Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket
OCTOBER 23, 2023
https://www.viber.com/en/blog/2023-10-23/viber-local-businesses/
Rakuten Mobile (Non-Consolidated): Q2/23 Financial Highlights
Delivered continued loss improvement with cost reduction (optimization) initiatives
Subscribers and ARPU both grew, leading to a strong revenue growth at Rakuten Mobile
Churn rate dramatically improved with the launch of SAIKYO plan
https://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/...ions/61/96061/original.pdf
Other MNOs (Unlimited data plans from docomo, au, and SoftBank with unlimited call options, taking into account family discounts = JPY 353,760
Rakuten Mobile (Assumes 4 people on Rakuten UN-LIMIT VII at ¥2,980 unlimited data as of May 2023) = JPY 143,040
Cost savings for a family of four = Approx. JPY 210,000/ year = Approx. JPY 2.1 million / 10 years
https://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/...ions/61/96061/original.pdf
Rakuten Kobo has launched the Kobo series e-readers in India including the Libra 2, Nia, and the Clara 2E.
November 1, 2023
Rakuten Kobo today announced the launch of Kobo Clara 2E, Kobo Libra 2 and Kobo Nia, a range of eReaders that introduces Kobo’s digital reading offering to the readers in India. The device offers Bluetooth wireless technology so you can read eBooks or listen to Kobo Audiobooks all in one device.
https://www.themobileindian.com/news/...ibra-2-and-kobo-nia-e-readers
The average one-year price target for Rakuten (TYO:4755) has been revised to 694.96 / share. This is an decrease of 12.20% from the prior estimate of 791.52 dated October 4, 2023.
November 01, 2023 — 04:03 am EDT
The price target is an average of many targets provided by analysts. The latest targets range from a low of 515.10 to a high of 1,260.00 / share. The average price target represents an increase of 24.81% from the latest reported closing price of 556.80 / share.
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/...arget-decreased-by-12.20-to-694.96
1 day ago
At TM Forum’s DTW Ignite! 2023 conference in Copenhagen, Anil Pawar, Rakuten Mobile’s SVP and Head of Architecture and Tech Strategy, told industry experts why the operator’s unique approach has empowered a cloud-native operation and removed a variety of technological barriers.
The biggest barrier to technological transformation is an organizational mindset and not technology itself, Rakuten Mobile’s SVP and Head of Architecture has said.
Speaking on day two of TM Forum’s DTW Ignite! 2023 conference, Pawar also underlined how a cloud-native approach has brought industry-leading speed to the operator.
In their on-stage session titled “Bringing the cloud-native network to life” alongside Oracle’s SVP and GM of Communications Jason Rutherford and moderator Ian Turkington, TM Forum’s VP of architecture and APIs, Pawar gave his take on the reasons why Rakuten Mobile’s unique culture and mindset has laid the foundations for a world-renowned network deployment.
“WHENEVER WE SEE AN ENGINEER REPEATEDLY DOING A TASK MANUALLY, WE ALWAYS AUTOMATE THAT PROCESS. THAT’S WHAT DIFFERENTIATES US FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD.”
ANIL PAWAR, SVP, HEAD OF ARCHITECTURE & TECH STRATEGY, RAKUTEN MOBILE
Pawar began by emphasizing the culture that has earned Rakuten Mobile widespread industry acclaim. “First and foremost, technological change starts with people,” he said. “There is a fundamental need to invest in a culture change – organizations have traditionally been siloed, but a cloud-native organization has to become platform-based.”
“That mindset is so important. Whenever we see an engineer repeatedly doing a task manually, we always look to automate that process. That approach is what differentiates us from the rest of the world.”
Speed is the name of the game
That same philosophy has been crucial in enabling Rakuten Mobile’s operation to run successfully in the cloud, Pawar said. “The cloud-native journey is never a technology challenge – it’s a people and culture, organizational and mindset challenge,” he said. “When we talk about being cloud-native, what’s important is the design principles behind that. If you start to look at how networks are traditionally deployed, there’s no iterative approach.”
