Rakuten Mobile, whose 5G network currently covers parts of Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Hokkaido, Osaka and Hyogo, has launched a new 5G plan Rakuten Un-Limit V. The plan is designed to be simple, intuitive and easy-to-use whether customers are in Japan or traveling internationally, providing them with unlimited data and calls on its 5G and 4G networks for a single monthly fee of JPY2,980 – the same fee as its previous Rakuten Un-Limit 2.0 plan.
The plan represents a continuation of Rakuten Mobile’s one service plan strategy and, in addition to unlimited data and calls, users will also earn 1 Rakuten Point for every JPY100 spent on their Rakuten Mobile bill, as well as an additional +1% point-back incentive through the Super Point Up (SPU) program for purchases on Rakuten Ichiba.
Current Rakuten Un-Limit 2.0 service plan customers can upgrade their service plan on the My Rakuten Mobile app or through the Rakuten Mobile website. For other customers, service plans will be automatically upgraded to Rakuten Un-Limit V from 12 October 2020. New applicants for the Rakuten Un-Limit V plan are also eligible for Rakuten Mobile’s offer to give 3 million subscribers a year of service free of monthly fees.
Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten Inc, and Representative Director, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten Mobile commented that the company’s aim is to reduce the household cost of mobile services: “Less than six months since full-scale commercial launch of the world’s first fully virtualised mobile network, today Rakuten Mobile takes another step forward to transform the mobile industry. We’re offering customers 4G and 5G combined in one simple plan – Rakuten Un-Limit V – at the same low price as 4G”.
Rakuten Mobile launched full-scale commercial carrier services on its end-to-end fully virtualised cloud-native mobile network in April 2020. It is currently achieving download speeds of up to 870Mbit/s and upload speeds of 110Mbit/s but these are set to rise to 2.8Gbit/s and 275Mbit/s by November 2020.
The company says its network architecture allows for substantial reductions in CAPEX and OPEX and, by leveraging the synergies between 5G and various offerings from the broader Rakuten Group portfolio, it has been able to develop engaging new content and services which deliver a next-generation mobile experience to its customers.