Powering mobile networks at scale and speed of cloud: Rakuten Symphony launches Symworld

TOKYO, February 14, 2022 – Rakuten Symphony today announced general availability of Symworld, a platform to help telecom operators scale faster as cloud sets the pace for speed, innovation and network expectations. Featuring a suite of proven applications successfully powering Rakuten Mobile’s accelerated launch of 200,000 cells for 96% population coverage across Japan, Symworld cuts network costs and deployment times with data-driven automation for new and existing networks.

Building on functionality initially introduced in Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP), Symworld accelerates telecom’s ability to run networks and business operations on software platforms and data rather than people and paper. It brings to life the foundation of RCP, from unified cloud and network functions for the RAN, core and edge, to intelligent operations including automation and AI.

Symworld debuts a platform marketplace and portal with one-touch, intuitive and GUI-based controls to provide everything operators need to seamlessly plan, design, build and operate advanced, secure, high-quality networks without friction. As operators evaluate and trial a bevy of open systems components, such as the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), open RAN, service assurance, security and customer experience management, Symworld makes the functionality of these emerging network functions available simply as platform applications versus additional products to purchase.

The power and robustness of the platform has been proven to:
- Enable zero-touch provisioning at scale, shortening site commissioning times from weeks to minutes for rapid network builds at 40% lower capital cost.
- Operate networks at 30% lower operating cost compared to conventional tools and processes
- Accelerate new feature introduction by 10-15x. 
- Scale for increased capacity while driving lower costs.
- Ensure protection and transparency with security embedded at every layer.

“Cloud-driven realities are shaping the telecom operator business from the outside in, making status quo network deployment and operation approaches unsustainable,” said Tareq Amin, CEO Rakuten Symphony. “Telecom operators have a massive opportunity to transform into highly-efficient and flexible software-fueled businesses. SymworldTM, the world’s first industrialized automation platform for service providers, will support this pursuit as we help guide new and existing network operators through an era of unprecedented change.”

With operations across Japan, the United States, Singapore, India, Europe and the Middle East Africa region, Rakuten Symphony brings together all of Rakuten Group’s telecom operator products, services and solutions under a single global banner to offer modern infrastructure and platform solutions to customers worldwide. This includes market leading offerings spanning end-to-end network automation management from planning and deployment to securing, monitoring and operating, all across a common data lake and AI-driven feedback loop.

Rakuten Symphony will demonstrate Symworld during an open event set for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on March 1.