Rakuten plans satellite mobile service across Japan in 2026

Rakuten Mobile, in partnership with U.S. satellite designer AST SpaceMobile, has announced plans to launch a commercial satellite-to-mobile service across Japan in 2026.

The broadband service, which will enable video and voice calls, will be directly accessible by regular smartphones and won’t require a connection to a terminal.

The exact timing of the roll out is uncertain, but the plans for coverage encompass mountainous and remote areas across Japan.