Did you read my post ?
The Vodafone plan gives you Australian call rates even to Japanese no !!!!!
Japanese phones, WiFi & walkie-talkies: the definitive guide
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The Vodafone plan gives you Australian call rates even to Japanese no !!!!!
This is best.....
I use Facebook messenger more than just about anything else (to keep in touch with people outside of Japan)
Yes Nozzaman I read the vodafone post - Im with Telstra on a 2yr contract so not much use to me.
Thanks Sandy - Will pick up a Japan Travel Sim from BIC Camera in the morning at Shibuya. Hopefully can load it up with an extra 2GB on the spot.
I was looking at eConnect myself, Its legit then?? Where were you staying when you used it??
Im gonna be in Myoko/Madarao/Nozawa area for about 10 days and then 4 days in Naeba/Kagura, Keen to have data so i can make everyone i know envious as hell as i smash pow!
G'day mate last time i used it i had no issues with reception at all
was tokyo/osaka/hiroshima/kyoto/hokkaido/niseko
even on bullet trains between places no issues
Doesn't look like you can order online.
How long will you be in Japan? You have other options, econnect & B-mobile, which both can ONLY be ordered online, but econnect seems to be limited to 30 days.
Good to know, they do spruik it as 99% of population covered on the website, I have been looking at their 3GB SIM. The lack of voice isn't an issue. I'm mainly wanting data so I can sneak in some Ingress (Mobile Geo-location game) while I'm in Tokyo and Nozowa.
Yep i had no issues streaming hockey games each night with the 3g sim, faster than 3g here, never once had no reception with it
So far as SIMs go, all of the prepaid 3G ones are with DoCoMo, so they all have the same coverage. (econnect, so-net, bmobile)
They also have the same max speed.
However, so-net is an LTE (4G)SIM , which will also work with 3g phone at 3g speeds. If you have the right LTE frequencies, it will operate at super high speed 4h speeds. It will default to 3g if out of LTE coverageOkay, just having a look locally at roaming packs.
Optus now have $10 a day for roaming with unlimited calls, SMS and 50mb of data (equiv to a plan with 1.5gb per month)
Telstra have the same thing is $30/3day increments with the same data allowance.
So that's not so bad for global roaming now.
Some information on that site is out of date.
For example, it's been about 2 years since you were able to buy B-Mobile SIMs from Bic Camera or Yodabashi Camera.
And it doesn't include so-net, which IMO is currently the best prepaid data SIM for availability, speed and value for what you get.
Thanks Sandy.
Thats exactly the feedback I was looking for.
I read through the thread and just became a bit confused.
On your advice I'll go so-net.
Cheers
Sandy, Do you know if so-net allow use of VOIP? or is it blocked?
I haven't been able to find anything saying it doesn't allow it to be used.
Thanks.
I've tried skype and it works fine with the so-net SIMs
One other point....
In the activation done on your device, although it says you can skip the credit card details, I haven't been able to activate without inputting a credit card. This is used for recharging, if you need to recharge.
The activation can be achieved on an android device before activation, on the android device, but an external wifi connection must be established for an iPhone
http://www.ntt-bp.net/jcfw/en.html
Has anyone used this App? Seems like it would make some of the various free wi-fi spots available without registering every time.
One other SIM available:
COMsT SIM: 3980 yen
Uses DoCoMo network, LTE/4G/3G
Unlimited data up to 70MB a day at full speed(up to 150Mb/s), then throttles back to 200kbp/s above 70MB/day
31 days access.
Available at Yodobashi Camera, and probably other outlets.
http://www.comst.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=30Dd15812
Guest
I am currently using a pocket wifi modem from http://japan-wireless.com/
I have the 3G unlimited data model and it works fine for streaming Netflix and anything else I need EXCEPT it goes to shit at exactly 9:00pm every night for a couple of hours.
I have previously used http://www.pupuru.com/ but they seem to have changed their conditions and implemented data caps. Their cheaper 3G has a 10GB/mth limit which would probably be fine for most people but I'm in Japan for a few months and tend to stream Netflix and movies a lot.I was looking at so-net sim web page and they have an outlet at Chitose but it's only open till 5pm and we will be getting there later than that. I noticed they also show a picture of sim card vending machines. Does so=net have a sim card vending machine at Chitose?
