Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

Industry Insider webinar with Rakuten Advertising: AVOD - The Time is Now!

As part of a fact-based COVID-19 content series, IAB Europe is working with members to provide industry and consumer insights to help stakeholders better understand and navigate through 2020 and beyond. In this Industry Insider webinar, Rakuten Advertising, a leading global provider of advertising technology and consumer insights, shared key findings of its consumer research conducted among 5,000 people across Europe. Chris Edwards - Director, Business Development EMEA at Rakuten Advertising - explored how consumers engage with video-on-demand (VOD) and their attitudes towards advertising. He also examined the impact of COVID-19 on audiences’ viewing behaviours during lockdown and beyond, and demonstrates how advertising-based VOD (AVOD) is the necessary evolution of TV as viewers demand greater access to content without wanting to sacrifice their experience to irrelevant ads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up3sCnJMDQA  

Affiliate marketing should be a primary pillar of any brand’s marketing mix.

What are the benefits for brands investing in affiliate?

Firstly, it has a minimal up-front investment. With other marketing strategies, brands need to invest in content creation, creative assets, and media and distribution costs, which aren’t necessary for affiliate given the collaborative relationship between brands and affiliates.

Secondly, the commission-based payment model of affiliate means that brands are paying for performance and engagement. There’s no risk of launching an affiliate program and having to pay publishers who aren’t actively driving sales. Instead, publishers only get paid for conversions, so the ROI of affiliate is easy to measure.

Another important benefit for brands investing in affiliate is the authenticity and circle of influence that publishers provide. Publishers have devoted followers who actively seek out content and are more receptive to messages when coming from trusted sources. By picking publishers that align with the views of both your business and your target audience, affiliate marketing provides brands with access to consumers in an authentic and proactive way.

https://www.martechcube.com/...en-advertising-on-affiliate-marketing/  

Currencycloud’s services are behind many Fintech unicorns and the new brand positioning embodies how the company will continue to support customers, providing them with the confidence to go even further, faster.

The future-facing update to the brand aims to build on a period of success and growth for the company.

The Fintech firm reports monthly transactions surging to more than $3 billion in 2021. The company has also seen record signings for clients, expanding its user base by a third. It has also expanded its business operations into the APAC area, forming a 50-person team and office in Singapore.

https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2021/06/...ve-for-series-a-startups/
 

Rakuten Mobile will reach 5 million subscribers soon - after it reported 4.1 million on May 13, 2021

By TelecomTV Staff
May 13, 2021

„The operator, which is building out a virtualized 4G network and a 5G network based on Open RAN functionality now has 4.1 million “customer applications.”

https://www.telecomtv.com/content/...ach-vmware-rakuten-mobile-41474/  

Rakuten India's 2021 Rakathon was its largest edition yet, providing external and internal participants alike with a valuable opportunity to showcase their ideas.

Check out the amazing award-winning ideas as well as scenes from this event!

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/innovation/rnn/2021/2105_014/

 

Rakuten Mobile Successfully Verifies Data Transfer on 5G Standalone Mobile Network

Tokyo, July 12, 2021 - Rakuten Mobile, Inc. today announced that it has successfully verified data transfer on a 5G Standalone (SA) mobile network with the collaboration of Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) on July 4, 2021, at Tokyo Tech’s Ookayama Campus.

In 5G SA networks, 5G technology is used throughout the network, from the radio access network (RAN) to the core network. 5G SA is expected to enable operators to leverage the high capacity and high speed, low latency and massive multi-connectivity of 5G. In addition, advanced network control allows for end-to-end network slicing which will enable operators to provide services that are optimized for a wide variety of network uses.

Data transmission was carried out using a 5G SA-compatible device on the 5G network at the campus, verifying the stable operation of 5G SA. In line with its original plans, Rakuten Mobile has already begun deploying 5G SA functions on part of its commercial 5G network on June 24, 2021. Rakuten Mobile will leverage the results of the verification to improve the quality of its 5G SA network and in preparations for the full launch of commercial services.

Rakuten Mobile plans to conduct further trials of other 5G SA functions, including network slicing and edge computing. Rakuten Mobile is also collaborating with Tokyo Tech on other trials utilizing 5G networks and the two organizations are developing technologies for applications of 5G to benefit society.

Rakuten Mobile’s 5G SA network runs on the Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP). Using containers and microservices, all functions from the RAN to the core network run as cloud-native network functions (CNF).

