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B Gallagher · Jan 15, 2005, 10:20 PM

Hey all,

I'm going to be heading over to Japan late this year (late September) for a year or so.

Obviously, I will deffinately be wanting to pick up a cellphone pretty much as soon as I get over there.

I've just got a few questions.

I've current got a Vodafone cellphone in New Zealand (using a sim2 card). New Zealand has just started to make 3G available, and I know Japan has deffinately got 3G support. (hehe.. so used to saying G3 - thanks apple

) If I were to buy a Vodafone cellphone in Japan, would I be able to use it back in NZ on Vodafone's 3G network?

In addition to this, obviously I would want a cellphone which I could use BT with to iSync it with the iBook I'll be getting.

Can anyone recommend either any good phones?

Also, does anyone know who the best (or cheapest - I'm a student

) 3G service provider in Japan?

Thanks in advance.

SSharon · Jan 16, 2005, 12:10 AM

Good luck with your search. Being an American, I have no idea about cellphones in your area since it seems that everyone is way ahead of us. It actually bothers me sometimes when I travel to another country and then come back to the US only to see people going holy crap my phone is in color! Yes I know I'm not being too helpful, but keep checking back here since I know there are users here from Japan. You also might get a faster response from the people in the lounge.

OreoCookie · Jan 16, 2005, 04:23 AM

Wooooooow, you are so lucky. Japanese cell phones have litte in common with the models you can get in Europe (and the States, I guess). Most of them are foldable. Tsuka (sometimes also written as Tuka) has the smallest ones by Kyocera, when I go to the Japan next time (hopefully in a year or two), they had the thinnest cell phones, but fully featured. Usually, just two or three models support English as main language (e. g. some SonyEricson).

Some comments on usage: you will find yourself send e-mails instead of sms which is a pretty nifty thing. Usually sms do not work across network afai remember.

As for specific models, they are updated quite frequently, but in general I find them superior to anything I can find here.

wataru · Jan 16, 2005, 06:24 AM

au is the only company that has a student discount, so unless you've got a family to use a family plan, it will be the cheapest. The most worthwhile plan is the one that's about �2500 per month (after discount). The cheaper ones don't have free minutes, and cost more than twice the amount per minute. Also, you can't use the student discount with any of the broadband plans, which means you also can't get any of the broadband-only phones.

Only one of the au phones (the A5504T) has BlueTooth, and you can't sync with it. If you want to sync with iSync, you'll have to buy a software package and USB connector cable (usually bundled together).

ixus_123 · Jan 16, 2005, 08:47 PM

the phone will only work in japan. Dont buy one if you intend on using it in New Zealand unless you want to paying a Japanese phone company roaming bills with international call charges for using it when you go back home.

Japan & the Isle of Dogs are the worlds 2 test beds fro mobile technology - so their networks are probably a lot more advanced than outs - take a look at 3g for example - that was intesting over there for at least 3 years before it went global

OreoCookie · Jan 18, 2005, 05:21 AM

Originally posted by wataru:
au is the only company that has a student discount, so unless you've got a family to use a family plan, it will be the cheapest. The most worthwhile plan is the one that's about �2500 per month (after discount). The cheaper ones don't have free minutes, and cost more than twice the amount per minute. Also, you can't use the student discount with any of the broadband plans, which means you also can't get any of the broadband-only phones.

Only one of the au phones (the A5504T) has BlueTooth, and you can't sync with it. If you want to sync with iSync, you'll have to buy a software package and USB connector cable (usually bundled together).

I was at AU, too, 2500 � per month. There are two types (granted that the system didn't change): 1 same price per minute 2 more expensive during the day, a lot cheaper at night.

I went for option 2.

I thought you just wanted advice on cell phones

I think those connector cables are rather pricey (a friend paid 10000 �, I think, about $100)!

Still, I think tsuka's phones are cooler

forkies · Jul 20, 2005, 07:59 AM

so, why is the cable needed on japanese phones?

OreoCookie · Jul 20, 2005, 08:15 AM

To transfer pictures taken with it. But some newer models also feature Bluetooth.

wataru · Jul 20, 2005, 10:36 AM

The cable isn't necessary to transfer pictures if your phone can use MiniSD cards and you get a USB SD card reader. But the cable and software (Japanese only, as far as I know) are necessary if you want to sync the phone with iSync. The one I have is 携帯シンク for Mac 3. I don't know what the other packages are like, so I can't compare. There was a discount on this one for .mac subscribers a while ago. It's probably over by now, though.