Milestones & Awards

UK Open RAN Center launch represents watershed moment for Rakuten Symphony, the UK and Europe

By
Nastasi Karaiskos
Managing Director, Rakuten Symphony UK
Rakuten Symphony
April 11, 2023
4
minute read

I’m delighted that we’ve successfully launched the Rakuten Open RAN Customer Experience Center in the United Kingdom, in what we believe is a meaningful step forward in the evolution of secure, smart and sustainable 5G in the United Kingdom and Europe.

On a personal level, I’m proud that Rakuten has chosen the United Kingdom as its European testbed for Open RAN interoperability. It’s also symbolic of the growing strategic ties between the UK and Japan, two great nations that now share a wide variety of technological interests. The launch represents the first significant manifestation of the Japan-UK Digital Partnership, which will see the countries enhance bilateral cooperation across 15 areas of technology including telecoms diversification.

“At Rakuten Symphony we have a duty to support and educate European operators in their bid to explore technologies that can make their networks more automated, sustainable and secure.”

- Nastasi Karaiskos, Managing Director, Rakuten Symphony UK

 Nastasi Karaiskos (far right with microphone), Managing Director, Rakuten Symphony UK introduces a panel featuring representatives from Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology from the United Kingdom and the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association.
Nastasi Karaiskos (far right with microphone), Managing Director, Rakuten Symphony UK introduces a panel featuring representatives from Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology from the United Kingdom and the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association.

Based in Weybridge, Surrey, our new Open RAN Customer Experience Center will serve two main purposes.

Firstly, it will allow for testing of the interoperability of Open RAN technologies. This will build on the work already pioneered by the Rakuten Mobile Open Innovation Lab in Tokyo, and also has the potential to draw on work conducted by the Japan OTIC lab for Open RAN interoperability testing and certification based on international standards, of which Rakuten Mobile is a founding partner.

The Center will also be a showcase for mobile network operators who want to learn about how Open RAN can help transform their networks.

Supporting European MNOs on their Open RAN journey

At Rakuten Symphony we have a duty to support and educate European operators in their bid to explore technologies that can make their networks more automated, sustainable and secure.

Of course, we need not look far - figuratively speaking - for a blueprint of a network that embodies these ideals. We believe that Europe should now seek to replicate what Rakuten Mobile has accomplished in Japan.

“We now desperately need to diversify the sources of telecommunications equipment, amidst a backdrop of rising geopolitical complexity. In the long run, pursuing diversification will result in greater economic security.”

Rakuten Mobile launched the world’s first fully virtualized, cloud-native mobile network in Japan, based on Open RAN standards. It is now reaping the operational benefits, achieving 98% population coverage delivered via a network that cost 40% less to build and up to 30% less to operate than traditional mobile networks.

Panelists discuss goals for Open RAN Center

Yuki Naruse from Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC).
Yuki Naruse from Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC).

At the Center’s launch, we hosted an eye-opening panel discussion with representatives from Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology from the United Kingdom and the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association.

To echo the words of MIC’s Yuki Naruse, who spoke eloquently on our panel discussion about how the Center will contribute to the realization of resilient 5G networks, we now desperately need to diversify the sources of telecommunications equipment, amidst a backdrop of rising geopolitical complexity. In the long run, pursuing diversification will result in greater economic security.

Naruse’s sentiments were shared by our other panelists, including Scott Bailey, the United Kingdom Department of Science, Innovation and Technology’s Head of Telecoms Diversification. Bailey discussed how the UK is delivering on a £250 million strategy to make its telecoms networks less reliant on a handful of equipment suppliers. His comments certainly struck a chord with guests at the launch, as he emphasized how one of the most fundamental drivers of the Japan-UK Digital Partnership – and, by association, our Open RAN Customer Experience Center – is boosting the security and resilience of critical national infrastructure.

Alessandro Gropelli, Deputy Director General of the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association, joined us from Brussels to share his excitement about the Center, and to underline ETNO’s commitment to supporting Open RAN.

A big thank you must also go to our very own Rabih Dabboussi, Rakuten Symphony’s Chief Business Officer, who gave attendees a vivid picture of what we aim to achieve with Open RAN, and the possibilities that await those who choose to innovate.

Rabih Dabboussi (far right), Rakuten Symphony’s Chief Business Officer, gave attendees a vivid picture of what the company aims to achieve with Open RAN, and the possibilities that await those who choose to innovate.
Rabih Dabboussi (far right), Rakuten Symphony’s Chief Business Officer, gave attendees a vivid picture of what the company aims to achieve with Open RAN, and the possibilities that await those who choose to innovate.

I’d like to thank everyone that attended the launch, in particular the representatives from MIC of Japan, the United Kingdom’s DSIT and ETNO. I’d also like to extend an invitation to all telecom operators, aspiring industry professionals and our existing customer base to visit the Center. Join us to find out how Mobile as a Software can redefine mobile networks.

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