Will my mobile phone work in Japan?
 

This time next week I'll be in the land of the rising sun!

Just realised: Will my phone work in Japan?!

I currently own a LG KS360 (runs on GSM/EDGE 900/1800/1900 - Tri-band).

Already had the Service Provider Call Center Wild Goose Chase - they were all useless as expected. Any help will be appreciated.

So excited!

よろしくお願いします

Another question:

My phone number for and England person to call me in England is 07771231231 or +447771231231. If this number works in Japan will it then be +817771231231?

No. Only a 3G W-CDMA phones will work there and only then if you have a SIM card for a Japanese network. Softbank is the only one I know that will rent you a prepaid SIM. And even if you have a device that will do it, some Softbank shops that sell the prepaid Sim won't sell it to you unless it is a device they recognize or support (depends on the shop as I've seen). Then I think you still have to return the damn sim back to the shop as it is "rented" as well; however that might have changed.

I successfully use a Dual mode (GSM and 3G) in the states and Japan (Japan using the 3g WCDMA mode). I have to flip my sim cards between countries though. Not many phones do this; and they have to be unlocked.

Sucks doesn't it.

It is just easier to rent a phone; which you can do at the airport; and return as well. Most of them give you free incoming calls. And charge you 100 to 300 yen a day to keep it active. Some give you phone mail or tethering Internet for the mere price of you soul. Making calls can be a bit expensive though; even local calls. It can add up. Good for an short trip if you absolutely need a phone on you to receive calls. Pay phones are still quite accessible there.

It is sometimes good to use the payphones to make the call instead of a cell phone as it is still cheaper to do it that way. If you do you combine or solely use the payphone route, by a phone card so you are not sorting through your pockets looking for correct change.

If you are going to be there for a while (a year or more), get a plan / contract. If you are going as a student you can get a student plan that is quite affordable.

Have a good time.

Rent a phone? Wow that sounds expensive!

Can you not buy cheap pay as you go sims like you can here? I could find a cheap 3G phone here and then get a sim while in Japan?

It isn't expensive at all. I rented a phone for 2 weeks earlier this year, and the final bill (including a few calls to America) was under $150.

You do not need a JP sim card if you have a 3G iPhone, you just activate international roaming.

So not all phones require Japanese sim cards, your phone just has to have the option to select which carrier you're connecting to.

Although not worth it considering my 3 month iPhone phone bill in Tokyo was around $800 from AT&T.

You could but you have to make it is 3g W-CDMA 2100Mhz phone. (2100Mhz I believe if memory serves for Asia, not 1900 in Europe and the States). Those are not easy to come by outside of Japan and Korea, plus the phone has to be unlocked, and be supported by the carrier your rent the sim from in Japan, and convince the Softbank folks to rent you the sim with your foreign phone. Then you have to return the sim before you go back to the airport. Softbank shops that rent the sim chips only are few.

I'm remember the Softbank prepaid sim not being cheap either for access to the network...
I keep mentioning Softbank because as far as I know they are the only ones that partially rent Sims

Rental phones are more economical for a short trip (a week to a month) vs. a prepaid cell outside the airport as they start at like 6000. You have more choices with services and phones with Prepaid vs Rental. If you go prepaid cell phone versus rental you can buy more time easily and better economically if you make lots of calls long or short.

Bottom line, no prepaid sims are not readily available like they are in the States or Europe. Also it is just a fact you are not going to have a mobile phone cheap in Japan unless you get a contract which is something you can't get unless you are going to be there a good while.

International calls and payphones: even if you need to make an occasional international call you can buy international calling cards (before you go to Japan, At&t and such) to make a international call by dialing a local access number from a land-line in Japan.
AT&T PrePaid Phone Cards: International Rate Finder
Check to see if there is any additional fees from using the calling card from a pay phone vs. non pay phone land line.

Don't stress about it though... If you are going for a month or less and you need to be reachable by somebody (so they can call you) get a rental. If you just need to make the occasional call only, go rental or payphone.

Now lets talk about dial up internet access ^^/
Note that Free WIFI is not readily available in Japan like it is in the states. So don't get any ideas about IP phoning.. Some Internet Cafes will let you IP Phone; some don't because of the noise.

Nothing is really cheap in Japan as far as communications in comparison to the States or parts of Europe.

I'm staying for 6 weeks so that will be a lot more than that! Surely I can get a cheap one here (or in Japan?) for less than that, just so my host family can contact me/I can contact them if (when) I get lost.

Just stated I don't have an iPhone.. not buying one just for my trip.

Nothing to do with the iPhone, the point that was made is that not all phones require a Japanese sim card to roam in Japan...

Ahhh! I do appologise! I wonder if my service provider (Orange) have a partner company in Japan?

Haha no problem! I'm not too sure, but I'm sure you could look it up :0
I was able to connect to DoCoMo while living there :0

Oh, I'd just pay the host family back for any International calls you make; if they have a land line. Grab a rental or prepaid if you absolutely HAVE to be accessible by mobile phone.

People made do 10-15 years ago with being tied to a cell phone as public phones are so accessible.

$150 seems a little pricey for MMMs example of 2 weeks. However if he made calls... yes it can add up quickly. I used JAL ABC before I got the dual mode phone: http://www.jalabc.com/rental/domestic_eng/index.html

The rates aren't bad. JAL ABC does want an application ahead of time.
Others at the airport don't. Apparently they still don't do phone mail (they are still the oldest phone rental service). I've seen others that do.
So for 6 weeks just keep the phone active and getting all the free calls you want: 10500 EN. Any calls you make are extra.

