Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

 

 

Save a minimum of 40% on the capex side compared to a traditional base band

Rakuten, which already has traction with its early RCP outreach, is pitching the app store approach as a challenge to the whole telco industry, and it will indeed create waves for many. Amin is focused purely on how it will benefit network operator customers.

"I think they will save a minimum of 40% on the capex side compared to a traditional base band," he predicted. The executive also cited private conversations he has had with European operator executives who "were speechless" when he shared actual costs of hardware with them. "I know the exact pricing," to mount a remote radiohead, for example, he said.

On the tech developer side, "quite a [few] of the suppliers are extremely interested in this idea," especially companies that otherwise struggle to reach the telco community, he said.

Of course, this is not an altruistic model and Rakuten was keen to point out that it – and the whole Rakuten Mobile ecosystem – has been conceived to ensure profitability across the industry. "Everyone has a path to make money," he said, from silicon providers to system engineers to factories. "At the end of the day, we cannot just run the business without profit."

https://www.telecomtv.com/content/open-ran/...e-pricing-pledge-41685/  

 

 

 

 

14.06.2021
As momentum picks up around the adoption of cloud-native infrastructure, the Radio Access Network is a big area of network innovation. A virtualized RAN promises a more agile way to roll out new use cases and services. It’s inviting both new and existing entrants in the value chain including ISVs and cloud service providers. In this panel we will discuss the myths vs realities of vRAN, consider how the value chain is evolving, and successes from early trials and deployments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA1wjpFR838
 

MTN this week became the latest major telco to commit to deploying OpenRAN technology, which it claims will be a “game-changer” in emerging markets.

The South African company, which has operations in around 20 markets in Africa and the Middle East, said it is working with vendor partners Altiostar, Mavenir, Parallel Wireless, Tech Mahindra and Voyage to roll out OpenRAN before the end of the year. However, the wording of its announcement suggests that a commercial launch could be further off.

“MTN Group is leveraging our expansive footprint across Africa to test and ultimately deploy OpenRAN,” the telco said. It also referred to the fact that the technology is still in its infancy and that widespread adoption is likely to be some years away.

It did not provide further details of which markets will be the first to get OpenRAN; its announcement is more statement of intent to deploy the technology than a detailed project plan. Nonetheless, it is clear that MTN sees the potential of OpenRAN across its footprint. It highlighted the usual benefits including vendor diversification, cost savings and flexibility, while noting that its network modernisation plans will help it to reach its previously announced target of zero carbon emissions by 2040.

https://telecoms.com/510206/...-roll-out-openran-in-africa-this-year/
 

Rakuten Medical and Shimadzu Corporation announce a joint development and commercialization agreement on a medical device to be used with the Illuminox platform

SAN MATEO, Calif. and KYOTO, Japan, June 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rakuten Medical, Inc. (HQ: San Mateo, Calif.; Chairman and CEO: Hiroshi Mikitani; hereinafter "Rakuten Medical") and Shimadzu Corporation (HQ: Kyoto, Japan; President and CEO: Teruhisa Ueda; hereinafter "Shimadzu") today announced a joint development and commercialization agreement to advance a medical device for use on the Illuminox platform. This partnership will allow for the development of a medical device using optical measurement technologies to support cancer treatment by photoimmunotherapy.

Therapies developed on the Illuminox platform involve administering a targeting moiety conjugated with one or more dyes, which is illuminated by light at a specific wavelength. Light illumination of the targeted cells transiently excites the drug, and pre-clinical data have shown this excitation elicits rapid and selective necrosis of targeted cells through a biophysical process.

Based on this agreement, both companies will use their expertise to work toward the joint development of technology that will allow visualization, measurement, and recording of the reaction of the dye to light illumination in real-time. This will allow for optimization of light irradiation depending on the tumor. Both companies will cooperate to aim for commercialization of the medical device using the technology on a worldwide basis.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/...x-platform-301315194.html  

MTN Group extended its support for open RAN systems, highlighting plans to modernise its sizeable multi-country footprint using the architecture with efforts set to be stepped-up this year.

