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[ajarn]

I will be in Japan for approximately 3 months. I have a laptop computer with an internal modem so digital phone lines are out the question. I have a phone line in the apartment I'm renting - that is I have a socket in the wall for a phone however I understand that getting a phone line set up costs around 70,000 yen?

Do I have any other options? I have heard about a PC card called Air H, however I understand they are difficult to set up on an English OS, are very slow and tough to get a connection, anyone had any experience with these?, if so what can I expect to pay? Any other options?

Thanks in advance and apologies if this has been asked a hundred times before.

[PAULH]

This was recently posted by Trip Hop on gaijinpot.com re a similar question

"I apologise for the following questions but I have absolutely no idea about computers, internet connections, phone lines or the associated terminology. You may assume from the nature of my questions that I have been living in a technological vacuum - and you would be right, so here goes: I have recently purchased a notebook computer. I would like to access the internet from my apartment in Tokyo. My notebook comes with the following warning about the modem: Warning! This modem port is not compatible with digital phone lines. Plugging this modem into a digital phone line will damage the modem. What limitations does this put on my connectivity options? does it mean I cannot use an ADSL provider?. What about a fibre optic cable? any other options? I have read elsewhere it costs around 70,000 yen to install a phone line. Do I have a phone line? - I don't know? what does that actually mean? I have a phone jack in the wall but does this constitute a phone line or does something else need to happen for it to function? "

Thanks in advance to anyone with some useful advice.


1) If your apartment uses a digital switchboard, there may a bit of voltage in the cables - get a professional to check it for you, or ask the landlord. Probably OK. Recommend you use a dual "surge protector/ voltage spike filter" on all phone and power lines. (\1,000 or so from electrical shops).

2) Fibreoptic requires a separate "box" which must be connected into the network port of your computer, and you must pay for installation of the cable and box.

3) ADSL will probably use that same phone jack - ISPs test them before they make the connection - and again will be connected into the network port of your computer.

4) Phone line of 70,000 is for the connection rights to a telephone exchange for NTT Voice phone. Not required for an internet only connection.

5) Other option - a PC card and wireless connection to the internet.

OK?

[JimDunlop2]

Gone are the days of Japanese phone line ownership -- especially for those of us who don't plan on spending ￥70,000 or living here forever... As of a few years ago, you can rent a phone line for only peanuts a month...

Please check out the Bricks Corporation website: http://www.bricks.co.jp (written up by a gal named Naomi).

I got my ADSL set up through her, and I've referred many of my friends to her as well.. They will help you get set up for NTT ADSL service (entirely in ENGLISH) and even if you don't end up using their signup service (it's free, because they are authorized NTT agents -- they get paid by NTT) there is some fantastic information about ADSL, phone lines and Internet service in Japan... Plus, it's really quick and Naomi's one of the most professional people I've ever dealt with in a professional capacity...

Good luck!

P.S. It's recommended that you get a voice AND ADSL line -- the difference in cost is only about ￥800 per month and if you use a phone card service (like I do) to call home to Canada (Brastel) calling from home and not a payphone or cellular makes it A LOT cheaper!

[guest of Japan]

I've recently been hooked up to new ADSL connection. Recently in this instance means last night. I moved to a new city and apartment a few weeks ago. Here's how the process went for me.

3 weeks ago - Went to a major electronics store and queried them about ADSL for my new home. It turned out that both Yahoo and Dion were having campains where if you contracted their services for about 13,000 yen you would recieve a free NTT phone line. In addition they were both offering several months free internet service. I opted for Dion which gave me 3 months free service and a 10,000 yen discount on a fax machine. My grand total spent on an NTT phone line, internet service with 3 months for free, and a fax machine retailing for 23,000 yen was 25,000 yen.

2 weeks ago - The phone line became operational.

1 week ago - Recieved the modem and instructions for using the internet provider with date saying when the service would be operational.

Last night - Connected.

Since I've come to Japan I have been connected by Cable, Air H wireless, Yahoo BB ADSL and now Dion ADSL. Air H was the only one that was connected quickly although if the apartment is already hooked up to cable it can also be done quickly. Air H gave me huge fits in getting it hooked up. In the end I installed the service on my girlfriends Japanese pc and then entered all the numbers that the service downloaded to her pc into my pc. As I recall it was a huge task, and my brief summation it not doing justice to how the problem was solved.

My advice for a 3 month stay = internet cafes. Or if you are very lucky the apartment you stay at will have an automatic cable connection. I believe this is the case with some LEO Palace apartments and gaijin houses.

[Gordon]

3 weeks isn't so bad. I waited 6 weeks to get my Yahoo hooked up last summer. Then when I moved 3 blocks away, it took another 4 weeks. The previous tenant had Yahoo, so there was nothing to hook up.

It really is a pain and there is no need for it to take so long. My sympathies for you.

[guest of Japan]

Gordon, thanks for your sympathies. I'm recovering quite well from my trauma. I spent most of today getting reaquainted with global realities by means of that great information superhighway.