Ranet
Ranet Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo-based BIC Camera subsidiary serving as primary sales agent for Japan's four major mobile carriers, and operating MVNO services, enterprise mobility solutions, VR distribution, IoT connectivity, and AI-enabled network cameras nationwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersToshima, Japan
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Ranet does
Ranet Co., Ltd. (株式会社ラネット) is a Tokyo-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of consumer electronics retailer BIC Camera (株式会社ビックカメラ) that operates as a primary sales agent for all four major Japanese mobile carriers — NTT Docomo, KDDI/au, SoftBank, and Rakuten Mobile — together with sub-brands Y!mobile and UQ mobile. Founded in August 2002 with headquarters in Toshima-ku's Hareza Tower, the company maintains a national network of more than 200 directly operated and group-store carrier shops across Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Tokai, Kansai, Chugoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa, and reports approximately 4,500 employees as of August 2025 (post-merger with TD Mobile).
Beyond carrier representation, Ranet runs a portfolio of adjacent telecommunications and platform services. As an MVNO, it operates BIC WiMAX (powered by UQ Communications), BIC 4G LTE (via Y!mobile), BIC SIM (repackaged IIJ mio), and ビック光 (Bic Hikari) fiber over NTT East/West infrastructure. Its Subsc Market platform distributes subscription content such as Norton security, U-NEXT streaming, and the in-house Anshin DeviceCare device-protection plan; ProCla delivers elementary-school programming education inside carrier shops; Synapse provides MVNO and IoT connectivity for logistics, manufacturing, and energy; certified partnerships with Meta, PICO, and HTC Vive drive VR hardware distribution; and Kizukumo adds an AI-enabled network camera service for SMBs built on the Alarm.com platform with AI-based people counting and congestion analytics. Enterprise solutions span MDM (OPTiM Biz), device kitting, ITAD, cloud PBX (PHONE APPLI), Global WiFi rental, AI cleaning robots (Phantas), and vehicle registration services (MAP132).
Ranet earns revenue through a mix of transaction-based device and service-plan commissions earned as a primary carrier agent, recurring subscription fees from MVNO, content, and education users, B2B mobility and IT services contracts, and hardware margins on VR device distribution. Its go-to-market operates through three motions: channel partners (the BIC Camera, Kojima, and Sofmap group plus MNO-operated retail), direct-to-consumer via company-operated carrier shops, and field-led enterprise sales for B2B mobility and IoT. End customers span individual consumers (primary) and corporate/business clients requiring device procurement, fleet management, and IoT connectivity.
Ranet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ranet
- Legal name
- 株式会社ラネット
- Website
- https://ranet.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Ranet Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo-based BIC Camera subsidiary serving as primary sales agent for Japan's four major mobile carriers, and operating MVNO services, enterprise mobility solutions, VR distribution, IoT connectivity, and AI-enabled network cameras nationwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ranet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Telecommunications Services
- NAICS
- Telecommunications Resellers and Agents for Wireless Telecommunication Services (51712), Agents for Wireless Telecommunications Services (517122)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Channel/Partner Sales Support (Reseller Enablement, Deal Reg) (BPAAADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- End-User Device Management (UEM/MDM, Desktop/Laptop/Tablet) (BPAEAIAB), Endpoint & Mobile Asset Management (UEM/MDM Asset Controls) (BPAEAOAI)
Keywords
Where Ranet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toshima
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices12 records
Markets served
Ranet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Mobile Device Sales Agency: Acts as primary sales agent for major mobile carriers, earning commissions on device sales and service contracts through directly operated shops and group retail stores.
- MVNO Services: Operates as MVNO provider for WiMAX (BIC WiMAX) and 4G LTE services, selling under private brand (BIC SIM, BIC 4G LTE) and光 collaboration services (ビック光).
- Content Platform: Operates subscription marketplace platform offering security (Norton), entertainment (U-NEXT), device protection services, and original content.
- Enterprise Solutions: Provides B2B solutions including MDM device management, ITAD, device procurement, cloud services, office facilities, and line management services.
- VR Device Sales: Sells VR devices (Meta Quest, PICO, HTC Vive) as certified partner, offering enterprise solutions and wholesale to retail stores.
- Education Services: Operates ProCla programming education classes for elementary school students in directly managed shops.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Monthly | BIC WiMAX SERVICE |
| Subscription | Monthly | BIC 4G LTE SERVICE |
| Subscription | Monthly | BIC SIM (IIJ mio) |
| Subscription | Monthly | ビック光 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ranet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ranet is a Japanese telecommunications company that acts as a primary sales agent for all major mobile carriers (Docomo, au, SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile) selling devices and service contracts through directly operated carrier shops and group electronics retailers. It also operates its own MVNO services under BIC brands, subscription content platforms, VR device distribution, AI network cameras, IoT connectivity, and enterprise mobility solutions.
