Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

Combination of Rakuten’s Open RAN capabilities and Ligado’s L-band spectrum

Buzz is surrounding Ligado Networks as the satellite company continues to make a push into the world of 5G with its latest collaboration with Rakuten. The idea is to use the Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP) and together, create a 5G mobile private network solutions for enterprises. The result will be a combination of Rakuten’s Open RAN capabilities and Ligado’s L-band spectrum.

“5G mobile private networks are becoming critical infrastructure for many industries,” said Doug Smith, Ligado’s CEO and President in a statement. “Combining our know-how and licensed L-Band spectrum in the U.S. with the Rakuten Communications Platform and Open RAN infrastructure, we will create a novel blueprint for delivering new efficiencies to U.S. companies looking to deploy powerful mobile private networks that are highly secure and ultra-reliable.”

5ginsider.com/uncategorized/...oming-from-ligado-and-rakuten/

The bottom line is this: 5G Mobile Private Networks are going to be increasingly necessary for American enterprise. And it’s a market opportunity that Ligado is well-positioned to serve.

Ligado’s 5G Mobile Private Network solution provides the scale of a public network with the control and security of a private one, all in a cost-efficient model. We bring two specific advantages to this opportunity: our nationwide mid-band spectrum to dedicate to these networks, and commercial flexibility due to our greenfield position that isn’t burdened by legacy network infrastructure. These advantages mean we can bring 5G to private networks, focusing on mission-critical applications. And we can also deploy our solution nationwide, reaching both rural and urban areas, which we believe will help modernize our nation’s infrastructure – a needed step that is foundational for economic growth.

Our first step in meeting this opportunity was to team up with Rakuten Mobile to launch trials using licensed and unlicensed spectrum that will showcase our 5G Mobile Private Network solution for enterprise customers in the U.S. The combination of Ligado’s licensed spectrum and Rakuten Mobile’s O-RAN technology makes for a great product solution for the enterprise space and will create a cost-efficient and scalable roadmap for 5G Mobile Private Networks going forward. Essentially, this is a product that will bring together feature rich, yet adaptable and scalable capabilities for network control and configuration that support enterprise digital transformation.

2021 is an exciting time. We’ve got good stuff happening – we’ve identified the market opportunity and are developing a product solution. We’re standing it up in field trials and we want as many partners as possible to come and innovate with us. And we are optimistic about our goal to help modernize America’s critical infrastructure and industries.

ligado.com/blog/...twork-solution-gamechanger-u-s-businesses/

Ligado Networks Raises Additional $3.85B To Fund L-Band Network

By Rachel Jewett | October 23, 2020

Ligado Networks that it has raised $3.85 billion in new capital from new and existing investors, led by JPMorgan Chase & Co. This capital  raise, announced Oct. 23, will support Ligado as it works to deploy a private L-band network to offer managed network services for enterprise and industrial sectors. Ligado said specifically, this capital raise will fund the company’s commercial collaboration with chipset designers, device manufacturers, and network infrastructure providers.

The FCC approved Ligado’s plan to deploy a low-power terrestrial nationwide network in the L-band to support Internet of Things services (IoT) in April. But Ligado has many detractors. A wide range of stakeholders including the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the GPS Innovation Alliance (GPSIA), Iridium, Lockheed Martin and a group representing GPS end users called Keep GPS Working Coalition have opposed the decision, saying Ligado’s network will cause harmful interference to GPS signals.

“Today is a great day, and now the fun begins. We’ve secured our license, we’ve raised the necessary capital, and we’re in a great position to work with the industry to get this spectrum deployed for 5G to support critical industries across the U.S.,” said Doug Smith, Ligado President and CEO.
www.satellitetoday.com/business/2020/10/...nd-l-band-network/

Partnership with Tencent could end up being a true industry bellwether

Rakuten has been focused on a very expensive (and moderately successful) global expansion effort through its “cash-back” e-commerce portal and Rakuten TV streaming platform, but has yet to tie the two together in a significant or innovative way. Now that it has an opportunity to leverage Tencent’s content-commerce prowess — taking China as a starting point, Rakuten could apply what it learns from one of the best in the business to its global plans.

Tencent, like competitor Alibaba and archrival Bytedance, has made it a priority to fuse video with e-commerce, and the impetus for this was accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic. To keep up with the competition, Tencent has been forced to boost video and commerce on WeChat, adding video accounts, expanding e-commerce, and adding livestreaming features.

