Rakuten Mobile extended a partnership with Cisco, deploying the vendor’s segment routing over IPv6 (SRv6) equipment to simplify its network architecture, lower operating costs and support a wider range of service level agreements for enterprise customers.

The Japanese operator is using Cisco’s SRv6 and routed optical networking equipment to improve operational flexibility and increase speed to market, the companies said in a statement.

In an online briefing, Rakuten Mobile CTO Tareq Amin highlighted the simplicity and flatness of Cisco’s end-to-end IPv6 architecture, noting “to implement an all IPv6 architecture into the fabric of your network is not a trivial task. It has enabled fixed-mobile convergence using the same IP backbone.”

Cicso explained the equipment will enable Rakuten Mobile to expand its capabilities to support enterprise customers with 5G and IoT services, and deliver future standalone services with network slicing capabilities.

Jonathan Davidson, EVP and GM of Cisco’s Mass-Scale Infrastructure Group, said Rakuten Mobile can automate its entire network by consolidating routing operations. He suggested the “dramatically simplified infrastructure” offered potential capex saving of 30 per cent and an overall cost reduction of close to 50 per cent when operational benefits were included.

To get from three levels to one, he said Cisco is transforming the optical infrastructure to cut the significant lifecycle management costs of running multiple layers.

Cisco added Rakuten Mobile will use its Customer Experience platform to plan and implement its overall network architecture and design.