Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

Customer centricity: The Rakuten Symphony approach

By Rahul Sagar

Rakuten Symphony

December 6, 2022

Conclusion: At Rakuten Symphony, we will continue to put the customer first in everything we do. Our innovative approach means collaborating with our customers to ensure we are solving their most pressing problems and introducing solutions that will add value to their business.

https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...2520at%2520Rakuten%2520Symphony.  

Brownfield Telus to put Open RAN through its paces with Rakuten Symphony

By Ray Le Maistre Sep 28, 2022

Canadian operator Telus has long had its eye on Open RAN

Now it is exploring options with Rakuten Symphony

Telus is a “brilliant example” of how a modern telco should be looking at its future, says Symphony CEO Tareq Amin

He is bullish about Open RAN’s prospects, but not everyone is

Canadian network operator Telus is the latest telco to explore the potential of deploying Open RAN technology in its production network and is in the process of developing a broad trial with Rakuten Symphony, the cloud-enabled technology spin-out from Japanese mobile operator Rakuten Mobile, according to Tareq Amin, the CEO of both Rakuten units.

TelecomTV has approached Telus for comment but has yet to receive any response, though it’s clear Telus has Open RAN plans as it is currently seeking to hire Open RAN integration engineers. It has long hinted at some Open RAN action, though has been as cautious as many other operators, but now appears to be more comfortable with the potential of the new approach to mobile networks.

https://www.telecomtv.com/content/open-ran/...rakuten-symphony-45521/  

Average Smartphone Data Consumption To Reach 19GB In 2025

Posted on December 8, 2022 Author Abolaji Adebayo

The average data consumption per smartphone is expected to exceed 19GB per month in 2025, this is predicted by recently released Ericsson Mobility Report. According to the report, 5G will drive all mobile data growth as 5G mobile subscriptions are expected to reach 5 billion in 2028. In 2028, all growth in mobile data traffic will come from 5G, as 4G traffic is set to decline.

The global monthly average usage per smartphone is anticipated to be 19 GB in 2023 and is forecast to reach 46 GB by the end of 2028. 5G’s share of mobile data traffic is forecast to grow to 69 per cent.

Currently, video traffic is estimated to account for around 70 percent of all mobile data traffic, a share that is forecast to increase to 80 percent in 2028. Populous markets that launch 5G early are likely to lead in terms of traffic growth over the forecast period. 5G’s share of mobile data traffic is expected to be around 17 per cent by the end of 2022, an increase from 10 per cent at the end of 2021. This share is forecast to grow to 69 per cent in 2028.

https://www.newtelegraphng.com/...-consumption-to-reach-19gb-in-2025/
 

International Roaming in Qatar during the world’s greatest sporting event: A Sympulse Story
By Ahmed B Darwish Rakuten Symphony December 7, 2022

Customer experience for international roamers is crucial for network operators. Rakuten Symphony's Sympulse allows mobile operators to monitor and improve roaming experience and network performance anywhere they are in the world.

The probe solution actively tests all international roaming experiences by generating authentic voice and data traffic, using a straightforward and easy-to-use user interface with a drag-and-drop recipe builder. Recipes can be built sequentially to create work orders that simulate user experiences such as network attach/detach, voice calls, video calls, web browsing, upload/download speed, YouTube video performance, latency and more. Once the work order is created, it can be assigned to any of the probes globally and once assigned, the probes will execute with all logs captured and stored on the cloud.

The impacts of an automated solution

The fully automated post-processing starts automatically once new log data is stored on the cloud. The Post-Processing then parses the log messages captured by the probes and creates reports automatically, including all required radio KPIs.

The main KPIs are visualized in different graph types and the probe's locations are plotted on a global map on the Sympulse Dashboard (WebUI), providing insights about radio network KPIs and simplifying the activity of probe monitoring. In addition, the probes can identify service outages through real-time reporting and notifications.

Simplicity sets Sympulse apart

The Sympulse probe solution's simplicity differentiates it from the competition. Moreover, being a software-centric solution built on the latest open-source cloud-native networks allows the product to be deployed, developed and scaled much faster than other hardware-centric solutions. This also helps reduce CAPEX and OPEX for testing international roaming.

The probe consists of cleverly designed boxes and a couple of smartphones installed with Sympulse, and we have deployed them at strategic points all over Qatar to ensure traveling supporters get the best possible experience while watching the world's greatest sporting event.

https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...-sporting-event-a-sympulse-story  

Symphony insights
A little over a year after it was formally created, Rakuten Mobile’s vendor off-shoot, Rakuten Symphony, has reported some statistics and numbers as part of the earnings report, though the details were limited (for example, operating margins were not published).

