Rakuten Symphony launched the Real Open RAN Licensing Program last year with the goal to democratize global RAN technology
Rakuten Symphony has signed its first three agreements related to its Real Open RAN Licensing Program. Cisco Systems, Airspan Networks and Tech Mahindra have all signed on to take Rakuten Symphony’s portfolio of Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) solutions to market, the company announced today.
Specifically, Airspan and Tech Mahindra will resell Rakuten Symphony Open RAN software licenses to global telecom operators and enterprises, while Rakuten will work with Cisco on the creation of a private 5G mobile network offering that leverages Cisco’s Mobility Services Platform-based Private 5G Solution with Rakuten Symphony’s Open RAN software solutions. Tech Mahindra will additionally serve as Rakuten Symphony’s preferred systems integrator.
“We are revolutionizing mobile networks by making them simpler and fully programmable end-to-end,” said Masum Mir, senior vice president and general manager of provider mobility at Cisco. “This collaboration is key to fostering greater adoption of 5G services among enterprises of all sizes, enabling them to harness the power of mission-critical applications and prepare for 5G Advanced. Together, we are paving the way for a seamless and transformative digital future.”
Rakuten Symphony launched the Real Open RAN Licensing Program last year, calling it a “ground-breaking initiative” meant to democratize global RAN technology through the provision of its software via an open community subscription model.
“Our partnerships with Cisco, Airspan and Tech Mahindra are a significant leap forward in our long-standing collaborations with these partners, building the world’s first virtualized, cloud-native Open RAN mobile network in Japan,” commented Sharad Sriwastawa, Rakuten Symphony president. “This collaboration showcases our commitment to support mobile operators and equipment vendors to address evolving demands for connectivity and complex challenges the industry faces in deploying next-generation networks for a more connected and sustainable future.”