Tencent has also shown itself adept at creating or cultivating content trends in areas such as gaming (via its Tencent Games, Riot Games and its stake in Epic Games), and music, through Tencent Music Entertainment (TME), which is expanding globally at lightning speed, and idol competition shows on Tencent Video that mint new stars.

The content-commerce industry didn’t exist when Rakuten last aimed at China back in 2012. Now, nothing is stopping Rakuten and Tencent —  two deep-pocketed content powerhouses — from teaming up on e-commerce-enabled programs using the “Fourtry” model, perhaps with shows set in Japan (as the first season of “Fourtry” was) that highlight products from the country that can be seamlessly purchased while viewing, with both Rakuten and Tencent cashing in.

Another possible growth avenue for Rakuten comes by way of Bilibili, the massively popular platform beloved of China’s Gen Z, which also boasts Tencent as its second-biggest shareholder with an 18 percent stake. Were Rakuten to get more access to Bilibili’s 202 million monthly active users (MAUs), this partnership could end up being a true industry bellwether.

jingdaily.com/...e-up-is-a-game-changer-for-content-commerce/

plus prominenten Investoren mit JP MorganChase an der Spitze sind eine exzellente Mischung:

In The News | Light Reading | Mike Dano | March 2, 2021

Ligado’s CEO Talks Spectrum Values, Partnerships and Sales

Ligado owns around 40MHz of spectrum in the 1600MHz L-band, holdings that gained significantly more attention following the FCC’s blockbuster auction of 280MHz of C-band spectrum in the 3.7GHz-4GHz band.

Importantly, the FCC has twice voted in recent months to allow Ligado to conduct 5G operations as well as satellite communications in its spectrum holdings.

That development – coupled with Ligado’s recent $4 billion fundraising effort and its partnership with Japan’s Rakuten – positions the company to step into 2021 with more momentum than it has enjoyed in over a decade of tumultuous corporate history.

Read the full article at Lightreading.com.

ligado.com/news/...-talks-spectrum-values-partnerships-sales/

für die Einbringung von Rakuten RCP anstelle von Cash eine Beteiligung an Ligado erwerben würde - allerdings müsste man da abwägen, ob das Rakuten RCP bei einem möglichen Einsatz bei Konkurrenten von Ligado schaden könnte.

Ligado Secures Significant New Capital to Advance 5G Plans and Enhance Next-Generation Connectivity for U.S. Infrastructure

New financing enables the company to fulfill the FCC's vision for utilizing its L-band frequencies and support the mobile industry's commitment to ready this spectrum for 5G

RESTON, Va., Oct. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ligado Networks announced today it has successfully raised nearly $4 billion in new capital, taking a major step toward realizing the company's 5G plans for mission-critical industries and expediting the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) efforts to increase the country's use of mid-band spectrum for next-generation services.

Led by JPMorgan Chase & Co., Ligado secured $3.85 billion from existing and new investors, which will support the company's technology plan to expand the roster of vendors supporting the L-Band ecosystem.

Since its bipartisan, unanimous approval from the FCC in April 2020, Ligado has made important strides to realize the full potential of its spectrum and progress toward bringing next-generation services to market. In June 2020, Ligado's submissions into 3GPP – the industry forum that adopts technical specifications for terrestrial spectrum – were approved and, importantly, enjoyed the support of global vendors such as Nokia, Intel, Samsung, and Sequans. This capital raise will further strengthen the company's commercial collaboration with chipset designers, device manufacturers, and network infrastructure providers.

www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/...astructure-301158918.html

zu meinen letzten Ligado-Postings: Meines Erachtens wird die Bedeutung dieses Deals enorm unterschätzt bzw. noch nicht in trockenen Tüchern gesehen, was ich aber wiederum anders sehe. Denn funktionierendes 5 G-Open-Ran in großem Stil kann bisher nur Rakuten sicher bieten, wenn es denn schnell gehen soll - und es soll wohl bei Ligado schnell gehen, um der Konkurrenz voraus zu sein.

The big advanage of Rakuten Mobile: The performance of its mobile network in Japan, which is both based on RCP and informs the development of the platform

Rakuten counts 15 international customers for communications platform

Japan's Rakuten has sold its Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP) to a total of 15 customers so far, according to the company's mobile networking chief Tareq Amin.

"We have already 15 global customers. A lot of people don't know that the sales already started. And these are not small customers. Some of them are very, very massive," he said this week during a virtual roundtable with members of the media. "I'm really delighted to see that we finally are reaching a stage where possibly in the next quarter or so we have a very large contract about the entire RCP stack."

