Japan-based e-commerce giant Rakuten became the latest company to unveil successful trials of 5G technology, completing an over-the-air test with Nokia ahead of its entry into the commercial wireless market in October 2019.

The test used the 28GHz band and examined a number of applications running over the service including 4K video delivery and 3D 360-degree VR live streaming.

In a statement, Rakuten said the test “reinforces the potential of 5G networks” and noted opportunities for the technology in healthcare, education, energy services, industry and agriculture.

Although regulators in Japan are yet to allocate spectrum to host 5G services, a number of companies are trialling the technology in the country with commercial launches planned in time for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Fourth operator
Rakuten’s own figures state it already runs the largest MVNO in Japan. In April it received approval from Japanese authorities to provide 4G services over its own network in 2019. When it launches it will become the fourth operator in the country, alongside KDDI, SoftBank and NTT Docomo.

In addition to its MVNO, Rakuten has a wide number of business divisions primarily focused on internet and e-commerce services.