Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

Amin: By partnering with interested customers, we can introduce true cloud-native operations and OSS automation while developing the necessary organization, mindset, and skillsets.

We offer a cloud-native micro-service software platform that automates end-to-end telecom processes on a common data platform where operators can quickly deploy our platform and prioritize areas for transformation, such as production site commissioning, site management digitalization, or cloud service assurance.

We recommend starting with a clean slate and focusing on aggressive production with the intent to drive the process. Our platform, that is not closed, rather designed to be integrated into other open software provides a kick start framework to start a transformative approach and work as an accelerant. The alternative solution is to repeat our learning from the last four years, but that’s not necessary when we have institutionalized our automation knowledge in this software and data platform.

https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...mation-a-tareq-amin-conversation  

Big amount of positive cash flow from operations of the non-financial sectors is near

At the time, when Rakuten will reach the break-even again, it will have a big amount of positive cash flow from operations of the non-financial sectors - the number will be equal the high numbers of deprecations (most or near all from Rakuten Mobile).  

Success depends on adopting a horizontal cloud-native operation and a consolidated data-driven approach to automation instead of relying on outdated OSS systems.

Why do we expect different results with radio compared to core network cloud transformation?

Amin: The story of transformation cannot just say, “hey, you know I'm going to take a proprietary hardware in the core and make it a VM and suddenly, I become efficient.” It just doesn't work that way.

The transformation story must start with a clear end goal, which should involve:

lower total cost of ownership

fewer operational personnel

self-managing workloads

Success depends on adopting a horizontal cloud-native operation and a consolidated data-driven approach to automation instead of relying on outdated OSS systems. A uniform horizontal cloud operation spanning data centers to the edge is essential, as it is a unified OSS system capable of orchestrating applications, managing auto healing, applying policy and handling digital workflows.

https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...mation-a-tareq-amin-conversation  

ATFX Expands its Global Reach with Acquisition of Rakuten Securities Australia

SYDNEY, Australia, July 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATFX, a global leading online trading CFDs broker, has announced its acquisition of Rakuten Securities Australia Pty Ltd ("RSA"), a subsidiary of Rakuten Securities, Inc., further strengthening its position in the Australian market and expanding its global footprint.

This strategic move marks a significant milestone for ATFX as it continues to solidify its position as a global trusted online broker with innovative trading solutions. By acquiring RSA, ATFX gains access to a well-established customer base and a talented team of industry professionals.

The acquisition of RSA aligns with ATFX's core mission of providing clients with a comprehensive suite of trading services, backed by advanced technology and superior customer support. The company remains committed to delivering a seamless trading experience, robust platforms, and a wide range of trading instruments, including forex, indices, commodities, and more

Mr. Joe Li, Chairman of ATFX, expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition, saying, "We are thrilled to welcome RSA into the ATFX family. This acquisition presents a significant opportunity for us to expand our presence in the Australian market and provide clients in the region with enhanced trading solutions. We are committed to investing in technology, talent, and resources to ensure that our clients receive the highest level of service."

ATFX has built a strong reputation as a trusted brokerage firm, dedicated to transparency, reliability, and innovation. Through its cutting-edge trading technology, clients gain access to a wealth of educational resources, advanced trading tools, and comprehensive market analysis, empowering them to make informed trading decisions.

https://www.finanznachrichten.de/...uten-securities-australia-399.htm  

ATFX Expands Its Global Reach With Acquisition Of Rakuten Securities Australia

JULY 5, 2023 - BY RSA HQ

https://sec.rakuten.com.au/about/news/atfx_press05072023/
 

Rakuten Mobile Launches R&D Selected by NEDO as part of its Research and Development Project of the Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems

- R&D to enhance efficiency of systems for Open RAN software standards and quality assurance for global market deployments.

Tokyo, July 3, 2023 - Rakuten Mobile, Inc. today announced launch of a research and development project into development of advanced Open RAN integration infrastructure on July 3, 2023, in line with its selection for the research theme of “(c8) Development of Advanced O-RAN Integration Infrastructure Technology” by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) as part of its “Research and Development Project of Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems (JPNP20017).”

As part of this research and development project, Rakuten Mobile will collaborate with Rakuten Symphony to develop standardized Open RAN software, proof-of-concept (PoC) environment models and automated quality assurance systems for telecom operators.

https://corp.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/english/news/...20230703_02_lang_en  

https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/company/...se/pdf/press20230706.pdf  

https://hoken.rakuten.co.jp/?_ebx=1l7xy073kxh.1687075593.7rcdotx  

First Safety and Efficacy Data of Rakuten Medical's Alluminox Treatment using ASP-1929 in Combination with anti-PD-1 for Recurrent and/or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Presented at AHNS 2023

Generally tolerated treatment with overall survival rate at 18 months of 53.5% at data cutoff

A potential, new, innovative treatment option for recurrent head and neck cancer

SAN DIEGO, July 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rakuten Medical, Inc., a global biotechnology company developing and commercializing precision, cell targeting therapies based on its proprietary Alluminox platform, today announced that new data from the ASP-1929-181 study was presented at the American Head and Neck Society's (AHNS) 11 International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer (AHNS 2023) on July 10, 2023.

