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3G iPhone in Japan?

This story seems to be making the rounds: iPhone is apparently #1 in Japan.

Of note is that the survey was done prior to the launch of the 3GS, which - at least from what I've seen personally - seems to be selling rather briskly. I guess a hole to attach cute character straps wasn't necessary after all.
 
mavis said:
I guess a hole to attach cute character straps wasn't necessary after all.
Click to expand...
Those who want the character straps can purchase a case that allows them to do that.

I find it interesting to see businessmen in three piece suits with cell phones that have various characters hanging from their cell phones.
 
chinarut said:
ha - would love to see pictures of this phenomenon - do post or send links! :D
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, that's one area that I don't have pictures. I am a bit timid about taking pictures of people on trains -- especially when by myself. I may have to give it a try. :)

But I can tell you, the last one that I saw I had to do a double take. I was sitting and he was standing on the other side of the train. It was hanging out of his back pocket. I thought that it would be some young 20 or 30 something fellow. But no, this guy was around 60. His rear pocket was worn a bit at the top towards the front so he had been carrying it there for quite a while.

Funny.

On a side note, I am amazed at the number of Japanese women who put their makeup on while riding the train. Fun to watch sometimes. But I do cringe a little bit when they go to do their eyelashes or other effects around their eyes. The trains are smooth, but sometimes they still bump a little. I can just imagine them putting their makeup tool right into their eye.
 
iPhone 3G Silent photos. Enabling prurient tendencies?

Talking about taking pictures on trains in Japan reminded me of something I noticed recently about the iPhone in Japan. Talking with a Japanese female acquaintance of mine, I noticed a little clash of cultures in the rules for cell phone cameras. When cell phone cameras started becoming so common in Japan a few years ago, there were a few stories in the press about guys taking so called "up-skirt" photos of women and it was considered a problem that the cameras would work without making any noise. It quickly became a sort of unspoken rule that all cell phone cameras would emit some sort of telltale noise whenever a photo was taken. I noticed that the iPhone camera does not make any noise if you lower the volume or put it in silent mode. It doesn't seem to be a problem in the States so Apple made the iPhone to be able to take silent photos. She was shocked to hear that fact and when we pondered why there was this difference in cultures she offered that it must be that "there are just more "pervs" in Japan." Being a man I figure the heart of man is pretty much the same the world over, so I'm not so sure about her take on it. But I do imagine that since our beloved iPhones can take silent pictures, and now with the 3GS, even videos with no light on the lens side, it won't be long before a story pops up about some guy using that wicked & evil iPhone for just such a nefarious deed. And hey all you pervs, don't get any ideas....:D BTW I sure love my 32G Black 3GS!
 
Narzist said:
You are wrong. The 1st generation did neither support CDMA nor W-CDMA.
The iPhone came to Japan with the release of the 3G.
Click to expand...
Oops, my bad.

For a working iPhone, it was the 3G model that was introduced last year.

For non-working iPhones, it was the first generation models. They were available in Akihabara about a month after their release in the US. Cost was around $900 and $1200 for the 4GB and 8GB models. Basically you could use them as a fancy iPod. No, I did not get one. But I did buy a case for one. :)

Anyhow, sorry for the confusion.
 
Issues with i.softbank.jp account and keyboards in mail?

Hi Guys,
I'm sure you'll give me crap for still using the i.softbank account... but hey, I really prefer it! Easier to scroll through my messages and I can access my mail on my mac as well.

Just today I'm having issues with the account switching between the English and kana keyboard (any keyboard for that matter). Mail seems to freeze and then quits to the home screen...

If I launch safari, I can switch with no problems and if I quit with the kana keyboard active, then launch mail, it works fine... until I cycle through the keyboards, and it will quit again.

