Use of an iPhone 5 in Japan

[lbj1251]

I'm going to Japan in a couple of months for a year (or possibly longer). Does anyone know what I have to do relative to usage of my Iphone 5 over there? I have heard that it has to be unlocked? Will I need to get a Japanese-based service provider? I'm with AT&T presently and I intend to call them, but just wondered if others had gone through this. Thanks.....

 

[DragonJade]

If you don't want to pay AT&T roaming charges then you'll have to sign up with a local mobile company.

If you're here for less than two years, then you might want to consider getting something like a pay-as-you-go/prepaid plan SIM.

Regular contracts are two years long in Japan, even if you only get a SIM - I'm SIM only and am using my own phone.

You can get SIMs from either Docomo or Softbank. I've emailed Softbank in the past for information and they've been good enough to reply.

Your phone will have to be unlocked. If it's locked, how can another company's SIM work in it otherwise?