Japanese operator Rakuten has delayed the launch of its 5G service by three months because of supply chain issues generated by the COVID-19 crisis. Rakuten introduced its 4G service on the local market on 8 April, and was planning to launch its 5G service in June. The 5G launch has now been postponed to September, following government restrictions that have interfered with testing activities, an unnamed Rakuten spokesperson told Light Reading. "The COVID-19 impact is mainly on 5G network software testing and validation in areas where there are restrictions on movement", the spokesperson said.
According to the same source, the delay is expected to have no impact on 5G base station deployment plans for the current fiscal year.
Rakuten plans to deploy 677 5G base stations, and expand its mobile network coverage to 70 percent of Japan's population by end-March. "We expect the impact on business performance to be minor", the Rakuten spokesperson said. Rakuten reports it has already deployed 4,738 4G base stations, and signed contracts for another 4,555.
Rakuten Mobile is building a 5G-ready fully virtualised, cloud-native mobile network. Rakuten selected Keysight 5G products to power their test and validation processes. Back in March, Rakuten Mobile selected the Nokia 1830 Photonic Service Switch to power its reconfigurable photonic mesh mobile backhaul network.