The operator group has already been testing and using open RAN kit in rural areas to a limited scale.
In 2020 it signed-up with Parallel Wireless, Vanu and NuRAN Wireless with a target of deploying 5,000 sites. It currently has 1,100 commercial locations using “open source” technology across 11 countries.
MTN revealed it would use Altiostar, Mavenir, Parallel Wireless, TechMahindra and Voyage for its wider rollout.

The company expects use of open RAN to allow it to modernise its networks in a cost efficient way as it rapidly expands 4G and 5G, while cutting power consumption and emissions.

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/featured-content/...-open-ran-vendors  

Rakuten Group Co., Ltd. The number of registered rooms has exceeded 60,000 on the 3rd anniversary of the opening of the accommodation / private lodging reservation site „Vacation STAY“!

2021-06-15 by rehow

The number of registered rooms has exceeded 60,000 on the 3rd anniversary of the opening of the accommodation / private lodging reservation site “Vacation STAY”!

A new discount coupon function has been added, and a 5,000 yen discount coupon has been distributed to long-term residents.

In “Vacation STAY”, if you list accommodation / private accommodation facilities, inventory will be automatically supplied to accommodation reservation services such as the travel reservation service “Rakuten Travel” (Note 1). Amid sluggish inbound demand, this point has been evaluated as a strong sales channel for domestic travelers and has increased the number of registered rooms. In addition, as of June 10, 2021, “Vacation STAY” was due to the fact that accommodation and private lodging facilities sell through accommodation reservation sites and their own sites, and promote cooperation with site controllers that centrally manage inventory and charges. The number of registered rooms has exceeded 60,000 (+ 33.1% compared to last year), and the number of public rooms that have been confirmed for approval has exceeded 41,000 (about + 39.9% compared to last year). The breakdown of the year-on-year increase in the number of open rooms is that “inns / hotels and simple lodgings based on the Ryokan Business Law” are the driving force at + 40.6%, followed by “special zone minpaku certified facilities” at + 20.8% and “housing”. Based on the Accommodation Business Law

The number of “notified housing” increased steadily to + 10.6%. (Note 1) All housing notified by the Housing Accommodation Business Law that can be reserved with “Rakuten Travel” is supplied from “Vacation STAY”.

Rakuten LIFULL STAY will continue to increase the number of registered accommodations and private lodging facilities in “Vacation STAY”. In particular, we plan to strengthen overseas facility registrations in the Oceania region, including Australia, where travel demand is expected to recover quickly. Following the launch of Vietnam minpaku facilities in 2019, we will expand the range of coverage areas to provide travelers from various countries, including Japan, with a wide range of accommodation options.

https://re-how.net/all/1160011/

 

Friday, June 18, 2021

Ad Spending Surges 56% During May

U.S. ad spending continued to rebound in May, according to a new, enriched database from Standard Media Index, reports Mediapost.  The data, which is derived from SMI's expanded pool of actual media buys contributed by major agency holding companies, includes IPG Mediabrands, which announced in February that it was rejoining SMI's cooperative pool, and which beginning this month has been reincorporated.

The addition of IPG Mediabrands means that SMI's U.S. database is more representative and less modeled for total media spending volume among the major agency holding companies.

The new data, meanwhile, shows the U.S. ad market surged 56% in May, following a 53% gain in April and a 22% increase in March, which was the first to show a year-over-year rebound from the pandemic-influenced advertising recession, which began a year earlier.

https://mediaconfidential.blogspot.com/2021/06/...ges-during-may.html
 

Barcelona, 07. Juni 2021 – Die Musikplattform XITE ist jetzt rund um die Uhr auf Rakuten TV verfügbar und bietet das optimale Musikvideoerlebnis mit einer großen Auswahl an kostenlosen Musikinhalten. Mit dieser Übernahme verfügt die Plattform nun über 95 lineare Kanäle.

XITE reiht sich in ein starkes Musikangebot ein, das Nutzer bereits auf Rakuten TV genießen können. Darunter Top-Inhalte von Billboard, Latido Music, Baeble Music, Clubbing TV, Qello Concerts, Stingray Karaoke, Stingray: Hot Country, ClubbingTV, Qwest TV Classical, Qwest TV Mix, Stingray: Soulstorm, Stingray: Hitlist, Stingray: Classica, Stingray: Greatest Hits und Qwest TV Jazz.

