Rakuten Mobile has announced it will begin deploying base stations utilising radio units (RU) developed by Fujitsu Limited to accelerate the expansion of its 5G (Sub6) network area in 2025.
"We are excited to partner with Fujitsu to accelerate the rollout of high-performance, energy-efficient 5G base stations. This collaboration will enable us to deliver exceptional mobile services to even more customers," Sharad Sriwastawa, co-CEO and CTO of Rakuten Mobile, said.
Innovative wireless platform
Rakuten Mobile will leverage its expertise in building a fully virtualised, cloud-native mobile network based on Open RAN standards in Japan, deploy 5G Sub6 base stations and expand its coverage area. It will use the RU 44R21 model, which adopts the O-RAN specifications established by the O-RAN ALLIANCE, a global community promoting the development of Open RAN specifications.
Telecommunications carriers can diversify their equipment choices and mitigate supply chain risks with its interoperability with equipment from various domestic and international vendors. Â It also facilitates communication between the base station's distributed unit (DU) and centralised unit (CU) through a fronthaul interface
Fujitsu's RU will support Rakuten Mobile’s 5G rollout and aligns with the broader global adoption of Open RAN. Fujitsu designed the radio units using its proprietary technology to optimise space requirements and reduce network operation costs.
Masaaki Moribayashi, corporate executive officer and SEVP, Network Business and Special Assignment of Fujitsu Limited, commented, "Fujitsu's focus has been to develop an innovative wireless platform that is compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient. In addition to this wireless device that complies with O-RAN standard specifications, Fujitsu will support Rakuten Mobile in building a flexible and efficient network, leveraging its extensive experience in O-RAN connectivity."