RCP essentially is the platform on which Rakuten is building its 4G and 5G networks in Japan. Amin explained that the offering consists of a number of different, interchangeable pieces including network orchestration, cloud management and artificial intelligence provided by a range of participating suppliers. RCP customers can pick and choose which parts of the platform they wish to use.

RCP essentially positions Rakuten against the likes of Amazon, Google and Microsoft, companies that are also selling cloud-based network management and operational services to network operators globally. Indeed, Microsoft last year acquired Affirmed Networks and Metaswitch Networks in pursuit of that goal.

Moreover, Rakuten's sales of RCP are directly linked to the success of the company's ongoing 4G and 5G network buildouts in Japan. As a result, the company has been quick to stamp out concerns over the performance of its mobile network in Japan, which is both based on RCP and informs the development of the platform.

www.lightreading.com/cloud-nativenfv/...latform/d/d-id/767209

Rakuten is with only 1.4-times-revenues extreme undervalued for an internet-company

Market Cap of $18.7 billion and revenues of 1,455,538,000,000 JPY (about $ 13,38 billion)

finance.yahoo.com/quote/RKUNY/financials?p=RKUNY

Statement | March 31, 2021
Ligado Networks Statement on President Biden’s Infrastructure Plan

RESTON, VA. March 31, 2021 – Ligado Networks issued the following statement from Chief Communications Officer and Head of Congressional Affairs Ashley Durmer on the Biden administration’s plan to rebuild U.S. infrastructure:

“Ligado applauds the Biden administration for taking a bold step that makes modernizing America’s infrastructure the priority it should be. Upgrading U.S. infrastructure – which must include new investments in access to 5G and high-speed broadband networks – is crucial to creating the 21st Century society Americans deserve and enabling businesses to compete globally. We look forward to working with all stakeholders – in government and the private sector – to help deliver the benefits of 5G to the critical infrastructure companies that keep America running.

ligado.com/press/...ent-president-bidens-infrastructure-plan/

Written by Mary Lennighan

24 November 2020

Germany’s telecoms regulator has awarded 88 licences for private 5G networks in the past 12 months and expects many more applications to come.

The Bundesnetzagentur, or BNetzA, announced that a year after opening applications for 3.7 GHz-3.8 GHz spectrum for campus 5G networks it has received a total of 93 submissions resulting in the granting of frequencies in 88 cases thus far.

“With the frequencies for local 5G networks, we create room for innovation,” said BNetzA president Jochen Homann. “We are registering great interest in the frequencies and are still counting on numerous applications,” he said.

The state has good reason to crow about the level of interest being shown in private 5G networks. Its decision to set aside spectrum in the 3.7 GHz-3.8 GHz band for that purpose ahead of last year’s 5G auction was one of the key reasons for the serious discontent expressed by Germany’s telecoms operators with regard to the auction rules. The reduced amount of spectrum available at the auction meant greater competition and a higher spend for the telcos, all of whom repeatedly and vocally complained about the sale.

There have been a handful of high-profile applicants for spectrum in the 3.7 GHz-3.8 GHz band. NTT Data is one such company that features on the BNetzA’s list and this summer the firm announced a new partnership with Mavenir to develop a portfolio of solutions for private 5G and 4G networks.

Others on the list (which can be found here) include tech firms, car makers, research and educational facilities, and the Deutsche Messe exhibition site in Hannover, amongst others.

The list is only going to get longer.

telecoms.com/507600/...great-interest-in-private-5g-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.

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

www.capterra.com.de/reviews/180348/viber

Rakuten Viber and Middleware sign global Partnership agreement

15 February 2021. Redwood California. – Middleware (USA) and Rakuten Viber (part of Rakuten Group, Japan) have signed a global partnership agreement to work on digital transformation initiatives across the world.

Today Viber messenger has more than 1 billion users in 193 countries worldwide with offices in Singapore, Manila, Minsk, Kyiv, Sofia, Moscow, London, San Francisco, Paris, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. Every hour users make more than 70 million actions in the app. On average, every Viber user launches the messenger 16 times per day.

Middleware works on digital transformation projects in more than 100 countries of the world with clients such as Western Union, Visa, Mambu, Glovo, METRO Cash&Carry and other prominent brands across all industries. Middleware is using its own stack of proprietary technologies: Corezoid Hyperautomation Engine, Deepmemo Rules Engine, Sender Communication Engine and Control.events.

