase-lead-in-e-commerce  

Rakuten Securities To Achieve 6 Million Total Securities Accounts

May 19

1 Million accounts increased in about 5 Months- shortest in record

https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/company/newsrelease/fy2021.html
 

Rakuten and Beyond Next invest $1M seed funding in farm-to-table startup Secai Marche

TechCrunch
May 21, 2021

https://publicnews.in/tech/...-table-startup-secai-marche-techcrunch/
 

Rakuten Mobile opens new store in Roppongi and now offers the powerful iPhone 12 lineup

12 hours ago

On April 30, Rakuten Mobile celebrated two milestones — the opening of a new store in Tokyo’s bustling Roppongi neighborhood, and the powerful iPhone 12 lineup becoming available for purchase at Rakuten Mobile stores and on Rakuten Mobile online.

The new Rakuten Mobile Roppongi Store, located about one minute on foot from Roppongi Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya and Toei Oedo lines, features a spacious layout with a simple, clean design based on the Rakuten Mobile magenta brand color. The store is also offering a new trial service where staff can respond to customer inquiries through monitors in individually partitioned booths.

Rakuten Mobile customers can now buy iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12, and iPhone 12 mini, boasting unparalleled camera systems, support for 5G, the Ceramic Shield front cover, edge-to-edge Super Retina XDR displays with OLED for a more immersive viewing experience, and the Apple-designed A14 Bionic chip, the fastest chip in a smartphone.

Additionally, customers will be able to purchase the affordable iPhone SE, the all-new AirTag, a private and secure way to locate the items that matter the most, AirPods Pro, and a variety of Apple-designed accessories. iPhone models running iOS 14.4 and later are now supported by Rakuten Mobile, providing a great opportunity for users of Apple products to give Rakuten Mobile’s service a try.

The whole team at Rakuten Mobile strives together to offer all of our customers the best, which is why we are very excited to be able to offer iPhone, giving our customers a new way to enjoy the Apple ecosystem of products and services that many of them already love today.”

https://rakuten.today/blog/...i-offers-powerful-iphone-12-lineup.html