Other mail accounts (mobile me, gmail. etc.) have no problems with switching between keyboards. I can actually start in gmail, type my message and then switch to i.softbank.jp and send with no problems. This is just a work around and I'd prefer to have it work correctly. My Japanese friends would say that's me being "A-Type". :)

Any ideas on what might be the issue? I tried to delete the i.softbank account and reinstall, but that didn't help. Also tried turning the handset off and back on again... that also didn't help.

**Update**
I've found the culprit... it's the emoji keyboard. When turned off, I can cycle through keyboards with no problem. I also found this is effecting MMS mails as well (@softbank.ne.jp). If no one else can confirm issues, I guess I'll have to do the dreaded restore. If one of you could let me know, I'd appreciate it! Thanks in advance.
 
Softbank prepaid

Next year in March in plan to go to Japan again. I'm already in a Softbank prepaid plan, but next march it'll almost be 2 years for my last stay in Japan. So my Softbank prepaid service will already be expired, I guess.
As I don't wanna buy a new device again, i'm planning to use my German iPhone3GS as my mobile phone in Japan and just make a new prepaid plan again. Of course I will unlock my phone before.
First question: Will thus be possible?
Second question: I heard, that, if you run an iPhone on Softbank without a special iPhone plan, the data charge will be horrendous. As I want to be able to receive softbank.ne.jp mail, I don't wanna toggle my data connection. On my old prepaid plan, the was a restrection that didn't allow my to make a data connection expect the sending and reseption of email. Will it be the same with the iPhone?

Alternatively, the company I work for can lend me a celly for free. But then i won't be able to use a personlized mail adress and my company can read all my conversations, I guess.
 
joshieboi said:
I just try to install mobileconfig file from help.benm.at site, for some reason i don't see tethering option under network setting anymore. :eek:

The mobileconfig file i'm currently using is made by iPhone configuration utitlity then I added some line to enable tethering. :)

And since i'm using the same APN setting as the Softbank iPhone, i don't think softbank has a way to tell if i'm tethering or not. The only thing they might be able to do is monitor your packet usage, and type of port.
Click to expand...

I can now confirm Tethering on Softbank's network under the same APN setting for iPhone does qualify your internet usage under pocket flat-rate full.
My internet usage was around 600K YEN :eek:before the discount, and was bill for 5,700 YEN.:D
 
Softbank SIM?

Hello,

I'm currently using an iPhone 3G here in Japan on Softbank. I will be in the US for a couple of months soon, and would like to get an iPhone 3GS while there, to use while I'm there.

My question is: When I come back to Japan, can I simply pop the SIM Card from my iPhone 3G into the iPhone 3GS that I bought while in the US, and have it work fine?

Thank you
 
MacbookSwitcher said:
Hello,

I'm currently using an iPhone 3G here in Japan on Softbank. I will be in the US for a couple of months soon, and would like to get an iPhone 3GS while there, to use while I'm there.

My question is: When I come back to Japan, can I simply pop the SIM Card from my iPhone 3G into the iPhone 3GS that I bought while in the US, and have it work fine?

Thank you
Click to expand...

No, the US iPhone is sim-locked to our carrier, AT&T.

In order to use it with your sim, you would have to jailbreak and unlock it.
 
Nikuman said:
Talking about taking pictures on trains in Japan reminded me of something I noticed recently about the iPhone in Japan. Talking with a Japanese female acquaintance of mine, I noticed a little clash of cultures in the rules for cell phone cameras. When cell phone cameras started becoming so common in Japan a few years ago, there were a few stories in the press about guys taking so called "up-skirt" photos of women and it was considered a problem that the cameras would work without making any noise. It quickly became a sort of unspoken rule that all cell phone cameras would emit some sort of telltale noise whenever a photo was taken. I noticed that the iPhone camera does not make any noise if you lower the volume or put it in silent mode. It doesn't seem to be a problem in the States so Apple made the iPhone to be able to take silent photos. She was shocked to hear that fact and when we pondered why there was this difference in cultures she offered that it must be that "there are just more "pervs" in Japan." Being a man I figure the heart of man is pretty much the same the world over, so I'm not so sure about her take on it. But I do imagine that since our beloved iPhones can take silent pictures, and now with the 3GS, even videos with no light on the lens side, it won't be long before a story pops up about some guy using that wicked & evil iPhone for just such a nefarious deed. And hey all you pervs, don't get any ideas....:D BTW I sure love my 32G Black 3GS!
Click to expand...

My Japanese iPhone 3G always makes the camera shutter sound....EXCEPT when you are playing audio through the ipod function.
 
sushi said:
You definitely have to be careful.

I hope that joshieboi's system works.
Click to expand...

Another good reason to be careful. I recently just moved to Japan. My wife and I signed up for the white plan and the unlimited data. I got an iPhone. The wife did not. Well after she started playing with my old one more and some of the software for learning Japanese I had installed on it, she decided she wanted to use it.

Well I unlocked it with Ultrasn0w and thought everything was just dandy. Until we just got socked with a $1600 phone bill for the data services used while the SIM was in the iPhone. Softbank is trying to tell us that the "Unlimited Data Plan" does not apply to phones not purchased in Japan.

Granted now, my terms of service are all in Japanese. It's going to be a while translating them to determine where in the contract it stipulates that. This might not be a problem for those of you on the pay as you go / rental tip. But if there's any new expats or anyone thinking of buying an unlocked iphone for use here I'd plan on holding off or yanking your SIM out if you've already done it.
 
Tough break. Just so I have this straight;


Your wife had a Softbank sim-card with an unlimited data contract.

You put that sim-card into an unlocked iPhone, bought outside of Japan.

Softbank were able to somehow identify that the iPhone was bought outside of Japan and charged you due to a loophole in their contract stating that you must use their phone when using their data???


I'm sure I've read about people popping their Japan sims into unlocked foreign iPhones in the past to no consequence.

I had planned to do exactly this myself when I move there in a few weeks.





Snowblind5150 said:
Another good reason to be careful. I recently just moved to Japan. My wife and I signed up for the white plan and the unlimited data. I got an iPhone. The wife did not. Well after she started playing with my old one more and some of the software for learning Japanese I had installed on it, she decided she wanted to use it.

Well I unlocked it with Ultrasn0w and thought everything was just dandy. Until we just got socked with a $1600 phone bill for the data services used while the SIM was in the iPhone. Softbank is trying to tell us that the "Unlimited Data Plan" does not apply to phones not purchased in Japan.

Granted now, my terms of service are all in Japanese. It's going to be a while translating them to determine where in the contract it stipulates that. This might not be a problem for those of you on the pay as you go / rental tip. But if there's any new expats or anyone thinking of buying an unlocked iphone for use here I'd plan on holding off or yanking your SIM out if you've already done it.
Click to expand...
 
pauld said:
Tough break. Just so I have this straight;


Your wife had a Softbank sim-card with an unlimited data contract.

You put that sim-card into an unlocked iPhone, bought outside of Japan.

Softbank were able to somehow identify that the iPhone was bought outside of Japan and charged you due to a loophole in their contract stating that you must use their phone when using their data???


I'm sure I've read about people popping their Japan sims into unlocked foreign iPhones in the past to no consequence.

I had planned to do exactly this myself when I move there in a few weeks.
Click to expand...

Yup. Most of the backlog of stories from people using unlocked phones over here are with rented SIM's from everything I can tell.
 
mavis said:
I guess a hole to attach cute character straps wasn't necessary after all.
Click to expand...

If anyone REALLY would like to use straps, this case by Bone is just the thing. I love mine (and in no way work for or represent Bone in any way).

 
pamela12 said:
well thanks for sharing the info but are u sure this GSM 2G system in Japan is no more applicable to new mobile phone now?
Click to expand...

