Help me choose the best cell phone plan in Japan.
July 28, 2006 7:49 PM Subscribe
Help me choose the best cell phone plan in Japan. I'm moving to Tokyo next week so this will be a normal contract, not a rental.
We'd prefer a family plan including my wife and 13yo daughter (heavy texter, of course). Ideally they'd offer some cool Windows Smartphones for the family geek (me, of course).
We'd prefer a family plan including my wife and 13yo daughter (heavy texter, of course). Ideally they'd offer some cool Windows Smartphones for the family geek (me, of course).
jgt246: "Ideally they'd offer some cool Windows Smartphones for the family geek (me, of course)."
This isn't directly an answer to your question, but neither my wife (a non-techie) or I (a techie and former cell-phone geek) have any idea what a "Windows Smartphone" is, so I doubt they sell them.
Past that, as misozaki says, pretty much all family plans are the same, with pretty similar prices, discounts, etc.
posted by Bugbread at 3:07 AM on July 29, 2006
This isn't directly an answer to your question, but neither my wife (a non-techie) or I (a techie and former cell-phone geek) have any idea what a "Windows Smartphone" is, so I doubt they sell them.
Past that, as misozaki says, pretty much all family plans are the same, with pretty similar prices, discounts, etc.
posted by Bugbread at 3:07 AM on July 29, 2006
You should talk to people at your office and ideally people in your building because those are two places that you'll want to be sure that your service works. I am of the opinion that AU has the best 3G network in Tokyo.
wrt Windows smartphones, Willcom has the W-03, but it's a Japanese OS, so ymmv. Also the Willcom network is PHS (not 3G) so it's a better data service than voice.
posted by gen at 10:10 AM on July 29, 2006
wrt Windows smartphones, Willcom has the W-03, but it's a Japanese OS, so ymmv. Also the Willcom network is PHS (not 3G) so it's a better data service than voice.
posted by gen at 10:10 AM on July 29, 2006
Also, tell your daughter that Japan does not have SMS on mobile phones (we use email for mobile phones, not SMS.)
Also, let us know when you've settled down and we'll have a Tokyo MeFi meetup!
posted by gen at 10:17 AM on July 29, 2006
Also, let us know when you've settled down and we'll have a Tokyo MeFi meetup!
posted by gen at 10:17 AM on July 29, 2006
The reason there are some hilariously long mobile email addresses is because of spam. Longer and more convoluted, the better.
posted by gen at 10:20 AM on July 29, 2006
posted by gen at 10:20 AM on July 29, 2006
Oh also you may want to consider getting one of the few phones (each carrier has only 1-2 models) that work on non-Japanese GSM networks (i.e. in the US or EU.)
posted by gen at 11:18 AM on July 29, 2006
posted by gen at 11:18 AM on July 29, 2006
I would not recommend Vodafone. They have nice phones, but their coverage is terrible still.
Welcome to Tokyo.
posted by lundman at 5:35 PM on July 30, 2006
I have Vodaphone here in Tokyo. Service is pretty good, but the phone selection is the most limited of the big three. AU seems to have the best prices and a pretty good selection of phones. Docomo has the most top-of-the-line phones out there (it seems), and a massive selection, but they also are the most expensive of the three.
Virtually all phones can be switched to an English menu, but beware. If you want to send texts in Japanese (hiragana and/or kanji), make sure your English phone has this function. I found out after the fact that I couldn't enter in hiragana on my phone, only romaji.
posted by zardoz at 6:46 PM on July 30, 2006
Virtually all phones can be switched to an English menu, but beware. If you want to send texts in Japanese (hiragana and/or kanji), make sure your English phone has this function. I found out after the fact that I couldn't enter in hiragana on my phone, only romaji.
posted by zardoz at 6:46 PM on July 30, 2006
I had a Vodafone for a long time (to be picky, I had a Digital Tu-Ka, which was a joint ownership of Digital Phone and Tu-Ka. Then Digital Phone got its name changed to J-Phone, and I had a J-Phone. Then J-Phone got bought out by Vodafone, and so I had a Vodafone), and the coverage is just fine for 2G networks, but I switched to AU right when they rolled out the 3G, and from what I understand, 3G coverage was pretty weak (this was a year ago). So the strength of Vodafone's coverage will vary based on whether you're using a 2G phone (probably properly considered a 2.5G phone) or a 3G phone.
