The new alliance aims to deliver operator-ready 5G solutions
Rakuten Symphony and Tejas Networks have announced a strategic partnership to develop integrated Open RAN solutions and accelerate the global expansion of open, interoperable 5G networks. The collaboration brings together Rakuten Symphony’s cloud-native telecom expertise with Tejas Networks’ portfolio of optical and broadband access products to deliver end-to-end solutions for mobile operators worldwide.
Under the agreement, both companies will jointly develop and market 5G solutions that integrate Rakuten Symphony’s Open RAN and cloud platforms with Tejas Networks’ optical transmission, broadband access, and transport technologies. The goal is to provide operators with flexible, cost-effective options for building next-generation networks using open standards and multi-vendor interoperability.
Sharad Sriwastawa, president of Rakuten Symphony, said: “By combining Rakuten Symphony’s cloud-native software and orchestration capabilities with Tejas Networks’ proven radio technology, we hope to deliver open, flexible and high-performing network solutions that meet the demands of today’s rapidly evolving telecom landscape.”
A troubled trajectory
Open RAN revenue dropped by 83% in 2024 compared with 2023. “Whoa,” wrote Joe Madden, founder and chief analyst at Mobile Experts, in a piece for RCR Wireless News. “Almost all Open RAN revenue has come from greenfield networks so far. Legacy network operators have done trials and tests, but the revenue has been trivial so far,” he added, describing 2024 as being “at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.”
Despite years of industry hype, Open RAN adoption has fallen short of early expectations. Initially hailed as a transformative force that would break vendor lock-in, reduce costs and accelerate innovation, Open RAN has instead seen slow uptake beyond a few high-profile greenfield deployments, like Rakuten Mobile in Japan and Dish Wireless in the U.S. While pilots and limited deployments continue across Europe, Asia and the Americas, large-scale commercial adoption by established operators has been hesitant at best.
One key reason is the complexity of integrating Open RAN into existing networks. The disaggregated, multi-vendor model at the heart of its promise brings significant challenges in interoperability, performance tuning and operations management. Many operators — especially those with mature networks — have been reluctant to take on the risk and operational overhead that comes with stitching together hardware and software from multiple suppliers.
Cost savings, another oft-cited Open RAN benefit, have also proven elusive in the short term. As Chief Technology Officer Eben Albertyn told RCR Wireless News: “I’ll be honest with you — what I don’t see yet is an outright cost benefit, on just buying the stuff.”
Additional integration, testing and management burdens often offset the expected capex advantages. And questions remain about whether Open RAN can match the performance, energy efficiency and feature richness of traditional, single-vendor RAN solutions, especially at scale in dense urban environments.
Can partnerships like this shift the outlook?
The technology’s future may hinge on partnerships like this one, which aim to overcome key adoption challenges by delivering integrated, operator-ready solutions. By combining Open RAN with optical and broadband access, Rakuten and Tejas are addressing a critical friction point: ensuring that disaggregated network components work seamlessly with transport infrastructure.
Operators have long been asking: Who will help us integrate Open RAN with everything else? This partnership hints at how the industry is beginning to respond — with alliances that offer operator-ready, pre-integrated solutions rather than leaving operators to assemble complex multi-vendor systems on their own. This could mark a shift away from fragmented vendor relationships toward more cohesive Open RAN solution providers, helping to build operator confidence and speed adoption.
Moreover, with Tejas backed by Tata Group, this partnership reflects how major industrial and national champions are stepping into the Open RAN space. That involvement brings crucial financial strength, political backing and ecosystem reach — factors that could help propel Open RAN beyond greenfield projects and into broader, mainstream market acceptance.
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