Need Japanese Cell Phone + Service?

[SQ]

I'm in the Navy and getting stationed in Japan.

I used to have Verizon Wireless. Obviously that's not going to work in Japan.
I'll be in Sasebo. I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

I would like to buy my cell phone and/or service over the internet, if that's possible, so I can have a sort of seamless transition in cell phone service/usage.

I go to Japan in August.

Right now, I have a phone for texting and minutes. I have the lowest minutes and unlimited texting. I also have a usb modem for 3G internet.

I have no idea how Japanese cellular shit works, but I'm of the assumption they have some new amazing technology that I'd probably think was from a scifi movie.
I like using my computer for the internet, but if Japanese phones are O SO AWESOME with the internet, or I could use my phone as a modem also, then that would be cool.

The big thing is this:
- computer can connect to the internet with it
- I can call/be called from the USA with it (Or use skype mobile)
- It has a QWERTY keyboard for texting
- It IS NOT touch screen (I hate that shit)

Right now, my USB modem and my cellphone coverage is 60USD each, for a combined $120 a month.

What could I expect to be paying a month for similar features on a Japanese phone, and what would your recommendations be?

Was hoping you guys knew some stuff about this since we're on an anime forum and all.

[kenisama]

I can't answer all of your questions, but I can tell you the three major companies that I know of are SoftBank, Docomo, and AU. SoftBank is what my wife and I use, I will say straight up, SoftBank probably has the shittiest service of the three companies.

But no matter which one you choose, calling someone on a competitor's cell phone, you will be charged about 40 cents per 30 seconds. I've also noticed you can't send text messages to competitor's either.

All of SolfBank's phones are 3G capable (I did hear a rumor that Docomo was planning on upgrading to 4G, but I've never confirmed this), but you can expect to pay upwards around $500 for a fancy phone or choose from one of the free phone's with a 2 year plan (which is what I ended up doing with the iPhone, expect the iPhone isn't really free, you just spread your payments out over 2 years).

The big thing is this:
- computer can connect to the internet with it
- I can call/be called from the USA with it (Or use skype mobile)
- It has a QWERTY keyboard for texting
- It IS NOT touch screen (I hate that shit)

As far as your "big things":
- I'm sure they can, unfortunately I don't have that answer
- SoftBank does offer calling cards to call the US for a pretty cheap rate, but I use the Skype app on the iPhone
- They have plenty if you're willing to pay up front for the phone (plus you won't have to be locked in to any contracts
- Once again, plenty of high speed phones, some with cameras that have more megapixels than my point and shoot camera

Our bill fluctuates every month, depending on who we call, but I know my bill between our two phones won't be any lower than $50 (if we just called each other and didn't use the 3G) to our last bill of $200 (my wife was on hold for like an hour with an on-base number )

Overall, I'm not that impressed with their cell phone service.

Hope that helps, hopefully, Kionon can chime in with his experiences.

[SQ]

Sonuva....
Jesus, I may just end up not having a cellphone at all.

I asked this on another forum as well, and someone brought up an interesting point.
I could get a cellphone with internet access, and nothing else, and then just use Google Voice with it, which has free txting and will get me a local number my USA people can call, which will ring my Japanese phone.

Do you have any insight on what company may have some type of cheap "unlimited internet" feature, then?
Or is "unlimited" fixed price anything in Japan just non-existent?

I'm going to be in Japan for three years, so this is... Kind of a big deal to me.

[kenisama]

yeah, i'm sort of on that same three year plan you're about to go on... only with the Army in Okinawa. I'll ask my troops that have Docomo about their plans, unfortunately I can only give you insight SoftBank, which they had an unlimited plan (thankfully I'm grandfathered into that plan), but not anymore. As for those apps, be careful with them, most only work while you're on a WiFi connection and not on the 3G (which is what my skype app does).

Otherwise, I had majicjack plugged into my computer (but it broke), still use it as a answering machine, which the cool thing about it, is it will email me a .wav file of the message, so I can listen to it anywhere. Then I'll return the call using skype (cool thing about it, can't say for Sasebo, but Kadena's BX has free WiFi, so I can use it there if it's important).

But like I said, I'll ask the other guys in my office with other plans and get back to you.

[SQ]

All right... Thanks.

[Kionon]

Very appropriate thread, because I've been AWOL from the org because of major movement of my Officer Package. It gets processed Monday, I have an interview with an O-10 next week, board reviews my package first week of July, and I will be in Guam the last week of July for the results. Then it's back to Japan for medical, and then await orders.

LOTS OF FUCKING PAPERWORK MEANS NO TIME TO EDIT.

The answer is, get the darn touch screen: softbank, iPhone, jailbroken, $120 for USB modem tethering. Exactly as you have now. You CANNOT do it over the internet. You must wait until you get here, and then go to a softbank place with your SOFA card. MWR can probably help you. I'm about six hours from Sasebo, or I would walk you through the process in person myself.

[SQ]

But how do I get a jailbroken iphone if not over the internet?

[kenisama]

Sorry I haven't had the chance to reply to your answer... work has been seriously stressing me out lately... meaning I haven't asked in much detail about other peoples phone service, but from what I've gathered, they claim to pay about the same and they say they get better service, but places they can't seem to get reception, it seems I'm able to with Softbank... so go figure. Then again, I'm in Okinawa, so maybe Softbank is better on the mainland?

If the Softbank is on the actual installation, as it was for me, all you'll need to get started is your stateside driver's license and your APO/FPO address and of course your method of payment (cheaper, or rather discounted, if you charge it to a credit/debit card). The iPhone is technically "free", but really you're just paying for it spread out through a two year contract.

Oh yeah, I guess through the latest Skype update, it now works on the 3G... though, not very well.

As for jailbreaking... one of my Soldiers squared me away with that. But I think Kionon means something else when he said not over the internet.

[Kionon]

I think SQ wanted to buy a Japanese phone from a website. This isn't possible. You need to show id, etc.

With jailbreaking, you can get a program called MyWi which allows you to use your unlimited bandwidth from Softbank on your iPhone over your USB, BlueTooth, or Wifi. Basically, portable modem for your laptop.

Oh, oh... SQ. You can jailbreak a phone you buy. Just download the software. It's not hardware related.

[SQ]

Oh... Okay.
I thought that the newer iphones were not able ot be jailbroken because of some update Apple did.