please help me get a phone plan!

[murfman713]

so i have been living and working in japan since fed 2nd. i live in a company apt in saitama and have the address and company name on my gaijin card. i have spent the past 3 days frantically trying to get an iphone from softbank however it seems impossible. every time i try to set it up they tell me i cant sign up my plan without a credit card and of course the banks dont allow me to have a credit card because im a gaijin. im legally married to a japanese woman, work for a japanese company and live in a company apt. they told me if i bring my health insurance, bank book, hanko, gaijin card, cash card and 3 months of bills il be able to pay with my cash card. After gathering all the info and filling out all the paper work today i was told "Sorry, softbank says no gaijin. you can purchase the phone for 60,000 yen now and continue with a monthly plan but thats the best you can get." is it possible to somehow set up a normal softbank iphone account without a credit card? i want to be able to pay off my phone on a 2 year plan like they advertise if possible.

[KansaiBen]

s is it possible to somehow set up a normal softbank iphone account without a credit card? i want to be able to pay off my phone on a 2 year plan like they advertise if possible.

Why dont you get it in wife's name?

If all else fails go across the street to Docomo. Iphone's loss, IMO.

[murfman713]

she lives in the states and i really want the phone in my name. id imagine docomo will pull the same ____ and id much rather have an iphone again. iv had issues with androids in the past and docomo is over priced.

[TeRReT]

she lives in the states and i really want the phone in my name. id imagine docomo will pull the same ____ and id much rather have an iphone again. iv had issues with androids in the past and docomo is over priced.

Could try AU, pretty sure they have iphones, and they were much more accommodating to me for mobile internet than docomo and softbank.

[murfman713]

Could try AU, pretty sure they have iphones, and they were much more accommodating to me for mobile internet than docomo and softbank.

herd AU was much more expensive than softbank. will they allow me to set up an account with my current papper work and no credit card?

[TeRReT]

herd AU was much more expensive than softbank. will they allow me to set up an account with my current papper work and no credit card?

I have no idea about the price, just know I was happier with their customer service.

When I was setting up my mobile internet, my fiancee who is native Japanese ended up doing it, all they needed was her credit card and license.

I was about to set it up in my name though, we only switched to her credit card to get points on her credit card.

At the time of contracting the modem, I did not yet have my immigration card. I had applied for it, so I had the paperwork for it, but they needed proof of my address, as did the bank and softbank prepaid phone. I got a miracle document from city hall, it required my fiancee asking for it, but they just gave me a document that stated my address which was my fiancee's parents house, it had my entire name, and then they gave it a city hall stamp. Worked for everything. I needed just that document, but an immigration card would suffice, as well as passport, and my bank passbook for payment.

As a sidenote, we were pleasantly surprised when we contracted it, and they promptly handed us a fresh 10,000 bill, apparently at the time new contracts got 10,000 yen back. Not sure if this still applies.

[BackDoor_Man]

I have no idea about the price, just know I was happier with their customer service.

When I was setting up my mobile internet, my fiancee who is native Japanese ended up doing it, all they needed was her credit card and license.

I was about to set it up in my name though, we only switched to her credit card to get points on her credit card.

At the time of contracting the modem, I did not yet have my immigration card. I had applied for it, so I had the paperwork for it, but they needed proof of my address, as did the bank and softbank prepaid phone. I got a miracle document from city hall, it required my fiancee asking for it, but they just gave me a document that stated my address which was my fiancee's parents house, it had my entire name, and then they gave it a city hall stamp. Worked for everything. I needed just that document, but an immigration card would suffice, as well as passport, and my bank passbook for payment.

As a sidenote, we were pleasantly surprised when we contracted it, and they promptly handed us a fresh 10,000 bill, apparently at the time new contracts got 10,000 yen back. Not sure if this still applies.

Get it from Au! They are better than Softbank, their network is a lot better, their service also. The do not ask for credit cards!

[murfman713]

well au sounds good. i need to find out how much they charge. i really wanted soft bank because they seem incredibly cheap. im starting to think the only way to get a phone is to buy it up front and start the plan after that.

[BackDoor_Man]

well au sounds good. i need to find out how much they charge. i really wanted soft bank because they seem incredibly cheap. im starting to think the only way to get a phone is to buy it up front and start the plan after that.

Au offers the 16Gb iPhone4s for 0 yen, and you can make monthly payments I am paying 7-8,000yen per month with their cheapest plan but of course I got some extras like "Apple care" etc.

[murfman713]

Au offers the 16Gb iPhone4s for 0 yen, and you can make monthly payments I am paying 7-8,000yen per month with their cheapest plan but of course I got some extras like "Apple care" etc.

do you have unlimited data? how long is your contract? what did you need to sign up? credit card needed?

[Shakes Spear]

By the way, you can thank all of the flyjins for SoftBank's position. While it sucks, I can't say I blame them. Try AU.

[Since1990]

By the way, you can thank all of the flyjins for SoftBank's position. While it sucks, I can't say I blame them. Try AU.

That is a good point.