“SPEED IS THE NAME OF THE GAME… IN TELECOM, THAT MEANS FAST NETWORK DEPLOYMENTS AND FAST SOFTWARE UPGRADES.”
Speed, Pawar said, is a key metric against which an operator should be measured. It is an area in which Rakuten Mobile has already excelled in the way it has deployed and enhanced its services. “They can be deployed at much greater speed, and then improved and modernized as you go – adding more features and functionality,” he said. “That allows you to respond to what the customers want. If you’re able to do that, it allows you to monetize new and creative services. By being cloud-native, we achieve that desired speed in network deployment.
“Our platform is our killer app. Consumer behavior has changed – they expect immediate service – speed is the name of the game. That’s where every business needs to focus. In telecom, that means fast network deployments and fast software upgrades.”
Reducing capex and driving connectivity: The role of Open RAN
Pawar went on to highlight how one of Rakuten’s commitment to continuous improvement was a fundamental driver behind the decision to become cloud-native and to run an automation-first operation. “This concept of continuous learning and improvement, software-centricity – that’s driven us for the last few years,” he said.
In advance of DTW Ignite!, organizers of TM Forum released their “CEO Playbook” a manifesto designed to support leaders in navigating the challenges faced by the global telecom industry. The association body’s research claims that telecom has reached a “strategic breakpoint” and has become “disconnected from growth”. Stagnation is imminent, the report says, with telecom’s collective investment of $1 trillion in the last five years delivering just 0.9% growth.
Pawar agreed with the sentiment of the advisory report and underlined the importance of bringing down notoriously high capex within the industry. “We’ve seen in our own case studies and through third-party research that our capex has been 40% less compared to the way traditional networks are deployed,” he said. “Open RAN has been a big factor in this. It allowed us to get to know our components inside out. In terms of OPEX, now more than 300,000 cells are live, but we are running our operation with just 250 people. This is all because of the power of the platform, the power of automation.”
“We looked at the reasons why, despite such an advancement in telecom, three billion people are still not connected. The reason is the cost – the cost of deploying the network, the cost of operating the network, is the biggest reason. This is where the power of the Open RAN, cloud and software is needed.”
https://rakuten.today/blog/...success-svp-tells-telco-conference.html
November 02, 2023
In mid-2023, hacking fever overtook a host of Rakuten businesses for the biggest ever international Rakathon contest. Under a theme of “Unite. Create. Impact.”, over 300 participants from six businesses united across 60 teams to create innovations aimed at generating real impact for Rakuten. Offices across ten countries were represented as hackers gathered to brainstorm and socialize in person, as well as virtually. In this video, hear from the winning team members and event organizer as we look back on Rakathon 2023.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYpbY6X625w
https://www.londonstockexchange.com/news-article/...-results/16192646
Rakuten IDs 100 mm+
Big Data from 70+ services
https://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/...ions/61/96061/original.pdf
Mobile Segment EBITDA
Q1/22: -88
Q2/22: -85
Q3/22: -77
Q4/22: -71
Q1/23: -55
Q2/23: -43
https://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/...ions/61/96061/original.pdf
Result: EBITDA of Rakuten in Q3/2023 will be positive.
By researchcognizance / 2 November 2023
https://www.argylereport.com/news/...e-nokia-rakuten-symphony/171736/
Takashi Toraishi, Co-Chief Executive Officer and President, and Abhijit Bhatia, Chief Operating Officer are scheduled to speak at 10:30 am GMT, Tuesday, November 14. They will also participate in one-on-one investor and partnering meetings during the conference. The live webcast of the presentation can be accessed by the following link. A replay of the webcast will also be archived at the same location.
