Rakuten Mobile Ranks First in Both Retention and Switching Intent: The MMD Labo Survey and Our Family's Switch

Good morning, this is まさきん.

The other day I came across new survey results from MMD Labo, a Japanese mobile market research firm. Rakuten Mobile apparently came out on top in both “carriers people are considering switching to” and “carriers people want to keep using.”

As it happens, our family switched one of our lines to Rakuten Mobile just last week. Since the timing lined up, I want to look at this from two angles: the numbers, and what the actual switching process was like.

This information is current as of publication. Prices and campaign details may change, so please always check the official website for the latest terms.

About the survey

The survey was conducted by MMD Labo in August 2026. The screening survey covered 40,000 men and women aged 18 to 79. The main survey narrowed this down to 300 users each of nine major services, for a total of 2,700 respondents.

The survey ran from August 1 to 6, 2026, and the results were published on September 18.

Intention to continue: Rakuten Mobile tops the list at 67.2%

First, the question “Do you want to keep using your current carrier?” Overall, 60.3% said yes and 39.7% said no.

By service, Rakuten Mobile came first at 67.2%, followed by povo at 64.5% and docomo at 63.4%. The lowest was ahamo at 49.3%.

To be honest, this surprised me a little. I had the impression that many people choose Rakuten Mobile simply because it is cheap. If price were the only reason, you would expect people to leave as soon as something cheaper came along. The fact that it still has the highest intention to continue may be a sign that satisfaction beyond price is building up.

Intention to continue by service

Here are the numbers in one table.

The top three services are all above the overall average. The gap with ahamo at the bottom is nearly 20 points.

Why is intention to continue so high? Looking at reasons for signing up

The survey also asked why people chose their carrier. For docomo, au and SoftBank, the top reason was “because it is trustworthy and reliable.” For six services including ahamo, UQ mobile and povo, the top reason was “because it is cheap.”

Even though both are chosen “because they are cheap,” ahamo and Rakuten Mobile differ widely in intention to continue. Looking at it as a marketer, factors other than price seem to be at work: network quality, how easy the app is to use, how much people actually feel the points rewards. I suspect these are what separate the two.

That said, compared with the previous survey in February 2026, the figure fell from 76.4%. Over the past six months, intention to continue seems to be trending down. It reminded me that satisfaction is not something you win once and keep. It moves with everyday experience.

Switching destinations: Rakuten Mobile also first at 21.3%

Next, “If you were to switch, where would you consider?” Rakuten Mobile was the most common answer at 21.3%. MVNOs came second at 13.2%, and ahamo third at 12.7%.

So the same service ranks first both for continuing and for switching to. It is being chosen both by people who already use it and by people who are thinking about it. I think that is a fairly unusual situation.

Switching destination ranking

Here is that as a table too.

There is an 8-point gap between Rakuten Mobile and the second-place MVNOs. It is a clear lead.

By age, the split between generations is clear

Results by age were also published. For teens and people in their 20s, MVNOs came first, while Rakuten Mobile was first in every age group from the 30s up.

I find this split interesting. Younger people seem to go to MVNOs looking for very specific conditions, while people in their 30s and older seem to pick Rakuten Mobile for its simplicity. In our case too, the people in our family who considered switching were in their 30s or older. It matched the trend, which made sense to me.

Our case: we had just switched one family line

Just last week, we moved my wife’s line from NURO Mobile to Rakuten Mobile. We did the MNP (number porting) procedure at a Rakuten Mobile shop.

The trigger was cost. Including calls, the monthly bill varied quite a lot. We decided to review it together with our other fixed costs.

The switch itself went smoothly. But there were a few things I was glad to know before we went in, so I will share them.

Even if the account holders differ, a shop can handle it in one go

In some cases, the holder of the line you are leaving and the holder of the new Rakuten Mobile contract may be different people. That was true for us.

I checked Rakuten Mobile’s official FAQ. Only when you apply at a shop can you do the MNP transfer and the change of contract holder (transfer of ownership) at the same time. The condition is that “the contract holder at the previous carrier and the Rakuten Mobile contract holder share the same surname or address.”

This combined procedure is not available when applying online. If the holders differ, it looks like you will need to visit a shop.

