Apple Pay & Suica on iPhone/Apple Watch in Japan [consolidated thread]
#226
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Posts: 2,441
When you say ".. install the Suica card.." do you mean the app? I am familiar with adding a virtual Suica card via the (Japanese language) app. I assume that can only be done on the phone and not directly on the watch - is that correct? In creating that first card on the phone, you would transfer it to the wallet on the watch. That done, you would then add another card to the phone. If that is not the correct sequence, please clarify.
#227
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love the Apple Watch virtual Suica.
Is there a way to get the balance refunded? (Am aware of the trick of spend the balance down completely, but not sure I have an opportunity to the next time I’m in Japan)
Is there a way to get the balance refunded? (Am aware of the trick of spend the balance down completely, but not sure I have an opportunity to the next time I’m in Japan)
#228
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Yes you can get the balance refunded but it means going to a JR East station to do the deed.
Won't you be near a convenience store / Maccy D's et al at all? They all take suica. Quite easy to spend a thousand yen or two on crap from a convenience store...
#229
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Posts: 618
Many thanks for the response ... though I'm still somewhat confused, as I'm not sure whether you are agreeing with what I said ... or not.
When you say ".. install the Suica card.." do you mean the app? I am familiar with adding a virtual Suica card via the (Japanese language) app. I assume that can only be done on the phone and not directly on the watch - is that correct? In creating that first card on the phone, you would transfer it to the wallet on the watch. That done, you would then add another card to the phone. If that is not the correct sequence, please clarify.
When you say ".. install the Suica card.." do you mean the app? I am familiar with adding a virtual Suica card via the (Japanese language) app. I assume that can only be done on the phone and not directly on the watch - is that correct? In creating that first card on the phone, you would transfer it to the wallet on the watch. That done, you would then add another card to the phone. If that is not the correct sequence, please clarify.
Simple as that.
Once 2 cards are in the app you will find you can swipe between the 2 cards to manage them as appropriate.
#230
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#231
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#232
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#233
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Just curious if anyone else bought an IPhone 7+ in Japan and brought it to the USA and has been using it on TMobile. I have a Japan IP7+ model NN6F2J/A/A1785 which I have been using on AT&T Prepaid for a long time without any issues.
So now the geniuses at AT&T are changing their prepaid plan to downscale Canada/Mexico data roaming to 2G which makes them a non-starter for me, so I thinking of switching to TMobile prepaid, which for the same price as AT&T gives me 10GB data, tethering, and Canada/Mexico roam all at LTE.
I haven't tried this phone on TMobile, so I am curious if anyone has any experience to share.
I can sort of answer my own question now - outside of Band 71, the Japan phone is fine on TMobile - the issue is the ongoing rollout of Band 71 to improve service in rural areas, and this band is not on the Japan IP7+.
So, assuming SUICA is now fully supported on all global iPhone regardless of where they are purchased, I can upgrade my phone at a later date when needed to get Band 71 and keep my SUICA services.
So now the geniuses at AT&T are changing their prepaid plan to downscale Canada/Mexico data roaming to 2G which makes them a non-starter for me, so I thinking of switching to TMobile prepaid, which for the same price as AT&T gives me 10GB data, tethering, and Canada/Mexico roam all at LTE.
I haven't tried this phone on TMobile, so I am curious if anyone has any experience to share.
I can sort of answer my own question now - outside of Band 71, the Japan phone is fine on TMobile - the issue is the ongoing rollout of Band 71 to improve service in rural areas, and this band is not on the Japan IP7+.
So, assuming SUICA is now fully supported on all global iPhone regardless of where they are purchased, I can upgrade my phone at a later date when needed to get Band 71 and keep my SUICA services.
Last edited by bocastephen; Feb 17, 2019 at 11:06 pm
#234
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,381
Just curious if anyone else bought an IPhone 7+ in Japan and brought it to the USA and has been using it on TMobile. I have a Japan IP7+ model NN6F2J/A/A1785 which I have been using on AT&T Prepaid for a long time without any issues.