Overview of the cloud native 5G SA architecture used

In the 5G RAN, the virtualized distributed unit (vDU) is connected to the virtualized centralized unit (vCU) via IP transport. These functions are already containerized in 5G NSA and are running as CNFs. The RAN is compliant with Open RAN standards, offering a high degree of security and transparency.
For the 5G core network, a newly containerized 5G core network (5GC) designed based on microservices architecture has been deployed. Running the 5GC as a CNF allows for faster and more cost-efficient improvement of network functions.

Rakuten Mobile’s cloud technology utilizes general-purpose technologies such as COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) hardware and Kubernetes*7, but by using advanced automatic network controls developed by Rakuten Mobile, resources can be assigned granularly to meet the requirements and characteristics of each software component. This makes it possible to meet the high-performance requirements for telecommunications. These solutions form RCP and are used in other Rakuten Mobile systems, not just the 5G core network and RAN.

https://corp.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/english/news/press/2021/0712_01/
 

Schritten - entscheidend für den Erfolg der Rakuten Communications Platform wird sein, dass der Stand Alone-Betrieb in größerem Maßstab beim 5 G-Einsatz von Rakuten Mobile in Japan funktioniert.

Wie schnell das sein wird, kann ich nicht abschätzen. Wenn jemand von Euch dazu Informationen findet und sie hier postet, wäre das für unseren Informationsstand nützlich.  

I am sure that after the full launch of 5G SA functions as part of Rakuten Mobile's commercial 5G network services the demand after offers of the Rakuten Communication Platform will explode.
 

sowohl früher unter Trump als auch jetzt unter Biden.

Federal Communications Commission Open RAN Solutions Showcase – Day 2

July 15, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm [ET]

The Federal Communications Commission is hosting an Open RAN Solutions Showcase via webcast on July 14-15, 2021. This Showcase will give both fixed and mobile network operators an opportunity to hear directly from vendors whose interoperable, open interface, standards-based 5G network equipment and services will be ready and available for purchase and installation by January 1, 2022, if not sooner. The Showcase should be of particular interest and value to network operators planning to participate in the Commission’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program.

Altiostar will be presenting during Session 5 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm).

https://www.altiostar.com/fcc-open-ran-solutions-showcase-day-2/  

Sri Lanka's Dialog Axiata selects Rakuten Viber for A2P messaging

SHAILAJA PAI 13 JULY 2021

he largest mobile network operator in Sri Lanka Dialog Axiata has selected the messaging app Rakuten Viber as an international Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging platform.

The partnership is expected to enable 300 Rakuten Viber carrier partners to communicate with more than 16 million Dialog Axiata customers using the Rakuten Viber A2P bilateral service. Rakuten Viber will provide Dialog Axiata with A2P SMS traffic exchange.

Ravi Sankar Vaddi, Senior Consultant – International Business and Enterprise Data at Dialog Axiata, said: “Having their own developed infrastructure and a large presence in A2P messaging, Viber provides us with a high-quality A2P SMS traffic exchange. This allows Dialog’s subscribers and clients to benefit from superior and assured connectivity, as their messaging experience becomes more seamless.”

https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/...ng-platform.html  

Rakuten represents 27% of the e-commerce market share in Japan – even more than Amazon

How to Sell on Rakuten in 2021?

by: Alf Alferez

To start a very profiting business in Japan, Rakuten is undoubtedly a very promising platform. In Japan, it is quite a common scenario to see people checking out Rakuten to buy goods, even more than Amazon. To give your business a new vista in 2021, Rakuten is undoubtedly a very reliable platform as it represents 27% of the e-commerce market share in Japan. This largest online marketplace of Japan is undoubtedly a very nice choice if you are looking for an effective way to boost up your multi-channel strategy in Japan and on a global scale. Becoming a Rakuten seller in 2021 is thus very profitable to shape the success of your merchandise.

https://www.ecommercenext.org/how-to-sell-on-rakuten/  

 

Facts about Innoeye – an very important subsidiary of Rakuten since 2020

High CEO-Rating for Rajeev Gupta = 86/100

500 Employees

$110M revenues

https://www.owler.com/company/al-burraq

 

What does the future telco network look like?

We can get an indication of what a fully disaggregated and ‘cloudified’ network architecture might look like – and where the service orchestration and automation layer fits in – by looking at the Rakuten Communication Platform (RCP).

