Job Discussion Forums

basilbrush · Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 61

Hi

Im sure theres a thread about this, tried looking but got bored after the first 15 pages of my search. How do I get the internet for my apartment in Tokyo? Which company is the cheapest/easiest? Whats the process?

Thanks v much

ShioriEigoKyoushi · Joined: 21 Aug 2009 Posts: 364 Location: Japan

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Symphany · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 117

I don't know if they're still around, but when I was in Tokyo I used Yahoo broadband. They had a booth outside a train station and that's how I got started up. They also had customer service in English and being new to Japan it was a big deciding factor for me then.

Mr_Monkey · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 661 Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu

Depending on your apartment's owner, you may already have an internet connection just ready and waiting to go - I think Leopalace do something like this.

It won't be much cop (and certainly by the standards available for broadband in Japan, it will almost certainly suck), but if a high-bandwidth pipe is unnecessary for you, it's worth checking out.

If you're after ADSL, I found that OCN were very good - I switched to them after I moved less than 500m, and found that my Yahoo! connection suddenly sucked. Switching to OCN cost me less and tripled my bandwidth. This might not be an option for you, however. I found the people manning the internet desks in Bic Camera (Fukuoka) to be very honest and helpful - after all, there's no point in lying about the service you offer if the potential customer can always go to the OCN desk and have the claims checked out - they'll run an ADSL bandwidth check for you if you have a phone number.

seklarwia · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:09 am Post subject:

Bread · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 318

seklarwia · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:37 am Post subject:

earthmonkey · Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 188 Location: Meguro-Ku Tokyo

I've had OCN and Nifty. Both were reliable for me. If you buy a computer at a big electronics shop, you can get 30.000 yen off, if you sign up for a provider at the same time. Pretty good deal. Actually, it doesn't have to be a computer that you buy. We bought a TV when we moved, and got the ISP discount applied to it.

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

I agree with the earthmonkey, head over to a nice electronics shop.
They will definitely offer something like a 20,000 yen point card value if you sign up for internet there. (Of course, you only get those points when you actually get the internet installed and show proof to the store.) But it's a good deal, since 20,000 points usually = 2,000,000 yen of purchases

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

2,000,000 yen of purchases for signing up for internet?! Shocked

That would be nice if it were true, but I think you might have added a few extra zeros in there, wayne432...

In Tokyo, head to either Bic Camera or Yodobashi Camera, those are the major electronics chains with lots of branches.

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Hmm, looking at it again, I'm sure he meant that if you make 2,000,000 yen worth of purchases you get 20,000 points, and not the other way around as I originally understood it, but at Yodobashi at least you only have to make 200,000 yen worth of purchases to get 20,000 points, i.e. 1 point for every 10 yen spent- or have they changed it in the last few months?

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Don't know about Tokyo, but at Yamada Denki in Nagano you get 1 point per 100 yen, though quite often they have 10% points specials. Plus they have this little roulette machines that you can put your card in to get extra points. Its kind of fun but the best I've ever got is 90 and usually its 10.

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

Depends on place... I think most places do a 100 yen to 1 point on average, but it also depends on what you purchase. More expensive items, such as let's say a tv, would give you a higher ratio of points to the yen.

Anyhow, if you like electronics, sign up for internet at a big electronics shop.