4G LTE area of Rakuten Mobile in the Tokyo metropolitan area (as of June 11, 2021)
Rakuten Mobile revealed that the total number of applicants had exceeded 4.1 million at the financial results briefing in May 2021 after the announcement of a partnership with Japan Post and the launch of the iPhone.
Even in the number of contractors in January to March released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications the other day, the share by business company is 1.It can be said that it has grown to 5 %, other companies have reduced their share, and MVNOs are stagnating.From June 18, a campaign to return Rakuten points for 20,000 yen for transfer from other companies.He is further strengthening the offensive.
On the other hand, available areas have also expanded nationwide.In the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the company is switching to its own line, with the end of the affiliated au roaming connection, except for some areas.
This summer, the initial plan was defeated five years ago, and the aim was to achieve a population cover rate of 96 %, but there are also complaints and anxiety from users that it is difficult to connect indoors on SNS.
Rakuten Mobile responds to the voice saying, "Is the price of 2,980 yen per month, but is the network really okay?"We asked Shunsuke Yazawa vice president, who took command of base station development.
――The “4G LTE expansion area” on the homepage is frequently updated, but please tell us how the current base station is opened.
矢澤氏：当初は東京23区、名古屋市、大阪市から集中的にスタートし、それ以外のエリアはパートナーであるKDDIさんの回線をお借りしてサービスを開始しました。
From there, the base station is open at a pace of more than 200 cases from 100 cases a day to more than 200.At the same time, we are switching to our own line, but we are not switching as soon as we opened a base station, but we are talking with KDDI to avoid any annoying customers.
No matter how much the area is expanded, it is most important for customers to connect in a place where they live, so we have a very strict standard for connectivity.There are still partner lines in the 23 wards of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, where this standard is less than this standard.In parallel, efforts to improve places that require such improvements based on big data and customers' voices are in parallel.
――Sns is said to be particularly difficult to connect indoors.How do you capture such users' voices?
矢澤氏：いただいた声には、基本的にすべて対応しています。ユーザークオリティーマネジメントという専門の部署を起ち上げて、お客様からのメールや電話だけでなく、SNSの声もできる限り拾って、一件一件フィールドテストをするといったこともしています。お声をいただいてから3カ月以内には解決できるように、そこは本当に真摯に取り組んでいます。
On the other hand, just waiting for the voice from the customer is slow, so the Big Data Team simulates and set up a base station so that such voices do not come out in the first place.For indoors, we are taking various measures for each case, such as the installation of an indoor antenna called "Rakuten Casa", and installing a base station dedicated to the building indoors and outdoors.
Not only is it easy to connect, but the number of customers is increasing, so we need to secure the capacity of the network.Now, while looking at both, the area is gradually increasing the density of the area in the 23 wards of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka.
―― Currently, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has issued an opinion on the redistributing of the platinum band, but is it necessary to have a platinum band to cover the indoor?
矢澤氏：まずは今いただいている1.We want to aim for 99%coverage within the 7GHz band's license, but there are many points that platinum bands have excellent radio waves.I think that if you can use it in the future, you can make a better network.In order to further improve customer satisfaction, I would like to continue to express opinions.
――The plan is to go ahead of the plan for five years this summer, with a population cover rate of 96 %.Two years ago, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been instructed to delay base stations, but please tell us about the subsequent response.
矢澤氏：ひとつには文字通り、楽天グループの総力を挙げて取り組んでいます。もう使えるものは全部使ってやるという感じで、これまでに築いてきたネットワークや人的リソースを集中投下してきました。
The other is that we have built a good partnership with construction companies nationwide.Instead of ordering and leaving, how do you do it?We received advice from the construction company and came to meet all places that could respond to requests.
For example, Rakuten base stations are simpler than other companies, so they are not difficult in terms of man -hours, but instead there are many cases.We talked a considerable discussion about how to scale and improve the efficiency of work.Also, how to carry more than 200 parts to the site is the logistics is also our specialty, so we were able to make it as requested by the construction company.
