Japan gets a step closer

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by Effendi

UMTS 900 and GSM 450 are not working yet, AFAIK, so by now it's probably better to have the classic quad-band GSM and quad-band (850, 1700, 1900, 2100) on UMTS.

At the doors of most mobile phone shops in Thailand you see yellow GSM450 signs.
Assigned frequencies for Thailand are Mobile TX MHz 479.000 - 483.480, Base TX MHz 489.000 - 493.480. Most likely the network is not live (anymore). For sure not advertised.

Chris

[Stu]

There are some data roaming packages out there that won't break the bank if you keep it to text only e-mail downloads that you pull (as oppose to push) two to three times a day, but the focus is not on roaming; it is on prepaid. Roamers don't need the same bandwith range that we do. We're constantly looking for the deal and the company with a lot of bandwith on 900UMTs, 1700UMTs, or possibly 450UMTs, might be the one doing the all you can eat deals whereas the 2100mhz might be making out like a fat cow since it has all the roaming business. Obviously, there is a break even point. If you buy a $2,000 device on this theory, you'd better be an extremely heavy user.

Speaking of roaming costs and data, I ran into this article:

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/news/EkpuVFuEkVNMyqAlsd.html

Stu

[oceanaire]

Oh lordy *sigh* this is all very confusing for me and would really appreciate someone direct me to the proper card for me. I am leaving tomorrow for Taiwan and then to Japan. Taiwan is looked after for SIM card but Japan I am preplexed with all these diff cards etc.

What is my best/cheapest method of getting service while in Japan for 8 days. I won't use the phone a whole lot as I am on vacation, not business. It's in case I get lost for the most part and to have contact with my Japanese friends.

Thanks in advance!

P.S I do own a 3G capable handset.

[Effendi]

Originally Posted by oceanaire

Oh lordy *sigh* this is all very confusing for me and would really appreciate someone direct me to the proper card for me. I am leaving tomorrow for Taiwan and then to Japan. Taiwan is looked after for SIM card but Japan I am preplexed with all these diff cards etc.

What is my best/cheapest method of getting service while in Japan for 8 days. I won't use the phone a whole lot as I am on vacation, not business. It's in case I get lost for the most part and to have contact with my Japanese friends.

Thanks in advance!

P.S I do own a 3G capable handset.

Sorry to answer a bit too late. BTW the best solution was to buy a Travelsim in advance, but you didn't have enough time. The other solution is to hire a phone there in Japan. Now there should be also the possibility to get a prepaid card by Softbank, but still it seems to be very complicated for foreigners...

[DRNewcomb]

Originally Posted by oceanaire

What is my best/cheapest method of getting service while in Japan for 8 days. I won't use the phone a whole lot as I am on vacation, not business. It's in case I get lost for the most part and to have contact with my Japanese friends.

P.S I do own a 3G capable handset.

There are a number of kiosks at Narita (Tokyo) and Kansai (Osaka) that offer different phone rental options. For truly limited usage you might consider finding the SoftBank kiosk and renting a SIM. It seems to be only 105 JPY per day and incoming calls are free.