NickP 1K

Doesn't the app need to bind to the phone IMSI number ; I recall there was a stringent process to get it to work when I had it on my Japanese phone that was previously a US purchased device.

mapleg

I must admit I am a little surprised by the fact that you felt the need to book 6 months in advance.

There is absolutely no need to follow up with them to assist them. I have used them a number of times and like virtually all things in Japan, their service will be exactly as promised. You will get an e mail from them confirming when they have sent the device to your hotel and you can check on its delivery via that e mail and the links it gives you.

Whenever I have used them I have just picked up the device at the post office at the airport rather than waiting until I get to my hotel. Either technique works fine, just a matter of personal preference.

bocastephen

My phone is an actual Japanese phone, not a US device. It was unlocked and localized for use in the US, but it's still a Docomo branded phone. All the apps are there, but without a good translation or a Japanese credit card/bank account, I'm not sure how to get it to work.

I still have a small balance on my PASMO card, but I'm fine switching to a SUICA account if I can run all my payments, subway fares, JR East tickets, NEX fares and 7-11 purchases through the phone and not have to drag around an external LTE device.

OliverB

Why wouldn't I book it now to be safe? There were posters earlier on in this thread stating that they were unable to get the devices they had requested due to limited supply and overwhelming demand. I'll be travelling at the height of 'koyo' tourism in the fall.

I just booked an extra battery and was suprised that it cost 5400 JPY (approx. $50 USD) which is 1/3 the price of the 5-week MiFi rental. I had expected it to be cheaper, but it still seems like a good thing to have; especially when we're driving in the rural high country around Gunma, Nagano and Gifu. I hope we'll be able to get service in the mountains!

mapleg

I never booked an extra battery and did fine. You don't have to keep the device on all the time all day long which helps conserve battery power. Not sure you will get service in Gunma and the mountains. Anytime I have booked I usually just booked about 45 days in advance and never had a problem getting the mifi. Perhaps in Golden week or New Years one might be unlucky, but remember..it is not the Japanese who are renting these devices, it is overseas tourists. As such, summer is still likely the busiest time for foreign tourists, not autumn.

OliverB

Thanks and good to know that (hopefully) cities like Kyoto will not be overrun with Western tourists during our visit. Still better to be safe than sorry though and it makes no difference to me if we pay now rather than 4-5 months from now, if it assures us a reservation. You're probably right about the extra battery, but it doesn't hurt to have it with us nonetheless. I'd rather spend the $50 to discover that we didn't need it at all, then to have needed and wished we'd rented it after the fact.

I'm not sure what we're going to do about navigating in the mountains... we're renting a car to get between Gunma, Minakami, Yamanouchi, Matsumoto, Takayama, and Kyoto - with several small and obscure tours through neighboring villages en route. I have no clue how we'll manage without Google Maps or GPS as I've read that there is no English signage whatsoever. I recently read a food blog wherein a Japanese speaking Westerner proclaimed Japan to be one of the most difficult countries in the world to navigate, even if you speak the language. I suppose we can map out our routes in advance, though this will still be incredibly difficult if all of the signs are exclusively in Japanese.

mapleg

Your rental car will have a GPS. If you have a Japanese phone number for where you are going, the GPS will find it.

OliverB

^ Wonderful!

Rava

I'm trying to decide between the three mifi devices offered at japan-wireless, which have speeds of 21, 42 and 75 Mbps. It seems like 21 Mbps would be fast enough for most uses, but both that version and the 42 Mbps are only 3G which can be pretty slow over here. Is it worth it to go to the 75 Mbps model to get LTE? I'm not planning on streaming video or using skype, but it would be nice if web pages loaded quickly.

RTW1

You can never have to much speed :-). But price and battery capacity are also deciding factors.

nycnyc

OliverB and other folks: Skip the extra battery and buy an Anker battery pack from Amazon instead. I bought one a few weeks ago for $40 and have it with me now in Tokyo. Comes in handy for charging the portable wifi cell phone, and iPad and still has lots of power to go.

AZ Travels the World

I just tried to reserve a wifi device with Global Advanced 3 weeks out and they are sold out. I don't consider that last minute. Ridiculous.

So, book well in advance, as nearly a month isn't even enough.

RTW1

I bet the others that already have a reservation disagree with you.... As with all things limited in supply and during periods of high demand, if you have to have one book early.

Plenty of other options though, including buying a prepaid SIM.

lcpteck

I booked an LTE MIFI less than a week out for my trip to Osaka (1st week of March) and it was great. I guess it's a hit or miss, but yeah book in advance when your trip is confirmed.

mapleg

Point taken, so I went ahead and booked for an upcoming trip in Mid May. I will even reverse my opinion about the poster who booked 6 moths in advance. May as well since you can always cancel later if necessary without charge.

I still find it odd that they can't keep up with demand though. Guess I have been lucky in the past usually booking 4 weeks out.