NOW Telecom, Rakuten Symphony Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the 5G Open RAN Pilot in the Philippines

NOW Telecom Company, Inc., and Rakuten Symphony have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to create a collaborative framework for deploying a 5G Open RAN Pilot Deployment in the Philippines. The MoU was signed on the first day of the Mobile World Congress (MWC), which took place at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, Spain, from February 26 to February 29. The GSM Association hosts the MWC, the world's largest and most prominent connectivity event, which attracts over 100,000 visitors from 190 countries.

The agreement states that Rakuten Symphony and NOW would collaborate to develop disaggregated networks and open interfaces in Southeast Asia. The MOU was signed by Hironori Shimada, Director of Rakuten Symphony, and Romeo C. Escobar, Jr., Head of Networks at NOW Telecom. This historic occasion was also attended by Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten Group, Inc., and Mel Velasco Velarde, NOW Telecom Chairman and Chief Advocate of the Trusted Network Alliance in the Indo-Pacific Region.
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Sharad Sriwastawa, President, Rakuten Symphony, said, “We look forward to bringing Rakuten Symphony’s expertise in Open RAN solutions and digital services to support NOW Telecom’s 5G Open RAN ambitions. Rakuten Symphony is proud to support the development of Open RAN in the Philippines and the proliferation of open interfaces across global telecom networks.”

Mel Velasco Velarde, Chairman, NOW Telecom, said, "Our partnership with Rakuten, the force behind Japan's 4th mobile operator and a key player in launching Germany's newest mobile network, signifies a pivotal moment for NOW Telecom. This collaboration is instrumental in our mission to unveil a secured 5G network in the Philippines. Together, we are dedicated to transforming telecom industry and establishing a standard for open, interoperable, and secure networks across the Indo-Pacific region.”

Both parties will provide knowledge, resources, and technology to help NOW Telecom build 5G and related ICT solutions for its network.

Rakuten Group already has a significant presence in the Philippines with its top instant messaging app, Rakuten Viber, which has a 71% user penetration rate in the country of over 110 million.