Rakuten Mobile to Extend KDDI Roaming After October, Mikitani Says

Rakuten Group Chairman and President Hiroshi Mikitani said on the 10th that Rakuten Mobile will continue its roaming arrangement, under which it leases KDDI's communications network in areas without base stations, in accordance with the contract after October. The remarks respond to KDDI President Hiroo Matsuda's suggestion that the roaming arrangement could come to an end. Mikitani stressed the significance of the roaming, saying it serves to break NTT's monopoly and democratize communications, and expressed gratitude to KDDI.

KDDI is reviewing the roaming contract. Matsuda said at an earnings briefing on the 7th that the current contract will end in September 2026. Rakuten has used KDDI's network since 2019 as a temporary measure, initially covering regions where base station construction lagged behind, and later expanding to urban areas such as underground shopping streets.

Building communications coverage requires meticulous base station placement and high equipment costs, while facing labor shortages and rising material prices. Rakuten has increased users through aggressive marketing and narrowed losses in its mobile business, but profitability faces major obstacles, requiring large-scale equipment investment to prevent deterioration in communication quality.