Beeline Uzbekistan, Veon’s digital operator in Uzbekistan, and Rakuten Symphony, a subsidiary of Rakuten Group, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at MWC26.
Veon is a digital operator that provides services to over 150 million connectivity customers and approximately 120 million monthly active digital users in Ukraine, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Rakuten Group is a Japanese technology conglomerate and global innovation company.
The partners aim to explore strategic collaborations that support the development of Uzbekistan’s fast-growing digital economy, including open RAN development, AI-powered network intelligence and next-generation digital platforms.
The MoU establishes a framework to explore collaboration on areas including network deployment, optimisation and development, as well as digital services, leveraging Rakuten’s software stack and platform expertise.
Under this framework, the companies will assess opportunities to deepen collaboration across priority technology areas, including open RAN architecture, the ways that AI can deliver more sophisticated network operations, next-generation digital platforms, cloud solutions and global IoT and mobile workforce connectivity.
In addition, the two companies will advance collaboration in eSIM and international roaming, leveraging Rakuten Mobile’s AI-powered, cloud-native platform and its track record in delivering integrated eSIM services at scale.
Beeline Uzbekistan serves 7.7 million mobile subscribers and more than 9 million monthly active users with digital services.
Today’s announcement builds on the Rakuten-Veon partnership initially launched in 2023. Kyivstar Group and Beeline Kazakhstan, two other Veon Group companies, are already partnering with Rakuten in Ukraine and Kazakhstan to explore collaboration on open RAN and other digital cooperation opportunities.