Rakuten Viber and Middleware already have a history of successful cooperation in Eastern Europe. Based on the Corezoid platform, many companies in both governmental and private sectors launched contact centers, self-service chatbots and Viber Chatbot Payments.

Middleware technologies allow companies to easily work with Viber APIs and integrate with pre-existing software: CRM, BPM, ERP, ESB, service desk, campaign management etc.
Middleware and Rakuten Viber plan to grow the partnership to a global level and help companies worldwide to orchestrate communication with their customers, provide high quality service and payment features.

corezoid.com/blog/viber-middleware-global-partnership/

17 FEBRUARY , 2021  

The mobile operator Kyivstar has analyzed the popularity of messengers, social networks and platforms among Ukrainians.

According to the operator, Viber is the most popular messenger among Kyivstar subscribers – 12 million subscribers of the operator use it monthly. Next in the ranking are Facebook Messenger with 11 million users, Telegram with 6 million and WhatsApp with about 5 million.

open4business.com.ua/...s-use-viber-and-facebook-most-of-all/

Rakuten Viber celebrated its tenth founding anniversary in 2020 and announced plans to transform the messaging platform into an ‘all in one’ or ‘lifetime’ app. To this end they will bring new features up front and they have already moved towards this goal by launching Chatbot payment service. This allows users to safely purchase products and services from merchants and pay directly through the app.

Following in the footsteps of the past decade, Rakuten Viber will continue to be a key priority for users this year. Keeping their commitment to information security and privacy intact, Rakuten Viber is ready for the new year with all the different features.

bongwiki.com/why-is-the-use-of-viber-increasing-2021/

Rakuten Mobile beabsichtigt, RCP in Form mehrerer Schlüsseltechnologien und services anzubieten, die es staatlichen Einrichtungen, Telekommunikationsunternehmen und Unternehmen ermöglichen sollen, schnell und kostengünstig vollständig Cloud-native Netzwerkdienste aufzubauen und bereitzustellen. Um RCP künftig global verfügbar machen zu können, entschied sich Rakuten Mobile nach einem umfangreichen Evaluierungsprozess für Platform Equinix, das den dynamischen Anforderungen des Unternehmens gerecht wird.

Über Equinix globale Präsenz und zuverlässige Infrastruktur  wird Rakuten es seinen Kunden in allen Regionen ermöglichen können, RCP offen, skalierbar und maximal sicher einzusetzen. Der Netzwerkdienstleister ist zuversichtlich, dass diese Plattform wesentlich zum globalen Wachstum von RCP beitragen wird.

Highlights

Rakuten Mobile, der weltweit erste Netzbetreiber durchgängig nativer Cloud-Netze, hat Anfang dieses Jahres mit der Einführung vollwertiger 4G-Dienste in Japan begonnen und verfolgt darüber hinaus das Ziel, noch in diesem Jahr kommerzielle 5G-Dienste einzuführen.

Die Bereitstellung über Equinix ermöglicht es Rakuten Mobile, die globale Expansion von RCP durch Equinix’ globale Präsenz und seine vielschichtigen Ökosysteme umfassender und schneller voranzutreiben. Die weltweit verteilte und zuverlässige Netzwerkinfrastruktur von Platform Equinix versetzt Rakuten Mobile in die Lage, seinen Kunden außerhalb Japans sichere, schnelle und latenzarme Netzwerkdienste anzubieten.

Rakuten Mobile schließt sich dem vernetzten globalen Ökosystem von Platform Equinix an, dem über 2.900 Cloud- und 1.800 Netzwerk-Service-Provider angehören. Darüber hinaus wird Rakuten Mobile bei Bedarf innerhalb von Minuten virtuelle Netzwerkdienste an der Digital Edge bereitstellen und anbinden können, um so die dynamischen Interconnection-Bandbreitenanforderungen zu erfüllen und flexibel auf Spitzenlasten zu reagieren.

