Cell phone question.....

[ejen]

I spend a week in Tokyo and rented a cellphone for $80 US and spend $90 on prepaid so that's $170 just for a week !

Is it possible to just buy a Japanese cellphone and just buy minutes when I'm there with their prepaid service ?

What's the deal ?

E

[Samurai_Jerk]

just rent a phone at narita airport. should be a lot cheaper.

[Taro Toporific]

Is it possible to just buy a Japanese cellphone and just buy minutes when I'm there with their prepaid service ?
What's the deal ?

Nope. And, not likely.

1. To buy a Japanese cellphone you need a "gaijin card" which is the resident gaijin card and not for tourists. 2. Japanese prepaid services are rare and costly. Just rent the cellphone at the airport (which is expensive but costs less than paying for global roaming if you make more than few calls a day).

Refer to:
http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=359&pID=1099
http://euc.jp/misc/cellphones.en.html

[IkemenTommy]

Best solution is to get a 3G enabled phone, bite your lips, and go roaming. Watch out for those pricey minutes though.

[etto_neh]

Those little combini vendo-machines don't let ya pre-pay for the minutes anymore? I guess the point is moot since there's still the 'how do ya get the fuckin' phone in the first place' argument. Maybe there's a market there.

Even in a perfect japan-world, I wouldn't recommend that the average 外人 sign up for a phone unless they know they have the wherewithal to sit through almost 2 hours of mystery-script from the sales-chick. If you do, bring a lunch, maybe even extra popcorn, 'cause it's not unlike watching a slow horror movie with no climax.

I'm unsure about the rates concerning using a mobile WiFi device using Skype or eqiv, but, like IkemenTommy said, ya just gotta bite your lips.

[ejen]

Good points all around...I suppose I can stop looking through the japanese phones on Ebay.com - I just hate the idea of spending that much on a phone when my US bill is $55 a month.

So for rentals, anyone recommand a good rental company to go with ? The one I got came with the apartment I rented and was $80 for the week. Is that the average ?

best

e

[Kuang_Grade]

$80 per week just for the phone sounds a bit high, although it depends on your call vol and type of calls your are making (Japan or outside of Japan). It varies from firm to firm, but $40-ish for weekly phone rental and then 100 yen per minute for Japan calls and 175-225 yen per minute for international is not hard to find...although various firms have slightly different approaches...some are cheaper for short term but pricer for longer term use, some have higher upfront fees but lower per minute costs, some allow SMS, others don't, ect, so YMMV depending on what your needs are...but it seems that incoming calls are free on most plans. It also looks like Softbank will rent you just a SIM card if you have the right type phone.

firms at Narita, including Docomo, softmap and Sony...the links will take you to their various corp. home pages....just be sure you don't get mixed up with the prices for J folks renting phones to use outside of Japan
http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/service/list/svc_19.html

Although if your going to going back and forth a fair bit and have the cash/want the certainity of a single set number and are located in the US, these guys can hook you for a valid J prepaid phone (for a price) but then you still need to plug in prepaid cards (which you can buy at a conbini) every 6 months or when you use up your credits...you are getting milked, since they are charging $400 for a phone that probably only costs about $100 in Japan but you get the number before you leave. If you are big talker with an ongoing, repeated need, this route might be worth investigation...You pay alot up front, but the per minute rates are much lower than most of the rental firms.
http://www.cellularabroad.com/japancellphone.html

Ah, for the days when shady looking characters sold prepaid phones from street side card tables in front of Kabukicho....

[IkemenTommy]

Good points all around...I suppose I can stop looking through the japanese phones on Ebay.com - I just hate the idea of spending that much on a phone when my US bill is $55 a month.

So for rentals, anyone recommand a good rental company to go with ? The one I got came with the apartment I rented and was $80 for the week. Is that the average ?

best

e

Once you arrive at Narita or Kansai, you will find plenty of rental shops.

[ejen]

Hmm, I like to get it done before I get there so I have a number to email out.

Kuang_Grade - thanks for the info, I'm gonna have to do some research on that.

