When Rakuten launched a mobile service network in Japan in 2020, the e-commerce and fintech giant promised to disrupt the world¡¯s third-largest telecoms market. It¡¯s done that in part, but the greater shake-up has been to its finances.
By any measure, cash-bleeding Rakuten Mobile is deeply troubled.
Founder and CEO Hiroshi ¡°Mickey¡± Mikitani¡¯s initial vision of a low-cost network using cloud-based software and cheap hardware did not pan out as infrastructure costs spiraled. A too-quick rollout earned Rakuten a reputation for spotty coverage it is still trying to repair.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.