DoCoMo has a history of massive, massive overpricing, but that's gotten a lot better. I don't know if their prices are now competitive, but at least they're not worthy of outright ridicule either.
posted by Bugbread at 8:46 PM on July 30, 2006
DoCoMo has a history of massive, massive overpricing, but that's gotten a lot better. I don't know if their prices are now competitive, but at least they're not worthy of outright ridicule either.
posted by Bugbread at 8:46 PM on July 30, 2006
If you go with Vodaphone I think there is a much better chance of getting it unlocked so you can use it overseas when you leave (IIRC it is Vodaphone, it might be Au but I'm almost 100% it's Vodaphone, I'm pretty sure you can't unlock Docomo phones). Since you'll be in or around Tokyo I'd go to Akihabara and not so subtlely ask around for a place that will unlock phones for a nominal fee. Some shops might even do it for you if you sign up and buy your phone from them.
Since an equivalent phone outside of Japan would probably cost an arm and a leg, I think it would be more then worth it. Unfortunately when I was living in Japan the 3G service was very poor in my area and I had to buy a MOVA Docomo phone.
posted by robofunk at 10:23 AM on July 31, 2006
Since an equivalent phone outside of Japan would probably cost an arm and a leg, I think it would be more then worth it. Unfortunately when I was living in Japan the 3G service was very poor in my area and I had to buy a MOVA Docomo phone.
posted by robofunk at 10:23 AM on July 31, 2006
Robofunk,
I'd forgotten about that, but I think you're right. A coworker left Japan to live in Thailand, and I remember him buying a Vodafone right before he left, immediately cancelling the contract, because he only got the phone in order to get it unlocked in Thailand (the phone being both cheaper and better than anything he could have gotten there).
posted by Bugbread at 9:06 PM on July 31, 2006
I'd forgotten about that, but I think you're right. A coworker left Japan to live in Thailand, and I remember him buying a Vodafone right before he left, immediately cancelling the contract, because he only got the phone in order to get it unlocked in Thailand (the phone being both cheaper and better than anything he could have gotten there).
posted by Bugbread at 9:06 PM on July 31, 2006
Response by poster: Everybody,
OK, we're in Japan now and ready to take advantage of the OUTSTANDING info you guys provided. Many thanks, and I'll post any interesting tidbits I turn up in my local research.
BTW, a Windows smartphone is just one that uses the Windows Mobile OS. This generally provides the best support for synchronization with Outlook, though other mobile OS's do this as well.
Thanks again!
posted by jgt246 at 1:17 AM on August 6, 2006
OK, we're in Japan now and ready to take advantage of the OUTSTANDING info you guys provided. Many thanks, and I'll post any interesting tidbits I turn up in my local research.
BTW, a Windows smartphone is just one that uses the Windows Mobile OS. This generally provides the best support for synchronization with Outlook, though other mobile OS's do this as well.
Thanks again!
posted by jgt246 at 1:17 AM on August 6, 2006
Response by poster: Further on Windows Mobile, I found this page on the Microsoft Japan website that lists gear using Windows Mobile 5.0 available in Japan -- not many, as you'll see.
posted by jgt246 at 1:26 AM on August 6, 2006
posted by jgt246 at 1:26 AM on August 6, 2006
I looked over those Windows Mobile 5.0 equipped terminals, and (just in case you weren't aware), I just wanted to point out that there's no indication that the HP or Dell ones are phones, jut PDAs using Windows Mobile 5.0. The only phones I see are the three Willcom PDAs up top and the one DoCoMo phone immediately below it.
posted by Bugbread at 4:47 PM on August 6, 2006
posted by Bugbread at 4:47 PM on August 6, 2006
Response by poster: Thanks bugbread, yes I did note that. Given the very limited choices for Windows Mobile I think I need to broaden my search. The real objective is to be able to sync with MS Outlook (for Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks). There should be phones with e.g. Sybian OS that can do that. In fact this may be one from Docomo; the Features page says you can sync with Outlook, and other apps -- via Bluetooth, no less!
posted by jgt246 at 3:39 AM on August 7, 2006
posted by jgt246 at 3:39 AM on August 7, 2006
Response by poster: Well, I think I finally found the phone I want...on sale Saturday. But it's on Vodafone, which comments (and subscriber numbers) indicate is the weakest 3G network. Or is there any chance they've improved of late? Insights from anyone with recent Vodafone experience in Tokyo would be much appreciated.
posted by jgt246 at 8:49 AM on August 10, 2006
posted by jgt246 at 8:49 AM on August 10, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
docomo
vodafone
are the Big Three. I listed au first because I'm a longtime user and have never had any problems with them, but vodafone is probably the cheapest. All family plans are probably pretty similar.
posted by misozaki at 2:57 AM on July 29, 2006