Samsung Electronics has announced a new agreement to supply Open RAN compliant 5G radios to Rakuten Mobile, strengthening the operator’s virtualized, cloud-native mobile network across Japan. The commercial deployment is expected to begin later this year following extensive testing and validation of the solutions.
The deal marks a significant step in accelerating Open RAN adoption in Japan, while reinforcing Samsung’s growing footprint in global large-scale virtualized RAN deployments, Samsung said at the Mobile World Congress (MWC 2026).
Expanding Japan’s Fully Virtualized Open RAN Network
Rakuten Mobile has been a pioneer in deploying a fully virtualized, cloud-native Open RAN network. By selecting Samsung’s O-RAN compliant radios, the operator aims to further enhance network performance, scalability and coverage nationwide.
Samsung’s solutions will be seamlessly integrated into Rakuten Mobile’s multi-vendor Open RAN architecture, demonstrating the maturity, interoperability and reliability of O-RAN technology in commercial environments.
The partnership highlights Samsung’s leadership in virtualized RAN and Open RAN solutions, built on years of experience delivering commercial deployments worldwide.
Comprehensive Portfolio of O-RAN Compliant 5G Radios
Under the agreement, Samsung will provide a complete suite of O-RAN compliant radios tailored to Rakuten Mobile’s spectrum strategy, including:
Low-band 700 MHz radios for extended coverage
Mid-band 1.7 GHz radios for balanced capacity and coverage
Massive MIMO radios supporting the 3.8 GHz band for high-capacity urban deployments
Samsung’s compact and lightweight radio units are designed for easy installation on buildings and utility poles, enabling efficient rollout in dense metropolitan areas. This flexibility supports faster site deployment and capacity upgrades where network demand is highest.
In particular, Samsung’s energy-efficient Massive MIMO radios will enhance 5G network capacity and deliver consistent high-speed connectivity, even in high-traffic zones.
Driving 5G Innovation Through Open RAN Collaboration
Sharad Sriwastawa, co-CEO of Rakuten Mobile and President of Rakuten Symphony, emphasized the company’s ongoing commitment to expanding 5G coverage and optimizing network performance. He noted that collaboration with Samsung will accelerate Open RAN deployment globally while strengthening 5G expansion efforts in Japan.
Angelo Jeongho Park, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sales and Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics, described the agreement as a milestone in expanding Samsung’s Open RAN customer base. He highlighted the role of AI and open architectures in shaping next-generation mobile networks.
Advancing Toward AI-Driven 5G and 6G Networks
Samsung Networks continues to advance end-to-end 5G solutions spanning chipsets, radios and core networks. Its portfolio includes purpose-built RAN, virtualized RAN, Open RAN, AI-RAN, private networks and AI-powered automation tools.
By combining Open RAN openness with AI-driven optimization, Samsung and Rakuten Mobile aim to create a more flexible, scalable and future-ready mobile infrastructure. The collaboration also lays the foundation for the evolution toward 6G, where intelligent, software-defined networks will play a central role.
With this deployment, Rakuten Mobile strengthens its position as a global Open RAN innovator, while Samsung reinforces its leadership in delivering interoperable, energy-efficient and high-performance 5G network solutions worldwide.
SHAFANA FAZAL
