Rakuten: Providing O-RAN for Germany ‘1 & 1’: 5G virtualization technology

Rakuten: Providing O-RAN for Germany ‘1 & 1’: 5G virtualization technology

Rakuten:

On August 5, 2021, it will enter the market in Germany as a telecommunications carrier with its own telecommunications network.

Providing 5G / O-RAN technology:

Agreed to provide 5G full virtualization technology for “1 & 1”.

Rakuten signs a 10-year long-term contract with “1 & 1”.

Undertakes operations such as network construction and operation for about 250 billion yen.

What is 5G / O-RAN technology?

Dedicated hardware required for conventional models is no longer required.
A mechanism that reproduces almost all functions required for base station equipment on a general-purpose server.

Even if some hardware fails, it will automatically switch to an alternative device,

so

Businesses can provide communication services in a stable manner.
What is “1 & 1”?

A publicly traded telecommunications carrier based in Maintal, Germany.

In 2019, the German government assigned a 5G frequency band.

Deutsche Telekom,
Telefonica,
Next to Vodafone,

A new entry as a fourth mobile network operator (MNO) has been decided.

So to speak, it is positioned like Rakuten in Japan.

Package provided:

This time, the full virtualization technology will be sold to telecommunications carriers around the world.

Radio access network,
Core network,
Cloud, operations,

Packaged as “Rakuten Communications Platform” (RCP).

Orchestration also provided:

In addition, we also provide specially developed orchestration software for “1 & 1” network operation automation.

Advantages on the “1 & 1” side:

Reduce capital investment with RCP

Appealing to build the EU’s first fully virtualized mobile network.

https://japanese.engadget.com/rakuten-mobile-092134413.html

Axis of O-RAN: Japan’s Rakuten to build 1&1’s German 5G network | Light Reading

https://www.lightreading.com/open-ran/axis-of-o-ran-japans-rakuten-to-build-1and1s-german-5g-network/d/d-id/771297

German telco 1&1 selects Rakuten for O-RAN deployment

https://www.rcrwireless.com/20210805/open_ran/germa-telco-selects-rakuten-oran-deployment