Purchasing a data SIM in Japan

[ss284]

Does anyone have any experience buying a sim card for data use in Japan? I'll be visiting for a week and don't want to be caught in the middle of Tokyo without a lifeline. I'm leaning toward using econnect, which provides 1GB of data for about $50 shipped.

www.econnectjapan.com

Seems expensive but I can't seem to find a better option. I'm using a GSM galaxy nexus.

Thanks.

 

[pm]

This article seems pretty up-to-date:
http://www.insidekyoto.com/2012/01/how-to-buy-prepaid-iphone-sim-card-in.html

And this one too:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294232-i525-k5047102-How_to_buy_a_SIM_card_for_data-Japan.html

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Paging yokuyuki. He just went to Japan with his Nexus 4.

 

[zerogear]

In Narita you can pick up pre-paid simcards last time I went, but it was pretty expensive. There are also a bunch of services that send/rent you simcard before you go.

http://jcrcorp.com/mobile/mobile_rental_simcard.htm

http://www.softbank-rental.jp/e/rental-plan-ib04.php

http://www.globaladvancedcomm.com/simrent.html

http://www.econnectjapan.com/

 

[ss284]

Seems like econnect is one of the cheapest and most convenient. I'll probably just go with that.

 

[Dari]

Your hotels will have wifi. But it's next to impossible to get free wifi anywhere else. I don't understand what you mean by 'lifeline'.

 

[zerogear]

http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/english/

One more.

 

[Fingolfin269]

In Narita you can pick up pre-paid simcards last time I went, but it was pretty expensive. There are also a bunch of services that send/rent you simcard before you go.

http://jcrcorp.com/mobile/mobile_rental_simcard.htm

http://www.softbank-rental.jp/e/rental-plan-ib04.php

http://www.globaladvancedcomm.com/simrent.html

http://www.econnectjapan.com/

This is still true. But if this is your first trip you will likely be too tired to figure out what to do. 😉

 

[ss284]

Your hotels will have wifi. But it's next to impossible to get free wifi anywhere else. I don't understand what you mean by 'lifeline'.

A lifeline to the AT forums, obviously.