Knowing that her voice will be heard is what motivates Erika Morimoto each working day. She explains why Airspan stood out to her as an employer in Japan…
By its very nature, Open RAN involves working with others. Different pieces of equipment have to operate together, and it’s my job to make sure Airspan’s products integrate successfully into the networks of our clients. In particular, I specialise in installing Airspeed, our range of outdoor small cells.
One of our biggest clients is Rakuten, which has an Open RAN network in Tokyo – among the most innovative networks in the world. I act as a bridge between Airspan and Rakuten, liaising directly with onsite workers and responding to any bugs or other troubleshooting issues. If there are any problems, I work with our R&D team to find a solution. Once a unit is switched on, I’m in charge of monitoring for any issues. I particularly enjoy this part because it involves ensuring the connection is stable for real-world customers.
The work can be challenging. One highlight was leading on setting up 2,000 units in three months for Rakuten. In normal circumstances we’d only install a few hundred in that timeframe. I was proud to be able to use my knowledge and experience to help Rakuten meet its network targets for that year.
I first came across Airspan when I worked on a project with them at my previous company. The team made a really good impression and taught me a lot. When I joined Airspan, what stood out was the level of responsibility I was given early on. From day one, Airspan’s leadership has been extremely proactive in supporting my development. There’s also a freedom to ask questions and make your voice heard, which doesn’t always exist in some Japanese companies. The team is tight knit, my boss is approachable, and I know that I can speak to senior leadership whenever I need. Ultimately, this makes us more effective as a company.
I would definitely recommend Airspan as a place to work. I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far, and look forward to continuing my development and taking on more management responsibilities.