The early evaluation of 19 enrolled patients in ASP-1929-181 study for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) presented during the meeting suggested that the novel treatment approach of Alluminox treatment using ASP-1929 in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy showed promising early results in patients with locoregional and/or metastatic HNSCC.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/...-ahns-2023-301873416.html  

Rakuten Mobile, Rakuten Symphony Partner to Develop Standardized Open RAN Software

13H AGO RAY SHARMA

Rakuten Mobile announced launch of a research and development project into development of advanced Open RAN integration infrastructure.

As part of this research and development project, Rakuten Mobile will collaborate with Rakuten Symphony to develop standardized Open RAN software, proof-of-concept (PoC) environment models and automated quality assurance systems for telecom operators.

Open RAN technology promises to reduce costs and enable construction of flexible networks with multi-vendor configurations. At the same time, the complexity of integration is also seen as a challenge due to the diverse requirements of telecom operators, countries and regions. Through this research, Rakuten Mobile aims to develop standardized Open RAN software and efficient quality assurance systems that will accommodate multiple different spectrum and other requirements of each individual telecom operator.

https://www.thefastmode.com/technology-solutions/...open-ran-software
 

Rakuten Ichiba Presents Trends for Summer Gifting Season in Japan

JULY 12, 2023 by RNN

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/innovation/rnn/2023/2305_018/  

July 12, 2023

Filipino Viber users may soon be able to book flights and hotel accommodations and pay for them via the same platform that is gearing toward becoming a super app catering to various digital needs of consumers.

The messaging platform is set to launch Viber Pay—which is already live in several countries including Greece, Germany and Croatia—at a time of high e-wallet adoption in the country.

As for hospitality and travel, Raykov said launching such offerings “makes a lot of sense” as the airports and hotels were getting crowded again with the easing of border restrictions.

He said such solutions—backed by travel industry partners—were already available in Nepal, Myanmar and other countries.

Currently, Viber has a 71-percent penetration rate in the country.

Message solutions platform Infobip said that a total of 234 million calls via Viber, with 15.5 million-hour duration, was recorded for the Philippines last year. Some 7.7 billion messages and 50.2 million stickers were sent.

Rakuten Viber senior director for Asia Pacific David Tse previously told the Inquirer that the Philippines accounts for 30 percent of Viber interactions in Asia.

Read more: https://business.inquirer.net/409890/...ns-to-filipinos#ixzz87GGGGp3l
 

By Dan Jones May 18, 2023

The standalone (SA) core network is the key to unleashing cloud-native 5G onto a willing world. But how did we get here and why?

Most analysts agree that the move to a cloud-based infrastructure started with Rakuten Mobile.

“The first end-to-end cloud-native [mobile network operator] is likely Rakuten Mobile, which took a very different approach to building their greenfield network,” said Roy Chua, principal at AvidThink. “Dish is doing the same in terms of laying a cloud-native foundation across their network build as well, so they would be the second,” he added.

Why go virtual?

"Virtualization of cellular networks can be seen as a way to significantly reduce the complexity of processes, required nowadays to provide reliable cellular networks," according to IEEE.

It can also allow MNOs to choose from more vendors and even create their own base stations. This is because operators can choose from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) server providers such as Dell and HPE, as well as using server silicon from the likes of Intel and AMD.

https://www.silverliningsinfo.com/5g/when-cloud-collided-ran  

Rakuten Group's shares have valuation re-rating potential thanks to its value-accretive portfolio restructuring activities.  

Rakuten's PIOP: Revolutionizing Logistics with Machine Learning
JULY 13, 2023 by RNN

Online shopping has seen a significant surge in popularity due to the pandemic. More than half of Japanese households are now shopping online, which marks a 20% increase in five years. However, logistics can be challenging for companies during special events like sales and merchant holidays. To improve forecasting accuracy, Rakuten’s Price and Inventory Optimization Platform (PIOP) team has developed an in-house system to systematically reduce inefficiencies through leveraging big data and advancements in AI.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/innovation/rnn/2023/2302_006/  

Ignore arcticle's of Washington Post about competitors of Amazon like Rakuten

Since Jeff Bezos had bought the Washington Post, this former excellent newspaper was used from Jeff Bezos to defame competitors of Amazon like Rakuten.  

I am sure, that this development was going on in Q2/2023 and will going on in Q3/2023 and Q4/2023
Churn continues to decrease, and new MNO subscribers have shown a net increase since December 2022. MNO ARPU (individual) in Q1 FY2023 increased to 1,959 yen from 836 yen in Q1 FY2022.

https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/...ts-Highlights-43826545/  

First positive operative cash flow of the non-financial businesses of Rakuten

I am sure, we will see a first positive operative cash flow of the non-financial businesses of Rakuten in Q3/2023.  

Rakuten Symphony is set to hit an important open radio access network (RAN) feature target, but still has work to do in bolstering the technology’s ability to support brownfield network deployments.

