UQ mobile from WiMAX

[akatsuka]

Anyone tried this? I have my own iPhone which I will try to unblock ready for Japan (it's a UK mobile) and UQ seem to do a cheap call & internet package (in comparison to SoftBank etc). I'll be near Osaka so there shouldn't be any problem with connections. Just wondered if anybody had succeeded in unblocking their foreign iPhones for use in Japan and if anybody had tried UQ mobile before. Any advice is good advice.

Thanks

[wagyl]

This advice is not specific to UQ and in fact applies for all SIM providers:

I presume that you plan to be a resident, i.e. not a tourist visa. Sims with voice components are not issued to foreigners without a residence card. A foreign credit card may also be an issue for you. http://www.uqmobile.jp/flow/document/#documentSelf

[Russell]

I have a mobile WiMAX 2+ wireless from UQ and not satisfied with it.

Pretty many areas that are not covered.

[akatsuka]

Thanks for your replies. I do have a residence card and am planning on getting a Japanese credit card if it is worth it. I am planning on staying long term in Japan.

May I ask what area you are in Russell?

If anybody has any other advice on cheap deals for mobiles with decent internet packages please let me know. This is the best I could find.

Thanks

[Russell]

Thanks for your replies. I do have a residence card and am planning on getting a Japanese credit card if it is worth it. I am planning on staying long term in Japan.

May I ask what area you are in Russell?

If anybody has any other advice on cheap deals for mobiles with decent internet packages please let me know. This is the best I could find.

Thanks

I am in Hyogo, and I can get coverage in the big cities, but just going in an area of a couple of 100 m away from houses (like shores of lakes and the sea) stops my connection. For example, when I stayed in a hotel at the shore of Lake Biwako, I could not make a connection, even though it was along a busy road with houses and businesses around. Rural parts of Hokkaido is of course a big no no.

When it works properly, the connection is reasonably fast, allowing me to watch youtubes in the train if there is not much other passengers using their wifi, but the connections gets interrupted pretty often.

A colleague of mine with a slower pocket wifi gets better connectivity.

[wagyl]

The http://www.japanmobiletech.com/ site, although not updated so often recently, seems to have a broad range of advice.

With http://mineo.jp/ you can choose either the au network or the docomo one. I don't use them myself. You have the option of choosing a data only plan and a VOIP dial-in number instead of a regular voice plan too.

[Samurai_Jerk]

planning on getting a Japanese credit card

That plan might not be as easy as you think.

[Coligny]

Mitsubishi UFG offers debit card now (normal Visa stuff like in Yurop). Seems it just need to have your account and a registered hanko.
still no hanko for me so in standby...

[akatsuka]

Interesting, thanks for the heads up Coligny. I prefer to get a debit card so I'll look into that. Don't know if I can use it with WiMAX, but hey, life is full of riddles.

[akatsuka]

Thanks wagyl! I'll look into those links now.