Airspan Networks has won a contract to supply Open RAN-compliant radios to Rakuten Mobile for Japan-wide mobile network deployment, the Plano, Texas-based vendor confirmed on December 9, 2025.

The agreement marks what Airspan describes as the first commercial Open RAN deployment directly supported by grants from the US National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Airspan called the award strategic and said it solidifies its position as a radio unit (RU) provider to Rakuten's cloud-native network.

"Being part of the first commercial Open RAN deployment linked to NTIA awards is a strategic milestone for Airspan," CEO Glenn Laxdal said. "Delivering open, interoperable radios at scale in one of the world's most advanced and demanding mobile markets both validates the maturity of the ORAN ecosystem."

What does the NTIA angle change?

NTIA grant funding for Open RAN development has reached multiple US vendors. Commercial deployments directly tied to those grants have remained limited. Airspan's announcement positions Rakuten Mobile's nationwide build-out as the first commercial one.

The grant-backed framing connects a Japanese mobile rollout to US supply-chain diversification goals. It also gives the program a live commercial showcase in one of Asia's most demanding mobile markets.

How big is Rakuten Mobile's network?

Airspan's statement reports that Rakuten Mobile currently runs more than 345,000 cells from multiple radio vendors under a single unified software layer. The operator calls itself the largest heterogeneous-network (HetNet) Open RAN deployment in the world.

That scale frames the Airspan contract. Rakuten Mobile co-CEO Sharad Sriwastawa tied the deal to that ongoing multi-vendor architecture.

"Rakuten Mobile is committed to an open, multi-vendor ecosystem that drives innovation, performance, and cost efficiency," Sriwastawa said. "By integrating Airspan's ORAN radio units, we benefit from interoperable, easy-to-integrate RUs that help us deliver high-quality voice, data, and digital services to customers across Japan."

What is Airspan actually delivering?

Airspan will supply Open RAN-compliant radio units designed to interoperate with Rakuten Mobile's existing cloud-native orchestration stack. The December 9 statement did not specify unit volumes, contract value, or which radio models will ship.

Airspan described the agreement as "solidifying" its role as a strategic RU supplier. That wording implies an ongoing supply relationship rather than a fresh market entry.

Where does marketing stop?

Airspan's press materials lean on language familiar from US Open RAN policy pitches: "supply chain diversity," "cloud-native architecture," and "network economics." Laxdal's quoted remarks frame the deal as proof that "US innovation" can scale in Japan.

The verifiable facts are narrower:

• The deployment is grant-supported through NTIA
• Airspan joins other radio suppliers already serving Rakuten
• Rakuten's network carries 345,000+ cells on a single software layer

The remaining language — about ecosystem maturity and innovation — comes from vendor and operator executives quoted in the press release.

What comes next?

Sriwastawa said Rakuten Mobile plans to "continuously enhance and expand" the cloud-native Open RAN network. The December 9 statement did not set cell-count targets, rollout milestones, or investment figures specific to Airspan's portion of the work.