Check referral campaign eligibility each time

I looked at Rakuten Mobile’s referral campaign page. It offered up to 14,000 points for switching from another carrier (MNP).

Before going to the shop, I had assumed that “if you have had a contract under the same name before, you are not eligible.” But when I actually checked the page, it said something different. Even if you had a contract before, you are eligible if you meet the conditions on the newly applied line. The conditions seem to change from time to time, so rather than relying on assumptions, it is best to check the official page before applying.

Two things to watch with Rakuten Link

I also want to mention Rakuten Link, the app you will use after signing up. Since it works as an internet (IP) phone, call quality can vary with crowds and signal conditions.

There is one more thing to watch with iPhones. If you miss a call to Rakuten Link, that missed call may not appear in the app’s history. If you call back from the standard Phone app, you may be charged for a call that would otherwise have been free. Until you get used to it, it may help to be conscious of where you check your call history.

Who it suits, and who it may not

Based on everything above, here is a quick summary.

It may suit people who:

• Want to cut their phone bill
• Are comfortable using Rakuten Link for free domestic calls
• Want to combine several lines under a family discount

Given the high intention to continue, satisfaction after signing up looks relatively promising.

It may not suit people who:

• Use a carrier email address often
• Are worried about Rakuten Link call quality or how incoming calls work
• Put a lot of weight on signal strength in their area

Checking the signal where you live, work and commute before signing up should give you peace of mind.

Things to check before switching

• Any cancellation fee or remaining device installments on your current line
• How to get your MNP reservation number, and its expiry date
• Signal conditions at home, at work and along your commute
• Whether the new contract holder matches the holder of the line you are leaving
• Campaign eligibility conditions (including what makes you ineligible)

For me, the contract holder item took a little extra effort. Checking these in advance should make the day itself go smoothly.

If you are thinking about lowering your phone bill, comparing against what you pay now is a good place to start.

FAQ

Q. Is it unusual to rank first in both intention to continue and switching destination?

Looking at these results, I think it stands out when the same service ranks first in both. It means current users’ satisfaction and prospective users’ interest are pointing the same way.

Q. Why did Rakuten Mobile’s intention to continue fall?

It fell from 76.4% in the February 2026 survey to 67.2% in the August 2026 survey. The survey does not tell us the specific reasons. But satisfaction is not fixed; it moves with everyday experience.

Q. Why are MVNOs popular among teens and people in their 20s?

The survey does not say for sure, but they may care more about finer-grained plans and niche conditions. You could also say that different age groups want different things from their mobile service.

Q. Can I switch if the account holders are different?

Rakuten Mobile shops have a special rule. If the previous contract holder and the Rakuten Mobile contract holder share the same surname or address, both procedures can reportedly be done at once. Please check the official FAQ for details.

Q. Are calls always free if I use Rakuten Link?

Domestic calls made through Rakuten Link are covered. If you use the standard Phone app, normal call charges apply. On iPhone, you may need to be careful with how missed calls are handled.

Q. Is everyone eligible for the referral campaign?

The conditions can change over time. It is safest to check the official campaign page before applying, including the conditions that make you ineligible.

Q. What changes if my family combines several lines?

With the family discount program, the monthly price per line reportedly goes down. If different lines have different contract holders, it is worth checking that they have been correctly linked to the group.

Q. What ages and how many people did the survey cover?

The screening survey covered 40,000 men and women aged 18 to 79. The main survey covered 300 users each of nine major services, 2,700 people in total. It ran from August 1 to 6, 2026.

Official sources I referred to (Japanese)

• MMD Labo
• Rakuten Mobile has the highest intention to continue and also tops switching intent, per MMD survey (ITmedia Mobile, on the previous February 2026 survey)
• About 40% considering switching; MVNOs most popular among teens and 20s, Rakuten Mobile for everyone else (orefolder)
• Rakuten Mobile referral campaign
• Rakuten Mobile official FAQ: MNP transfer and change of contract holder at the same time

Summary

Rakuten Mobile came first in both “intention to continue” and “switching destination.” It coincided with our own family switching a line, and it matched how it felt to us.

Still, intention to continue is lower than six months ago. Satisfaction is not something you gain once and are done with; it is built up through everyday use.

If now is a good time to review your phone bill, why not compare the actual prices?

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