XITE wird Teil des lokalen Programmangebots in Deutschland sein. Diese Akquisition gehört zur Unternehmensstrategie, durch Partnerschaften mit führenden europäischen Produzenten und Medienkonzernen qualitativ hochwertige und lokal relevante Inhalte anzubieten, die ein ansprechendes und interaktives Erlebnis gewährleisten.

Das werbefinanzierte Modell ist eine Alternative für Zuschauer, die ein Fernseherlebnis mit den Vorteilen des Digitalen suchen. Die Akzeptanz der AVoD- und FAST-Modelle bei Konsumenten wächst und kreiert somit neue Möglichkeiten für Connected-TV-Kampagnen und Werbetreibende, ein Publikum zu erreichen, das mehr Zeit in Over-the-Top-Videoumgebungen verbringt. Werbeunterstütztes MusikStreaming bietet eine immer größere Chance. Rakuten Advertising nutzt ein leistungsstarkes Set an Erstanbieterdaten, um Publishern den Zugriff auf das Werbeinventar von Rakuten TV zu ermöglichen, das bis 2021 voraussichtlich 1,5 Milliarden Ad Impressions erreichen wird.

Die linearen Kanäle sind derzeit kostenlos über die Rakuten TV-App auf Samsung und LG Smart TV-Geräten zugänglich. Über 50 Kanäle des Line-ups sind in 42 europäischen Ländern in globalen Ausführungen verfügbar. Der Rest des Programms besteht aus lokalen Kanälen, variiert in jedem Gebiet und bietet die relevanteste Unterhaltung aus einer großen Vielfalt an Kategorien.

https://www.firmenpresse.de/pressinfo1908013/...t-in-ganz-europa.html
 

Die Verbraucher in Asien setzen immer mehr auf Online-Shopping. Dieser Trend wird noch einmal mehr beflügelt durch Lockdowns in der Region, um die Coronavirus-Pandemie unter Kontrolle zu bringen. Infolgedessen passen sich auch Unternehmen an und nutzen fortschrittliche Technologien, um den veränderten Bedürfnissen der Verbraucher gerecht zu werden. Dadurch gewinnt E-Commerce in Asien immer mehr an Bedeutung. Für den Zeitraum von 2020 bis 2025 wird eine jährliche Wachstumsrate von 6,95% prognostiziert.

Der asiatische E-Commerce-Sektor erwartet einen Anstieg der Nutzerdurchdringung von 53,3% im Jahr 2021 auf 68,2% im Jahr 2025. Mit dieser Dynamik wird erwartet, dass das E-Commerce-Marktvolumen von den prognostizierten 1,26 Bio. USD im Jahr 2021 auf 2,12 Bio. USD im Jahr 2025 steigen.

Mit einer erwarteten E-Commerce-Wachstumsrate von 8,2% zwischen 2020 und 2025 hat Asien damit Amerika und Europa überholt. Für Amerika und Europa wird ein Wachstum von 5,1% bzw. 5,2% erwartet.

Die finanziellen Ergebnisse der Rakuten Group für das erste Quartal des Geschäftsjahres 2021 zeigen einen Anstieg des Umsatzes um 18,1% im Vergleich zum Vorjahr auf 3,57 Mrd. Dollar. Darüber hinaus stieg das Bruttowarenvolumen des japanischen E-Commerce-Unternehmens im Jahresvergleich um 33,9%. Dies ist auf das anhaltende Wachstum des Transaktionsvolumens in seinen Online-Shops, wie Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten 24 und Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper, zurückzuführen.
 

https://www.asiafundmanagers.com/de/e-commerce-in-asien/  

in Q2/2021 nichts ändern - sie könnten sogar wegen nicht so hoher Bewertungsgewinne aus dem Investmentbereich wie in Q1/2012 höher ausfallen.

Aber das ist normal, wenn man einen Mobile Bereich aus dem Boden stampft und dabei die ursprünglich auf sieben Jahre ausgelegten Investitionen auf zwei Jahre komprimiert.

