Rakuten Mobile said that this new offering could be launched in 2026
Japanese telco Rakuten Mobile announced plans to start provide satellite-to-mobile service in Japan in 2026 in partnership with AST SpaceMobile.
Rakuten Mobile said that the actual timing of the initiation of any such service and the scope of such service is uncertain and is subject to a number of factors, including those that are outside of the control of Rakuten and AST SpaceMobile.
The companies aim to provide direct satellite-to-mobile services that can be used not only for text messaging but also for broadband communication such as voice and video calls on commercially available smartphones, the Japanese telco said.
Rakuten Mobile highlighted that there is a growing need for space-based communication services using Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in Japan, a country with a high risk of natural disasters and many remote islands and mountainous regions.
The Asian carrier also noted that LEO satellites will enable mobile phone connectivity irrespective of conditions on the ground. Rakuten Mobile and AST SpaceMobile said they will continue to work together with the goal of providing connectivity across Japan, including mountainous regions and remote islands.
Mickey Mikitani, chairman and CEO of Rakuten Group and chairman of Rakuten Mobile, said: “Rakuten Mobile is committed to expanding mobile connectivity across Japan. Remote islands and mountainous regions present unique challenges that require innovative solutions, while the threat of natural disasters, coupled with the effects of climate change, has also heightened public awareness of the importance of mobile connectivity for daily life.”
Rakuten Mobile and AST SpaceMobile have been working together on a planned space-based mobile service to provide service in Japan in the future using LEO satellites to provide direct communication with commercially available smartphones under a strategic partnership launched in March 2020.
Following the launch of AST SpaceMobile’s LEO test satellite, BlueWalker 3, in September 2022, the two companies collaborated to complete what they claimed to be the world’s first two-way voice calls in April 2023, with direct calls from Midland, Texas to Tokyo, Japan using standard smartphones. The calls were conducted in cooperation with four companies, including Vodafone and AT&T. In November 2022, Rakuten Mobile obtained preliminary experimental test station licenses for conducting mobile communication tests in Japan.
Rakuten Mobile has reached over 6 million subscribers as of the end of December 2023.
The operator previously said it expected to reach 8-10 million mobile subscribers by the end of 2024. Meanwhile, the telco’s network had 60,300 sites at the end of the third quarter of the year. The carrier ended Q3 with a 4G coverage of 98.8% of Japan’s territory.
Rakuten Mobile previously said its spectrum in the so-called platinum band (800/900 MHz) will enable the company to boost 5G coverage in 2024 by making use of existing assets.