Zitate

Tareq Amin, Chief Technology Officer, Rakuten Mobile
„Wir freuen uns über die Zusammenarbeit mit Equinix, mit der wir die globale Expansion unseres Telekommunikationsgeschäfts über die Rakuten Communications Platform vorantreiben werden. Equinix’ globale Präsenz, seine Unternehmens-Services und die leistungsfähigen Netzwerkfunktionen machen das Unternehmen für uns zum idealen Partner, um die Bereitstellung Cloud-basierter Mobilfunknetze für Telekommunikationsunternehmen und andere global Player weiter auszubauen.“

Justin Dustzadeh, Chief Technology Officer, Equinix
„Dies ist der Beginn einer intensiven Zusammenarbeit mit Rakuten Mobile. Die erste Rollout-Phase in Singapur und Los Angeles legt den Grundstein für die zukünftige internationale Expansion des Mobilgeschäfts. Über Platform Equinix erhält Rakuten Mobile Zugang zu unserer globalen Präsenz und unserem reichhaltigen Netzwerkökosystem. Dies ermöglicht es unserem neuen Partner, seinen Kunden auf der ganzen Welt schnelle, latenzarme und sichere Dienste anzubieten. Wir freuen uns auf die weitere Entwicklung dieser Zusammenarbeit und sind gespannt, was die Zukunft bringen wird.“

Equinix (Nasdaq: EQIX) ist der weltweit führende Anbieter digitaler Infrastrukturen. Die zuverlässige Plattform von Equinix erlaubt es digitalen Unternehmen, ihre Infrastrukturen zusammenzuführen und miteinander zu vernetzen und schafft so das Fundament für ihren Erfolg. Equinix ermöglicht seinen Kunden den Zugang zu relevanten Märkten, Partnern und Geschäftsmöglichkeiten und stärkt so ihre Wettbewerbsfähigkeit. Mit Equinix können sie flexibel skalieren, die Markteinführung digitaler Services beschleunigen, erstklassige Kundenerfahrungen bereitstellen und ihr geschäftliches Potenzial vervielfachen.

www.presse-radar.de/2020/10/05/...en-communications-platform/

Rakuten Europe and Fintech Blockchain Firm Chiliz to Launch Fan Token Partnership
Fintech blockchain firm Chiliz, the company behind Fan Tokens and Socios.com, publicized its newly formed alliance with Rakuten Europe.

The partnership allows Rakuten customers in Spain, UK and Germany to redeem Fan Tokens — collectible, tradable digital assets that include benefits like voting rights, VIP rewards, club and sponsor promotions, AR-powered features, and super-fan recognition on Socios.com — using their Rakuten points.

Fan Tokens for FC Barcelona ($BAR), Atlético de Madrid ($ATM), AS Roma ($ASR), Paris Saint-Germain ($PSG), Juventus ($JUV), Galatasaray ($GAL) and AC Milan ($ACM) are now being offered at Rakuten, as part of its effort to add further depth of service, improved perks and additional partners. More Fan Tokens from Chiliz — Manchester City included — will be added to the offering. In the future, the partnership is set to expand into additional European markets and worldwide.

www.supercryptonews.com/...z-to-launch-fan-token-partnership/

www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/asts/...cle?guid=14876020

Popular Nickelodeon shows like SpongeBob and Deer Squad will be available on VOD Rakuten TV, with an Ichiba e-commerce storefront on the way.

By Jeremy Dickson

April 20, 2021

ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) has struck a long-term deal with e-commerce conglomerate Rakuten to launch Nickelodeon’s on-demand kids service in Japan. Nick+ will be accessible through VOD service Rakuten TV beginning April 28.

A raft of Nick’s most popular animated series, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Deer Squad (pictured), PAW Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues & You!, will be available to Japanese audiences on Rakuten TV across mobile, STB/dongle, web and smart TV devices.

Rakuten will also launch Nick’s first-ever digital storefront in Asia on e-commerce platform Ichiba, giving its kids brands a direct line from streaming to consumer products. Beginning in May, products from IPs including SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be featured on Rakuten’s virtual mall. These ranges span categories such as fashion, stationery and collectibles.

kidscreen.com/2021/04/20/nick-heads-to-japan/

APRIL 20, 2021 12.22 EUROPE/LONDON BY JULIAN CLOVER

Rakuten TV is launching over 20 channels across 16 European markets as part of its agreement with Samsung Electronics.

The advertising-supported content will leverage Rakuten Advertising’s 1st party data and audience insights.

The roll-out began today with the launch of new channels in Denmark, Finland and Norway, with Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal and Ireland planned for May.

Rakuten TV has also landed today at TV Plus in Sweden and the Netherlands with the launch of 7 premium channels.

The enhanced line-up includes a number of free-to-air channels including Africanews, Bloomberg TV, Bloomberg Quicktake and Euronews.

The new channels will be available on the TV Plus service in Samsung Smart TV devices from 2016 onwards in the UK, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland; and in Samsung Smart TV devices from 2017 onwards in the rest of the markets.

