Prepaid SIM discussion (consolidated)
 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION POSTED BELOW BY ME IN THIS POST IS DATED FROM 2012. MORE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND BY OTHER POSTERS IN THE LATER PAGES.

-RAILROADTYCOOON 9/25/2013
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It's been a while since I have contributed something here, so I figured I could write this short "guide" of sorts for the B-mobile 1G prepaid data plan (30day version).

This is intended for short term visitors who I often see asking questions about prepaid data plans, wifi rental, wifi availability etc etc.
Note this is only about a prepaid data plan (no voice, but skype can be used on it).

The guide is intended for people who need access to emails, googlemaps, etc while outside of their hotel for the day. As I mention on the site, for most visitors this should be enough to get what they need done while outside of a hotel or business center's internet access. Also the reason I recommend the B-mobile 1G prepaid data version over others to visitors is because it's something you can walk into a Yodobashi or Bic Camera and purchase immediately, no need to navigate a Japanese website to order and input a Japanese address etc for delivery like the USIM 300 version.

For those interested in reading more about the b-mobile sims (technical data etc etc) and other data sims this web blog covers them in great detail: Note that isn't my site, only the guide above is.
http://softbanksucks.blogspot.com/20...-rate-sim.html
http://softbanksucks.blogspot.com/20...bile-sims.html

Great advice you can also get unlimited 6 month and 12 month data cards from Bmobile at very reasonable prices. Good deal if you spend much time in Japan or have a device from overseas that you want to use in Japan.

Thanks for the info on how to activate via mobile. I'd wondered if it would send a text msg confirming as some inexpensive rental phones don't offer that function.

Here's the English Amazon link to get the 1 GB full sized SIM card
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-la...language=en_JP
and micro
http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%97%A5%E6...8066959&sr=1-4

Useful if you're quickly transiting off to less urban areas of Japan. You can still have it shipped with an English checkout system.

I used the B-Mobile products twice, both times activated by Skype calls (i.e. land line from their point of view)

After you have reached an English speaking rep, you will be called back at your hotel or wherever to confirm that you exist. The card is immediately activated for 10 days.

An activation code can be snail-mailed to you for full activation beyond 10 days. This last time they asked if I needed it for more than 10 days. I said no, and the call ended at that point. Took all of 5 minutes and $0.3 in call charges.

If you need it for more than 10 days, you can arrange for the snail-mailing of the activation code, OR repeat the activation process again after 10 days.

thanks for the guide. So b mobile 1gb still the best to use now?

Not if you need more than 1GB, or you don't need more than 300kbps speed.

So what is the other option?

I actually found this thread after googling for hours, it was nice to confirm that you can activate the bmobile cards for 10 days at a time using landline, because I won't have a Japanese mobile and I'm only there for 3 days (so there's no point waiting for the snail mail card).

rookiecz, from what I've seen this appears to be the two options for short term stays:
b-mobile SIM U300 (purchase online only, deliver to hotel) - 2980 yen (http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/sim/index.html)
b-mobile 1G (can be purchased at Yodobashi Akihabara or BIC Camera) - 3480 yen (http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/1gb/index.html)

Both are activated the same way. OP is referring to the 1G card. If you don't need more than 300 kbps transfer speed, you can save a few bucks but need to arrange for delivery of the U300 SIM/microSIM to your hotel.

Thanks OP, this is great!

I heard about B-mobile's AEON SIM cards the other day. You can get up to 100kbps unlimited* for 980 yen per month, or 400kbps unlimited* for 2980 yen per month. *Looks like some people found out there is a limit of 3million packets for 3 day period. The plans specifically exclude Skype and other VOIP applications. This is only sold at AEON locations.

Will a temporary visitor be able to sign up for these plans?

To purchase b-mobile AEON SIM cards, you are required ID such as Japanese driver license and Certificate of Alien Registration which showed address in Japan.
So, temporary visitor is not able to purchase.

The website says that if you hit the limit they may throttle your connection, but not that they will cut you off or charge you more.

If you are going through HKG at all before JPN, get a 3HKG card with the global roaming. This allows UNLIMITED roaming in JPN on Docomo for 300HKD/day. I have used it multiple times, and it works perfectly...

The b-mobile card mentioned above is more like 300 HKD per month.

That's USD ~40 per day. I wouldn't call that cheap. Softbank has the equivalent outside Japan for 2900 yen a day -- unlimited phone and data.

To understand the Bmobile card better: it is possible to activate with a landline but only works for 10 days?? But activate with a Japanese cell phone it works for an unlimited time period.