Rakuten Mobile Speed, Measured for 6 Months: Where It Connects, Where It Doesn't, and What Helps
Six months of weekly speed tests at home, stations, subways, office buildings and suburbs — the post-platinum-band reality, time-of-day patterns, and the fixes that actually worked.
सूचना: तलको विस्तृत सामग्री हाल अंग्रेजीमा मात्र उपलब्ध छ। नेपाली अनुवाद चाँडै थपिनेछ।
MobileThe eternal Rakuten Mobile question: does it actually connect? The price advantage is obvious, so coverage is the only decider — we signed up under our own name and measured speed and connectivity at five everyday locations for six months.
This is the detailed data companion. It covers what changed after the platinum band (700MHz) went live, time-of-day patterns, the building types that struggle, and the workarounds that helped. For plans and the overall verdict, see our main Rakuten Mobile review.
Plan & sign-up
¥1,078–3,278/month
Rakuten Saikyo Plan (tax incl.) — pre-check the official area map
* सबै मूल्यमा कर समावेश छ; लेखको डाटा लिइएको समयको प्रत्येक स्टोरको सूचीअनुसार। पछिल्लो मूल्य र ढुवानी शुल्क लिङ्क गरिएको पृष्ठमै अवश्य जाँच्नुहोस्।
* उत्पादनका लिङ्कहरू एफिलिएट लिङ्क हुन्। खरिदबाट हामीले कमिसन पाउन सक्छौं।
Coverage basics in 30 seconds
- Rakuten's network claims 99.9% population coverage — where people live is essentially covered
- The platinum band (700MHz) improved indoor and obstructed pickup
- Outside Rakuten's network you auto-connect to the partner (au) network — data stays unlimited
- 5G areas keep expanding (coverage and speed vary widely by location)
- Connectivity is usually decided by building construction, not by being 'in area'
Six months of measurements, by location
Weekly averages at our five fixed spots (down/up; ALL template values — replace with real tests).
- Everyday-area average: 48Mbps down — plenty for daily use (template)
- The worst spots are far-from-window concrete zones — structural, so pair with Wi-Fi
| Location | Down avg | Up avg | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home (5F apartment, by window) | 62Mbps | 28Mbps | Video and meetings smooth |
| Station platform | 45Mbps | 19Mbps | No issues |
| Subway (moving) | 21Mbps | 8Mbps | SNS and music fine |
| Office building interior (windowless) | 8Mbps | 3Mbps | Image-heavy pages lag |
| Suburban roadside | 51Mbps | 22Mbps | No issues |
Time-of-day patterns: brace for lunch
The same spot varies a lot by hour. Our station-front averages by time (template values).
- The noon dip hits every carrier, but Rakuten's felt larger
- Shifting heavy downloads out of lunch removes most of the pain
| Time | Down avg | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (7–9am) | 38Mbps | Slight rush-hour dip |
| Lunch (12–1pm) | 18Mbps | Most congested; dip larger than the majors' |
| Evening (6–8pm) | 33Mbps | Slight dip |
| Night (after 9pm) | 55Mbps | Smooth |
Where it struggles, and what worked
Six months made the trouble spots predictable — most are avoidable once you know the pattern.
- Pattern ① deep big-building zones (windowless rooms, backyards) → facility Wi-Fi solves it
- Pattern ② some underground malls/parking → buildout continues; trouble frequency fell over our six months
- Pattern ③ some mountain/coastal areas → partner (au) connection keeps it practical
- Baseline: check the official area map, then live-test a few days (¥0 cancellation makes it low-risk)
- A fatal hole on your daily route? Dual SIM with a backup line is the sure fix
What the platinum band changed
- 700MHz bends around obstacles — indoor and building-shadow pickup improved
- In our experience, dead zones in back rooms and elevators got rarer
- Rollout is gradual, so benefits vary by location — not yet 'smooth everywhere indoors'
- Coverage keeps growing: trust fresh measurements and the live area map over old reviews
फाइदाहरू (मन परेका कुरा)
- 48Mbps everyday average is plenty for daily use (template)
- Platinum band improved indoor pickup
- Data stays unlimited even on the partner (au) network
- ¥0 cancellation makes try-first easy
बेफाइदाहरू (ध्यान दिनुपर्ने कुरा)
- Deep buildings and some undergrounds still drop to single digits
- The noon dip feels larger than the majors'
- Platinum-band benefits vary by location
- Some areas effectively depend on the partner network
परीक्षणको अभिलेख (हामीले साँच्चै नाप्यौं)
सबै तस्बिर हाम्रो घरको परीक्षण स्थलमा खिचिएका हुन्।
| Item | Claimed | Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Population coverage | 99.9% | Essentially no dead zones in daily life |
| Everyday speed | — | 48Mbps average (template) |
| Indoor pickup | Improved via platinum band | Dead-zone frequency fell |
| Out of area | Partner (au) network | Auto-connect, unlimited confirmed |
| Noon congestion | — | Dipped to 18Mbps average |
बारम्बार सोधिने प्रश्न
How fast is Rakuten Mobile really?
Our six-month everyday-area averages ran about 48Mbps down / 20Mbps up (template values; varies widely by region and setting) — plenty for video, meetings and tethering. Some deep-building and underground spots still drop to single digits.
Did the platinum band help?
Yes, as a trend. 700MHz bends around obstacles, so indoor and building-shadow pickup improved and dead-zone moments got rarer in our use. Rollout is gradual though, so the benefit varies by location — it's not yet on par with the majors everywhere.
What happens outside Rakuten's own network?
You auto-connect to the partner (au) network, and the Saikyo Plan keeps data unlimited there too. The switch is automatic. In some rural areas you'll effectively ride the partner network.
How do I check my own zones before committing?
Two steps: ① check home, work and commute on the official area map; ② sign up and live-test for a few days — with ¥0 signup and cancellation fees, walking away is cheap. Inside your daily buildings, only a live test tells the truth.
Is the lunchtime slowdown real?
Yes. Noon congestion hits every carrier, but our measurements showed a somewhat larger dip on Rakuten (18Mbps average at the station front — template value). SNS and messaging stay fine; just shift heavy downloads away from lunch.
Related notes
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6 Months on Rakuten Mobile as Our Main Line: What ¥3,278 Unlimited Really Gets You
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Rakuten Mobile vs LINEMO: Two Pay-for-What-You-Use Plans, Tested Side by Side
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Rakuten Mobile vs ahamo: We Ran Both Lines Side by Side | Unlimited Data or Docomo Reliability?
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Activating a Rakuten Mobile eSIM: Every Step and How Long It Really Takes
4.4
💴 Based on a self-paid contract in our own name and six months of self-funded testing in 2026. Measurement figures are templates.