So now the geniuses at AT&T are changing their prepaid plan to downscale Canada/Mexico data roaming to 2G which makes them a non-starter for me, so I thinking of switching to TMobile prepaid, which for the same price as AT&T gives me 10GB data, tethering, and Canada/Mexico roam all at LTE.
I haven't tried this phone on TMobile, so I am curious if anyone has any experience to share.
I can sort of answer my own question now - outside of Band 71, the Japan phone is fine on TMobile - the issue is the ongoing rollout of Band 71 to improve service in rural areas, and this band is not on the Japan IP7+.
So, assuming SUICA is now fully supported on all global iPhone regardless of where they are purchased, I can upgrade my phone at a later date when needed to get Band 71 and keep my SUICA services.
So now the geniuses at AT&T are changing their prepaid plan to downscale Canada/Mexico data roaming to 2G which makes them a non-starter for me, so I thinking of switching to TMobile prepaid, which for the same price as AT&T gives me 10GB data, tethering, and Canada/Mexico roam all at LTE.
I haven't tried this phone on TMobile, so I am curious if anyone has any experience to share.
I can sort of answer my own question now - outside of Band 71, the Japan phone is fine on TMobile - the issue is the ongoing rollout of Band 71 to improve service in rural areas, and this band is not on the Japan IP7+.
So, assuming SUICA is now fully supported on all global iPhone regardless of where they are purchased, I can upgrade my phone at a later date when needed to get Band 71 and keep my SUICA services.
For band 71, it depends on where you go within continental USA. Check various maps to see if TMobile has 71 licenses in your region, and whether they deployed it. Do the same check for band 12 - If they have 12 licenses, I expect them to deploy them (and a lot more phones, yours included, supports 12)
https://www.reddit.com/r/tmobile/com...t_map_8292018/
Many phones still do not have 71 yet, and 71 is probably most useful in rural areas where TMobile doesn't have enough density for band 4/5 AND does not have 12 licenses
#235
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Probably outside the scope of this thread, but some pointers:
For band 71, it depends on where you go within continental USA. Check various maps to see if TMobile has 71 licenses in your region, and whether they deployed it. Do the same check for band 12 - If they have 12 licenses, I expect them to deploy them (and a lot more phones, yours included, supports 12)
https://www.reddit.com/r/tmobile/com...t_map_8292018/
Many phones still do not have 71 yet, and 71 is probably most useful in rural areas where TMobile doesn't have enough density for band 4/5 AND does not have 12 licenses
For band 71, it depends on where you go within continental USA. Check various maps to see if TMobile has 71 licenses in your region, and whether they deployed it. Do the same check for band 12 - If they have 12 licenses, I expect them to deploy them (and a lot more phones, yours included, supports 12)
https://www.reddit.com/r/tmobile/com...t_map_8292018/
Many phones still do not have 71 yet, and 71 is probably most useful in rural areas where TMobile doesn't have enough density for band 4/5 AND does not have 12 licenses
That said, in the places where TV stations have already moved off, they've rolled it out. For instance, in northern Arizona.
#236
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Posts: 2,441
JR East - Suica and Apple Pay FAQ
For anybody who has a Suica card loaded in Apple Wallet (and if you visit Japan and have an iPhone 8 or later, why don't you?) the excellent atadistance blog reports there is now an English-language version of the JR East Support Suica - Apple Pay FAQ page that may be of interest.
#237
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Should just have a feed into this thread from atadistance. Stripped down English version of the Suica app has been released!^
https://atadistance.net/2019/03/24/t...a-english-app/
https://atadistance.net/2019/03/24/t...a-english-app/
#238
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Just to clarify all the misinformation in the posts.
1. Felica is NFC. There are multiple NFC standards. Felica is one of them. Most hardware supports all of the standards.
2. The NFC chips in the iPhones have always been able to talk Felica. There was never a technical issue. It was purely a commercial decision by Apple not to allow it in order to try to gain competitive advantage for their own payment system.
3. Nearly all of the readers in Japan support all the NFC protocols....not just Felica. The issue is which payment systems the retailers will accept. It has nothing to do with hardware.