There was GSM 2G System for foreign carriers to roam data some time ago. But as japanese carriers, such as softbank, allready plan to drop their own non-gsm 2G antennas by the beginn of next year, i really doubt the japanese 2G GMS service still works.
As far as i know, this service has just been provided in the Tôkyô metropolitan area. Since 2005 I've been to Tôkyô plenty, of times, with at least 3 different 2G GSM phones before i bought my 3GS (including Sidekick 2 und iPhone 2G). All of the 2G Phones did not even have the slightest piece of reception.
So the japanese 2GSM Service just sucks or, which I think is true, the GSM service just doesn't exist any more.
 
Another Softbank story

Just my story as a warning to everyone.

Since january I am using an italian (sim-lock free) iPhone with my regular - non-iPhone - Softbank 3G sim-card in Japan. I was carefully checking the first months for data usage but the unlimited data plan applied. So I started to make full use of the iPhone capabilities. Sometimes in june, exactly on june 9th, Softbank changed the plan. Unlimited data no longer apply and the rate per package more than doubled from 0.08 yen to 0.2 yen. I am not sure whether they notified me, there are just too many Softbank SMS coming in. Please do not ask about the monthly bill. I talked to them but they do not accept regular unlimited data plan for iPhone use or for thethering (which I have not done). If anybody was successful to convince Softbank to lower the bill, please reply.

I can't remember what happened on june 8 or 9 but I do not think that I changed anything in the settings. So my best guess is that somehow Softbank managed to recognize by the net-usage that it was an iPhone.

Be careful.
 
bened said:
Just my story as a warning to everyone.

Since january I am using an italian (sim-lock free) iPhone with my regular - non-iPhone - Softbank 3G sim-card in Japan. I was carefully checking the first months for data usage but the unlimited data plan applied. So I started to make full use of the iPhone capabilities. Sometimes in june, exactly on june 9th, Softbank changed the plan. Unlimited data no longer apply and the rate per package more than doubled from 0.08 yen to 0.2 yen. I am not sure whether they notified me, there are just too many Softbank SMS coming in. Please do not ask about the monthly bill. I talked to them but they do not accept regular unlimited data plan for iPhone use or for thethering (which I have not done). If anybody was successful to convince Softbank to lower the bill, please reply.

I can't remember what happened on june 8 or 9 but I do not think that I changed anything in the settings. So my best guess is that somehow Softbank managed to recognize by the net-usage that it was an iPhone.

Be careful.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what happened with us. No changes to the phone. No change in plan, no notification. They confirmed that she still had the double white with unlimited internet. Softbank just said their unlimited rate plans do not apply to "iPhones not sold in Japan"

On a side note. After a number of calls, etc. Their "supervisor" called us back and they agreed to reverse the charges "this time only". Of course that will take a couple weeks as the funds that they took directly out of our account will need to clear first I guess. The Softbank SIM in the new phones seem to be the same USIM as I had in my iPhone legitimately purchased through Softbank. I didn't look all that close though.
 
This scares me.

I've got a 3GS purchased here in Japan, but it's jailbroken. I've never enabled/used tethering, but I do use Skype over 3G from time to time. My monthly data usage (pre-discount) is usually around $10,000, but for the month of July it is over $20,000 ... I hope they don't try to bill for that amount due to the jailbreak ... :eek:
 
bened said:
Just my story as a warning to everyone.

Since january I am using an italian (sim-lock free) iPhone with my regular - non-iPhone - Softbank 3G sim-card in Japan.
Click to expand...

Here is where I think you got caught, Softbank know which type of SIM-card you are using according to your contract. Thus, an non-iPhone SIM card (sliver/red) should not have internet usage similar to what an iPhone is capable of. (i.e. your internet packet usage should be at a level close to other customer using regular cell phones.)

What I'm more curious is, which set of APN setting did you use for your sim-lock free iPhone, because Softbank has different set of APN setting for iPhone specific SIM card and regular softbank cell phones. I'm not sure, if you can mix APN setting and still get internet discount at end of month. (i.e. iPhone specific APN setting on a silver/red SIM, or vise versa).
 
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