Job Discussion Forums

Thunderpick · Joined: 05 Feb 2011 Posts: 10

Does anybody have experience of using a pre-paid phone plan?
As in, buying a handset, topping up et c. Also is it possible to buy a sim card and insert it into my phone. I have a 3G phone , which is unlocked.

Thank you in advance for your help.

micchan · Joined: 07 Sep 2010 Posts: 16

i just got mine today with Softbank. The staff I talked to said they do not sell the sim-card by itself. You would have to buy their Softbank phone and they will go about activating it for you.
You'll need your own or a friend's Alien Registration Card for this. My boyfriend got it for me. The phone cost 6000 and the prepaid charge was 3000. The line is valid for 60 days per charge of 3000 or 5000 yen. It can be charged at either a kombini or a Softbank service centre.
Do note that other phone service providers do not have prepaid service plans. I asked wilcom, au and docomo. Got my phone at the Softbank in Shibuya... I went to other Softbank places but they didn't have any in stock. The other places offered to order it for me but it'd have taken a month or so. An employee even suggested that I order directly from their online website. (Like I'd be able to read it.)

Of course, this is just my experience so you can try asking at other places too.

From what I know, Japan doesn't use sim-cards. They link up their mobile phones to some intranet or something. Only prepaid phones and iPhones use sim-cards. Or so I was told.

Good luck!

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

Softbank have an English website - I suspect the guy was suggesting you use that.

Japanese phones use SIM cards, just like everywhere else.

The mobile network has traditionally been W-CDMA, which doesn't work with the majority of telecoms networks in the rest of the world, but the switch to 3G, 3.5G and 4G standards should unify Japanese phones with the rest of the world.

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

Phone stores are franchised and most shop owners think stocking prepaids are a waste of time, so you will only find them in some major locations.

Also, you can recharge your phone online as well.

Thunderpick · Joined: 05 Feb 2011 Posts: 10

Thank you for your help, everybody.
I went with a pre-paid handset from Softbank. Not too pricey, and good phone. Seems that they are old Samsung models spruced up. I'm happy about that as I always go with Samsung. I get at least 3- 4 years out of a Samsung product. Happy Halloween!