iPhone service in Japan with Verizon?

[alkemyst]

They have an International Roaming Plan with $1.99/min.

Is there any other type of service I can use instead without having to rent another phone?

I have a Samsung Mythic on AT&T too that can be reactivated there if that works.

 

[blackangst1]

Your best bet is to have a phone with a SIM, that is unlocked. Then, get a prepaid SIM in Japan with a local number.

 

[alkemyst]

Your best bet is to have a phone with a SIM, that is unlocked. Then, get a prepaid SIM in Japan with a local number.

that's one of the processes I am looking for. Need to know more details. My mythic has a sim. The verizon iphone does not.

 

[uli2000]

To roam in Japan, you will need a phone with 2100Mhz UTMS (3g) capabilites. According to Samsung, the Mythic is 850/900/1900 GSM only, so it wont work in Japan. I used to have a Blackberry Tour on Alltel (Verizon carried it as well) and it had the 2100mhz band.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

your best bet in roaming with any country is usually to get a GSM phone.

 

[alkemyst]

your best bet in roaming with any country is usually to get a GSM phone.

Not in Japan.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Not in Japan.

yes so it doesn't work with 2G networks, but 3G networks use UMTS, which is available in practically any GSM handset you get today. GSM handsets aren't just 2G. The only problem with a lot of the prepaid phones in the US is that they might not have 2100 bands, but most high end 850/1900 or 1700 AWS phones here also have 2100.

 

[alkemyst]

ok so I have a Samsung Mythic and Motorola Razr v2 deactivated from AT&T and a Verizon iPhone.

Is there a better method than the Verizon $1.99/min plan for Japan?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

ok so I have a Samsung Mythic and Motorola Razr v2 deactivated from AT&T and a Verizon iPhone.

Is there a better method than the Verizon $1.99/min plan for Japan?

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_a897_mythic-2996.php

Looks like you should be OK?

 

[Pliablemoose]

It appears Softbank has pre paid SM cards http://mb.softbank.jp/en/

you (she) should be able to pick one up at the airport

 

[alkemyst]

Yeah the SIM's we know about...if my mythic works there that would be the cheapest bet.

 

[uli2000]

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_a897_mythic-2996.php

Looks like you should be OK?

Funny, because Samsungs website made no mention of the 3g bands, only GSM. The mythic should be ok, but make sure it's unlocked or it will be worthless.

 

[alkemyst]

From what I have read the iPhone by verizon even though compatible with the bands over there will not work outside Verizon.

I guess my Mythic will have to do...I will see about unlocking it.

 

[Pliablemoose]

One of the iPhone's major fail points (GSM/AT&T variant) is that you had to unlock them without Apple or the carrier's approval to use them internationally. The Verizon model reportedly has a radio capable of handling a SIM card/GSM frequencies, but that wasn't included in the physical design of the current generation.

 

[zerogear]

They have an International Roaming Plan with $1.99/min.

Is there any other type of service I can use instead without having to rent another phone?

I have a Samsung Mythic on AT&T too that can be reactivated there if that works.

Why not just rent a phone at the airport? DoCoMo usually have stores there to provide for rental. The data rates are generally fairly acceptable

 

[zerogear]

One of the iPhone's major fail points (GSM/AT&T variant) is that you had to unlock them without Apple or the carrier's approval to use them internationally. The Verizon model reportedly has a radio capable of handling a SIM card/GSM frequencies, but that wasn't included in the physical design of the current generation.

I can see in the future that they will streamline CMDA and GSM versions so they don't need two production lines.

 

[alkemyst]

Why not just rent a phone at the airport? DoCoMo usually have stores there to provide for rental. The data rates are generally fairly acceptable

It's actually a lot more expensive than a sim.

 

[alkemyst]

I can see in the future that they will streamline CMDA and GSM versions so they don't need two production lines.

Yeah like when they convert the entire US to underground power lines.


Anywho...I unlocked my Mythic today. AT&T also was extremely upset the three total CSR's I spoke with did not retain my contract. Based on me paying my early termination fee upfront I would have been entitled to my device renewals early. The fact that I was offering to buy an iPad at the same time really had the fourth person I spoke with up in arms over it.

They should have never lost me over this, I had been with them close to 15 years.