Rakuten Mobile Taps Cisco, Nokia & F5 for Cloud-Native 5G SA Rollout

Rakuten Mobile has officially named Cisco, Nokia, and F5 as its key technology partners in rolling out a fully cloud-native 5G Standalone (SA) core network across Japan.

This deployment ushers in a new era of network automation and resilience. Cisco will supply its mobile Packet Core portfolio, powering 5G services with enhanced AI-enabled automation and improved operational efficiency. Nokia will deliver cloud-native network functions (CNFs) including authentication, data handling, signaling, analytics, and IMS voice—supported by Rakuten Symphony's multi-cloud platform.

F5, a longstanding partner since 2019, will bolster the network's scalability and security via BIG-IP Next CNFs in charge of API protection and traffic management.

Sharad Sriwastawa, Rakuten Mobile's co-CEO and CTO, remarked: "Through the power of 5G, AI, and strategic partnerships with leading innovators like Cisco, Nokia, and F5, we are empowering customers in Japan with state-of-the-art, secure, and sustainable mobile connectivity. We are setting a new global benchmark for intelligent, cloud-native mobile networks."

Aligned with this news, Rakuten also expanded its 5G Sub-6 GHz coverage—achieving up to 100% growth in Okinawa, Shikoku, and Kyushu regions—while enhancing indoor and stadium networks in major venues.

This announcement underscores Rakuten's continued leadership in Open RAN and cloud-native telecom innovation, illustrating how modular, AI-driven infrastructure and multivendor collaboration are defining the future of agile, scalable mobile networks.