VEON’s Beeline Kazakhstan Holding and Rakuten Symphony, a subsidiary of Japan’s Rakuten Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on December 23 2025 to collaborate on next‑generation connectivity, digital services, and cloud‑native network infrastructure. The MoU will allow the two companies to assess opportunities in Open RAN architectures, AI‑powered network intelligence, next‑generation digital platforms, cloud solutions, and global IoT and mobile‑workforce connectivity.
The partnership is a key milestone in VEON’s “digital operator” strategy, which seeks to transform connectivity into a platform for digital services. By combining Beeline Kazakhstan’s strong market position and expanding digital ecosystem with Rakuten Symphony’s expertise in open, cloud‑native telecom architectures and automated network management, the collaboration aims to enhance network efficiency, resilience, and customer experience in Kazakhstan and potentially other frontier markets. This move follows a similar partnership between Rakuten Symphony and VEON’s Kyivstar Group in Ukraine, underscoring a broader strategy of leveraging Rakuten’s Open RAN technology across VEON’s portfolio.
The MoU focuses on several technical pillars: Open RAN, which offers vendor diversity and cost efficiency; AI‑driven network intelligence, which automates optimization and fault detection; and cloud‑native infrastructure, which provides scalability and rapid service deployment. Together, these technologies are expected to reduce operational costs, accelerate service roll‑outs, and enable new digital offerings such as IoT connectivity for the mobile workforce and cloud‑based platforms for enterprise customers.
From a business perspective, the partnership could unlock new revenue streams by enabling Beeline Kazakhstan to offer bundled digital services and cloud solutions to its customers. It also positions the company to capture growth in frontier markets where connectivity and digital services are in high demand. The collaboration is expected to improve network resilience and customer experience, thereby strengthening Beeline’s competitive edge in a rapidly evolving telecom landscape.
Management emphasized the strategic importance of the deal. VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu said the partnership would “enable VEON to explore how Rakuten Symphony’s capabilities can enhance Beeline Kazakhstan’s network evolution and digital service ambitions.” Beeline Kazakhstan CEO Evgeniy Nastradin highlighted the need for “cloud, automation, and AI” to drive efficiency and resilience, while Rakuten Symphony President Sharad Sriwastawa noted the shared commitment to “drive the future of telecom with open, cloud‑native architectures.”
The market reacted positively to the announcement, reflecting confidence in VEON’s continued focus on digital transformation and its ability to leverage advanced technologies to create new value for customers and investors alike.
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