Using a Blackberry in Japan

[TripleAAA]

So I have a Blackberry Tour through Verizon and I was just wondering if it will work in Japan (near Tokyo) and if so, what type of charges would I be looking at?

Could I use it just for email and not be charged anything extra or will they charge me whether I'm talking, texting, etc?

Thanks for any help

 

[pm]

I'm pretty sure the answer is no. Japan has their own system and is mostly imcompatible with the rest of the world - at least until they start rolling out LTE next year. Japan has no GSM network. They do have 3G 2100 UMTS through NTT DoCoMo, but it's my understanding that they only offer it as a data service, not for voice.

Also, Japan is not on the list on Blackberry's website:
http://na.blackberry.com/eng/ataglance/networks/#tab_tab_world

Japan does use WiFi at US compatible frequencies, but the Verizon Tour doesn't have WiFi. So, no. Your best bet is to rent a cell phone at the airport.

 

[secretanchitman]

I'm pretty sure the answer is no. Japan has their own system and is mostly imcompatible with the rest of the world - at least until they start rolling out LTE next year. Japan has no GSM network. They do have 3G 2100 UMTS through NTT DoCoMo, but it's my understanding that they only offer it as a data service, not for voice.

Also, Japan is not on the list on Blackberry's website:
http://na.blackberry.com/eng/ataglance/networks/#tab_tab_world

Japan does use WiFi at US compatible frequencies, but the Verizon Tour doesn't have WiFi. So, no. Your best bet is to rent a cell phone at the airport.

oh really? i thought the iphone 3G/3GS were available to use in japan, since the 3G bands are supported for both voice and data. i could be wrong though...doesnt the tour have gsm 3G? or is it edge only?

 

[pm]

oh really? i thought the iphone 3G/3GS were available to use in japan, since the 3G bands are supported for both voice and data. i could be wrong though...doesnt the tour have gsm 3G? or is it edge only?

I could easily be wrong. I don't know that much about Japanese cell phones - although I've attended a couple of keynotes from NTT DoCoMo executives but they didn't spend any time talking about using US cell phones in Japan. All I did was do some Googling... but if you Google things like "Verizon Blackberry Tour Japan, it doesn't look like it works.

NTT DoCoMo is on 2100 3G UMTS GSM and the Tour supports 2100UMTS. But if you google that there's a lot about data for laptops...

I'd call Verizon and ask them...

 

[secretanchitman]

I could easily be wrong. I don't know that much about Japanese cell phones - although I've attended a couple of keynotes from NTT DoCoMo executives but they didn't spend any time talking about using US cell phones in Japan. All I did was do some Googling... but if you Google things like "Verizon Blackberry Tour Japan, it doesn't look like it works.

NTT DoCoMo is on 2100 3G UMTS GSM and the Tour supports 2100UMTS. But if you google that there's a lot about data for laptops...

I'd call Verizon and ask them...

oh gotcha. thank you for that! 🙂 nice to know if i ever go overseas there.

 

[uli2000]

So I have a Blackberry Tour through Verizon and I was just wondering if it will work in Japan (near Tokyo) and if so, what type of charges would I be looking at?

Could I use it just for email and not be charged anything extra or will they charge me whether I'm talking, texting, etc?

Thanks for any help

For Data:
http://b2b.vzw.com/international/Global_Email/Asia-Pacific/Japan.html

Looks like $65/mo unlimited messaging or $.02/kb ($20 and change a MB)

Voice and texting:
http://b2b.vzw.com/international/Roaming/Asia-Pacific/Japan.html

Voice-$1.99/min,

http://b2b.vzw.com/international/Text_Messaging/index.html

Text: $.50 in/out

Call Verizon and ask for a sim unlock code, then just buy a local sim in Japan.

 

[secretanchitman]

For Data:
http://b2b.vzw.com/international/Global_Email/Asia-Pacific/Japan.html

Looks like $65/mo unlimited messaging or $.02/kb ($20 and change a MB)

Voice and texting:
http://b2b.vzw.com/international/Roaming/Asia-Pacific/Japan.html

Voice-$1.99/min,

http://b2b.vzw.com/international/Text_Messaging/index.html

Text: $.50 in/out

Call Verizon and ask for a sim unlock code, then just buy a local sim in Japan.

and if verizon for some reason doesnt give you the sim unlock code, you can buy one off ebay. i can refer you to the guy ive bought my codes from. the unlocks have worked no problem 🙂