Japanese Cell Phones

Barone1551 · (#1 (**permalink**))

For anyone who has knowledge of Japanese Cell phone plans.

I am getting ready to buy a phone next week and was wondering what the best options were. I am not sure if I will be here for two full years, I am planning on it, but I guess things are not 100%. I am trying to figure out what is best, pay as you go, or getting a contract and having a small chance of having to pay a cancellation fee.

I plan on making calls and texting. Does anyone know any good options?

thanks for the help!

Nyororin · (#2 (**permalink**))

Best advice I can give is to avoid Softbank. I have heard more stories of them screwing people over than I can count. In fact, I don`t think I`ve ever heard anything good about them.
If you can`t read all the fine print, then be ready for them to find ways to charge the crap out of you and say that agreed to it.

Barone1551 · (#3 (**permalink**))

thank you very much! I will try to avoid them, and look elsewhere. I will have help from one of my Japanese colleagues, but I don't want a complicated contract.

siokan · (#4 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barone1551

I don't want a complicated contract.

The complicated contract safeguards your purse.(｀・ω・´)

Docomo
Charges | NTT DOCOMO
au
Charges and Discounts | au by KDDI

Firebird · (#5 (**permalink**))

I had softbank but pay as you go wich was fine. You will pay only 300yen a month for unlimited emails. I don´t remember the callcharges but i think they were ok.

One problem is that if you dont top up every 3 month you will loose your credits.
So for prepaid softbank was ok, but i don´t know about contracts.

WingsToDiscovery · (#6 (**permalink**))

I've had no problems with Softbank. My first phone was free, my bill is only like 1,400 yen a month (talk, text, email), and they gave me the first 5 months free of service. And because I'm in Tokyo, the staff spoke English.

Nyororin · (#7 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

I've had no problems with Softbank. My first phone was free, my bill is only like 1,400 yen a month (talk, text, email), and they gave me the first 5 months free of service. And because I'm in Tokyo, the staff spoke English.

I think that the staff spoke English is a major key. You could get fine details, etc.

If you are able to go over the details and make sure they don`t sign you up for things you don`t want, don`t put you in a plan that will suck your wallet dry for barely any use at all, etc - yes, you can get a decent plan with them. One of my husband`s ex-coworkers now works in sales with Softbank. They`re told that unless a customer specifically asks for them NOT to enroll them in some plan, and unless they know the exact name of the feature - they are to include it in the service. The goal is 2000+ a month in "additional services" and to include as many services that charge by use. They`re also trained to activate all background packet using services when activating the phone - alone which can rack up 10,000~20,000 a month if you didn`t enroll in a packet plan... Even if you never used a single packet by will.

In order to make money, they will try to squeeze anything in there they can to inflate a bill. I can`t even count the number of people I know of who switched to Softbank, were told that they were eligible for the cheapest plan, who were told that with their usage they`d be paying less than 2000 a month...

And who got their first 80,000yen bill a month later. They forgot to mention some clause that if you call nothing but non-Softbank numbers you lose your deal, or some other silly fine print loophole... But you agreed to the contract. Pay for the full price of the phone and the cancellation fee, etc etc...

Yes, you can get a great deal with them... But I`ve heard enough stories of people being screwed over and ending up with horrific bills that I would avoid the gamble altogether, personally.
Even if I knew 100% that my monthly bill would be less than 1000 - I still wouldn`t do business with them just out of principle.

evanny · (#8 (**permalink**))

for short time visits you can't buy a pre-paid card? you know, buy a sim-card and it has ~500yen on it which you can use to talk, send sms. if you run out - just buy a code, enter it and again you have some credits.

seems an easier way, specially if worried about contracts.

RealJames · (#9 (**permalink**))

I use docomo, I paid 17000yen for my Galaxy S when signing a 2year contract.
I pay 5500yen a month for unlimited internet (which I use the shit out of).
I pay 1500yen a month for the cheap call-plan... few people actually talk on phones now.
I pay a few hundred yen for random bullshit fees.

It's about 8000yen a month in total.
The service is flawless anywhere I go.
The internet is ridiculously fast (faster than my home internet sometimes).

I prefer this over going cheap and stingy on phones.
Phones, after all, are what people spend the most time with here.

siokan · (#10 (**permalink**))

The mobile phone service company in Japan is 3.
NTT DOCOMO Home
au by KDDI
SoftBank

It changes depending on the usage which company is good.
Free SIM doesn't develop because SoftBank rejects it.
(Because Apple is connected with the monopoly agreement)

As for the number of installations, of base stations, each company differs.
Docomo>>au>>>>>>>>>SoftBank
It is not anxious in the urban area.
There is a difference in the area where the population is few.
Buy you the aspirin previously when looking for the optimal one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by evanny

for short time visits you can't buy a pre-paid card?

Because the thing used for the offense was a lot of, the prepaid method is extinction verges.
http://www.softbank-rental.jp/
I think that here is easier.