Travel Technology - Prepaid japanese SIM

I bought one last year, but now I can't remember where. I'd rather not wait and buy one there, as I'd like to be able to give out my number before I go. Anyone know a place to get one? preferably vodafone
thanks

Are you sure you bought a Japanese SIM? I thought Japan has no GSM service -- only 3G CDMA -- and therefore phones from practically anywhere else will not work in Japan. If you found one, let me know where you got it so I can get one for my next trip.

I was there in June of last year and didn't even bother with my unlocked GSM cell as it would not work. I was only there for five days so it was not worth buying a phone over there.

Japan does not use GSM technology. You also can not transfer SIM cards. What you can do is pick up a prepaid phone. Vodafone sells these in Convenience stores and their retail shops. The cheapest phones should be around 4,000 yen. Prepaid cards, I believe are 3,000 yen. Alternatively, if you are only going to be in Japan for a few days, you can rent phones at certain hotels and I believe the airport.

Yeah, sorry you're right. I bought a whole phone last year, then sold it on ebay. My newest phone is triband gsm and wcdma compatible, from vodafone japan. Takes a SIM card. Don't know that it can be used without it.
And all told I'll be there around a month. Rental isn't really an economically viable option I don't think.

Vodafone does have SIM cards now - if you have a phone that works in Japan. That means it has to be a 3G. So if you have a SIM unlocked 3G phone you could buy a vodafone SIM card (I am pretty sure the vodafone shop in Narita has it, if not the vodafone shop in Roppongi has it for sure)

That's what I thought. It's a sharp 903, available from vodafone japan. A SIM unlocked 3g phone. I suppose I will just wait and do it in narita. I guess worst case scenario I hit roppongi. Thats where my friend lives so its not that bad. Thanks alot

You should be able to pick up a SIM (only one carrier as mentioned above) at Bikku Camera, Yamada Denki etc. Any large train stop will have a large electronic store.

Hey everyone...

Before we get too far down the road about what can be done in Japan with regard to USIMs, SIMs and GSM...

1) Can someone please point this thread toward some evidence.

From my brief research on the topic, I found nothing that inticated a business traveller could purchase a prepaid USIM from Vodaphone KK, drop it into a 3G handset, and make/receive calls.

The info that is available is not really new news. You can put your GSM SIM into 3G handsets and pay high roaming rates.

My prepaid phone is 100yen per minute. I'm not willing to pay TMO 2 or 3 times that to keep a global number.

My ideal world would be to allow me to put a prepaid Japanese USIM into an unlocked 3G handset from Europe that I use in the US "full time" and in Japan while I travel.

MilesandMore seems to be saying that this is possible. Please Show Me ;)

My understanding is that there are SIM cards, though not for prepay, based on what I've read in other forums. I haven't been since January so I don't know how things stand. The vodafone japan online shop doesn't have pre-pay sims, at least not that I could find. This of course doesn't mean a real store wouldn't, as it is also my understanding phones may need to be signed up for in person, especially prepay.
If there is no SIM option, I may just buy a whole prepay phone. Which would suck, considering how much I just spent on that damn sharp.

Vodaphone Price List. Doesn't reflect anything beside post-pay plans.

http://www.vodafone.jp/english/pricelist/live/index.html

Well this link takes you to the voice plan pages.
http://www.vodafone.jp/english/pricelist/package/index.html

Let's set aside the fact that it may prove difficult for someone lot living in Japan to "sign-up" for one of these plans.

Even at the lowest monthly rate, you're still paying a minimum of 3500/month. That's means over 40,000 in prepaid phone time if you have a prepaid handset. At 100 yen/minute for both domestic and international calls via prepaid vs 40~50 yen per minute on the cheaper rate plans on post pay?

The break even point on this (assuming that minutes do not roll over) has got to be in the neighborhood of 800~1000 outgoing minutes per year from Japan if you factor the cheap intl calling and free incoming minutes.

But getting back on topic...

Can anyone point to evidence that it is possible to get Japanese USIM/SIM that when inserted into a 3G handset will allow local calling in Japan at less than the 100 yen/minute.

I'm not trying to pick a fight here. I merely adopted the role of "Devil's Advocate"

Cheers,

Scho