I've heard of some European phones with wifi connections that can pull off the Skype thing. Curious if anyone had experience with this in Japan.

E

[Tommybar]

My WiFi VioP (Packet works all over. I have taken it to the Philippines, Korea, and Thailand. (Was a little hard to get a good connection in Thailand though). Of course the nice thing about VioP is the lack of international charges. Just get the VioP in the country you plan to do the most talking to.

[Mulboyne]

My Japan Phone

MyJapanPhone specializes in offering cellular phone rental to travellers in Japan,. We are committed to solving your communication needs - business or leisure, during your staying in Japan. By reserving online, you will know your phone number before you leave home

[ejen]

Tommybar, what phone are you using with the wifi ?

My WiFi VioP (Packet works all over. I have taken it to the Philippines, Korea, and Thailand. (Was a little hard to get a good connection in Thailand though). Of course the nice thing about VioP is the lack of international charges. Just get the VioP in the country you plan to do the most talking to.

[Blah Pete]

One possible solution is to use Skype. You can register a phone number in the US (or any other country) in the area code of your choice. So your friends dial a local number and you receive in Japan. I pay about 2.7 yen/minute (forget exact rate) to call a US phone number.
Calculate the time diffference between Japan and your friends location and give them a time frame when to call you such as late night or early morning when you will be in your hotel with tthe PC lugged in.
With Skype your can also receive voice messages so if yo weren't pluuged in you could return someones call once you plugged in the PC.

[ejen]

That's a good idea for people in the US to call me though not sure how it would work the other way. Stupid question but is Skype available in Japan ? Is WoIP well-known in there like the US ?

E

[Greji]

That's a good idea for people in the US to call me though not sure how it would work the other way. Stupid question but is Skype available in Japan ? Is WoIP well-known in there like the US ?

E

One of my gaki's (I don't remember which one) uses Skype here in Tokyo all the time.

I use broadvoice.com (their unlimited world plus plan), but you do have to have or buy your own instrument, or IP adapter, both of which are quite reasonable. Then it is a straight 28-29 US dollars a month (it must be charged to a credit card and they do accept international cards) for unlimited free calls to most countries for any amount of time and a small charge for calling mobiles or cells in some countries. It is outstanding for me and if you register it to a number in your family's area code, they can call that number in their home country and get you in Japan free also. You can use it on any server that has the required ports open (my office doesn't open any extra ports to include for email, because they are afraid someone might get a free minute of private time on the office line). But as I said, it has been outstanding for me and I would recommend it (now, how do I get a kick-back from them for this CM)

[Blah Pete]

That's a good idea for people in the US to call me though not sure how it would work the other way. Stupid question but is Skype available in Japan ? Is WoIP well-known in there like the US ?

E

Before you call out you need to set up a Skype Out credit account. This enables you to call to any land line or cell phone anywhere in the world. $15 Skype Out credit lasts me about a month or 10 hours on the phone.
I carry my headset with me on all business trips in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and have not had trouble connecting.

[GomiGirl]

I sometimes have trouble with feedback and echos on Skype calls..

I do have a VoIP phone in my house though that gives me 10c to anybody in Australia from my Tokyo apartment.

[FG Lurker]

I sometimes have trouble with feedback and echos on Skype calls..

I do have a VoIP phone in my house though that gives me 10c to anybody in Australia from my Tokyo apartment.

Yes, sometimes I get echos or poor quality on Skype too. If I hang up and call back right away though 99% of the time I get a good connection. For the cost (2.5yen/minute or so) it is hard to beat.

[Tommybar]

Tommybar, what phone are you using with the wifi ?

I use the UTStarcom F1000 (http://www.hellodirect.com/hellodirect/Shop?dsp=30102&iid=11248&itemskuid=11248&pcr=1:1:5:40#tabs) and registered it with Packet 8 (http://www.packet8.net). I pay US$20. a month for all the calling time I need (to the U.S.).

[jdm-justin]

(oops -- double posted. I'll delete this one...)