Ob das jeder Privatanleger versteht, ist eine Frage. Institutionellen traue ich das schon zu - aber die haben u.U. Angst davor, dass sie von ihren Investoren, die weniger Einblick/Durchblick haben, gefragt werden, warum sie in eine Aktie investieren, die Verluste ausweist.  

https://sg.jobsdb.com/Rakuten-Mobile-Singapore-Pte.-Ltd.-jobs  

June 10, 2021
More Secure Pipelines and Other Benefits of Mobile Private Networks


That’s why I wanted to outline a few of the ways we think Ligado’s 5G Mobile Private Network solution would be a gamechanger for major industries and infrastructure across the country.

Let’s start with what’s been in the news lately: Pipelines safely deliver vital energy to customers and require dependable, high-security networking to do so. But last month, we saw what happened when the largest oil pipeline system in the U.S. became the subject of a malware cyberattack. The resulting five-day shutdown created temporary shortages of gasoline and jet fuel along the East Coast and exposed data from the company and its customers.

The securing of our pipelines is essential, but the need extends well beyond the energy sector to infrastructure industries whose operations are increasingly digitized and automated, from manufacturing to shipping ports to agriculture. There are myriad ways to secure our systems throughout the technology stack and in various processes and protocols. But one opportunity that must be pursued with urgency is the critical role private networks and dedicated spectrum will have in a securing and modernizing our digital infrastructure.

That’s where Ligado comes in: With 35 MHz of lower mid-band spectrum, we can provide companies with ultra-reliable and highly secure private networks that mean tighter control over enterprise operations. Just like the FirstNet network designed to keep public safety communications on a dedicated network instead of the public airwaves, creating more opportunities for critical infrastructure companies to move operations to a private network can better protect them against external malfeasance.

The use cases for this 5G Mobile Private Network solution extend beyond securing our pipelines, though. In fact, our private network solution could support even the most complex operations, like facilitating a secure, dedicated network for power generation plants and full power grids.


Part of why Ligado is well-suited to provide these services is our ability to offer the best of satellite and terrestrial connectivity in one network. Our mobile satellite, which has been serving enterprise and government customers for more than 25 years, will provide enhanced capabilities for private networks by ensuring network redundancy and extended coverage.

It may seem obvious that highly technical pipelines or the electrical grid are top candidates for private networks – but the reality is that securing a much wider range of enterprises is crucial for preventing significant societal disruption. Take the example of major beef processor JBS, whose production plants were recently shut down by a cyberattack: We may not think of such a facility as needing high-tech defenses, but with so much of industrial enterprise being digitized and so many people being impacted by major disruptions, the ability of private networks to bolster security could have major benefits for these entities and their consumers as well.

Finally, our 5G Mobile Private Network solution would not be just for localized use. It could also be used to create a secure, shared connection between a more diverse group of actors – even ones that don’t work for the same company. Take the example of a harbor management port authority: Amid surging port congestion, our private network solution could be set up across an intermodal facility to expedite logistical cargo operations between different companies and carriers. The solution would emphasize security within the port and allow all parties involved to maintain complete control of their own assets. The network could service multiple tenants with their own services and protocols, with a local coverage range and offshore coverage for many miles.

More than ever before, businesses need solutions that meet their specific needs, regardless of size or scope – but the one thing they all need is secure and always-on connectivity. We think the answer is 5G Mobile Private Networks – run on dedicated, licensed spectrum – that result in fewer security risks and a greater net economic benefits for businesses. We’re proud to be building a solution that better enables the digital transformation that mission-critical industries are clamoring for – and we can’t wait to bring it to market.

Maqbool Aliani is the Chief Technology Officer for Ligado

https://ligado.com/blog/...ipelines-benefits-mobile-private-networks/
 

The supply chain for telecom, through which everything can be purchased

Rakuten’s latest announcement is more important than it seems – and not just for the audience you might expect.

Tareq famously canned the in-flight RFP processes he inherited when he joined Rakuten, in favour of a new way of doing business. It’s one that has achieved impressive results already in terms of speed of rollout.

