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| *Travel Tips>>>Japan Travel Tips |
Japanese Cell Phone rental? |
Travel Info Hi, How much should I budget for a Japanese Cell Phone rental? I'm flying into Nagoya (5hrs there) and then Chitose (staying in Sapporo for a month) in July. Thanks! Travel Tips The cost of phone rentals depends on which company and plans/rates you choose. Either way, a cell phone is so much more convenient than trying to use the Japanese public phone which is challenging to use. Public phone... Different color coded phones for Japan calls vs. International. Coins. You have to find and use them. Some pay phones do NOT have a coin slot. Need to use phone cards. Time limit. I've used a coin that lasted 10 seconds. It's including the number of time the phone rings. So if the person you are trying to call doesn't pick up right away. You have to put in another coin before the time expires. Instructions are in Japanese. Some in English. Japanese locals usually do not use pay phones so if you ask them how to use it, they don't know. I've asked several and they all had to read the instructions. Cell Phone Rental Call anytime. Depending on call plan and connection. Receive calls anytime. Depending on call plan and connection. You could have an English translator service. Depending on call plan and connection. Pick up and return. Depending on agreement. Most will deliver (mail) to an address. Eg. friends place. I've used Go Mobile phone company. I've travelled various places in Japan with that phone. It was convenient for me because we backpack, so we would never know where which city or prefecture we will be. Making reservations for "Ryokans" Japanese Inns. Keeping in contact with family in the U.S.. I had the free incoming call plan with insurance and the English translator service. The only thing is that you would have to really take care of the phone. No damages...Nicks, scratches, or worse. They will deduct your deposit. You would also need a credit card with a certain credit limit (Check with the company). It would be up to you. I have some links you might be helpful. *Comparison rates for multiple cell phone rental http://www.gomobile.co.jp/comparison_in.... *Homepage for Go mobile http://www.gomobile.co.jp/index_e.html... *Rates http://www.gomobile.co.jp/rates_in.html... *English translator http://www.gomobile.co.jp/pickle/index.h... Hope this helps. Have fun in Japan. Make sure you eat, see, and do all you can. Others The rental itself isn't all that bad (usually less that $10 per day and many companies do have special pricing) but it's the usage fees that are what kill you. On average, incoming and outgoing calls average between 75cents to $1.25 per minute. That doesn't sound like much at first but it adds up amazingly fast. And you are charged for each attempted call, so even if the call doesn't go through, you end up paying. If yo are going to be in Japan for a month, you should look into just buying an inexpensive cell phone and getting a short term or pay in advance contract. This will probably be much more cost effective for you over an extended period. Whichever way you decide to go, I highly recommend getting a cell phone for your stay in Japan. Even though it was expensive, having a cell phone was a lifesaver for me and put my parents' minds at ease that they could reach me at all times while I was away. I could be mistaken, but I believe incoming calls are free for rentals. At least, I know for certain they are for normal cell phones (at least under the Docomo phone I have). There are also pre-paid phones ranging from 5,000 - 22,000 yen depending on how many minutes you want. If you need more minutes you can buy phone cards for them. These can be picked up at some convenience stores and at cell phone shops. |
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