Soracom and Marubeni have announced a joint venture between Soracom and Marubeni I-DIGIO Holdings, a Marubeni Group Company. The joint venture will deliver IoT MVNO services in Japan and expand IoT capabilities to a range of global regions and industries.
The new company will take over the MVNO business of Marubeni Network Solutions (‘Marubeni Network’), a network outsourcing company under Marubeni I-DIGIO, and will operate as a joint venture, with 51% investment from Soracom.
Marubeni Network is one of only a few Full MVNOs in Japan and operates its MVNO business using NTT Docomo’s network. Soracom is a Full MVNO that provides services across 185 countries using KDDI and global networks, providing communication services specialised for IoT. Soracom has also developed a Cloud-native Connectivity Management Platform (CMP) using its own technology.
By collaborating with the Marubeni Group, Soracom will provide mobile services, including higher-quality IoT communication, compatible with various communication environments as a multi-carrier Full MVNO operator. The new company will also consider supporting the latest SIM technologies such as the next-generation SIM and iSIM and apply SIM technology to SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) to provide integrated network and security functions to mobile workers.
Additionally, the joint venture partners are considering the development of multi-carrier profiles, which will allow multiple domestic operator profiles to be used with a single SIM.
By using the new company’s services as a starting point and collaborating with Marubeni’s subsidiaries’ assets, such as DX consulting and data analysis, the company will be able to meet the diverse needs of a wide range of customers regardless of industry or region.
The establishment of the joint venture follows on from an agreement signed by Marubeni and Soracom in February 2025 with the intention to collaborate globally on IoT. They are considering further international business expansion in infrastructure areas such as mobility, agriculture, and electricity and water.
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