Rakuten Advertising reaches 27 million homes across Europe.

www.broadbandtvnews.com/2021/04/20/...els-on-samsung-tv-plus/

Taucher:

global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2021/0419_01.html

Obwohl das meines Erachtens nach der letzten Eigenkapitalbeschaffungsaktion zu erwarten war. Die 4,25% Euro-Zinsen stören mich allerdings etwas - allerdings: dass man aber trotzdem weiter Fremdkapital aufnimmt, ist m.E. auch ein Signal, dass man rentable Investitionsmöglichkeiten zu haben glaubt.

"We are very excited to partner with ViacomCBS Networks International to bring their iconic brands and top-tier content to new audiences through our streaming and e-commerce platforms," said Koji Ando, Rakuten Group Managing Executive Officer and Senior Vice President of Rakuten's Communications & Energy Company. "Through these new initiatives, families across the country will have even more reasons to engage with our services and enjoy the rich customer experience of the Rakuten Ecosystem. We look forward to building on this partnership to deliver even more entertaining content and initiatives in the future."

Nick+, a subscription service, is planned for launch on Rakuten TV on April 28, 2021, bringing many of the most popular series from the Nickelodeon library to Japanese audiences. Kids and families will be able to watch on demand favorite shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Bubble Guppies, Dora the Explorer, Blue's Clues & You!, Deer Squad, The Loud House, Game Shakers, The Thundermans and more.

In addition to hit kids and family entertainment via the Nick+ service, Rakuten will host the first-ever Nickelodeon digital storefront in Asia on the Rakuten Ichiba internet shopping mall in Japan. Showcasing a collection of select Nickelodeon products from multiple merchants, Japanese audiences will be able to easily purchase products featuring some of the brand’s most beloved characters from iconic franchises such as SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the new dedicated e-commerce zone on Rakuten Ichiba. Products will cover multiple categories, including fashion, stationery and collectibles.

About Rakuten TV (Japan)
A live streaming and video-on-demand service provided by Rakuten offering users in Japan approximately 210,000 pieces of content covering movies, dramas, anime, sports, such as Pacific League Japanese pro baseball, and stage shows. The videos can be viewed on various devices, including smartphones, computers and TVs.

global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2021/...=4&category=ec

Rakuten Mobile Releases New Original 5G Smartphone: Rakuten BIG s
- Rakuten BIG s to go on sale April 21

Tokyo, April 19, 2021 - Rakuten Mobile, Inc. today announced the release of the Rakuten BIG s, a new original 5G-compatible smartphone available for purchase from the Rakuten Mobile website from 9:00 a.m. on April 21, 2021, and in selected stores from mid-May. The Rakuten BIG s will be available in three colors: black, white and crimson red. It will retail at 50,980 yen (tax included).

The Rakuten BIG s is more compact than the Rakuten BIG released in September 2020 and comes fitted with a quad AI camera, including a telephoto camera and maximum resolution of 48 megapixels, as well as an approximately 6.4-inch OLED display. With the Rakuten BIG s, customers can enjoy Rakuten Mobile’s 5G service in supported areas. As with other Rakuten Mobile original smartphones, the Rakuten BIG s supports eSIM and is SIM lock free.

The Rakuten BIG s features a quad AI camera ideal for a broad range of photography needs. The cameras include a telephoto camera with a 2x optical zoom (approx. 8 megapixels), an ultra wide-angle camera ideal for photographing scenery (approx. 8 megapixels), as well as a wide-angle camera for capturing a variety of scenes from everyday life in high resolution (approx. 48 megapixels). In addition, a depth-sensing camera allows for photos with just the right amount of background blur. Customers can also enjoy videos and games on the device’s large (approximately 6.4-inch) and vividly immersive OLED display. And with facial recognition, an in-display fingerprint sensor, IPX7 and IP6X ratings for water and dust resistance, and a 3,900mAh large-capacity battery, the Rakuten BIG s is equipped to handle just about any situation.

The Rakuten BIG s also features the Rakuten Browser (beta version) mobile browser pre-installed. The Rakuten Browser is not limited to Rakuten Mobile users but available to all users, and offers high-speed browsing and a variety of functions, including dark mode and private browsing. Planning is currently underway to offer Rakuten Points rewards to customers using the app and to add new convenient functions through collaboration with other Rakuten Group services.

corp.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/english/news/press/2021/0419_02/