Tokyo: Mavenir, the software company building artificial intelligence (AI)-by-design mobile networks, announced that its Converged Packet Core is now live in Rakuten Mobile's nationwide mobile network, deployed on Rakuten Cloud Platform.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the deployment plays a key role in enabling Rakuten Mobile to deliver multi-carrier roaming via 'JAPAN Roaming', a nationwide emergency service launched by Japan's leading mobile carriers on April 1. Mavenir Executive Vice President and General Manager, Packet Core, Security and Messaging, Michael Cooper stated that the deployment demonstrates how cloud-native packet core technology can support resilient, large-scale connectivity under extreme network conditions, contributing to public safety and service continuity.
Meanwhile, Rakuten Mobile General Manager of the Core Network Department, Ryo Watanabe, emphasized that Mavenir's cloud-native packet core is central to the operator's role in JAPAN Roaming, enabling flexible and reliable connectivity when it is needed most. Mavenir's cloud-native packet core provides the scalable, resilient data foundation required for Rakuten Mobile to support cross-carrier access under emergency conditions, demonstrating how cloud-based core networks can strengthen national communications infrastructure and support service continuity at scale.
JAPAN Roaming enables users to temporarily connect to another domestic carrier's 4G LTE network if their primary service is disrupted by major outages or disasters. The service supports 4G LTE voice, SMS, and data, alongside an emergency-calls-only mode to maintain access to critical services. Mavenir added that its cloud-native core portfolio supports voice, data, messaging, fraud protection, and security, and is designed to scale with operators' evolving service and resilience requirements-enabling faster service deployment, increased automation, and improved responsiveness to changing network conditions.
The company also noted its long-standing relationship with Rakuten Mobile, including earlier deployments of cloud-native voice and messaging capabilities for Rakuten Link, supporting ongoing service innovation within the operator's fully virtualized network.