Rakuten Symphony and Celona join forces for Open RAN Private 5G

May 26, 2026 - Private 5G is becoming even more widely applicable! Rakuten Symphony and Celona have announced a collaboration to develop an end-to-end open RAN-based Private 5G solution. This is a significant step that makes Celona's Private 5G even more relevant for the logistics and manufacturing industries. You couldn't ignore Private 5G in 2026, but now even less so.

What is Open RAN?

Mobile networks using Open RAN (Open Radio Access Network) utilize open standards instead of closed, proprietary systems. It allows providers to combine equipment from different vendors (mix-and-match), leading to greater flexibility and lower costs.

How does RAN-based Private 5G work?

Currently, if you want to deploy Celona's Private 5G, all components of the network—from the antenna to the software—must be from Celona. RAN-based Private 5G makes it possible to use Rakuten antennas and Celona Access Points. This solution is pre-integrated, meaning all components connect seamlessly without requiring complex configurations. Rakuten will soon be included in Celona's price list as well.

Open RAN can be the solution for specific use cases. Do you really need a certain feature or software in your environment? For example, do you want multiple bands, higher power, or Massive MIMO for greater range and more capacity? Even if Celona's standard solutions don't support it, you can now choose and add other hardware or software to your Private 5G network. Thanks to this collaboration, there are virtually no more barriers to deploying Private 5G in your environment.

Getting started in the Benelux

Rakuten Symphony and Celona have not yet shared when Open RAN Private 5G will be available globally. We are in close contact with the Celona team and will share more information in our newsletter as it becomes available. Does Open RAN Private 5G sound interesting for your environment? Let us know via sales@alcadis.nl or 030 – 65 85 125, and we would be happy to discuss how you can be among the first to deploy it.