Rakuten Mobile has surpassed 8 million subscribers
Rakuten Mobile reached a major milestone last month, officially surpassing 8 million subscribers on October 18, 2024*1. And that’s not the only thing that’s increasing – the MNO is also gaining popularity as a primary line. Rakuten Mobile’s MNO main line usage among customers increased the most out of all mobile carriers in Japan according to a recent independent third-party survey*2.
The rapid rate of growth is particularly noteworthy when compared to Rakuten’s other highly successful services such as Rakuten Card, which now has over 30 million cards issue to customers across Japan: Rakuten Mobile has achieved comparable subscriber growth in close to half the time since launch.
“Since we launched with the mission to democratize the mobile industry, we have expanded our network nationwide and vastly increased both our network quality and speed.”
Mickey Mikitani, Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO
Winning over consumers
Rakuten Mobile has pursued a mission to democratize the mobile market through its affordable and straightforward pricing plan. This approach has resonated strongly with consumers: Recent surveys indicate that 48% of respondents find the Rakuten Saikyo Plan (Rakuten Mobile’s mobile plan) attractive – a substantial increase of almost 20 percentage points compared to May 2023*3.
Rakuten Mobile has also maintained momentum through targeted customer programs and deep integration with Rakuten’s expansive ecosystem. By leveraging connections with Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Card and other group services, Rakuten has created a comprehensive rewards system that encourages both new subscriptions and continued loyalty.
The success of these initiatives is reflected in recent market research: Rakuten Mobile has ranked first in consumer interest and attention for four consecutive months*4, while its main line usage has climbed 1.6 points since February 2024, significantly outpacing competitors.
Building a high quality, cutting-edge network
“Since we launched with the mission to democratize the mobile industry, we have expanded our network nationwide and vastly increased both our network quality and speed,” stated Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani.
This commitment to quality is evident in Rakuten Mobile’s recent launch of commercial services using 700 MHz “platinum band,” in addition to the ongoing expansion of 5G network coverage and an overall 4G population coverage ratio of 99.9%*5.
Subscribers are making the most of these improvements, averaging 27.9GB of data usage per month, with younger users between the ages of 13 and 22 driving even higher usage at 44.2GB per month.
Looking to the future, Rakuten Mobile is working together closely with AST SpaceMobile. The two companies completed the first-ever space-based voice call using regular smartphones in 2023. The two companies are aiming to launch satellite-to-mobile services in Japan – and they’re targeting to start the service in 2026, expanding Rakuten Mobile’s coverage to previously challenging areas such as mountainous regions and remote islands, while enhancing communication infrastructure redundancy during natural disasters.
Promising potential in Japan’s senior market
In September 2024, Rakuten Mobile launched a new demographic-specific initiative: the Saikyo Senior Program, designed for customers aged 65 and above.
The opportunity in the senior market is particularly significant given Japan’s current demographic patterns. The number of elderly people in Japan reached over 36 million in September 2024, a record-high 29.3% of the population, according to figures from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
As of 2023, over 90% of seniors in Japan own smartphones*6, though only about a third report feeling confident in using their devices*7. This is reflected in Rakuten Mobile’s own data: While over half of users in their 20s consume more than 11GB of data monthly, 80% of users over 60 use less than 3GB.
The new senior program offers significant point incentives, effectively bringing the cost of usage under 3GB to just 780 yen per month (858 yen with tax) when combined with Rakuten’s Saikyo Family Program discount. The Saikyo Senior Program includes comprehensive support services through Rakuten’s nationwide network of stores around the country, along with a number of affordable options for extra security and spam protection.
Leave no one behind
To create a “smartphone society that leaves no one behind,” Rakuten Mobile is working to ensure equal smartphone access opportunities across all demographics and regions. It’s an approach that aims to address not just accessibility and affordability, but also the digital divide that affects senior citizens and other potentially underserved populations.
Rakuten Mobile’s rapid climb to 8 million suggests that this comprehensive approach is resonating strongly with Japanese consumers across all demographic segments – and there remains plenty of untapped potential lying ahead.
*1 The 8 million subscribers number includes Rakuten Saikyo Plan, Rakuten Saikyo Plan Business, Rakuten Turbo, Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), and Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE) service customers as of October 18, 2024. The number of subscribers in this press release includes BCP customers. (BCP is the B2B pricing plan for Business Continuity Plan purposes.) The total number of subscribers, excluding BCP lines, for MNO and MVNE combined is 7.59 million. The number of MNO subscribers (excluding BCP and MVNE) is 7.29 million.
*2 The MNO share is 90.7%, with Rakuten Mobile leading the main usage rate increase at 1.6 points, followed by UQ mobile and Y!mobile with a 0.3 point increase each (October 10, 2024)
https://mmdlabo.jp/investigation/detail_2372.html (*Japanese page)
*3 Source: Rakuten Mobile Survey (May 2023 to October 2024, approximately 800 samples) – The percentage of respondents who selected the Rakuten Saikyo Plan as an attractive point or a deciding factor when considering subscribing with Rakuten Mobile.
*4 Source: Market Trend Survey (February to August 2024, 20,000 samples) – The percentage of respondents who selected Rakuten Mobile as the most attractive mobile company when considering mobile phone companies.
*5 4G population coverage ratio including both the Rakuten network area and the domestic roaming partner network area. Calculated based on the number of approximately 500m zones used in the national census in which communication is possible in more than 50% of the area covered.
*6 Source: MMD Labo (August 2023) Survey of 9,450 individuals between 60 to 70 years old.
*7 Source: Dentsu Senior Lab “Senior Smartphone Life Report” July 2022
https://www.dentsu.co.jp/news/release/2022/0912-010549.html (*Japanese page)
