Tokyo, January 26, 2026 – Rakuten Symphony today announced that it was awarded O-RAN conformance certification^*1 and O-RAN Interoperability (IOT) Badge certification^*2 by Japan OTIC^*3, an O-RAN ALLIANCE testing and certification partner providing conformance certification and interoperability testing based on O-RAN test specifications^*3.

Building on the O-RAN End-to-End (E2E) Badge certification awarded in January 2024^*4,5, Rakuten Symphony has now acquired all three classes of certifications defined by the O-RAN Certification and Badging Program.

The certifications were issued following rigorous verification by Japan OTIC. During the O-RAN conformance certification testing, Rakuten Symphony's distributed unit (DU) was validated, confirming its adherence to O-RAN specifications for basic functionality and security features when connecting via an O-RAN interface. Subsequently, the O-RAN Interoperability (IOT) Badge certification successfully demonstrated mutual connectivity between Rakuten Symphony's DU and NEC's radio unit (RU), proving seamless interaction between these radio access devices.

A Radio Access Network (RAN) is composed of radio units (RUs), distributed units (DUs), and centralized units (CUs). Open RAN disaggregates these elements, enabling a multi-vendor configuration that eliminates reliance on solutions from a single vendor. This fosters flexible procurement and drives cost reduction through increased market competition.

With these certifications, Rakuten Symphony significantly strengthens its capability to deliver O-RAN compliant devices to telecommunication operators with greater speed and cost-efficiency, and will accelerate the further adoption of Open RAN networks globally.

Rakuten Symphony will continue to develop technologies that facilitate the creation of a global Open RAN ecosystem comprised of diverse vendors, contributing to the wider adoption of Open RAN.

Notes:
*1 O-RAN conformance certification is a certification issued to O-RU, O-DU, or O-DU/O-CU after testing the O-RAN open fronthaul interface, which handles communication between O-RU, O-DU, or O-DU/O-CU, against O-RAN specifications for 4G LTE, 5G NR, or both.
*2 O-RAN Interoperability (IOT) Badge certification is a certification issued after conducting interoperability tests (IOT: Interoperability Test) as specified in O-RAN specifications when two devices constituting a Radio Access Network (RAN) are combined.
*3 Japan Open Testing and Integration Centre. Related press release: Japan OTIC opens in Yokosuka City as a testing and certification center for O-RAN solutions (December 20, 2022) https://japan-otic.jp/en-news/393
*4 O-RAN End-to-End (E2E) Badge certification is a certification that certifies the conformity of a combination of O-RU, O-DU, and O-CU, which constitute a Radio Access Network (RAN), after conducting connection tests with devices such as smartphones and the core network based on O-RAN specifications.
*5 Related press release: Japan OTIC Awards Rakuten Symphony with World’s First 4G/5G NSA O-RAN End-to-End Certification Badge (February 7, 2024)
https://symphony.rakuten.com/newsroom/japan-otic-rakuten-symphony-certification-badge

*The names of O-RAN ALLIANCE, O-RAN and their logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of O-RAN ALLIANCE e.V. Product names and service names included in this press release are generally trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Trademarks such as “™” and “®” may be omitted when company trademarks are mentioned.