There was no special magic, and basically, it has become a pace so far, supported by the hard work of employees and the partnership with the construction company.Why Mikitani talks on site every week, why Rakuten is doing a mobile phone business, and employees work with high motivation, and explain it to construction companies and landowners.I think that you can understand it greatly.
――How did you talk to the construction company why Rakuten is doing a mobile phone business?
矢澤氏：ひとつは我々の開発した技術を使えば、携帯電話の料金を安くできるという話です。これまでの携帯電話のネットワークはそれ専用に開発された機器を使って構築されてきましたが、我々は同じことを汎用の機器で、「Rakuten Communications Platform（RCP）」というソフトウェアを用いて実現しています。
Because it is software, maintenance and update are easy, and most of the cost is extremely low.With the world's first mechanism, the price is unlimited for 2,980 yen.If your mobile phone fee is cheaper, you can contribute to the Japanese economy.
The other is about the possibility of RCP.As you know, we are the last career in the world.Now, while carriers around the world are searching for 5G and further future future, RCP is attracting a lot of attention and has actually received many inquiries.If we succeed in Japan, it will be a showcase, and this time we can deploy that technology to the world.I think that you could feel the possibility in such a place.
――I hear that the installation of an antenna is the biggest challenge, but is there a specific device?
矢澤氏：工事会社さんを通じて単にアンテナを立てさせてくださいとお願いするだけでなく、地権者の方に向けた提案資料を作成して、楽天がなぜ携帯電話事業に参入するのか、我々の考えをできる限りていねいに説明させていただいています。
When I wake up in the morning, I get a mobile phone first, but I think that mobile phones are the most familiar and indispensable things right now.Make that mobile phone can be used cheaply.I want to make Japan better and better by democratizing mobile phones.This is the basic concept of Rakuten, and it means that you are really crazy now to realize it.
――How do you work on if you achieve a population cover rate of 96 %?
矢澤氏：2021年の後半にかけて、今がまさにエリア拡大の勝負のときだと思っています。地元でもつながるようになったという嬉しいお声をいただくと同時に、まだつながらないから何とかしてくれという声もいただいていますので、そこを早急に対応して、この1年で本当にお客様が満足いただけるようなネットワークにしていきたい。
First of all, it is natural to expand the coverage while switching to 96%and 99%to 99%, but we are also thinking about that.That is the "Space Mobile Plan".
If you can cover Japan from space, you can achieve 100 % of the area coverage that no other company has yet made.We are now preparing for practical use after 2023, but if it is realized, it can provide a connected environment, whether in the mountainous area or a remote island.If the base station is damaged by a disaster, etc., it will be switched to satellite.
As a countermeasure for disasters, we have already launched a dedicated team, and has set up more than 20 locations nationwide.At all times, we will work to provide a service that will be safe and secure, so that the "Space Mobile Plan" can be realized as soon as possible.
―― Finally, please tell us about the 5G plan.There was a story that RCP is easy to update, but is there a plan to switch to 5G in the future?
矢澤氏：今は4Gのカバレッジを優先的に作っていますが、我々は4Gと5Gを同時にスタートできたので、実はほぼ全ての4Gのアンテナで、5Gのアンテナを同時に接続できるようになっています。ただ4Gと5Gでは電波の特性が異なるため、5Gのアンテナは4Gよりももう少し数が必要になります。その設置のための準備も今並行して進めていますので、5Gもスピード感を持って展開できると考えています。
--thank you very much.
Author: Yuriko Ota
おおたゆりこTech writer, editor.From the dawn of the Internet, he has been involved in the launch of web directions, Internet -related free paper, and information magazines.Since his computer, mobile phones, smartphones, wearable devices, and IoT equipment, he has been conducting and writing, mainly digital gadgets, various services, applications, and related businesses that can be used through them.
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