Since it was formed, Symphony, which has 3,500 staff worldwide, has generated revenues of $315m and has bookings valued at $3.1bn. Much of that will be coming from 1&1 in Germany, where Symphony is planning, building and will run the German operator’s greenfield, Open RAN-based 5G network.

Rakuten says Symphony had 14 commercial customers at the end of September and has another 12 engagements close to becoming revenue generating: Tareq Amin, who is CEO of both Rakuten Mobile and Rakuten Symphony, noted recently that Symphony is close to completing an extensive deal with a brownfield customer (an existing mobile operator that is adding Open RAN to its existing infrastructure – no names were mentioned, but Amin did recently discuss with TelecomTV what seemed like an imminent opportunity with Canada’s Telus).

https://www.telecomtv.com/content/open-ran/...and-subs-decline-45923/  

https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/english/images/news-220513-01.pdf  

Soompi, a division of Viki Inc., is the world’s largest and longest-running English online media providing complete coverage of Korean pop culture. Founded in 1998, Soompi has become the ultimate authority for all the latest news on Korean celebrities, music, TV shows, movies, and style, as well as a respected organization that works closely with major Korean entertainment agencies to bring you exclusive content. Soompi boasts a dedicated user base from 150 different countries. Site traffic is spread out among our comprehensive forums and news site. Soompi reports everything awesome and important going on in the world of Korean entertainment, in a way that’s lively, engaging, positive, respectful, and timely.

In August 2015, Soompi was acquired by Viki, Inc., the leading streaming video service for global TV.

https://www.soompi.com/  

Diverse Publisher Models for Driving Creativity and Innovation within Affiliate Campaigns

By Rakuten Advertising December 2, 2021

New and diverse publisher models are helping to elevate the affiliate channel to one of strategic significance. Gone are the days when advertisers could rely on one or two publishers to drive performance. Shifting consumer behavior means publisher diversity with an affiliate program is more important than ever in reaching and engaging consumers.

As the end of the year edges closer, the Rakuten Advertising Publisher Development team shares insight into the new publisher models expected to grow and drive success in 2022.

Financial Technology Partners and Loyalty Enablers

Buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) solutions and card-linked offers (CLO) have increased in popularity over recent years and will become mainstream affiliate partners in 2022. The trend of financial technology partners using affiliate will grow next year with Digital Wallet providers and Loyalty Enablers such as YouTrip or ING Dealwise.

Digital wallet provider YouTrip is Singapore’s first multi-currency mobile wallet with a prepaid Mastercard, allowing consumers to pay for purchases in over 150 currencies with no fees. As a perk for members, YouTrip Perks give consumers cashback for purchasing with their partners – meaning brands can target international online shoppers and travelers via a platform that makes purchasing in different currencies easy.

Additionally, financial institutions have recognized the value in enabling consumer loyalty and have launched affiliate offerings. For example, ING Dealwise allows brands to employ personalization strategies to connect with consumers in a trusted environment.

Content Commerce

The demand for content consumption has increased and maintaining a user’s attention amongst the various places that content is consumers can be challenging. Content and media houses have had to evolve how they monetize their sites and drive revenue. That’s where content commerce, otherwise known as ‘shoppable content’, comes into play.

Consumers are now more confident in transacting at the point of inspiration. The ability to transact without leaving the publishers environment has led to the natural evolution of content partners. Social platforms also recognize the value of shoppable content, with many integrating shopping capabilities that enable users to shop at the point of inspiration.

Partners like Tipser and Bonsai enable publishers to use technology to deliver shoppable moments within content on an affiliate CPA basis.

Influencers and Live Shopping

Over the last two years, the disruption to the in-store experience has led to greater creative collaboration between brands and influencers. Influencers have stepped into the role of sales assistant to help showcase the inner workings of products, with their reviews and opinions becoming more influential than ever before.

Instagram has recently removed the 10K follower limitation on the swipe-up function within stories. The removal of the follower limits means that anyone can link to a brand or specific product page regardless of whether they’re a macro or micro-influencer. This change will lead to an increase in niche content creators that can partner with brands.