You do have to make time to return the phone before you flight, so be careful there. Some airports, <cough> Fukuoka, have the damn kiosk in a different terminal than the departing flight.

Correction... JAL ABC doesn't do Phone E-mail and Internet without the cost of an arm and leg. After actually looking at the rates... the do E-mail and Internet now.

This is the company I used. Looks like basic service is about $150 for a month.

PuPuRu: Cell Phone Rentals Japan

if used only locally, then it shouldn't be too bad. You can pick up the airport, and they give you a prepaid return envelope, just drop it in the mail the day you leave (or have your host family do it)...it just has to be postmarked 3 days after the contract is up

If you get a Japanese phone, you will need to pay out of pocket for the phone and pay a large surcharge for a short term service. Prepaid phones have really fallen to the wayside and are very hard to get these days - harder than a normal phone - as they were popular for crime and the like.

If you`re only going to be here for a month, quite honestly there is no way it would be worth it to jump through the hoops to get a very short period of service.

Rental looks expensive, but compared it is really not. All the cheap carrier deals are for year + contracts. If you aren`t going to be making too many calls, and just want something that people can contact you by - it`s really the way to go. Even a prepaid phone is going to put you back about the same amount - likely even more. (Example - 9800yen for the phone itself, 3000 for charge, and 3000 for setup fee) Not to mention that the prepaid models are complete and utter crap.

MMM says "used locally" - but there is no "local" for cell phones in Japan. There are three tiers for calls from a cell phone - same carrier cell phones, other carrier cell phones, and land lines. It doesn`t matter where in Japan the person you call is as the cell phone itself isn`t "local" to any area.

So.. to sum it all up.. My phone won't work and any method of obtaining one other than contract is pointless? gotcha - payphones it is!

Where can I get a phone card?

You have chosen wisely.
You can purchase domestic phone cards at the airport (just ask at information) or you can usually purchase where you find a bunch of payphones grouped.
Also usually at the lobby of department stores where there is a payphone.

Insert your card first, then dial. The display usually tells your minutes remaining as the calls progress. The remaining amount of the card is displayed on the card by the phone punching holes on the phone card.

There isn't much difference between green and gray phones anymore (unless you plan to do fax, analog dial-up or ISDN (gray phone)). I like the gray phones because of the giant display on them.

Okay.. I'm the guy who submits payphone picture to 2600: The Hacker Quarterly.

You can always grab a prepaid or borrow someone's phone later if the even arises.

Japanese phone
 

Hi! I understand if you dont want to buy a phone for a couple of months, I wouldnt do it either. You can rent a phone, remember that the technologie for the phones its different than here. I used a rental company in the past for Europe, I havent tried them for other countries, but you should check with them how much it will be to rent a phone, Cell phone rentals - Satellite phone rentals - GPS rentals
good luck! :vsign:

Ok guys, thanks for all your help!

I should have been more clear. The US is the same way, so when I said "used locally" I mean "used domestically - in Japan".

I used my iPhone 3G back in 2008 and it ended up costing me an arm and a leg as well. Ouch!

I noticed that you can now rent a 3G SIM card from Softbank for 110 yen/day. Airtime is 105 yen/minute but incoming calls are free.

My provider (Rogers) sells a "travel pack" which gives me a roaming rate of $1.57/minute which is ok considering I don't have to pay the 110 yen/day SIM rental but I'm sure incoming calls are charged at that rate as well.

Thats not so bad, but thats just the sim, isn't it? Not a phone? lets see.. it will work out at ４１８０円　/ ￡30 for the duration of my stay, thats if I don't make any calls..

I had a discussion with my Service Provider again earlier today, they said if I bought a 3G contract phone from them in England, it would work with their partner network in Japan. Are they telling the truth or are they just trying to get me to sign my life away?

Some in the US are the same way - Apparently depending on the plan and provider there really are ones that have "local" and "long distance" on them. It`s possible because the cell phone is tied to it`s local area - the phone number itself includes an area code. In Japan, the "area code" is the same for every cell phone.

Yep. That's just the SIM card.

However, I just realized that your 3G phone would have to be unlocked for it to accept the SIM.

Your 3G phone will most likely work in Japan. (My iPhone seamlessly switched to the Docomo network the second I touched down in Japan.) However, as mentioned before, it could cost you an arm and a leg to use. Ask your provider how much airtime would be in Japan via their partner network. I think my regular rate was close to $5/minute! :eek:

Hi Shadow

I notice that nobody has suggested renting a phone from Mobal at Narita airport (I assume you're going through there?).

They currently have a special 'free rental' offer (at least they did when I last looked). So you could have a really cheap solution for your trip.

Here is a link to their website - have a look Japanese Cell Phone Rental from Narita Airport, Tokyo

I used them when I went to Tokyo and I would recommend them.

;)

Echoooooooo

That's a wicked deal as long as you're on the receiving end of the phone calls.

Otherwise, the Softbank deal is better if you plan on making (an average of) more than 2 minutes of outgoing calls per day.

Is everyone sure ?_____?
When I went, my phone worked fine...

However this may be, renting a phone should be no problem at all.
Since their currency is of a lesser value than most [I sound terrible]
it shouldn't cost too much~!