Rakuten Medical, Inc. is a global biotechnology company developing and commercializing precision, cell targeting therapies based on its proprietary Alluminox platform, which, in pre-clinical studies, has been shown to induce rapid and selective cell killing and tumor necrosis. Alluminox therapies have not yet been approved outside of Japan. Rakuten Medical is committed to its mission to conquer cancer by delivering our innovative treatments as quickly as possible to as many patients as possible all over the world. The company has offices in 6 countries, including the United States, where it is headquartered, Japan, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Switzerland and India.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/...ovember-14-301976548.html
October 30, 2023
What does it take to drive a new era in telecom – one where cutting-edge technologies and brave ideas come together to unlock the future of connectivity? The answer is people; Some of the most talented and ambitious in telecom, connected by a shared goal to do things differently and bring vital disruption to the industry. We caught up with some of our heart-led high performers from Rakuten Symphony Deutschland to learn about their passions, highlights and inspirations, as well as hear what advice they had for potential future colleagues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-_QVrbaXgw
November 2, 2023 17:30
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Rakuten Viber is gearing up to host an exclusive online webinar on November 14, 11:00 AM (GMT +4), offering invaluable insights into the revolutionary potential of its superapp in revolutionizing brand-user interactions.
The event's agenda highlights a comprehensive overview of the global digital landscape, positioning Rakuten Viber's role as a powerful superapp for fostering enhanced brand-user interactions. Participants can anticipate an in-depth exploration of Rakuten Viber's multifaceted solutions designed to facilitate brand engagement, build brand awareness, generate new leads, and significantly enhance the overall user experience. Moreover, the webinar aims to demonstrate how Rakuten Viber's strategic interventions can effectively boost sales, optimize ROI, increase web traffic, and foster long-term customer loyalty, all while ensuring optimal cost-efficiency for businesses of all scales.
https://tech.news.am/eng/news/2304/...n-exclusive-online-webinar.html
https://www.smartkarma.com/home/daily-briefs/...n-securities-and-more
Rakuten TV CEO Cedric Dufour is a relative newcomer to the entertainment industry, having previously worked as Rakuten’s e-commerce managing director for Europe. But Dufour has settled quickly into his new post since taking it up eighteen months ago, ascertaining the lay of the land as well as its inherent contradictions.
“What I noticed is that, for example, the studios, which used to be our main partners, [are] also our competitors,” he tells Variety. “Because they all have their own platforms. The manufacturers also – Samsung, which is one of our big partner, is also a competitor, especially on Samsung TV Plus, because our channels are competing against their channels. So we really need to understand in this world of frenemies what is our position, what is our added value, and we need to anticipate what will be the evolution of the market to see how we need to position ourselves in this market.”
https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/...streaming-frenemies-1235597884/
The geopolitics of next generation mobile communication standardization: The case of open RAN
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/...0308596123001362
Because the change of the EBITDA from negative 16.7 billion JPY to positive 33.6 billion JPY from Q2/22 to Q2/23 has going on in Q3/2023.
14 hours ago
The year’s hottest tech topic, generative AI, will be the focus of Rakuten Technology Conference 2023, an annual event, which brings together business leaders, engineers, researchers and tech enthusiasts from across the globe to explore the future horizons of technology.
The 15th edition of Rakuten Technology Conference will take place on Saturday, November 18, with free entrance for participants. The event’s theme of “AI-nization” acknowledges the revolutionary impact of generative AI on the technology landscape. Talks and discussions will delve into the future of technology intertwined with AI and its potential to drive innovation across various domains, including cloud computing, e-commerce, fintech and mobile technology.
Leaders from Google, Ampere Computing and CrowdStrike to headline
As in years past, the conference will feature a keynote speech from Rakuten Group Chairman & CEO Mickey Mikitani as well as a wide array of industry leading speakers, including Sean Varley, Chief Evangelist & Vice President of Business Development at Ampere Computing LLC and Scott Jarkoff, CISSP & Senior Threat Intelligence Advisor at CrowdStrike, Inc.
Erwan Mendard, Director of Product Management & Customer Activation at Google’s Cloud AI division will join Rakuten’s Chief Data Officer and Group Senior Managing Executive Officer Ting Cai for a special talk session on unlocking the value of data through generative AI and Sharad Sriwastawa, Co-CEO and CTO of Rakuten Mobile will speak on the topics of mobile and AI.
https://rakuten.today/blog/rakuten-technology-conference-2023.html