Additionally, the ability to link in stories and the introduction of live shopping platforms like Sauce will lead to more brands and influencers connecting for live shopping events. Sauce is a South Korean partner that creates new consumer experiences through the aggregation of content, commerce, and live streaming.

Are you looking for diverse publishers to enhance your affiliate strategy? Speak to your Rakuten Advertising account representative or visit rakutenadvertising for more information.

https://blog.rakutenadvertising.com/insights/...ublisher-models-2022/  

Affiliate Marketing Experts Share Their 2023 Predictions and Tips

DECEMBER 12, 2022

To get some insight into what trends we might see in 2023 in affiliate marketing, here are some collective commentaries from Rakuten Advertising and members of Rakuten Advertising International Collective (RAIC).

Chiming in with their take are Stuart McLennan, Senior Vice President, APAC, Rakuten Advertising, Jeff Unze, President, Partnerships, BorderX Lab, creator of the Beyond Cross-border Shopping App, and Iris Huynh, Affiliate Partnerships Manager at Klarna.

They share their thoughts regarding online marketing trends to be on the lookout for in 2023 as well as some tips for e-commerce managers as we head into the new year.

To get some insight into what trends we might see in 2023 in affiliate marketing, here are some collective commentaries from Rakuten Advertising and members of Rakuten Advertising International Collective (RAIC).

Chiming in with their take are Stuart McLennan, Senior Vice President, APAC, Rakuten Advertising, Jeff Unze, President, Partnerships, BorderX Lab, creator of the Beyond Cross-border Shopping App, and Iris Huynh, Affiliate Partnerships Manager at Klarna.

They share their thoughts regarding online marketing trends to be on the lookout for in 2023 as well as some tips for e-commerce managers as we head into the new year.

https://www.brandinginasia.com/...re-their-2023-predictions-and-tips/  

Rakuten Mobile tatsächlich, wie von der Vorstandsebene mehrfach wiederholt, in 2023 auf Monatsbasis den Break Even erreicht. Hinzu kommen massive Breitseiten von wem auch immer initierten Schreiberlingen, die Horrorgeschichten über Rakuten in die Welt setzen.

Übersehen wird dabei u.a., dass Rakuten Symphony bisher wenig auf der Erlösseite von Rakuten Mobile beigetragen hat, aber immerhin 3.500 Beschäftigte von Rakuten Symphony weltweit bezahlt werden müssen (wenn auch die Mehrzahl nur zu niedrigeren indischen Löhnen) - aber der Beitrag zu den Erlösen von Rakuten Mobile durch Rakuten Symphony ändert sich momentan massiv (u.a. durch die $ 2 Milliarden von 1&1 über die nächsten 10 Jahre).

Und wenn die Vorstandsebenen von Rakuten Mobile sagen, dass die Roaming-Gebühren im Verlaufe von 2023 (und auch schon in Q4/22) nach und nach massiv fallen, muss das m.E. eher stimmen, als das unternehmensfremde Leugner verneinen, denn die können weder die Abdeckungsnotwendigkeiten durch fremde Netzen einschätzen und die konkreten Vereinbarungen mit den Roamingparntern kennen sie überhaupt nicht.  

Dish and Verizon drive open RAN uptake in 2022 — Dell’Oro

By Linda Hardesty Dec 2, 2022

More than 80% of the year-to-date growth in the open RAN market has been driven by large scale macro deployments in North America, according to the latest research from the Dell’Oro Group.

Open RAN deployments in the U.S. are propelled by Dish Wireless and Verizon, said Stefan Pongratz, vice president with the Dell’Oro Group.

Dell’Oro stated, “Preliminary findings suggest the regional drivers that shaped the open RAN market in the first half of 2022 extended into the third quarter, propelling open RAN revenues to more than double on a year-over-year basis.”

Pongratz said open RAN still gives operators more flexibility in the future and puts pressure on suppliers when upgrades are needed.

Dell’Oro has raised its short-term projections for open RAN, saying the technology will account for 6% to 10% of the RAN market in 2023.

https://www.fiercewireless.com/tech/...e-open-ran-uptake-2022-delloro  

Business news | December 9, 2022

By Nick Flaherty

https://www.eenewseurope.com/en/global-partnership-to-boost-open-ran/  

Published 8 December 2022

On 8 December 2022 the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States of America, as represented by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; the Department of Home Affairs; the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, respectively, issued the following joint statement on telecommunications supplier diversity.