Rakuten has built its initial platform. It is building its ecosystem of partners. but more importantly it has begun to create a global, open marketplace. It might even go further: it might be creating a whole supply chain – perhaps even the supply chain for telecom, through which everything can be purchased, deployed and operated. That is a radical challenge for the whole telco industry for sure.

https://appledoreresearch.com/2021/06/16/...ts-is-just-the-beginning/
 

Dell’Oro Group predicts that by 2024, operators will spend somewhere north of $3 billion on Open RAN products, which is a double-digit share of the market in the next five years. By 2026, ABI Research predicts that for public outdoor networks, sales of Open RAN products will reach $40.7 billion, or 45% share. RAN Research, part of Rethink Research, is expecting Open RAN to “account for 58% of total RAN CAPEX (Open RAN hardware, software and services) spending at $32.3 billion and to be deployed at 65% of all sites by 2026.”

Though numbers vary between analyst firms as we can see, the future of Open RAN looks very hopeful for sure in the next five years, and 2021 will lay a good foundation for that future.

https://www.rcrwireless.com/20201207/open_ran/...or-2021-reader-forum
 

O-RAN offers a sustainable and financially attractive approach to building networks

Where Open RAN comes in
By Marie Ma, General Manager, Comba Telecom Network Systems Limited on JUNE 14, 2021

In 2021, positive forecasts of the Open RAN market start gaining ground in the industry. It is predicted that the total RAN market will reach 10% by 2025 compared to less than 1% today. Undoubtedly, Open RAN lab trials and live deployments help close performance gaps between open and proprietary RAN solutions. It may take three to five years for this new technology to fully mature, but economic and competitive forces are in some ways converging to drive the market forward.

A mix of technology and social changes

In the post-pandemic world, the ‘new normal,’ particularly work from home and online live classes, hits the wave of several technology trends including 5G, cloud virtualization, distributed edge computing and artificial intelligence (AI)–driven automation. Not only do these trends push telcos to expand network footprint to meet the needs of enterprise and residential consumers, but also to accelerate the adoption of Open RAN to evolve to 5G.

As demand rises, service providers need to meet this by network upgrades. O-RAN offers a new technical solution to address this, with significant impacts beyond technology. Technically, O-RAN functional splits based on 7.2x meets this challenge by providing a new functional split between the distributed units (DUs) and radio units (RUs). The physical layer (PHY) is broken down into low-PHY staying in the RUs and high-PHY in DUs. Thanks to O-RAN’s standardized interfaces that support both high-level split (HLS) and low-level split (LLS), fronthaul can scale efficiently from conventional RUs used in LTE up to high bandwidth and massive MIMO in 5G.

While an important technical achievement, O-RAN’s biggest impact might be on investment protection and environmental sustainability. No longer will changing suppliers for site upgrades require discarding equipment still within its financial lifetime, creating electronic waste. O-RAN offers a sustainable and financially attractive approach to building networks.

https://www.rcrwireless.com/20210614/open_ran/...omes-in-reader-forum  

Rakuten Bank has benefitted from the boost in Rakuten's e-commerce business due to the coronavirus pandemic. Using a Rakuten credit card to pay for shopping on Rakuten's e-commerce site, and setting the bank account from which the money will be withdrawn to a Rakuten Bank account allows the shopper to get extra points that can later be used to deduct money from their bill. According to Rakuten Bank, over 60% of people who open new Rakuten Bank accounts do so through the Rakuten shopping site and other Rakuten services. One impressed senior megabank official said, "Rakuten Bank has capitalized on the 'Rakuten economic sphere' to create a successful banking business model."

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210402/p2a/00m/0bu/023000c
 

HOLA! Play expands Rakuten TV partnership with VOD content

Written by Jonathan Easton
2 days ago

¡HOLA! Play – an offshoot of publishing brand HOLA! – offers hundreds of hours of content focused on the worlds of A-list celebrities, fashion and cookery. The service is viewable from the web and compatible devices on smart TVs.

Shows include El armario de, a series with episodes dedicated to reviewing the fashion and style of celebrities; celebrity biographical documentaries such as Angelina Jolie: La verdadera historia a; weekly cooking programmes presented by top chefs, and others.

https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2021/06/18/...rship-with-vod-content/  

https://www.zoominfo.com/top-lists/...y-in-ES-by-total-funding-amount