New Softbank handsets...

[Osakadave]

So, my oldhand set died, and I have to get a new one anyway because they're going over to all 3G in a few moths. Looking at the softbank website, and I'm having trouble finding the prices for the new handsets. I'm only going to be here a few more months, so I don't want to pay a heap for a new phone. If anyone's changed lately, what're the prices like?

[FG Lurker]

Expensive as hell. You can find used handsets on Yahoo Auctions and if you ask around you can probably find someone with an old 3G phone in a drawer collecting dust. If you are only going to be here for a short time it's not worth buying another phone.

[Osakadave]

Expensive as hell. You can find used handsets on Yahoo Auctions and if you ask around you can probably find someone with an old 3G phone in a drawer collecting dust. If you are only going to be here for a short time it's not worth buying another phone.

Hmmm...

It may come to that, but I use it quite a bit. Are other servers cheap? What about pre-paids?

[FG Lurker]

It may come to that, but I use it quite a bit. Are other servers cheap? What about pre-paids?

They're all about the same. The days of uber-cheap handsets subsidized by high monthly rates have gone. Now the monthly rates are cheaper but that means the handset costs have gone way up.

Prepaid is cheap to buy but you get seriously screwed on per minute charges. I think they are around 100yen/minute.

I'm sure if you ask around your friends someone has a previous generation 3G handset that they aren't using. Most people just stuff them in a drawer when done with them even though they still work perfectly well.

[FG Lurker]

Also just had a look at Yahoo Auctions and there are a lot of used and new keitais for sale there. Here is the list of Sharp ones, for example. You can easily get a used one for under 10,000 and a previous model new one for less than 15,000. If you don't want to ask around your friends this is probably the easiest way to go.

[Osakadave]

They're all about the same. The days of uber-cheap handsets subsidized by high monthly rates have gone. Now the monthly rates are cheaper but that means the handset costs have gone way up.

Prepaid is cheap to buy but you get seriously screwed on per minute charges. I think they are around 100yen/minute.

I'm sure if you ask around your friends someone has a previous generation 3G handset that they aren't using. Most people just stuff them in a drawer when done with them even though they still work perfectly well.

I'll be popping into the shop tomorrow anyway, as there's a chance it's just the charger that's dead and not the battery (for whatever reasons, I've run through three chargers), and I'll ask about upgrades vs prepaids. I mostly text, rather than call. I do have a bunch of points racked up, and witchluck that'd bring the price into a reasonable range (<1man is what I'd be willing to go.)

I also sent out a bunch of emails asking if folks had a spare.

Online auctions might be the way to go, but no credit card and an unsecure shared computer complicate things that ways...

[Iraira]

I just switched over from 2G to 3G also...got the same little e-mail from Softbank in October while eating some buttery part of a horse head, but that's another story. Ended up cashing in my 7 years of Softbank points and getting their "hybrid" bullshit phone, which after "recharging by sunlight for 10 minutes" provides you with one addition minute of talk time. Important if I'm trapped on a moutain or something.
Softbank splits up the phone cost (damn expensive) over the duration of the contract, and they were pretty cool about letting me experiment by using one of their many plans each month to see whether the cost skyrockets too much. So, they were relatively flexible, but the staff guy had bad breath.
Parting with an old cell phone is worse than any breakup I've experienced. The buttons are all in the wrong place now.

[samuraiwig]

I had a similar situation. This Samsung phone turned out to be cheapest - about 5,000-6,000. It's a bit old skool, and the menu system sucks, but other handsets were 20,000+.

[FG Lurker]

I had a similar situation. This Samsung phone turned out to be cheapest - about 5,000-6,000. It's a bit old skool, and the menu system sucks, but other handsets were 20,000+.

Did you have to sign a 2 year contract to get that price? I'm pretty sure that is going to have been the case...

[samuraiwig]

Did you have to sign a 2 year contract to get that price? I'm pretty sure that is going to have been the case...

My old phone died. I didn't have to sign a new contract, but couldn't use any points towards the cost of the new handset. If I'd gone for a more expensive phone they'd have made me sign a 2 year deal. There's some weird gray area if your phone breaks down or you're forced to change it - worth trying to negotiate a deal.

[aquamarine]

If you're interested, Im selling my nearly new Samsung Omnia POP. It is 3G and works on the GSM system over-seas. I've used it for just over two and a half hours of talk time and paid full fucking price for it (82,000 yen in August) but haven't used it in about three months (picked up a iPhone).