Tareq Amin, group EVP for Rakuten, said during the company’s most recent first-quarter earnings call that its open RAN system was near software feature parity with already deployed network systems. This is important for operators as they look to further migrate their current networks toward an open RAN architecture.

Amin said this is a “very big inflection point for us where we will be at feature parity with all legacy software features that exist in brownfield operators. This is really very exciting, and this is what we’ve been focused on over the last year to enable brownfield deployment in commercial environments.”

The executive highlighted Rakuten’s extensive operating support system (OSS) advances, which include deployments across 11 customers and more than 100,000 platform users tapping into its more than 17 products. That depth generated $76 million in sales for Q1, which was nearly 15% more than it reported the previous year.

https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/news/...-technical-waves/2023/05/  

Rakuten Viber's Ad-Free Premium Chat Service Launches in the US

The chat app's $2-per-month Viber Plus service includes perks like voice message transcription and special stickers.

Mike Sorrentino

July 14, 2023 7:04 a.m. PT

The Rakuten Viber chat app brought its $2-per-month premium subscription service to the US on Thursday, which provides exclusive features and ad-free access to the chat app.

Signing up for Viber Plus is done from within the Rakuten Viber app, with the subscription being charged through either Apple's App Store or the Google Play Store.

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/...aunches-in-the-us/  

Viber launches its premium service with exclusive features in the United States

PUBLISHED: JUL 14, 2023, 3:41 AM

Cosmin Vasile

Rakuten Viber has just announced the availability of its premium service, Viber Plus, in the US. The monthly subscription service, which was initially introduced back in May, promises to offer a premium messaging experience without ads for just $1.99 per month.

Here are the main highlights of the newly launched Viber Plus service, which available since launch:

No ads: Use the Viber app without seeing any ads

Unlimited stickers: Download sticker packs for free

Unique app icons: Change the mobile or desktop Viber app icon to a unique icon such as unicorn, night, or sparkle-themed

Live support: Initiate live support chats with just one click at any time of day

Verification Badge: Verification badge exclusive to subscribers

Besides the US, Viber Plus service is available in Czech Republic, Montenegro (iOS only), Switzerland, Kuwait, Australia, Tuvalu, Israel, Sweden, Austria, India, and Italy. More countries will be getting Viber Plus in the coming months.  

https://www.phonearena.com/news/viber-plus-price-features_id148909

 

The Price to Sales Ratio, or PS Ratio, is a popular valuation ratio. It is the share price of a company divided by its sales per share. This is measured on a TTM basis and earnings are diluted and normalised.

https://www.stockopedia.com/share-prices/rakuten-TYO:4755/  

Rakuten Rakuten Securities Ends Q4 FY23 with a 123% Income Uptick

Friday, 28/04/2023 | 07:48 GMT by Arnab Shome

The company netted JPY 3.8 billion as quarterly income.

Its operating revenue came in at JPY 24.6 billion.

Rakuten Securities, a part of the Japanese conglomerate Rakuten Group, released its results for the three months between January and March, reporting yearly growth across all major parameters. It closed the quarter with a net income of over JPY 3.8 billion, a year-over-year increase of 123 percent.

In addition, the official results revealed the operating revenue of the financial services division to be JPY 24.6 billion compared to JPY 23.3 billion in comparable months a year ago. Moreover, net revenue came in about 5 percent higher at JPY 23.3 billion.

https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/...23-with-a-123-income-uptick/
Friday, 28/04/2023 | 07:48 GMT by Arnab Shome

The company netted JPY 3.8 billion as quarterly income.

Its operating revenue came in at JPY 24.6 billion.

Rakuten Securities, a part of the Japanese conglomerate Rakuten Group, released its results for the three months between January and March, reporting yearly growth across all major parameters. It closed the quarter with a net income of over JPY 3.8 billion, a year-over-year increase of 123 percent.

In addition, the official results revealed the operating revenue of the financial services division to be JPY 24.6 billion compared to JPY 23.3 billion in comparable months a year ago. Moreover, net revenue came in about 5 percent higher at JPY 23.3 billion.

https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/...23-with-a-123-income-uptick/  

Rakuten TV launches FIFA+ FAST channel ahead of FIFA Women’s World Cup

JULY 11, 2023 13.04 EUROPE/LONDON BY JULIAN CLOVER

Rakuten TV is introducing a new football FAST channel called FIFA+ to provide football enthusiasts with an immersive experience of the game they love, just in time for the FIFA Women’s World Cup commencing on July 20th.

The FIFA+ FAST channel will be accessible in several European markets, including the UK, Spain, France, Germany, and Italy. It will feature a wide range of captivating content, including compelling storytelling, iconic players, a collection of FIFA+ Originals, and a selection of action-packed FIFA archives highlighting the best moments from the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup. Viewers can enjoy full match replays, highlights, and curated collections.

Rakuten TV currently serves 43 European territories, reaching over 140 million households through its branded remote-control button and pre-installed app on Smart TV devices.

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2023/07/11/...-fifa-womens-world-cup/