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Japan and US

whichwayisup

Jun 19, 2006, 7:36 PM
I am totally confused by all the things I have to look for. World phones, yeah right ☹️ Someone please help me!

I need a 3G phone to operate on Japan's networks and one that Cingular, Verizon, Sprint, or T-mobile offers since they seem to be prevalent in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area where I will be going to school. My sophomore year I plan to go to Japan. Can I get a one year agreement through one of these companies and then go to Japan and get a provider over there for a year and then come back to the states? I don't want to rent a phone in Japan nor do I need to retain my US number. I don't want to be paying roaming rates all the time. Calls to the US will be done through VoIP anyway.

Does anyone here have experience with tra...
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scotsboyuk

Jun 22, 2006, 1:31 AM
As far as I am aware no American network sells a handset that is compatible with a Japanese 3G network. You do still have some options though.

You could of course rent a handset for use in Japan although you said that you didn't want to do that. Another option would be to use a European/Asian UMTS handset, which will work in Japan. The only problem I can see with this is that you might need a European/Asian USIM card to use in the handset. I suppose you could buy a 3G handset as part of a PAYG deal if you (or someone you know) is in Europe or Asia. Of course you would have to keep the account topped up, but you should be able to do this over the phone (assuming a foreign network allows you to keep your account topped up using an American ...
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sangyup81

Jun 23, 2006, 10:46 AM
Practically speaking, you're gonna have to get a different phone for Japan.
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scotsboyuk

Jun 25, 2006, 1:24 PM
A 2100 MHz UMTS handset will work in Japan.
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OB1J3D1

Jun 26, 2006, 4:34 PM
IMHO you're best option would be to choose whatever handset you want for the US...then, while in Japan rent one for that year or month by month or whatever you wish.

In Japan, you can get a mobile phone at a 7-11, Family Mart, Daily Store, Etc. Of course you could go to DoCoMo or cellular dealer, but you could also get one at a convenience store.

I don't think you should have any problems getting one in Japan. I did so in 2002 for only a month.
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poohgirl

Jul 8, 2006, 12:32 AM
Ok I am an American living in Japan right now. Cingular promised me their 3G phone would work..it doesn't. Japan has 3 cell providers..Vodafone, AU & DoCoMo. You can get a pay as you go phone fairly cheap & buy the minutes. As far as I know the phones are not sold in convenece stores. You can buy the minutes there though.
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Septhian

Jul 8, 2006, 8:41 AM
The 1.8GHZ feq, is use however very small coverage areas mostly in their Metro areas.
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renardlee

Jul 12, 2006, 1:26 AM
i thought japan uses 2.1ghz and it would be either FOMA(ntt docomo) or umts
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scotsboyuk

Jul 15, 2006, 3:57 AM
As far as I am aware Japan has no GSM coverage at all. Please correct me if I am wrong. Both DoCoMo and Vodafone (at least what used to be Vodafone) use 2100 MHz UMTS.
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wombough

Apr 9, 2007, 3:08 PM
correct zero GSM in japan little CDMA 2000!
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renardlee

Jul 12, 2006, 1:23 AM
from what i can assume, your going to u of m ann arbor and that kinda would be considered in the metro detroit area WHICH DOES NOT HAVE 3G YET(sry for all the caps, im mad that detroit and surrounding areas dont have 3g yet and i need a 3g phone for college and i want it from cingy) i dont think you can get a 3g phone from cingy since ur in michigan because cingular doesnt have a 3g network anywhere in michigan and they have a policy that they dont sell 3g phones in non 3g areas, as far as verizon and sprint, they use ev-do for their 3g networks and i dont think any cell phone company in japan uses ev-do infact they use FOMA which is a variant of W-cdma, im not sure if cingy's hspda or umts handsets are compatible for FOMA, but

you may wa...
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oudidntkn0w

Jul 30, 2006, 4:13 AM
I work out in ann arbor. The best coverage for that area seems to be verizon. TMO is mostly a 2-3 bar coverage area for AA. Cingular must be bad too, I hear lots of complaints about it.
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theballinboy973

Aug 8, 2006, 9:37 PM
im wondering if japan uses CDMA network or EVDO
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darksyde00

Oct 21, 2006, 8:09 AM
Neither...japan uses WCDMA. Despite the name, the technology is not very closely related to CDMA, and so they are incompatible.
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scotsboyuk

Oct 21, 2006, 5:52 PM
Doesn't KDD use CDMA 2000?
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dansan

Apr 6, 2007, 3:41 AM
I am traveling all over Europe, the US, China and Japan. I have service from T-Mobile. Once you are with them, ask them to register you for international travel and service (it is free but takes several days). Then, I purchased an unloked Nokia N70 and it works everywhere. Whenever I am in the US, Europe or China, it uses GSM. Whenever I am in Japan it autonatically switches to the Japanese system (sometimes DoCoMo, sometimes others such as Vodaphone) but bottom line, it works everywhere and automatically. The Nokia N70 is overall pretty good except for the camera that is EXTREMELLY BAD (despite of being a 2mp) - All the shots are blurry, it is very slow and virtually unusable. The synchronisation to my Outlook is flawless (comes with the ph...
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wombough

May 25, 2007, 11:06 PM
Wow that is something. I have never heard of any phone work in Japan since they are the only country that uses WCDMA for voice. But not saying your lying! I am in japan now. And people that i know that have cingular world phones and tmobile world phones do not work here!
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wombough

May 25, 2007, 11:07 PM
One other thing Vodaphone is no longer here. They were bought by Softbank Mobile which is who I use!
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shingo13

Jun 6, 2007, 1:46 AM
i hope you get this i actually wanted to ask you if you knew if any other nokia phones worked like that....and do you know if japan is wcdma??? hahah...hope you get this...
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kreeves

Jun 6, 2007, 10:45 AM
My hubby is in Japan, I am in the US. I read some of the above answers stating there is a way to get prepaid that will work in Japan. My question is...what will it cost him to call me since my cell is USCC??? Anyone know??
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fozzyface

Jun 6, 2007, 3:48 PM
it would depend on the rates the japanese company is offering to call to the states.
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wombough

Jun 7, 2007, 9:03 PM
I am in Japan and my wife is in the states. Cell phones here ARE NOT CHEAP. Therefor calling back to the states is NOT advised. Get a VOIP phone or call through yahoo messenger. Its 1cent a min so you get 1000 min for 10 bucks no taxes or anything. Contrary to beliefe japans cell phones are cool and technoligy is advance but nothing like people think in the states.
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wombough

Jun 7, 2007, 9:04 PM
Oh to answer your question is 40 yen every 30 sec to use your cell phone not countinglong distance. It is free incoming for most companies but it will cost you about 20 cents a min to call a mobile phone number in japan as they are about 11 to 15 cents more then a japan landline!
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bheiman

Jul 7, 2007, 7:28 PM
i have an 8525

sweet it works in japan lol
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wombough

Jul 8, 2007, 12:13 AM
so does the treo 750
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bheiman

Jul 7, 2007, 7:33 PM
the 8525 works in japan

and cingular will let you cancel without etf if you move someone without coverage (obviously japan dont have coverage)

through your school you might be able to get gov sponsorship in which right now you can get an 8525 for 199.99
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