Rakuten Mobile is the newest and most modern mobile network operator in Japan and has established itself as a leader in the telecommunications industry with the world’s first fully virtualized end-to-end cloud-native network. Since its commercial launch in April 2020, Rakuten's business has evolved significantly and now serves more than 8 million subscribers as of October 2024.
One of Rakuten’s main ambitions since its launch has been to expand international roaming services, including voice and SMS, to both B2B and B2C customers. Thanks to our Roaming Sponsor solution, Rakuten has been able to offer extensive roaming service from the start, initially with 66 destinations. Today, this number has increased to around 76 destinations as of January 2025, thanks to a combination of new destinations proposed by Orange and new bilateral agreements.
Orange's network presence in Japan ensures high quality interconnection, which is essential for service reliability. Rakuten also highly values the monitoring tools available for traffic management and troubleshooting, which enhance their operational efficiency.
"With Orange's support, I am confident that we are well positioned to meet the challenges of the future."
Tarek Zeid, General Manager of International Business at Rakuten Mobile 
The effective customer support provided by Orange, including assistance with commercial queries, delivery, and incident management, is a significant advantage. The presence of Orange teams in the region facilitates communication and responsiveness, further strengthening the partnership.
Flexibility and agility are crucial in the highly competitive Japanese market, and Rakuten has thrived on these principles. Tarek Zeid, General Manager of International Business at Rakuten Mobile commented: “In Orange, we have found a partner that shares our commitment to speed without compromising quality.”
Tarek Zeid concludes “The close relationship between Rakuten Mobile and Orange allows us to work as one team, ensuring that we can meet the evolving needs of our customers while maintaining high standards of service. With Orange's support, I am confident that we are well positioned to meet the challenges of the future.”