The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States are committed to ensuring the security and resilience of our telecommunications networks, including by fostering a diverse supply chain and influencing the development of future telecommunications technologies such as 6G. Collectively, we recognise that open and interoperable architectures are one way of creating a more open, diverse and innovative market.

One year ago saw the release of the first set of international principles on the role of governments in fostering more diverse, competitive and resilient telecommunications market ecosystems. Today we reaffirm our commitment to these principles, outlined in the Prague Proposals on Telecommunications Supplier Diversity (the “2021 Prague Proposals”), including support for open and interoperable networks, public-private dialogue and global partnership. One year on from the 2021 Prague Proposals’ release, the governments of Australia, Canada and the United States further announce the endorsement of the Open RAN Principles, published by the United Kingdom in April 2022. The Open RAN Principles are consistent with the 2021 Prague Proposals and seek to help guide industry towards the characteristics that governments want Open RAN to deliver in order to maximise the benefits that it will bring. The four principles are:

Open disaggregation, allowing elements of the RAN to be sourced from different suppliers and implemented in new ways.

Standards-based compliance, allowing all suppliers to test solutions against standards in an open, neutral environment.

Demonstrated interoperability, ensuring disaggregated elements work together as a fully functional system - at a minimum matching the performance and security of current solutions.

Implementation neutrality, allowing suppliers to innovate and differentiate on the features and performance of their products.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/...ions-supplier-diversity  

https://symphony.rakuten.com/products  

Rakuten Continues to be Selected for Dow Jones Sustainability World Index

December 13, 2022

Rakuten Group, Inc. (the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has been selected for the third consecutive year as an index component of the 2022 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (hereinafter “DJSI World Index”). The Company has also been selected as a component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index for the fourth consecutive year.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2022/...tegory=corp%2520ir

 

AST SpaceMobile’s Bluewalker 3 on Target to Deliver the First and Only Space-Based Cellular Broadband

https://apnews.com/article/business-31aa58c568c14e238c83c86e27edd8ba  

December 13, 2022

Rakuten TV Europe has launched Discovering Canary Islands, a drama-fueled new reality series available exclusively on the Rakuten TV platform. Discovering Canary Islands is Rakuten TV’s first foray into the reality TV format and was preceded by an extensive promotional campaign leveraging social media influencers and the Rakuten Ecosystem while executing a huge European public relations campaign.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXuisEmRMDc  

Rakuten Bank übernimmt Internet-Banking-Dienstleistungen für Kunden der JR Japan East Group

https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/press/2022/221213.html  

Rakuten Edy participate on 16 "Local Government MynaPoint Projects"

Dezember 01, 2022

https://payment.rakuten.co.jp/news/2022120100/  

Rakuten France Launches New Integrated Payment and Cashback Solution, Club R Pay

NEWS PROVIDED BY Benzinga

December 15, 2022, 09:49 GMT

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/606447472/...back-solution-club-r-pay  

Strong reducing of roaming costs in steps are the big game-changer

If it is true, what Kirk Boodry on Smartkarno posted, that roaming alone is higher than the service revenue by are more deteailled look at the published number, the strong reducings in steps of the roaming costs during the next quarters are the game-changer.

Kirk Boodry at Smartkana

Rakuten’s successful junk bond sale means the Rakuten Bank IPO will happen next year and not in December as some had feared.

More detail on mobile shows that network costs including D&A are 4x that of service revenue and slightly higher QoQ. Roaming alone is higher than service revenue.

And that means Rakuten can’t aggressively go after new subscribers unless it wants operating losses to accelerate. Bad for Rakuten but good news for incumbents KDDI, NTT and Softbank.

https://www.smartkarma.com/home/daily-briefs/...-weilong-delicious-g/
 

The result for Rakuten Mobile will be, that like the management reported again and again (under the control of the SEC), that Rakuten Mobile will reach the break even on a monthly base in 2023.

And that meaning too, that complete company Rakuten will reach the break even earlier - after my estimates in Q2/2023.  

Fyuz Day 1 Breakout: An Industry Approach to Achieving Open RAN Commercialization

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEa8Rxl54Is
 

habe ich heute erneut nachgekauft.  

December 16, 2022

The Rakuten Technology Conference is back after a three-year gap! Leaders of Rakuten's tech community and guests from leading IT companies such as Google Cloud, Slack, and Red Hat shared and discussed the latest trends in tech such as AI and cloud computing. Our exclusive report also includes Mickey's keynote speech and thoughts on the event from both internal and external attendees.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2R746Azm0w