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Mobile phone for Japan
pericom
22-07-2007
Can anyone advise on a mobile that works in Japan (WCDMA) ?

The cheaper the better really as I have a GSM phone over here and would use the new phone exclusivley over there.

Also what SIM should I get to use over there.
Adam D
22-07-2007
i would just wait till your over and purchase one, everything is cheap over there anyway really.
pericom
22-07-2007
Originally Posted by Adam D:
“i would just wait till your over and purchase one, everything is cheap over there anyway really.”

No, thats the problem they are all contract phones - Pay-as-go was banned due to criminality.
Adam D
22-07-2007
So then how would you purchase a simcard that was able to use over there, from there? if it was banned?

You would have to use a uk one, could be quite costly
pericom
22-07-2007
Roaming with a UK handset.
KatduGers
11-08-2007
Hi, I have just been to Japan onholiday and have a friend who lives there. Your phone will not work there. Japan has its own mobile phone system which is not compatible with ANY other system in the world. You'll need to buy a new mobile when you get there.
Even when Japanese people leave Japan their mobiles do not work anywhere else in the world. In fact, at the airport in departures there are companies who rent mobiles to holidaying Japanese so they are in touch while abroad. It's quite bizarre.
Shaney
12-08-2007
This is a very common issue and so plenty of mobile phone shops in Japan allow you to rent a mobile phone for use in the country. There are some websites that may be of some help to you:

http://www.softbank-rental.jp/ and http://roaming.nttdocomo.co.jp/index.html
Quackers
12-08-2007
Well from what i can find out Japan do not have a GSM network, so you would need a 3G Handset, but they use the high speed version of 3G, WCDMA, so a phone such as the Nokia N95 supports WCDMA, as well as the UKs 3G UTMS.
Finglonga
12-08-2007
Over there even their basic phones are well ahead of our current main selling phones. They are at least a year in front of us.
Talizman
12-08-2007
Japan only uses 3G so as long as it's 3G compatible you'll be fine.
Ugg
13-08-2007
I'm not sure that "any 3G phone will work". I've not been there myself, but had a look around in response to a customer request a while back.

http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache...ient=firefox-a

That's a US-centric discussion, but it looks to contain some useful info. The most common recommendation (as has been said already) was "rent one when you're over there".
mjb22
15-08-2007
I've just returned from Japan and my Nokia N95 worked fine. Connected to their networks straight away and sent me a nice welcoming text.

All this stuff that people write about requiring a new phone puzzles me...
Adam D
15-08-2007
Originally Posted by mjb22:
“I've just returned from Japan and my Nokia N95 worked fine. Connected to their networks straight away and sent me a nice welcoming text.

All this stuff that people write about requiring a new phone puzzles me...”

Well maybe if you read the above posts...

Originally Posted by Quackers:
“Well from what i can find out Japan do not have a GSM network, so you would need a 3G Handset, but they use the high speed version of 3G, WCDMA, so a phone such as the Nokia N95 supports WCDMA, as well as the UKs 3G UTMS.”

jon41
15-08-2007
Your phone has to support WCDMA 2100 (3G) and have the roaming setup and apart from that there is no issue with it not working. Japan don't offer GSM services as already said in the thread.
mjb22
16-08-2007
Originally Posted by Adam D:
“Well maybe if you read the above posts...”

Thanks for your constructive response. All I was doing was relating my experience having just returned from Japan on Tuesday.

I won't ****ing bother from now on.
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