Comments on: Prepaid phone – Softbank mobile

By: kirin

kirin — Fri, 13 May 2011 11:25:27 +0000

I know we can buy prepaid phone very easily in some countries. I think Japan used to be so, but since such phones were used for criminals very often, and so the system is being complicated today.

By: jesse

jesse — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:24:42 +0000

ah, but if you come to the U.S. it's very simple to get a prepaid phone here. no contract, no credit card needed. no waiting to be approved. you just buy the phone at any place that sells prepaid phones (i.e. wal-mart, phone kiosk in a mall etc.) and then purchase minutes to be used and you're done!

By: kirin

kirin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 01:14:11 +0000

To be exact, yes there is a prepaid phone from au, but I didn't mention it because it's not as easy as Softbank's. They do not promote it as much as Softbank, I don't even know when they're going to finish that service.
But I don't think you can use the contracted type of phone as a prepaid phone because those 2 are completely different. Usually contract phone is sim locked. It does not allow you to switch sim cards.

By: Iza

Iza — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 01:08:42 +0000

I lived in Japan last year and I had normal "contract" phone than in AU. I broke the contract before going home. Now I will go to Japan for a month and I am wondering if I can use my old phone (Casio CA004) just buy a prepaid card. (if i need alien registration card i can probably ask some friend to buy it on her name). But will it work. In article above it is written that only SB has prepiad phones. But on AU website there is also some prepaid phone info.
I don;t wanna renatle phone because it is possible i will be coming to Japan reguraly every couple of months for a month or 2.

How much is buying just a sim card (SB or AU)?

By: kirin

kirin — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:29:24 +0000

Sounds great! That'll be enough to me.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:43:16 +0000

Haha, it's good to think ahead! ^^
Yep, you (and everyone else ) can do it already at the airport. It's really convenient, since you don't have to worry about how/when to return it – presumably you'll be leaving again via an airport! ^^

By: kirin

kirin — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 00:03:20 +0000

Thank you Lisa, for sharing your information!
We can even rent a phone and sim card at the airport? Cool. (I say "we" because I want to live outside Japan in the near future and stay in Japan as a visitor, just like all of you. lol So, I was wondering, although it's too early, how I will do with my cell phone in Japan… :p )

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:22:18 +0000

Useful info for those staying longer I'm sure! I can add that for short stays (like a week or two, I guess) you can rent a phone from any major cellphone service provider while you're in Japan. You can also rent simcards for that time period. This can be done already at the airport (And then returned there as well) – I did this while visiting Korea a couple of years ago and my brother rented a phone from Softbank this time he visited so we could keep in touch while he was travelling on his own. It was pretty handy! ^^
I forgot to ask him how much it cost, but I think it was quite reasonable – for a short stay.

By: CiaLi

CiaLi — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:10:31 +0000

Thank you very much for your reply^_^ ♥

By: kirin

kirin — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 08:30:48 +0000

Hi CiaLi,

Ah, it was just a passport with a page of her local home address that was required.