If you want it, I'm selling it for 40,000 yen and comes with some accessories as well. The nice thing is that if you pick it up, it will work in most modern countries around the glove (used it in Canada, USA [New York], Athens Greece on WIND and whatever they use in Turkey and Egypt)

Lemme know if you're interested.

[Iraira]

My old phone died. I didn't have to sign a new contract, but couldn't use any points towards the cost of the new handset. If I'd gone for a more expensive phone they'd have made me sign a 2 year deal. There's some weird gray area if your phone breaks down or you're forced to change it - worth trying to negotiate a deal.

Wait a sec. This is Softbank, right? I changed because they are discontinuing 2G on April 1, 2010. Accumulated points also disappear, if unused by April 1st, and they were fine in applying those points to offset the cost of the new phone somewhat. If you're 2G points are gonna disappear, might as well get a few useless accessories for your new phone....something that makes you stand out better among all the Shibuya gals.

[Osakadave]

My old phone died. I didn't have to sign a new contract, but couldn't use any points towards the cost of the new handset. If I'd gone for a more expensive phone they'd have made me sign a 2 year deal. There's some weird gray area if your phone breaks down or you're forced to change it - worth trying to negotiate a deal.

Well, I'll see what they say tomorrow. I must say that J-phone gave good service, vodaphone saw adecline in that service, and softbank's see a cratering of that service.

If you're interested, Im selling my nearly new Samsung Omnia POP. It is 3G and works on the GSM system over-seas. I've used it for just over two and a half hours of talk time and paid full fucking price for it (82,000 yen in August) but haven't used it in about three months (picked up a iPhone).

If you want it, I'm selling it for 40,000 yen and comes with some accessories as well. The nice thing is that if you pick it up, it will work in most modern countries around the glove (used it in Canada, USA [New York], Athens Greece on WIND and whatever they use in Turkey and Egypt)

Lemme know if you're interested.

LOL!

You can bet I ain't paying no 40k. I might be willing to go as much as 10k with all my points and my keeping the handset when I go, but 40k, or worse 80k, is fucking outrageous.

As much as I text, there's no way in hell I'm paying such a price.

[Adhesive]

If you're interested, Im selling my nearly new Samsung Omnia POP. It is 3G and works on the GSM system over-seas. I've used it for just over two and a half hours of talk time and paid full fucking price for it (82,000 yen in August)

Why on earth would you ever pay that much for a phone? I am genuinely curious.

[FG Lurker]

I might be willing to go as much as 10k with all my points and my keeping the handset when I go

Any phone you get from Softbank will be SIM-locked to Softbank so you will not be able to use it overseas with an overseas SIM. Some are unlockable, you should check to see if the phone(s) you are interested in are unlockable before you buy.

If you end up really stuck PM me and we can work something out for a phone of your choice via Yahoo.

[AlbertSiegel]

Heh.. I have no idea why I did this, but I bought an 80k Panasonic 930P back in March when it was the top of the line model. To be honest, I like my old Sharp 703shf better. I guess I was just impressed with the TV functions and the game options. Would I spend that kind of money on a phone again?? Not a chance! What pisses me off the most is I spent so much on a phone that is locked to the softbank network. At least I got nearly 40k off the price thanks to my points.

I still can't figure out how to get the DVR function on the phone to work...

[aquamarine]

Why on earth would you ever pay that much for a phone? I am genuinely curious.

You must have missed my thread about getting a phone too soon...
http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23784

[Osakadave]

Any phone you get from Softbank will be SIM-locked to Softbank so you will not be able to use it overseas with an overseas SIM. Some are unlockable, you should check to see if the phone(s) you are interested in are unlockable before you buy.

If you end up really stuck PM me and we can work something out for a phone of your choice via Yahoo.

Will do.

[Adhesive]

You must have missed my thread about getting a phone too soon...
http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23784

Ouch!

[Osakadave]

Good news, bad news.

Good news is a neighbor who's leaving next week's willing to sell me hers cheap.

Bad news is it'd cost an extra 2k for the change over.

Good news is I don't have to spend a single yen because I can upgrade to one of 4 models for free!

Bad news is the shop I went to was out of those.

Good news is they found a shop nearby that has one in stock.

Bad news is it was closing time when they found it.

So, with a bit of luck I can get in there in the AM and get myself a few one. It'll prolly be pink or some such....