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elizabeth
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 28
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2003 5:33 am Post subject: New phone-line cost? |
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How much does a new phone-line cost? I read a previous post that said 70,000 yen, is this about right? Is there such a thing as a 2nd-hand one or is this only when moving into an apartment previous rented by a teacher (not in my case).
Is 5000 about right for monthly internet costs? (unlimited access) and how much per month for phone rental charges (before making any calls)?
This info. is much appreciated! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2003 7:45 am Post subject: |
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Hi elizabeth,
Yes, if you buy a new phone line in Japan, expect to pay about 70,000 yen. You can, of course, take this with you if you relocate to another city in Japan, so it's a one-time charge.
Expats who return to their homelands often sell the lines at discounts. Perhaps 50,000 or 30,000 yen. Whatever someone is willing to pay.
Japan has a million options on basic phone charges, but a rough average is 4000-5000 yen/month. If you actually call someone, you'll rack up additional charges, even if that person is next door, because local calls cost money here (unlike the USA).
Recently, various companies have tackled Internet hookups, so you can get complete phone/Internet service for 3500 to 5000 yen per month. |
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Brooks
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2003 12:32 am Post subject: not in my case |
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well I disagree. In June I went with my boss to NTT in Kanagawa Ken, which is west of Tokyo and I only had to pay about 3,000 yen to install my phone.
NTT has to compete with the cell phone companies, so it knew that 70,000 yen is too expensive. |
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elizabeth
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 28
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2003 12:52 am Post subject: 3,000 for a new phoneline (at home)??? |
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You said that NTT (?) must compete with other cellphone companies because 70,000 is too high. Are you speaking about new cellphone lines??
I was looking for information about a new phone line in my apartment. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2003 6:12 am Post subject: |
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Brooks,
I suspect your situation is entirely different from what I am referring to. NTT is *THE* phone company in Japan. Nobody even comes remotely close to competing.
70,000 is the standard installation cost for a home phone line.
People pay about 4000-5000 to install a cell phone.
What you installed is completely unknown to me. Was that some Internet setup through NTT? Did your boss already have a phone line set up in your apartment? (most do) |
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TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2003 10:44 pm Post subject: 3000 yen? |
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Brooks,
Did you get an ADSL line instead of a standard NTT line?
I understood from various posts on the forum that ADSL costs 10,000 yet to get hooked up, then 3000 to 5000 per month.
Does this mean you have a combined phone and internet connection? Maybe somebody knows some details about this communications deal. Could somebody post some details or websites to check out to learn about service?
Thanks folks. |
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homersimpson
Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima
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Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2003 11:59 pm Post subject: Rent |
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Another option is to rent a telephone line. There's a company in Osaka called "Rent-a-Phone Center." It costs about 3,000 per month. The only "catch" is you have to spend 10,000 yen over a 3-month period for international calls. |
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Ange
Joined: 16 Feb 2003 Posts: 23 Location: F U K U O K A
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 11:45 am Post subject: |
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I dont know if you are looking right now for internet service... But Yahoo BB (ADSL) has a deal at the moment where you get free installation, and a two month free trial. Their monthly price is about 3300 yen depending on which service you get. I find them to be pretty good and I think they are the cheapest around. |
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TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 5:53 pm Post subject: Yahoo? |
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Ange,
Is Yahoo an ISP in Japan? And is this deal Japan - wide? Sometimes these things are advertised in local areas only.
Can you provide a link or some info on that one?
Thanks |
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Brooks
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 12:49 am Post subject: |
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actually what I did was not to buy the line for 70,000 yen but instead I am actually renting it. I had to pay an initial fee of about 2,700 yen. I can`t understand why people pay 70,000 yen. Most of us will leave Japan. Even Japanese people think 70,000 yen is too much.
I guess it is worth it if you plan on staying for at least three years.
But many teachers don`t stay longer than two years.
For international calls it certainly is cheaper to have a regular phone.
It is possible to call the US for less than 15 yen a minute.
ADSL is the cheapest of all. With Yahoo broadband I think it is seven yen for three minutes to the US.
NTT DoCoMo does compete with the cell phone companies AU, J-Phone, and Tuka. Cell phones are very popular. NTT used to have a monopoly, but these cell phoe companies provide competition. |
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Mike L.
Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 519
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 6:31 am Post subject: |
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I got mine with my yahooBB ADSL internet for 26,000 yen. It's mine. I'm not renting it.
This particular deal was from an add in Hot Pepper a PT job seekers japanese mag that you can get at any Bookoff and perhaps other places.
It was probably some elses before me as I've had a couple calls from people asking for so and so Takhashi.
Good luck with it. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 7:57 am Post subject: |
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Brooks,
Thanks for clearing up that confusion about what you did. I'm amazed that you didn't state it clearly the first time. We had to weed through half a dozen messages until the truth was known. Geez!
Most people who come to teach in Japan don't buy their own phone lines. They get them for free from their employers who have apartments ready to go when they get off the plane. For those that DO buy them, many get them at a discount from expats who leave the country.
Renting a phone line is pretty rare. This is the first time I've heard of such a deal in over four years of living in Japan (and my wife works for NTT). |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 1373 Location: Way, way off course.
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 10:57 am Post subject: |
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Glenski wrote: |
Renting a phone line is pretty rare. This is the first time I've heard of such a deal in over four years of living in Japan (and my wife works for NTT).
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All anyone ever wanted to know about phone lines and their cost.
<http://www.ntt-east.co.jp/product_e/guidebook/1/index.html>
There are commercial re-sellers for permanent lines too (aside from the extremely bad deal already mentioned higher in the thread) - expect to pay about 30,000 yen for a line, or if you're selling it to them, get about 15,000.
Yahoo BB is cheaper (get a phone and a broadband internet connection in one go) and a good idea, but you'll only be able to be connected in the larger cities. |
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homersimpson
Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima
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Ange
Joined: 16 Feb 2003 Posts: 23 Location: F U K U O K A
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Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2003 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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Tokyo Liz
I am not sure if the Yahoo BB deal is Japan wide but for the past two months the Yahoo BB people have been swarming all over F u k uoka. They wear big white puff jackets. I got mine from Best Denki. You can buy a ADSL adapter for about 15000 yen but Yahoo rents them for only an extra 500yen a month so I dont think it is really worth buying one. The price I gave included the rent of the adapter. Sorry I cant give you more info! |
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