Developed by Japan’s disruptive Rakuten Mobile, which has a fully virtualised and end-to-end mobile network up and running in Tokyo and other Japanese cities, RCP purports to be a fully integrated software stack that is ‘carrier-grade’. RCP’s foundation cloud infrastructure layer is what Rakuten Mobile calls “a telco-hardened” Docker container architecture, which can support both virtual machines and containers.

On top that is the network functions layer (radio, core, and IMS, for example), and above that sits the all-important RCP Automator layer that can lower operational costs and enable swift delivery services, along with dynamic allocation of network resources to meet demand as and when it arises. Underpinning the RCP Automator layer is artificial intelligence and machine learning. They enable “intelligent operations”. The top RCP layer is the ‘marketplace’, still in development, which is designed to function like an app-store. The idea is to make it easier for other operators to deploy their own end to end virtualized networks.

The RCP concept is unlikely to be restricted to Japan. Rakuten Mobile has held discussions with operators in the US, Europe and Asia about collaborating on the platform and improving it. This month, Telefónica signed an MoU with Rakuten Mobile to do exactly that.

Enrique Blanco, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Telefónica, said the MoU was aimed at making OpenRAN architectures “a reality”. Blanco talked effusively about evolving networks towards “end-to-end virtualisation” through an open architecture”. OpenRAN, he insisted, was just one piece – albeit a key one – in the “whole picture”.

End-to-end vision a non-starter without the right OSS tools

Eugina Jordan, VP of marketing at US software company Parallel Wireless, perhaps put it best in a previous blog.

Talking about the future of telecommunications, she rightly highlighted the need for a “single automation umbrella”, whereby operations support systems and business support systems (OSS/BSS) can seamlessly support networks with mixed virtualization technologies.

The cloud-based bottom layer of RCP, as we have seen, supports both VMs and containers. An OSS/BSS fit-for-purpose, that can enable end-to-end service orchestration and automation, must have an up-to-date record of all available virtual network resources.

https://www.sunvizion.com/about/blog/...rmation-no-service-automation  

DEEP LEARNING NEWS
By AIT News Desk On Jul 6, 2021

Online Test Preparation Company Hopes New Partnership Will Provide Even More Value to Customers
Exam Edge recently embarked on a new long-term partnership with the online shopping site Rakuten. Members of the site can now earn cash back and take advantage of special deals on practice tests offered by Exam Edge. Learners can take advantage of discounts on specific test packets, including exams for service industry certifications, healthcare practitioner licensures, and over 20 other industries.

Exam Edge President John Fekula expressed excitement over the new partnership: “We are thrilled to partner with Rakuten to promote Exam Edge’s world-class practice tests. Rakuten provides an incredible 9.0% cash back on every purchase. It’s one more reason to use Exam Edge to help prepare for your exam. With over 1,800 subjects to choose from, Exam Edge is the leader in helping you ace all of your certification tests.”

https://aithority.com/machine-learning/...edge-partners-with-rakuten/  

Ways mobile messaging can improve business performance

BY CRISTINA CONSTANDACHE / CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, RAKUTEN VIBER
JULY 13, 2021

Tell customers about a service they never knew existed. If your business has a new offering, why rely on ads to spread the word? Messaging can do the job so much better. That was the approach of Primer Group of Cos., a Philippine-based company engaged in the retail sale and distribution of consumer brands and products.

As most malls closed their doors because of the pandemic and the corresponding quarantine orders, Primer enabled online purchases via Viber Business Messages to provide an alternative, safer avenue for customers to buy their needs during the lockdown. To further encourage customers to shop through this platform, the retailer also ran an online voucher campaign, offering competitive discounts using the codes sent via Viber Business Messages.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/13/...ove-business-performance/  

Auto loans have gained massive popularity in recent years, and Upstart (NASDAQ:UPST) is taking advantage. The company tackles lending with cutting-edge AI-enhanced technologies. Instead of relying on traditional credit scores, Upstart fosters more reliable lending opportunities by assessing credit ratings for potential borrowers in order to increase the speed and ease of the loan application process.

