Rakuten and AST SpaceMobile Launch Rakuten AST for Japan Satellites
Rakuten and AST SpaceMobile have set up Rakuten AST to run low-orbit satellites for Japan, while the Rakuten Mobile satellite service slips to a limited test.
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giftdetect· the right gift in minutesRakuten Group announced on November 9 that it has founded a new company, Rakuten AST, with US partner AST SpaceMobile. The venture will deploy and manage low-earth-orbit satellites and is expected to serve Japan in the mid-band.
Operations kept in Japan
Unlike today's arrangements, which rely on satellite networks run by foreign operators, Rakuten Mobile will handle operations in Japan. Chairman and President Hiroshi Mikitani said this reduces geopolitical risk. He questioned whether a single overseas provider can deliver stable service, pointing to Starlink's restrictions on drone use in Ukraine, since lifted.
The satellites remain AST's property, but Japanese control would allow, for example, antennas to be redirected to concentrate capacity during a disaster. AST COO Shanti Gupta said the new satellites will fly at a 43-degree inclination, optimized for Japanese coverage. Because they are new spacecraft, the network is expected to be complete and operating only in March 2029.
Platinum-band service downgraded to a test
Separately, the "strongest satellite service" using AST's existing satellites and Rakuten Mobile's platinum band is still due this year, but the wording has softened to a commercial-environment test. Any Rakuten Mobile user with a platinum-band-compatible device can connect, though only for limited periods and free of charge. Thirteen satellites are in orbit, and Mikitani said round-the-clock service needs more than 50. Pricing may be revisited if usage and data volumes grow.
At an April 2025 event Mikitani promised full service in the fourth quarter of 2026. The gap reflects delays: AST planned 45 to 60 satellites by 2026, but problems with the New Glenn rocket have pushed back launches.
Rivals pull ahead
Docomo, KDDI and SoftBank, which use Starlink, already offer direct-to-device data around the clock, though app support is limited. KDDI and Docomo have signed for Starlink Mobile V2, promising about 20 times the throughput and VoLTE calls, targeted for 2027. AST aims to launch 45 satellites in early 2027, but further delays could hurt Rakuten Mobile's push to differentiate on speed.
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