Job Discussion Forums

worlddiva · Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 2:41 pm Post subject: vodafone??

b.t.w., i got vodafone but they charge 40$/66min per month. is this a good deal? is there a better cell co. in Japan?

i can:t even make international calls with my phone! the people from my school told me to go with them as most foreign teachers went with vodafone but i think i:m getting screwed.....? any suggestions?

can i get international calling with vodafone?
do i have to pay extra?
should i cancel and go with someone else?
would i have to pay to receive international calls or only when i make them?

thanks for the input!

WDD (aka world diva in despair)
i deciced i:m changing my handle to the above for now.LOL

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 3:09 pm Post subject:

don't whatever you do get international calling through vodafone!!! it will be so expensive. do a google and get a brastel card from online until you can afford yahoo bb or something. vodafone has ok service and if you can get a free phone it is good, but i made the mistake of calling to the us a few times on my cell and ended up with a crazy bill of 50000 yen for the first time.

bearcat · Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 367

Don't use a cellphone for international calls period... be it through a calling card or the cell company's plan.

Vodaphone has many different plans with many different rates. If you didn't take a bilingual person with you to help you through their yards and yards of red tape and plans, then you've got only yourself to blame.

The reason lots of foreigners use vodaphone is that for the prices, you got the best selection of bilingual phone models IMO.

But cheapest talk plans wise is probably Tuka, but the selection of phones is less. AU and NTT DoCoMo are the more expensive end.

If you don't like you talk plan (price per month w/ X number of free minutes included with Xyen rate per minute there after), then you can change it.

If you got one of the phones(not all models can do it) that allows you to get the international plan, I believe its 150 yen a minute whether you call or get a call internationally. Very hefty cost there.

This is really difficult to give you details on because you really have to match the plan(and this goes for all companies btw) to your use of the phone for the best price.

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

AU was the cheapest/best plan I found as a student, because they offer a 50% student discount. I put the phone in my little cousin's name because she didn't have an AU account and she's still in high school.

DoCoMo is the most expensive, by far.

Vodafone is the mid-range provider. They have a better selection of phones than AU, and cheaper monthly plans than DoCoMo.

Tuka, just don't even use it.

$40 for 66 mins is average. You won't be talking on it much, anyway. You'll mainly be using it for email, trust me. I was on a $120 plan, 150 minutes/month, unlimited email and text messages, and a certain amount of packet transfer for the web. That was on AU, and since I had the student discount I was only paying $60 a month for that.

melirae · Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 145 Location: Korea

Switch to a vodafone pre-paid. You have to pay for the phone, but you put credits on it and only pay for what you use. I paid 7000 yen for my phone and I have to put 3000 yen credit on it at least once every 60 days. Text messages- which is pretty much all I use it for- are only 5 yen each, so the 3000 credit goes a long way. You can make calls- 60 yen per minute. A landline is the best way to go for international though. You can pick up Brastel cards in a lot of different places and you just put credit on them at 7-11, Family Mart, etc. You may could even pick up a card at one of those places.

Lindsay · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 29 Location: kitakyushu, japan

the best thing to do is buy a video camera and a mic (i bought all my supplies for about $50 CDN) hook it up to your computer and you can talk all you want AND see people. ofcourse this depends on the fact that other people would have a web cam and mic. since most people are already paying for interent, the costs are extremely low! i love my web cam and talk to my boyfriend and family all the time back home. it is great. i was able to attend my brother's wedding via satelite!

worlddiva · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 1:43 pm Post subject:

thanks for your replies. I will try to get a Brastel card.

Rorschach · Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 130 Location: Osaka

I use my Vodafone mobile on occasion to make international calls home, it's just convenient to make a quick call. During peak time it is about 80-100yen a minute. It drops back to 50yen during off times. Very expensive, granted, but I found myself burning through Brastel in one sitting. I usually make only five minute calls anyway. My phone by the by - best phone I have ever owned:

I have a dark blue one - it comes with 3 dictionaries on board - very convenient if you have Japanese friends who like to send you mail in nothing but Japanese. 0 yen as well on a new plan.

bearcat · Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 367

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

If you (or anyone else) wants a Brastel card mailed to them, PM me. I can hook you up... I get 10 free calling minutes for everyone I refer/sign up... (as can anyone else who does the same thing)....

Requires: Name, JPNS address, tel#, e-mail adr, b-date, nationality. Usually arrives by post within the week.

/shameless plug Smile

Otherwise, check the brastel.com website for info on how ot get a card.

worlddiva · Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2005 10:41 am Post subject:

Thanks for the info JImDunlop2, but I signed up for the card last night.

bearcat,
thanks for the tip, there:s a lawson:s close to my place, I:ll check it.
Do you know how to ask for it in Japanese??

ps* I went to vodafone today and got international calling put on my phone. It turns out that it:s not as expensive as I thought. I can call Canada for 90yen/min before 7pm and after 7pm it is only .54yen/min.

that:s not too bad. And, from what I understood, people can call me from Canada, and I don:t have to pay for airtime when they call me. Does anyone know if this is correct?

thanks again,
WD

Rorschach · Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 130 Location: Osaka

bearcat · Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 367

worlddiva · Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:05 pm Post subject:

Thank you so much.

ps: I just found out for all you vodafone users out there that:

All vodafone clients can call other vodafone clients within Japan for free for 30 minutes on weekends and holidays.

ex: if I call you, I will be billed for the first 5 minutes and the next 30 minutes are free. This will be reflected on your bill. After 35 minutes you have to pay again.

Though you guys might be interested. Double check with Vodafone for your model and area just to be sure.

WD

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan