iPhone in Japan

[imlovingapple]

Hi guys,

I am planning to buy an iPhone soon. And I am going to Japan on work visa for few months....I would love to take my iPhone with me there. But don't know whether I can use it for my e-mails check/ internet connection or as a mobile....Sorry, am not a techi person so don't know all those tech-words....just heard that some internet standards might make it difficult to access the net connection there...

Please anyone help me here with this....Besides, does iPhone work as a PDA...I have one Nokia's PDA.

Thanks!

 

[downeym]

I am writing this from China and my iPhone does work fine here. Of course, be prepared to pay out the nose for roaming charges. I can connect to edge just fine here and the china mobile netowrk also works fine for voice calls.

I would love tobe able to pop in a local SIM card and use it here, but I cant yet of course... I connect WIFI where available, otherwise I am leaving it in airplane mode right now to make sure I don't have a mega bill when i go home!

I just checked Japan and it looks like they don't have a roaming agreement with any of the local carriers, so I think you are out of luck...

 

[SkyyBoy]

your iPhone will NOT work on any of the cellular networks in Japan, as they all use some form of 3G (and your iPhone does NOT have3G). However, the WiFi should work just fine in Japan.
Note that WiFi is not as prevalent in Japan, as they have almost universal 3G cellular coverage...

 

[stewsan]

your iPhone will NOT work on any of the cellular networks in Japan, as they all use some form of 3G (and your iPhone does NOT have3G). However, the WiFi should work just fine in Japan.
Note that WiFi is not as prevalent in Japan, as they have almost universal 3G cellular coverage...

I work in Japan and there are limited wifi as SB said. If you're going to be here that long you might pick up that small Apple wifi in case you stay someplace that has broadband and you can plug it in and use your iPhone.

That's what I do in hotels here....

 

[Nonaspirin]

About Japan

You all may have seen some of the cell phones made in Japan. They are at the forefront of cellular technology. It's interesting that all their cell phone's operate off of 3g but they can watch tv/movies on their cell phones(which are just as slim and stylish as the iPhone). Not trying to beat a dead horse, it personally doesn't bother me just a compliment to Japan.

 

[stewsan]

Actually, Japan is falling behind. I live in Thailand and we get all the latest available and they have some incredible phones. Yes, you can watch tv on the phones in Japan which I have and it works pretty good. They used to have the latest but haven't moved forward as much as the rest of Asia, especially Korea which puts out some cool phones that you never see in the USA. For example, Japan just recently got Blackberry and only sell to the Corporate world and not for the everyday folks. They don't even have sms messaging....

 

[Nonaspirin]

Asia

Actually, Japan is falling behind. I live in Thailand and we get all the latest available and they have some incredible phones. Yes, you can watch tv on the phones in Japan which I have and it works pretty good. They used to have the latest but haven't moved forward as much as the rest of Asia, especially Korea which puts out some cool phones that you never see in the USA. For example, Japan just recently got Blackberry and only sell to the Corporate world and not for the everyday folks. They don't even have sms messaging....

I should have played safe and said Asia. The same holds true with most of the automobile market Koreans are putting some greatthings out there! My bias comes from living in Japan for 6 years, where the attitude is patriotic towards craftsmenship in Japanese products. How long have you lived in Thailand?

 

[stewsan]

I should have played safe and said Asia. The same holds true with most of the automobile market Koreans are putting some greatthings out there! My bias comes from living in Japan for 6 years, where the attitude is patriotic towards craftsmenship in Japanese products. How long have you lived in Thailand?

I've lived here 7 years and I go to Japan a few times a month. You are right about the technology in Japan and the comment about the phone was very true a few years ago. For some reason, Thailand gets phones that aren't available in the western world and there is no such thing as locked phones that I'm aware of...

 

[interjoeit]

Questions to those who know more than me

I've lived here 7 years and I go to Japan a few times a month. You are right about the technology in Japan and the comment about the phone was very true a few years ago. For some reason, Thailand gets phones that aren't available in the western world and there is no such thing as locked phones that I'm aware of...

I am heading to Japan and have an iPhone. I see that it won't work, but Wifi might? I need to be able to contact my friend once I get to the airport any suggestions on how to do this. I have a treo 650 that takes a sim card, but figure that buying one would be dump as I only need it for that one call or text. Any thoughts?

 

[stewsan]

The easiest way would be to change $5 at the currency exchange and get some coins and use a pay phone which there are many all over the airport. Remember, when calling him local you add the "0" and drop the country code. For instance if he has a Tokyo number it might start out like 03-xxx-xxxx

Depending on which airport you're going into, you might have free wifi. In that case, if he has IM chat on his phone, you can text him.

You'll be able to use the iPhone wifi with not a problem and the little charger will plugin without an adapter.

Have a good trip...