Rakuten Mobile set up a joint venture company with Tokyo Electric Power Grid Co (Tepco), as the companies expanded on an earlier partnership to deploy base stations on the power company’s network assets.

The operator holds a 51 per cent interest in Rakuten Mobile Infrastructure Solutions and Tepco the remainder.

In a statement, Rakuten Mobile explained the venture was established to expand 4G and 5G coverage by increasing base station density and improving the cost-efficiency of maintenance by using existing power assets.

In 2018, Tepco agreed to allow the operator to deploy base stations on its transmission towers, utility poles, telecoms towers and rooftop facilities.

Rakuten Mobile claimed LTE population coverage reached 97 per cent at end-March, with a total of 44,000 4G base stations deployed.