Japan-based online retailer Rakuten agreed a deal to use some of Tokyo Electric Power Company’s infrastructure as it moves to become the country’s fourth major wireless operator.

The partnership will allow Rakuten to use the power company’s transmission and telecoms towers, and aims to reduce the cost of rolling out its wireless infrastructure across the country, Japan Today reported.

Rakuten said in December 2017 it planned to raise funds and apply for a spectrum licence in the 1.7GHz and 3.4GHz bands. Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is expected to make a decision on allocating the spectrum by the end of this month.

Tokyo Electric Power Company operates a rental programme for its infrastructure, which also includes rooftop facilities and utility poles. Rakuten plans to lease facilities at 500 to 1,000 sites, mainly in the Kanto region, The Japan Times said. The main customers of the service are existing mobile operators and local governments, which use the facilities to set up base stations and install surveillance cameras and other equipment.

Rakuten plans to invest as much as JPY600 billion ($5.6 billion) to build a communications network and is considering similar deals with other power companies, the newspaper said.