Sony Ericsson w580i - Going to Japan

morningpeasant

Hi,

I will be traveling to Tokyo for five weeks on the 30th of this month, and would really like to have a phone with me for emergency situations when I need to contact my host family. I am with o2 and have a Sony Ericsson w580i which has been unlocked. I know you can rent sim cards in Japan, but am not sure if my phone will accept them as, from what I gather, they have to be 3g to work in Japan. I am not very well up on technology and am very confused by what I've been reading, so if anybody could help explain things to me it would be much appreciated.

Rsaeire

As the W580i is not a 3G handset, you won't be able to use it in Japan. That means that even if you use your O2 or rented Japanese sim card in your W580i, it still won't work. As you're already aware, you need to have a 3G handset to use it on any of the Japanese mobile networks.

morningpeasant

Thank you very much for clarifying, that was the kind of clear answer I was looking for. I don't suppose you would be able to tell me if I would be better off just renting a phone in Japan, or buying a 3G phone here and then renting a sim?

Rsaeire

It's no problem.

I suppose it all depends on how much money you want to spend. While I don't know how much it is to rent a 3G handset in Japan, it's most likely going to cost less than buying a 3G handset here and getting it unlocked.

morningpeasant

Thanks for all the help. Since I'm looking for the cheapest option, I'm going to rent one. I don't suppose anyone would know of a website where I can find reviews of the various different rental companies?

morningpeasant

I've been doing a bit of searching around, and it seems that if I bought this phone http://www.o2online.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/O2ProductDisplayView?storeId=10001&langId=-1&enableAddToCartBtn=true&catalogId=10001&phoneId=138556&flowType=SU&productId=138556&partNumber=35800903&wcmArea= or this one http://www.o2online.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/O2ProductDisplayView?storeId=10001&langId=-1&enableAddToCartBtn=true&catalogId=10001&phoneId=136528&flowType=SU&productId=136528&partNumber=35753003&wcmArea= got it unlocked, and rented a sim, it would cost about the same as renting a phone, with the added bonus of getting to keep the phone when I come home. I am basing this on rental from Softbank http://www.softbank-rental.jp/en/price/, as they are the only company I have heard of before. Does this sound like a good plan?

ardmacha

I've been doing a bit of searching around, and it seems that if I bought this phone http://www.o2online.ie/webapp/wcs/st...00903&wcmArea= or this one http://www.o2online.ie/webapp/wcs/st...53003&wcmArea= got it unlocked, and rented a sim, it would cost about the same as renting a phone, with the added bonus of getting to keep the phone when I come home. I am basing this on rental from Softbank http://www.softbank-rental.jp/en/price/, as they are the only company I have heard of before. Does this sound like a good plan?

It is not clear that either of those models are 3G phones.
Port to Vodafone and get a Sony W595 for €89, it should be possible to unlock this using the thread here on Sony unlocking. The W595 is a vastly improved phone like the W580 and will do you for a couple of years as well as your trip to Japan. There are some used 3G phones on sale on Adverts.ie for €50 or thereabouts, this could be a good plan too. Or find a family member or friend with one and swap your phone for the duration.

morningpeasant

http://www.vodafone.ie/df/shop/ProductDetails.shtml?handsetselected=100232&offerSelected=prepayporting&action=view
Is that the one?
Would this be the cheapest 3G phone available?

ardmacha

http://www.vodafone.ie/df/shop/Produ...ng&action=view
Is that the one?

I bought a black one for €89 a couple of weeks ago, they must have sold out and put the price up on the remaining pink ones.

If you look at the left panel in the Vodafone phone listing you can select 3G, their cheapest model seems to be Nokia 2730.
Whichever one you look at check some other review site to make sure that it is 3G.

Liquidus

I will be working in Japan starting end of August. I have been doing some research as well and thinking of getting a phone that will work, because my current phone is a SE k750i and uses the GSM network.

So far the phone has to be 3G/UMTS/WCDMA 2100 and from what I understand the W595 and Nokia 2730 will work because it uses the 2100 UTMS frequency.

I will probably get the W595 since I used the SE controls and I'm on o2 at the moment and is €139 and would not like the pink version of Vodaphone if it was black/silver id probably switch operators.

ardmacha

You'd probably get an unlocked W595 in any colour you wanted on e-Bay/Amazon for €139. I think Japan uses the same 3G frequency as Europe, so there are a variety of models that would work.

killbillvol2

There's also the issue of operator - Japan is a VF Passport country so you'll have much cheaper roaming with VF.

Liquidus

Had a look at amazon and there are not much cheaper, usually €145 for an unlocked, debranded phone but it is not sim free and I don't know where they come from either, probably orange or t-mobile operator.

Can you get Vodafone passport to prepay and not bill pay only?

ardmacha

usually €145 for an unlocked, debranded phone but it is not sim free

If it is unlocked then that is it.

I don't think that either a prepaid O2 or Vodafone will work in Japan.

killbillvol2

Liquidus wrote: »

Can you get Vodafone passport to prepay and not bill pay only?

Don't know - I've always been on bill pay.

Liquidus

As far as I know they have agreements over there, so for o2 it's NTT DoCoMo and with Vodafone it's Softbank.

graduate

As far as I know they have agreements over there, so for o2 it's NTT DoCoMo and with Vodafone it's Softbank.

Billpay from either operator should work. Prepay works in a lot less places.

Liquidus

graduate wrote: »

Billpay from either operator should work. Prepay works in a lot less places.

Why is that? The only problems I can think of would be topping up with prepay abroad.

Rsaeire

Liquidus wrote: »

Why is that? The only problems I can think of would be topping up with prepay abroad.

It has to do with what roaming agreements networks set-up with each other, as some networks may not wish to have to support prepay roaming users since it's easier to support postpaid roaming users. As such, you should confirm on the operators' websites which countries they support prepay roaming in.

Liquidus

I will check that out, if it does not work I will get a local sim card as I will probably need a local number for work.

ardmacha

I will check that out, if it does not work I will get a local sim card

I have to say that this is the first thing I would have looked at. While Prepaid works in an increasing number of places it is only a fraction of the billpay roaming operators.

Liquidus

I am staying for approx 60 days so I do not need a visa. In Japan you need to apply for a 1 year visa before you can purchase a prepaid sim, open up a back account etc.

FruitLover

morningpeasant wrote: »

I would be better off just renting a phone in Japan, or buying a 3G phone here and then renting a sim?

You can buy a basic prepay phone here for ¥3,500 (about €30). You may well be able to get a second-hand one for half that.

Liquidus wrote: »

In Japan you need to apply for a 1 year visa before you can purchase a prepaid sim, open up a back account etc.

Not true, you just need a foreign registration card, which can be applied for regardless of what visa you entered the country on.

(Also, you need a visa to work here legally. If caught or reported working without one, you can be deported and barred from re-entering Japan for 5-10 years)