Mavenir Converged Packet Core Goes Live in Rakuten Mobile

Mavenir said its cloud-native Converged Packet Core went live in Rakuten Mobile’s nationwide mobile network on Rakuten Cloud Platform. The deployment is tied to JAPAN Roaming, a nationwide emergency roaming service launched by Japan’s leading mobile carriers on April 1, 2026.

JAPAN Roaming lets users temporarily connect to another domestic carrier’s 4G LTE network if their primary service is disrupted by a large-scale disaster or major outage. The service includes 4G LTE Voice, SMS and data services, and it also provides an emergency-calls-only mode for continued access to Japan’s emergency services.

Mavenir described its cloud-native packet core as a scalable, resilient data foundation used by Rakuten Mobile to support cross-carrier access under emergency conditions. The company said its cloud-native core portfolio supports voice, data, messaging, and fraud protection and security, and is designed to scale with operators’ service and resilience requirements.

Ryo Watanabe, General Manager of the Core Network Department at Rakuten Mobile said, “Mobile connectivity becomes critical when normal life is disrupted. Mavenir’s cloud-native packet core plays an important part in Rakuten Mobile’s role in JAPAN Roaming, enabling flexible and reliable connectivity when it’s needed most. This is an example of how state-of-the-art network architecture can support society in even the most testing of circumstances.” Michael Cooper, EVP & General Manager, Packet Core, Security & Messaging at Mavenir said, “National communications infrastructure must perform under the most demanding conditions. This deployment shows how a cloud-native packet core can support resilient, large-scale connectivity when networks are under extreme stress. Mavenir is proud to support Rakuten Mobile in providing public safety and service continuity by contributing technology designed for real-world challenges.”

Mavenir said it has supported Rakuten Mobile through earlier deployments of cloud-native voice and messaging capabilities for Rakuten Link.