Upstart is also in the process of introducing its auto-loan platform, which will allow banks, borrowers, and dealers to lend and borrow directly through their app. With this platform, Upstart is estimated to double its revenue in 2021, so investing in their stocks at this time should be a profitable move.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/only-buy-1-fintech-stock-175328597.html
 

The move marks a breakaway from traditional RAN suppliers such as Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia

MTN names vendors for Africa-wide open RAN networks

17 June 2021 | Alan Burkitt-Gray

MTN has picked two Indian companies and three US companies for its move to open RAN technology, which it plans to start this year.

The roll-out will cover all of MTN’s mobile networks across Africa, the company said.

Altiostar, Mavenir and Parallel Wireless are the three US vendors; TechMahindra and Voyage are the two from India, said MTN in yesterday’s announcement.

Amith Maharaj, the group’s executive for network planning and design, said: “MTN can now look at building a network that can meet cost and capacity requirements of specific markets, or even rapidly deploy 5G and/or 4G seamlessly with existing legacy services. This is a real game-changer for mobile advancement in emerging markets.”

The move marks a breakaway from traditional RAN suppliers such as Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia. “At MTN we are alive to the potential of open interfaces,” said Molapisi.

“There is a lot of value that dominant players bring to the business, but telecommunications today is as much about the stability of the network as it is about new services.”

https://www.capacitymedia.com/articles/3828862/...e-open-ran-networks
 

Middle East Operators collaborate to support Open Ran

Dubai reporters@khaleejtimes.com Filed on July 12, 2021

Etisalat Group, stc, Zain Group, Mobily, and du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), are joining forces to push forward the implementation of Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) solutions in their existing telecom networks.

The move will see them share their industry knowledge and experience, setting a clear path to drive innovation for the ICT sector across the Middle East.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the five operators confirms commitment to deploy Open RAN across their footprint, providing an opportunity to traditional RAN vendors to adopt open interfaces, software and hardware to build more agile and flexible mobile networks in the 5G and 4G era, support new entrants with innovative solutions and achieve cost efficiencies in RAN deployments.

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/local/...te-to-support-open-ran

 

Fintechs:

Fintech-revenues of Rakuten in 2020 was 576.2 billion Japanese yen ($ 5.21 billion)

https://www.statista.com/statistics/223360/...internet-finance-sales/

140 + 141.7 + 144 +150.5 = 576.2 billion Japanese yen  

Virtualized RAN, Cloud RAN, and Open RAN: Making Sense of the 5G RAN Alphabet Soup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UteidGTgPC0
 

Center East’s huge gamers ink OpenRAN partnership
July 13, 2021

On a more serious note, the alliance is positive news for the Open RAN movement. Etisalat has been a relatively vocal advocate for the technology for some time: at the beginning of this year signed an agreement to use the Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP) to accelerate its adoption of OpenRAN, and is now bringing its peers with it.

https://realnewshub.com/...easts-huge-gamers-ink-openran-partnership/
 

Rakuten had fintech net-income of 81.3 billion Yen ($ 732 million) in 2020

19.8 (Q1/20) + 21.3 (Q2/20) +22.3 (Q3/20) +17.9 (Q4/20) = 81.3 billion Japanese Yen

Fintech operating income of the Rakuten Group from 1st quarter 2013 to 4th quarter 2020(in billion Japanese yen)

Published by C. Diep, May 31, 2021

https://www.statista.com/statistics/223368/...nance-operating-profit/  

Valuation of fintech-revenus alone equal the complete market of Rakuten of today

By a for fintech-revenues low P/Ea of 25 is the result of fintech-revenus of $ 732 Million a valutaion of $ 18.3 billion.
 

Their main driver is to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the network using O-RAN, standard hardware and virtualized network functions. The ability to decompose and split components and move away from closed single-vendor solutions will drive competition and open up the supply chain. Open platforms allow mobile network operators (MNOs) to choose the best-of-breed solution for any given function, and to change that in the future as new choices emerge. This will also allow MNOs to enhance their networks and services on a rapid (eventually continuous) basis rather than having to wait for a major upgrade every few years. ORAN will also accelerate RAN sharing deployments while reducing costs.

The overall sharing of network infrastructure is a key driver in cost reduction, but can be complex. Any operator considering network sharing will look at O-RAN to reduce RAN sharing costs, especially in less competitive rural markets. Every country in the EU has passive and active sharing agreements (e.g., sharing sites and masts and multi-tenant sharing (MORAN)) but O-RAN makes full active sharing possible, including the core, which can deliver further savings.

https://www.exfo.com/en/resources/blog/o-ran-5g-deployments/