Japan is taking a leading role in the Asia-Pacific region for Open RAN (O-RAN) technology. While the adoption of large-scale virtualized RAN (vRAN) remains in its early stages, the country is ahead in integrating these innovative solutions, according to Pascal Remy, principal analyst at Omdia. Remy stated that “Japan is the leading market for open vRAN in Asia-Pacific, and one of the leaders globally.”
Rakuten Mobile notably operates the world’s largest fully virtualized O-RAN network. Other telecom giants like NTT Docomo, KDDI, and SoftBank are also adopting O-RAN and vRAN solutions. However, the pace of deployment remains gradual. Remy highlighted, “KDDI has also started deploying open vRAN, while SoftBank seems especially interested in vRAN and its collaboration with Nvidia.”
Rakuten has influenced the international market significantly. Remy’s insights suggest, “Rakuten Mobile has indeed been a pioneer in fully virtualized O-RAN, but it perhaps had more influence outside Japan than in Japan,” impacting companies like Dish in the U.S. and 1&1 in Germany. This global influence underscores the potential of Rakuten’s model, reflected in increasing cooperation with Rakuten Symphony.
Despite the progress, challenges remain. The maturity of the technology and integration issues act as hurdles in rapid O-RAN adoption. Remy noted, “maturity and integration continue to be perceived as the main barriers to O-RAN expansion across APAC.” Existing reliable legacy networks contribute to a slower transition, reducing the immediate need for such a shift.
Looking forward, Remy expects Japanese telecom operators to pursue distinct strategies at their own pace. He emphasized, “I believe all of them have different strategies and will continue with their progressive adoption, and their respective timelines.”
Japan’s leadership in the O-RAN space is promising, but the journey is complex. The ongoing efforts by Rakuten, Docomo, KDDI, and SoftBank are critical. The country’s approach to navigating integration challenges will be watched closely by both national and global markets.