Product overview
Ranet operates a diversified telecommunications and technology services portfolio organized into consumer-facing and enterprise-facing segments. Consumer services include: mobile carrier agency (selling docomo/au/SoftBank/Rakuten Mobile plans and devices through Bic Camera group stores and directly operated carrier shops), MVNO services under the BIC brand (BIC WiMAX, BIC 4G LTE, BIC SIM, Bic Hikari fiber), subscription content platforms (Subsc Market, 安心デバイスCare, Norton/U-NEXT for Subsc Market), and programming education (ProCla). Enterprise offerings span: business mobility solutions (OPTiM Biz MDM, kitting, ITAD, Global WiFi, cloud PBX), VR device distribution as certified Meta/PICO/HTC partner, AI-enabled network camera service (キヅクモ built on Alarm.com), and IoT MVNO connectivity (Synapse) for logistics, retail, and manufacturing sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BIC WiMAX: WiMAX mobile communication service operated by Ranet as MVNO, powered by UQ Communications
- BIC 4G LTE SERVICE
- BIC SIM
- ビック光
- サブスクマーケット
- 安心デバイスCare
- プロクラ
- キヅクモ
- Synapse
Products and services
- Mobile Business (モバイル事業) Ranet operates as a primary carrier agent selling mobile devices and services for major Japanese carriers (NTT docomo, au, SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile) and sub-brands (UQ mobile, Y!mobile) through group electronics retailers (Bic Camera, Kojima, Sofmap) and directly operated carrier shops nationwide.
- MVNO Business (MVNO事業) As an MVNO operator, Ranet runs its own mobile data services including BIC WiMAX (powered by UQ WiMAX), BIC 4G LTE (powered by Y!mobile), private-brand BIC SIM (repackaged IIJ mio), and Bic Hikari optical fiber service in partnership with NTT East/West.
- BIC WiMAX SERVICE WiMAX mobile broadband service operated by Ranet as MVNO, offering device protection plans, remote support, and optional services for home and mobile internet.
- BIC 4G LTE SERVICE High-speed mobile data service powered by Y!mobile network, offered as MVNO by Ranet for customers seeking LTE connectivity.
- BIC SIM Budget SIM service branded under Bic Camera group and powered by IIJ mio infrastructure, sold through Bic Camera retail locations with in-store support counters.
- Bic Hikari (ビック光) Optical fiber broadband service provided under Bic Camera private brand using NTT East/West FLETS infrastructure, offering bundled internet plans for retail customers.
- Content Business (コンテンツ事業) Self-developed platform business covering subscription services through Subsc Market, plus branded content including Anshin Device Care (device protection/subscription), Norton (cybersecurity), and U-NEXT (streaming entertainment).
- Subsc Market (サブスクマーケット) Subscription billing and content platform operated by Ranet enabling distribution of third-party subscription services including security, insurance, and entertainment content to retail and e-commerce partners.
- Anshin Device Care (安心デバイスCare) Device protection subscription covering data recovery, on-site technical support, and mobile device repair insurance for PCs and smartphones.
- ProCla (プロクラ) Programming School Elementary school programming education classes for children, operated at Ranet's directly managed carrier shop locations. Curriculum covers programming skills, computer literacy, reading comprehension, and presentation skills.
- Solution Business (ソリューション事業) Enterprise mobility and workplace solutions including OPTiM Biz (MDM/security), device kitting, 24/7 MDM remote services, iDMS (iOS repair), Global WiFi (overseas rental), PHONE APPLI (cloud PBX), ITAD (data erasure), Phantas (AI cleaning robot), Synapse (business MVNO), Logiscan (logistics DX), and MAP132 (vehicle registration services).
- VR Business (VR事業) Certified partner for Meta Quest, PICO, and HTC Vive VR headsets, distributing devices through Bic Camera group retail and direct B2B sales. VR solutions span entertainment, education, training, and enterprise applications.
- Kizukumo (キヅクモ) AI-powered network camera service for SMBs and retail businesses, providing multi-location video monitoring, cloud event recording, smartphone alerts, and optional AI analytics for people counting and congestion analysis. Built on Alarm.com's global platform localized for Japan.
- IoT Data Business / Synapse (IoTデータ通信事業) MVNO connectivity and industrial IoT device solutions targeting logistics, transportation, retail, manufacturing, and energy sectors, operated through the Synapse brand.
Companies that use Ranet
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ranet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Ranet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NTT DocomocorePrimary carrier partnership as first-tier agent for NTT Docomo mobile services and device sales. Operates numerous docomo shops nationwide.
- KDDI CorporationcorePrimary carrier partnership as first-tier agent for au mobile services. Operates numerous au shops nationwide.
- SoftBank CorporationcorePrimary carrier partnership as first-tier agent for SoftBank and Y!mobile services. Operates numerous SoftBank and Y!mobile shops nationwide.
- Rakuten MobilecorePrimary carrier partnership for Rakuten Mobile services. Operates Rakuten Mobile shops in shopping malls nationwide.
- UQ CommunicationscorePartnership for WiMAX MVNO services. BIC WiMAX SERVICE powered by UQ WiMAX is operated by Ranet as MVNO.
- Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ)coreMVNO partnership for BIC SIM private brand service. IIJ mio service repackaged under BIC brand for sale through group retail.
- NTT East/Westcore光 collaboration partnership for ビック光 (BIC Hikari) service, providing NTT optical fiber services under BIC private brand.
- MetacoreCertified partner for Meta Quest business VR devices. Sells and distributes Meta VR headsets through retail and direct enterprise sales.
- PICOcoreCertified partner for PICO business VR headsets. Sells and distributes PICO VR devices through retail and enterprise channels.
- HTCcoreCertified partner for HTC Vive VR devices. Offers VR solutions and hardware through enterprise and retail channels.
- Alarm.comcoreTechnology partnership for キヅクモ (Kizukumo) network camera service. Alarm.com's smart home platform localized for Japan market.
- BIC Camera (Parent Company)core100% parent company providing retail channel and brand support. Group includes BIC Camera, Kojima, and Sofmap retail chains.
- Alvark Tokyo (B.League Basketball)minorSports sponsorship partnership. Alvark Tokyo is B.League professional basketball team sponsored by Ranet.
- Sint-Truiden VV (STVV)minorSilver sponsor for Belgian first division soccer club. International CSR/community sponsorship initiative.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ranet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nojima Corporation: Major Japanese consumer electronics retailer and mobile carrier agency that operates shops for Docomo, au, SoftBank, and other carriers nationwide. The closest direct peer to Ranet's mobile retail agency and MVNO business, with overlapping store footprint and BIC Camera–style retail-carrier integration.
- Yamada Holdings: Japan's largest consumer electronics retail group, with substantial mobile carrier shop operations across Docomo, au, and SoftBank. Comparable to Ranet in combining electronics retail scale with carrier agency commissions, MVNO offerings, and bundled telecom services.
- Yodobashi Camera: Major Japanese electronics retailer with significant mobile carrier shop operations and own-brand MVNO/services. Direct competitor to BIC Camera group, and therefore the closest parallel to Ranet's combined retail-channel + carrier-agency business model.
- Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ): Leading Japanese MVNO and network services provider that supplies BIC SIM to Ranet. Direct competitor in the MVNO and IoT connectivity space, with overlapping enterprise connectivity, IoT, and consumer SIM offerings.
- Biglobe: Japanese MVNO and ISP operator offering consumer mobile SIM, fiber, and enterprise connectivity services. Comparable to Ranet's BIC WiMAX / BIC 4G LTE / BIC Hikari consumer connectivity portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- SoftBank: Major Japanese mobile carrier (SoftBank / Y!mobile) for which Ranet operates first-tier sales shops. Incumbent carrier that sets agent commission structure and competes through Y!mobile sub-brand against Ranet's MVNO services.
- Rakuten Mobile: Japan's newest and most aggressive mobile carrier with low-price plans that compete directly with Ranet's MVNO portfolio, while simultaneously being one of Ranet's primary carrier partners through Rakuten Mobile shop operations.
- NTT Docomo: Japan's largest mobile carrier and one of the four primary carrier partners Ranet represents as a first-tier sales agent. Larger incumbent in the same ecosystem that sets the commission economics and competitive backdrop for Ranet's mobile agency business.
- KDDI (au / UQ Mobile): Major Japanese mobile carrier (au / UQ Mobile) and one of Ranet's core carrier partners. As an incumbent, it both supplies Ranet's shop commissions and competes with Ranet's MVNO lines through its own low-cost UQ Mobile brand.
Others
- OPTiM: Japanese MDM and IT management software vendor whose OPTiM Biz platform Ranet resells as part of its enterprise solutions line. A technology partner and adjacent competitor in the UEM/MDM market that Ranet sells into enterprise accounts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ranet social profiles
Digital presenceRanet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ranet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Ranet subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Ranet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ranet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ranet
What does Ranet do?
Ranet is a Japanese telecommunications company that acts as a primary sales agent for all major mobile carriers (Docomo, au, SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile) selling devices and service contracts through directly operated carrier shops and group electronics retailers. It also operates its own MVNO services under BIC brands, subscription content platforms, VR device distribution, AI network cameras, IoT connectivity, and enterprise mobility solutions.
Is Ranet a public or private company?
Ranet is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Ranet founded?
Ranet was founded in 2002. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Ranet based?
Ranet is headquartered in Toshima, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Ranet make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Mobile Device Sales Agency is the primary driver. The others are MVNO Services, content Platform, enterprise Solutions, VR Device Sales and education Services.
Who are Ranet's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nojima Corporation, Yamada Holdings, Yodobashi Camera, Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ) and Biglobe. Broad incumbents are SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile, NTT Docomo and KDDI (au / UQ Mobile). OPTiM is listed as an others.
Does Ranet have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ranet.
What industry is Ranet in?
Ranet's product category is Mobile Telecommunications Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAAADAH, Channel/Partner Sales Support (Reseller Enablement, Deal Reg), with a secondary code of BPAEAIAB, End-User Device Management (UEM/MDM, Desktop/Laptop/Tablet). Its NAICS code is 51712.