Rakuten Group, Inc., a Tokyo, Japan-based e-commerce and mobile network operator, yesterday announced the acquisition of U.S.-based mobile technology company, Altiostar Networks, Inc., at a total valuation at over $1 billion. Rakuten and Altiostar will partner to accelerate deployment of software-centric, virtualized services for the mobile industry across the globe. Altiostar operates a 4G and 5G open virtual Radio Access Network (Open vRAN) network providing solutions that are designed to develop web-scale cloud native mobile networks.
“We’re entering a new era where mobile network operators can choose how to build and deploy a network by working with the world’s most innovative software companies to create open and interoperable solutions,” commented Rakuten Group CEO, Mickey Mikitani. “We’re delighted to welcome the Altiostar team to the Rakuten family as we share a common passion for empowering mobile networks through disruptive innovation, offering mobile operators around the world secure, cost-effective and highly agile technology.” Continue Reading
Altiostar already offers its suite of Open vRAN network functions on the Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP). RCP is a fully virtualized, cloud-native telco platform which allows customers to build mobile networks. RCP offers telcos, enterprises and government customers a marketplace from which they can select technologies to empower deployment of a 4G or 5G mobile network on Open RAN.
Altiostar Networks CEO, Ashraf Dahod commented: “Open RAN architecture and virtualization are key to building software-centric networks that can scale and adapt to meet an explosion of devices and applications driving service velocity and profits. Becoming a Rakuten Group company will allow us to build on our foundation and accelerate our technology development to help operators to innovate, explore new business models and bring affordable broadband to the masses through web-scale mobile networks.”
Dahod will continue as CEO, as well as assume a key role in Rakuten’s global RCP organization. Altiostar will continue to operate from its Tewksbury, MA headquarters.
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