Yep.
Can also try:
econnect:
https://www.econnectjapan.com/products/sim/
- Faster 3G, available 1Gbs, 3Gbs (or slow unlimited), cost is 4700yen, 4100yen, 4100yen.
Only available as a delivery to an address(Hotel, residence, airport in JApan), but can be pre-ordered from overseas.
I haven't had a good look at this yet, but you'd need to determine if your phone supports the two LTE bands, and if it falls back on 3G if LTE is not available.
I know that So-net works on both 3G & LTE.
This should provide some answers.
http://www.sakuramobile.jp/compatibilities.html
p.s I'm renting a mobile router from them for my coming trip so I'll see how it goes.My mistake. I thought we were arriving 4.50 when it was actually 14.50. So we have plenty of time to get a so-net sim. I've looked at their website which shows the topup costs but I cannot seem to find the actual cost of the sim. Does anyone know what the cost is for the plan 2.2g topped up sim?
I though I would mention that you can buy so-net sims on Amazon.jp and get them forwarded to your hotel and usually hotels will hold the mail for you. Amazon is quick like you receive the sim the next day. They are 2Gb for 3200JPY but sometimes Amazon have them on special for like 2400JPY. You can also recharge them.
I tried this sim in my LG G2 and it works fine. I also tried it in an unlocked Telstra wifi Huawei E5372T and it works fine but I had to force it to 3G only otherwise it kept dropping the 4G connection. The speed was still fine on the 3G.
I had a look at their web site and this looks to be what I want. (Purchase not rental) Outgoing calls/sms are expensive but all I want is a voice number for emergencies back home and ability to text Petra occasionally on the mountain. Coverage map looks ok for Hakuba and I can use it on future trips.
So far so good here in Tokyo. Sakura wifi router was waiting at our hotel when we arrived. Using it now at 7am in Tokyo,
getting speeds of 5Mbps for download and upload on 4G LTE.Last edited by a moderator:
This.
Ordered a 12 gig sim on amazon wed at 11.45 am asked for delivery between 12 and 2 next day and it arrived at 12.40.
Registered and start up must have netconnection available but took about 20 min
job done. Works fantastic in samsung s4 and 4g in nozawa
12gig sim -180 days-rechargable $30 all for $140
cheersMight be a silly question, but if I get a data sim that allows VoIP, is there a way for someone from a landline in japan to call me? I mean, can you setup a "real" japanese phone number that will route to your mobile via VoIP?
I'd like to have a data sim, but I am travelling with a little one and really need to be contactable by daycare etc whilst in Japan. Maybe hiring a handset is the way to go.....
Sandy, with the SO-NET sim do you have to return them once finished? As in the T&C it says:
"the SIM card is provided to you on a loan basis. A fee of 3,000 yen (plus tax) will be charged for lost or damaged SIM cards."
If so how do you return it?
Thanks.
just booked a pocket wifi through ToCoo, 4GLTE/3G with router unlimited download and Y399/day.
http://wifi.tocoo.jp/en/
Anyone have any details on wether or not Drones will work in japan?? Specifically a DJI Phantom 2.
i think they are around the 5.4ghz frequency??
Still working well, currently chugging along on a train from Joetsu to Myoko Kogen. Router is switching between LTE and 3G but still keeping me connected.Thinking of getting 2 so-net data sims from Chitose for my wife and I, then getting a 'real' phone number from here http://www.skype.com/en/features/online-number/ so we can be contactable in an emergency (2yr old in daycare). From previous comments (particularly from Sandy) it seems that there is no problem using these sims for VoIP. Is this right? Has anyone else done similar?
I'm no technophobe, but never used Skype for incoming voice calls on my mobile so not sure if it will work hassle free.
Bought data Sim at so-net Narita 2 yesterday. Only had 3GB nano Sim for 6500¥ left. All other types sold out. Works a treat.