[jaga81]

By the way, you can thank all of the flyjins for SoftBank's position. While it sucks, I can't say I blame them. Try AU.

Actually, they've been that way for a while. I tried to contract with them in 2008, but couldn't because I didn't have a credit card at the time--same problem as OP. I ended up going with Docomo in the end. When we come back in June we will probably go with AU because they're on par in terms of price with Softbank, and their customer service is much better.

[Genkii]

Please help me get a mixi account!

[BackDoor_Man]

do you have unlimited data? how long is your contract? what did you need to sign up? credit card needed?

Yes unlimited data, my contract is for 2 years, just my Gaijin card (I have PR), they never asked for a credit card.

[Shakes Spear]

Actually, they've been that way for a while. I tried to contract with them in 2008, but couldn't because I didn't have a credit card at the time--same problem as OP. I ended up going with Docomo in the end. When we come back in June we will probably go with AU because they're on par in terms of price with Softbank, and their customer service is much better.

I'm pretty sure people have been skipping out on their bills since long before 2008.

Can't really attest to the customer service experience. I've had knowledgeable staff and idiots take turns helping me at DoCoMo and SoftBank. My wife's on AU now but I've yet to use them.
Their selection of products is the weakest of the three, but if they happen to have what you want I guess you're all set.

I'm gonna wait and see who gets the new Galaxy SIII before I make my next decision.

[BackDoor_Man]

I'm gonna wait and see who gets the new Galaxy SIII before I make my next decision.

Hey Shakey

CAn you explain to me ehy there are some people who have just have to have the latest gadgets? I remember someone going a little insane when the iPhone came out and the same when Androids cane out and now the new Galaxy SIII. What is it, prestige? After all, basically all those phones are all the same, allow a person to make and receive phone calls and e0mails anf go on the internet. But someone people just have to have the latest, why is that?

[sideways_gun]

What is it, prestige?

Yes. That and/or the person is a technophile and so highly values the largely insignficant upgraded components of the new phone.

Money down the draaaaaaaaaain, in my opinion.

[Shakes Spear]

Hey Shakey

CAn you explain to me ehy there are some people who have just have to have the latest gadgets? I remember someone going a little insane when the iPhone came out and the same when Androids cane out and now the new Galaxy SIII. What is it, prestige? After all, basically all those phones are all the same, allow a person to make and receive phone calls and e0mails anf go on the internet. But someone people just have to have the latest, why is that?

Well, speaking for myself, there's simply no comparison between the pre-iPhone (smart phone) days and now, especially the old J-phones. Having all of my e-mail accessible in one place, all forms of entertainment in one device, a point-and-shoot and HD video camera, study tools, books, etc., is a no-brainer. Oh, and it can make phone calls too!

Having said that, the reason I'm excited about the new SIII isn't because I feel the need to have the latest gadgets, although if I was wealthy enough I probably would. It's mainly because I would like to move to Android, have an LTE device to tether to my other "gadgets", get a larger screen, and hopefully a camera with better optics that shoots full HD (1080). I don't have a DSLR or even a point-and-shoot camera. I don't have an iPod or Walkman. I don't have a Kindle or Nook or a tablet computer (although that's also high on my list). So having one device that does all those things well is important to me.

I hear what you're saying, but for me it's not about prestige, it's all about function.

[Shakes Spear]

Yes. That and/or the person is a technophile and so highly values the largely insignficant upgraded components of the new phone.

Money down the draaaaaaaaaain, in my opinion.

I think most people have something they pour money into. Alcohol, pachinko, video games, etc.
It's true that some people upgrade their phones every time a new component is released, and in many cases it's really not worth the money spent.

I've had my current iPhone for 2 years, which if it was a motorcycle or powerboat might not be a long time, but in the world of computers and electronics is an eternity.

Consider that the first iPad (consumer tablet) debuted in April of 2012. Look where we are now.

[haildamage]

does the OP have a valid credit card from his home country? SB mobile would take that last time i checked. it doesnt have to be a japanese credit card. in addition, you pay the same for the phone regardless of whether you pay the full price (60,000 yen) up front, or you pay monthly over two years. i paid upfront even though i could have done the payment plan.

if you are new to japan, you have no credit here. you are asking SB to sell you an expensive phone on credit. although YOU may be an honest person planning to stay here for more than two more years and pay off the phone, lots of people in your demographic rip them off. therefore, no credit.

the softbank iphones were cheaper than the au iphones at the time of the iphone 4S launch at least. in addition, i have been gettting great data speeds on SB recently and their signal strength and coverage will improve significantly and might even exceed docomo from this july. they are getting all the old NHK analogue broadcast towers and the old analogue TV frequencies to go with it!

au on the other hand drives me nuts in that their network always seems to be overloaded. almost everytime i try to call an au phone it goes straight to voice mail even if their phone is turned on and in range.

[murfman713]

hey guys after many hours AU hooked me up with a new iphone 4s on a payment plan. highly recommend them to any gaijin over softbank. the service is also much better and the internet is faster.