[jdm-justin]

[Bucky]

Bucky Junior is now in Tokyo to attend school for Fall semester. He will be here from now (8.24.09) through mid December. What would be the best alternative for a cell phone for that period of time. It seems that most phone providers want a year contract.

[james]

since we're asking about cellphones - i have a friend to whom i gave my old g'z one cellphone (au). since having switched to the iphone and softbank last year i had no need for it and it has been long disconnected. gave it to him since it was taking up space and going unused.

it's an older, rather bulky phone, but for whatever reasons he likes it.

question - can he take it into au and get it reconnected so that he can use it? he went to the local stationery shop / au rep in my inaka town here and unsurprisingly they were completely clueless. i've suggested to him if we take it into a proper au shop in one of the larger towns around here he might have better luck.

ideas? i realize he can get a new phone, but if he likes the phone and it works it seems a waste to not be able to use it.

[cujojpn]

I will add to the discussion:
Softbank offers SIM rental for what seems to be a decent price. So if you have an unlocked 3G phone you should be able to plug in their SIM with no issues.

http://www.softbank-rental.jp/smpl/ib/phone-rental-japan.html

One thing I did notice after I sent in my request to borrow the SIM, they will chage 40,000 as "pre-authorization" So be prepared to get bit in the butt. I can only assume that they will refund the difference.

[Kuang_Grade]

I will add to the discussion:
Softbank offers SIM rental for what seems to be a decent price. So if you have an unlocked 3G phone you should be able to plug in their SIM with no issues.

http://www.softbank-rental.jp/smpl/ib/phone-rental-japan.html

It may not be that simple, given that "3G" is not a set transmission standard or frequency and more of a marketing term....but if you have a phone that can do UMTS 2100, it may work. I think HSDPA 2100 may work as well.

[cujojpn]

It may not be that simple, given that "3G" is not a set transmission standard or frequency and more of a marketing term....but if you have a phone that can do UMTS 2100, it may work. I think HSDPA 2100 may work as well.

Yeah I have an unlocked iPhone 3G and i think it runs both frequencies (well according to the apple site.)

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Bucky Junior is now in Tokyo to attend school for Fall semester. He will be here from now (8.24.09) through mid December. What would be the best alternative for a cell phone for that period of time. It seems that most phone providers want a year contract.

Don't know whether this is too late, but this morning a list I belong to had a posting that would provide a great answer to this question...here's what the writer had to say:

Most providers sent inflexible responses and exorbitant pricing plans- even for a visit of three months and the rental of both a phone or sim and a usb modem. This includes GoMobile, Softbank Global Rental, JCR Corporation and G-Call.
Just one provider thought outside the box and sent back several flexible options designed to provide no more than I need at a reasonable cost and offered to design other options if I liked.
As it happens I will have a visa category that gives me an ARC in the end, so I can enter a regular contract with a provider myself and don't need to rent.
But a bouquet goes to Brent Bossom of JapanMobileRental.com for a remarkable approach to doing business in this sector.

[Bucky]

OK, it has been two years since Mrs. Bucky has been back to Japan. She will be in Tokyo for three weeks in September to get radiated and also attend a school reunion among other things.

Now what are the options for temporary cel phone service in Tokyo? Get a rental at Narita? or. . . any recommendation

[Greji]

OK, it has been two years since Mrs. Bucky has been back to Japan. She will be in Tokyo for three weeks in September to get radiated and also attend a school reunion among other things.

Now what are the options for temporary cel phone service in Tokyo? Get a rental at Narita? or. . . any recommendation

The rentals at Narita are the best bet. You can order up whatever meets your needs and just dump it with them on you way out of town. We do them for all our incoming clients. You can find cheaper I'm sure, but it's not that much, not is it worth running around shopping for them when you on a short visit.

[maraboutslim]

Last trip we used http://www.rentafonejapan.com/ and it was super easy! The owner (?) Justin answered questions right away and got us all set up. Had the phones waiting for us when we arrived and they give you envelopes to just drop them in the mail on your way out of the country. Everything worked flawlessly and the rates were fair. Highly recommended.