View topic - Pay as you go phones?

by **chobo2** » Sun 03.01.2009 4:59 pm

Hi

I am going to Japan for 90 days and I would love to get a cell phone there just encase of emergencies(ie I get lost lol). I am wondering how what is the cheapest pay as you go phone you can get + minutes. I don't want anything fancy as long as it can make a call its fine with me. I want to get away with little as possible(in costs) since after the 90days the phone is useless to me.

by **keatonatron** » Sun 03.01.2009 5:58 pm

You can get some pretty cheap prepaid phones, just like in the US (I'm not sure what you're used to...).

I've never bought one myself, but I assume you can get one for around 2000 yen. The time is usually good for 90 days, so you should only have to charge it up once. Also, the Japanese phone system is much more logical in that only the person placing the call is charged for talk time. Even if you get a prepaid phone with only 10 minutes of talk time on it, you can receive an unlimited number of calls for free.

by **chobo2** » Sun 03.01.2009 6:09 pm

keatonatron wrote:You can get some pretty cheap prepaid phones, just like in the US (I'm not sure what you're used to...).

I've never bought one myself, but I assume you can get one for around 2000 yen. The time is usually good for 90 days, so you should only have to charge it up once. Also, the Japanese phone system is much more logical in that only the person placing the call is charged for talk time. Even if you get a prepaid phone with only 10 minutes of talk time on it, you can receive an unlimited number of calls for free.

wow if I can get a phone for $26CAD that would be sweet. I don't know how prepaid phones are in the US. In canada they are kinda on the expensive side(but then again all cell phones are in Canada). Like the cheapest phone you can get is like $50CAD and then for 90 days your looking at probably at least $30($15 lasts about 45 days before it expires without topup).

Do you know any sites that show prices/phones?

by **chikara** » Mon 03.02.2009 2:07 am

keatonatron wrote:.... the Japanese phone system is much more logical in that only the person placing the call is charged for talk time. .....

I had assumed that that was the norm.

by **chobo2** » Mon 03.02.2009 2:11 am

chikara wrote:
keatonatron wrote:.... the Japanese phone system is much more logical in that only the person placing the call is charged for talk time. .....

I had assumed that that was the norm.

Lol come to Canada they charge your for even nickle and dime. I pay 30cents/minute for incoming and outgoing calls and that is one of the better rates as far as pay as you go goes.

by **keatonatron** » Mon 03.02.2009 6:14 am

The best prepaid service is probably with Softbank. You have to stop by their store to get the prices, though. Talk time is charged at 90 yen per minute, but if you only use it for incoming calls or emergencies it shouldn't be very expensive.

The US (and Canada) still follow the old logic of "if you're using your cell phone you're making use of our cell phone towers, which means you owe us money", and so it even costs money to receive calls :shock:

It never made sense to me.... And it causes people to not answer their phone unless they're absolutely sure they want to talk to whoever's calling.

Although on the other side, Japan doesn't have caller ID :shock:

The phone number of the person calling you will show up, but unless you've programmed it into your phone it won't tell you the name of the person.

It would be really nice to know who's calling before I answer... especially when getting call-backs after interviews etc.