I can say it has been most stressful thing that I faced since I got to misawa is getting the phone and chose the phone currier here in Misawa. I have been researched through other people's experience and Japanese phone curriers websites. Even though we are PCSed last yest May, I didn't get a decent phone in Japan and I was not on 2-year contract. I used the rental phone that costed me about 3500yen per month. I was scheduled to back to the states to finish up my Master's degree. Now I am back to misawa joining with my husnand and slowly setting up my life and career which means I need to get a phone to contact with people in local area. I actually maintained T-mobile phone which I used to use in the states. There has been no problem keeping a contact with hospital even here in Misawa or in Osan (Korea). I have been enjoyed free 'Global coverage' provided by T-mobile. I am paying only $10 for unlimited talk, call, and even data. I say the speed of data (supposely 3G) that I have experienced in Korea (at most of the city area) was faster then the speed of data (4G) in the states. I don't get the great speed of data in Japan but I still am able to listen to Spotify on base when I am out about, and able to talk through any type of messenger as well. I was planning to getting rid of T-mobile contract as soon as I get the any type of phone in Japan.
My choice was heading toward to I phone 6. After I hear that the Apple Japan is selling unlocked I phone I was very excited to get the contract free phone so I can take it with me back to the states. We're here only for couple of years and any smart phone that I have been used so far seemed working pretty decent after few years of heavy daily use. I wished to take it with me and use it like I kept my Galaxy s3 for so long. My dream has been crushed after facing few reality about the cell phone contract here in Japan.
I found out each companies provide the heavy discount on the smart phone contract. the heavy discount on the phone price (not even for the monthly fee) is applied. I phone is the most favorable phone in Japan so the companies are mostly likely to respond the popularity of the phone by providing the discount to the people to bring more subscribers on each phone companies. I have not researched deeply about getting the Soft bank since My husband is already on the 2-year contract with AU. Being on the same phone currier gives the privilege to have free text and phone. Therefore changing the phone service company for myself doesn't give us much of benefit at this moment. Sending the text to the different company costs about 45 cent which is ridiculously expensive. I can't even imagine how much I will have to pay for the text/call per month with that 45 cent text or call.
Softbank and NTT docomo allows people to use unlocked phone. The problem of using own phone occurs due to the heavy discount that is given to newly released I phone. the customer representative at Soft bank on base said it costs about 9000 yen to start the contract with then with unlocked phone but costs 8000 yen with their phone (with the price of the phone). So the people whoever wants to use I phone 6 in Japan is paying the price for the phone that is purchased from Apple store and monthly fee for use the smart phone in Japan. when people chose to purchase the phone at Soft Bank, actually not only don't have to buy the unlocked phone but also do receive the 1000 yen discount of the monthly fee. Soft bank has not been my option cause they charge way to much even with ridiculous monthly fee. their data coverage isn't that good which everyone knows that it is almost impossible to receive full coverage even on base.
Au KDDI was another option that is available on base. As far I found 2 Au stores around Misawa. one is located near McDonald (across from 100 shop) and another one is located little out toward highway to Hachinohe. I seriously thought about dropping by any different stores not on base but that doesn't mean anything cause those stores are actually deeply connected to each other. the one near the 100 yen shop dispatch their workers to on base and the workers travel between those 2 shops. I am not really sure about the one near pachinko but I don't see the valid reason why I should go there and make some kind of awkward moment. the reason why I consider to go off base is because of the price differences between the tables that was shown at the base Au and the price I saw online Au website.
Au, not like Softbank and docomo, use different system to communicate and that also use different SIM card. Au phone, even after the 2 year contract, becomes useless since it is not compatible with any communicate system in any country. also Au phone (just like any other Japanese phone) tide up on the country lock and sim lock which is impossible to use as a phone at different counties other them solely MP3 player. the base representative showed use the table which comes with 7gb data but nothing else. that costs us about 8000yen (4500 yen ; monthly fee, 3500 yen ; the price for I phone). the other option is we pay off the I phone up front which is about $900 (64gb) then pay solely monthly fee that is 4500yen.
I searched up the website and found this price simulation.
http://www.au.kddi.com/iphone/ryokin/charges-simulator.html
I could see how much discount toward the phone I get for I phone and actually have are providing the campaign to increase the 1gb data more whatever data I select for the phone service rather then just chose 7gb data every month.
http://www.au.kddi.com/iphone/campaign/iphone-data-extra.html?bid=we-ipo-2014-0025
So I found out that any Iphone 6 as with 16gb capacity becomes 0 yen with 2 year contract. there are 2 options for the 2 year contract with au. the first one is with unlimited talk to any other phone currier in Japan. 3 gb data (It becomes 4gb with campaign) and 64gb Iphone 6 costs 8316 yen a month and it comes with unlimited talk. the other option is paying the flat fee for the data and it costs each data the person use per month. I am not sure if that plan provides any free data cause LTE fee costs about 5700 yen, it might provide some or not. so choosing the second plan costs about 5000 yen and that doesn't provide any free call to different companies' phone other then Au.
My question is base really giving up the huge discount since the price is set for 7gb data. or we're just manipulated by Au due to we're foreigners in this county. (not providing any discount toward the price for the phone itself. so if i assume that I am using 2 year contract with au and pay upfront phone price then I should pay $900 (the upfront) then $45 (4300 yen about becomes $45) *24 = $1080, totaling $1,980 or $85 (8000yen per month without the upfront free) *24 = $2040.
the price when using the price plan advertised on the website is $88 (8316yen) *24 = $2112 (with unlimited talk and 5gb data without paying upfront fee) or $55 (5000 yen ) *24 = $1320 (without unlimited talk but LTE service on data). so I am going to try to get the last option and will see how much data they are going to provide with 2-year contract. I was mad to find out AU applies different charge or didn't even mention the campaign that currently on with Iphone contract. I made the reservation for the Iphone at Au and scheduled to receive and sign up the contract on this Saturday. I will update how the things go after getting the contract with Au.
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