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Softbank Japan and iPhone 3G (Merged Thread)

Podgy

Podgy

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 21, 2007
55
0
Tokyo surprisingly
Very excited and relieved to finally be able to buy an iPhone here in Japan BUT

Will it be activated only in Apple/Softbank stores?

I already have a Softbank phone so I wonder will I be able to easily keep my

number?

Who is going to Ginza on the 11th?

Podgy
 
i'm waiting on the plans that softbank will do for the iphone, their current smartphone data houdai plans (not the regular 3g ones) are a little too expensive for me.. something like 9800 without calls (not that many people call in japan)

luckily in shikoku there is coverage where i am with softbank just hoping good deals were organised. i really want to get the iphone and also try out this mobileme to see if i want to get that as well (nice for the webhosting)
 
ホワイットプラん？

A lot depends on the usage plans Softbank offers indeed.

Softbank has a HUGE opportunity with the iPhone...

Will they blow it by offering expensive plans or think smart

and offer a reasonable plan and rake that yen in....

I need to KNOW!

P.S. If anyones already got an iphone and is buying one in Tokyo in August, let me know when you've finished with it?

;o)
 
Podgy said:
A lot depends on the usage plans Softbank offers indeed.

Softbank has a HUGE opportunity with the iPhone...

Will they blow it by offering expensive plans or think smart

and offer a reasonable plan and rake that yen in....

I need to KNOW!

P.S. If anyones already got an iphone and is buying one in Tokyo in August, let me know when you've finished with it?

;o)
Click to expand...

I will be bring that one back from Japan so I wont be able to leave it for you as a gift. :)
 
?? All iPhones can have their interfaces changed to any of the supported languages.

What I want to know is if the Japanese kana keyboard will include emoticons and icons. These are essential for daily communication.
 
Softwank

Well, just back from the Softbank shop.
They dont know anything regarding pricing/plans.
They could state that right now(yeah right) theres no reservations
makable for the iPhone in the store I went in and that the iPhone will
fall into one of the existing usage plans...He wouldnt/couldnt say if that meant the white plan.

Do I take the 11th off and trundle to the Softbank shop to find out its ridiculously over-priced and/or sold out because they started taking reservations but told me otherwise?

Frak this...
 
8GB model - 23000Yen, monthly charge 980Yen , Data Plan 5985Yen

So that works out to be about: ($US)

8GB model - $215 , monthly charge $10 , Data Plan $55
 
*and suddenly the prices are revealed in Australia*

humph.
wishful thinking.
 
sweet! about twice what i'm paying with AU currently (for the plan) but hey, it's the iphone. i actually thought it was going to cost a lot more as most things here do. i can't wait until the 11th!
 
bkea said:
U and me both! maybe we wont find out till we have already signed the contract lol
Click to expand...

it'll be - - -

1) here's the iPhone
2) sign here
3) by the way, we are charging you $1,000 per month to make 1 call....

to which i reply " LEG IT!!!! "
 
Hm. Supposedly the iPhone doesn't support MMS, yet you have to pay for a basic S! (MMS messaging) package. I'm confused.

And call me a dork, but I really want to know if emoticon support is included, or if my messages will be full of geta symbols.
 
bkea said:
8GB model - 23000Yen, monthly charge 980Yen , Data Plan 5985Yen

So that works out to be about: ($US)

8GB model - $215 , monthly charge $10 , Data Plan $55
Click to expand...

The white plan (980 yen) also contains ZERO voice minutes.
 
Stuff THIS !!!

Ok OK - I understand that 980 yen is really cheap (white plan) so maybe they have to add on a 6000 yen surplus charge to make money (from using the net) but what about if you're not on that plan ???

It states on the softbank page (rough translation sorry) : In addition, Web FURUBURAUJINGU, as well as video services and map services, telecommunications charges without having to worry about new services available to as "straight-line full packet" (5,985 yen per month)"

So i guess its for unlimited packet data eg: GPS and youtube download - which I'll probably won't use at all unless I have access to free Wi-fi.....

But currently my base rate is around 4,500 yen so Im not paying a stupid 6000 yen extra bull$%^& charge....just to surf the internet !

My students were saying today that the Japanese Iphone has a special chip relating to Softbank....Anyone know about this ??? I wonder if its going to be hard to jailbreak here....
 
Damn ! Im being drawn to it by the hype !!
Should I pay almost 10,000 yen ??? ummmm - the data plan is unlimited....but i hope that "unlimited" doesnt have a limit....!!!!

Evil Boy - Great thread by the way - just what I needed....

Your blog states......

"There is a special USIM (SIM card) for iPhone. Customers who change their SoftBank phone to iPhone will be required to exchange their SIM card. Moreover, dedicated iPhone USIM (SIM card) can not be used in other phones. That prevents iPhone to be used with regular SoftBank price plans and additionally locks the device."

SO the USIM is being used to keep the device locked - I wonder if its the same in other countries ??? Is the sim card the same as normal phones or Are softbank trying to lock it into their network ??? Also since S!mail cant be used - what will happen if a jailbroken phone (if it can be unlocked) is used here (no mail it seems ?)
 
AppleinJapan said:
SO the USIM is being used to keep the device locked - I wonder if its the same in other countries ??? Is the sim card the same as normal phones or Are softbank trying to lock it into their network ??? Also since S!mail cant be used - what will happen if a jailbroken phone (if it can be unlocked) is used here (no mail it seems ?)
Click to expand...

1) It looks like it will be locked to the new USIM, so you can not use it with regular plans (standard regular sim) skipping hefty data plan price tag

2) jailbroken iPhone will have a hard time in Japan - unless you already have one of those "you name it (i)" plans you won't be able to access new mail server
 
evilboy said:
1) It looks like it will be locked to the new USIM, so you can not use it with regular plans (standard regular sim) skipping hefty data plan price tag

2) jailbroken iPhone will have a hard time in Japan - unless you already have one of those "you name it (i)" plans you won't be able to access new mail server
Click to expand...

You mean an unlocked phone, right? Jailbroken means that you can run 3rd-party applications on it, while unlocking it would allow you to use it with other Softbank plans & other carriers.

Evilboy, could you provide a source for this USIM stuff? I assume this is just a device-based lock on the Softbank network that will eventually be able to be unlocked through hacks for use in other countries with other services.

I doubt Softbank will provide an unlock code when I end up leaving the country a year or so from now, but I want to be sure that the hardware isn't different, or special. I want to use it in the USA so I plan to unlock it at some point in the future.
 
I meant unlocked of course, sorry

Here is the special USIM announcement directly from the official SoftBank press release:

"iPhone 3Gは専用USIMになりますので、機種変更（買い増し）の場合、USIMを専用のものに切り替える必要があります。なお、専用USIMは、iPhone 3G以外の機種では利用できません。"
Click to expand...

Also, I don't think Japanese iPhone hardware is any different.
That being said unlocked Japanese iPhone could be used with different SoftBank plans (BUT - @i.softbank.jp mail won't work as it comes with the iPhone plans) as well as different carriers. It is worth to notice that current X series phones support standard S!Mail (special Windows Mobile mail app), so in theory it would be possible to write iPhone mail application for S!Mail...
 
evilboy said:
I meant unlocked of course, sorry

Here is the special USIM announcement directly from the official SoftBank press release:
Click to expand...

Here's an English translation of that press release:


"iPhone 3G USIM will be a dedicated and model changes (further buying) case, USIM dedicated to the need to switch. In addition, the exclusive USIM, iPhone 3G is not available in other models."
 
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