4. The main NFC payment systems in Japan are not credit. They are debit/prepaid, and have very low transaction costs.
5. The bad guys are Apple. Low cost secure payment systems are easy. Apple has just been trying to block them so they can rip off the consumer.
1. Felica is NFC. There are multiple NFC standards. Felica is one of them. Most hardware supports all of the standards.
2. The NFC chips in the iPhones have always been able to talk Felica. There was never a technical issue. It was purely a commercial decision by Apple not to allow it in order to try to gain competitive advantage for their own payment system.
3. Nearly all of the readers in Japan support all the NFC protocols....not just Felica. The issue is which payment systems the retailers will accept. It has nothing to do with hardware.
4. The main NFC payment systems in Japan are not credit. They are debit/prepaid, and have very low transaction costs.
5. The bad guys are Apple. Low cost secure payment systems are easy. Apple has just been trying to block them so they can rip off the consumer.
It usually equals a closed off, less versatile, system in which it actually costs more.
See: no removable storage in the phones and tablets, their own standard in connect/charging ports, their own frequency in fast Qi charging, etc.
This is yet another thing.
#239
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,304
We all have our own reasons for abstaining to purchase from one brand or another.
For those who currently want an Android which supports Mobile Suica, you would need to purchase a Japan domestic model. There's a few of us on here who have been following osaifu keitai for many years and it wasn't easy for a foreign tourist to purchase much less activate one. It is currently possible to buy non-carrier unlocked Japanese android phone (ie Google JP Pixel 3) w/ Felica + Osaifu Keitai Support and put a JP data-only* sim in it.
Help doc for Android Mobile Suica w/ Google Pay https://www.jreast.co.jp/mobilesuica/googlepay/
Android Mobile Suica https://www.jreast.co.jp/mobilesuica/android/
Compatible MVNO/carrier-free phones https://www.jreast.co.jp/mobilesuica/android/
* It might be possible to put a roaming sim in it but since they are domestic market phones, most people will have access to inexpensive MVNO subscription plans so not a lot of info in English on domestic phone + foreign sim.
FelicaDude on reddit has posted a lot more info on Felica NFC compatibility for those who are curious https://www.reddit.com/user/FelicaDude Standards and licensing ($$$) come into play as well https://atadistance.net/2017/10/22/w...-iphone-party/
For those who currently want an Android which supports Mobile Suica, you would need to purchase a Japan domestic model. There's a few of us on here who have been following osaifu keitai for many years and it wasn't easy for a foreign tourist to purchase much less activate one. It is currently possible to buy non-carrier unlocked Japanese android phone (ie Google JP Pixel 3) w/ Felica + Osaifu Keitai Support and put a JP data-only* sim in it.
Help doc for Android Mobile Suica w/ Google Pay https://www.jreast.co.jp/mobilesuica/googlepay/
Android Mobile Suica https://www.jreast.co.jp/mobilesuica/android/
Compatible MVNO/carrier-free phones https://www.jreast.co.jp/mobilesuica/android/
* It might be possible to put a roaming sim in it but since they are domestic market phones, most people will have access to inexpensive MVNO subscription plans so not a lot of info in English on domestic phone + foreign sim.
FelicaDude on reddit has posted a lot more info on Felica NFC compatibility for those who are curious https://www.reddit.com/user/FelicaDude Standards and licensing ($$$) come into play as well https://atadistance.net/2017/10/22/w...-iphone-party/
Last edited by freecia; Mar 31, 2019 at 4:06 pm
#240
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 54
Has anyone seen a situation where the apply pay recharge seems like it is done and a checkmark is displayed, but the suica balance does not update? Chase shows the charge as pending but the SUICA balance is still the same.
This case seems to be addressed in: https://atadistance.net/all-about-ap...uica-recharge/ where it says with for the update, but it hasn't shown up, what does one do in this case?
Thanks
This case seems to be addressed in: https://atadistance.net/all-about-ap...uica-recharge/ where it says with for the update, but it hasn't shown up, what does one do in this case?
Thanks