Japan’s telecommunication network is very exclusive to other foreign mobile communication network. Domestic communication network is oligopolies by three major mobile carriers which are “AU”, “DOCOMO”, “SOFT BANK”. Other small to medium domestic mobile carriers make regularly license agreement of communication lines possessed by them. So almost all the telecommunication and mobile carriers in Japan depend on major three mobile carrier’s communication line.
For a period of time, Vodafone expanded its business to Japanese mobile market but after this Vodafone’s Japanese business was bought out by Softbank, Japanese mobile carriers haven’t allowed foreign mobile carriers to take advantage of advancing their business in Japanese mobile market. So three major mobile carriers come into power to protect their entire domestic profit. This is literally Galapagosization.
If you bring your phone from your country to activate in Japan, no matter how globally your contracting mobile carrier advances overseas like vodafone and Nokia, you end up using roaming service other than the case where Japanese mobile carrier bought out foreign mobile carriers. Roaming service costs you too much.
Unless you are a temporary tourists, using Japanese mobile services is wise judgement from the viewpoint of saving your budget.
Contents
Cheap Sim Service & Major mobile carriers’ service
SIMs in Japan are are classified broadly into two types,
- one is sold by major mobile carriers which require you to make long term contract
- the other one is sold by small to medium mobile carriers or internet service providers which provides you much cheaper plans with relatively easy restriction of contract term.
If you stay in Japan for your business or your studying at specific educational institution for long term, you can select whichever you want. However, the cost of major mobile carrier’s services makes you feel much more reasonable than that of cheap sim when you consider contracting comprehensively from the view points down below.
- whether phone connection is stable
- You can continue contract for 2 years straight without renewing contract or changing other mobile carriers.
- mobile carriers that provide significant discount by long term contract
- You receive valuable benefits if frequent users to whom you make a call often belong to the same carrier (like if a member of your family or your friend is the same carrier as yours, no calling charge is incurred.)
If you stay in Japan for a short business trip or language exchange for relatively short term less than 3 months, your choice is limited to Cheap SIM if you don’t use a roaming service in Japan.
Free wifi in Japan is one of the worst wifi environment in the world. In urban areas, wifi spots has increased comparably than it used to be but there is still connection speed limitation and really weak signals depending on the place.
If you are a heavy user of IP phone apps like LINE or What’s app, Cheap SIM will be in need of your data communication sooner or later.
What is Cheap SIM?
Cheap SIM is a catchword in Japan that indicates service providing you much cheaper basic charge and data plan than that of major mobile carrier. Usually, Most of Cheap Sim providers are selling SIMs for SIM unlocked mobiles. A provider that sells Cheap SIMs is called MVNO. In contrast to this, MNO is a communication provider that provides regular data plan and basic charge with firm communication infrastructure.
What is MVNO?
MVNO stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator. This is a provider that provides communication service and data plan by renting a part of wireless communications infrastructure from other mobile carriers.
As I mentioned above, in Japan, small to medium domestic mobile carriers or internet service providers make regularly license agreement of communication lines and wireless communication infrastructure possessed by major mobile carriers.
From the viewpoint of stability of wireless communication, its quality is
peculiarly bad.
What is MNO
MNO stands for Mobile Network Operator. This is a provider that provides communication service and data plan by installing and operating its own unique communication network infrastructure. This provider corresponds to major mobile carriers which are AU, DOCOMO, SOFT BANK.
They have firmly stable communication network which allows you to provide unlimited calling plan.
How much Cheap MVNO is ?
| 7000yen(including billing of mobile body) | 2 years | 9,500yen | 2GB |
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| 2000yen | half a year | 8,000yen | 3G |
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The above table tells you the comparison of rate between MVNO and MNO. This is one example charge plan. Major mobile carriers’ charge plans are too complicated to explain here. Please let me skip the details
If you make a contract with major mobile carrier (MNO), generally you buy a mobile at the same time you contract. The above monthly charge is a monthly rate of monthly installments of mobile and basic charge. You can make a contract with only SIM but you are not beneficial to other valuable plans.
If you make a contract with MVNO, you should prepare your mobile phone by yourself and if you have active smart phone which you use in your country, you need to check if it works and activates Japanese SIM.
Why is Cheap SIM so cheap?
There must be a rational reason to this cheapness, generally the following factors are said to be disadvantage of this cheap SIM
- A number of MVNO agent shops is overwhelmingly fewer than that of major mobile carriers. This factor makes you inconvenient to inquire your troubles or an application for new plan
- You have to configure settings of SIM by yourself
- Communication speed is very slow
- There is no unlimited calling plan
- There are many cases where you can’t make a contract without a credit card
A number of MVNO agent shops is overwhelmingly fewer than that of major mobile carriers.
Basically, Cheap SIMs are sold at large electronics retail store in urban areas. It is not that all the electronics retail stores handle this. The following electronics retail stores are where you can buy a cheap SIM.
- Yamada denki
- BIC Camera
- YODOBASHI Camera
- JOSHIN
If you face some troubles to SIM function or contract content, you have to inquire your complaint or solution online or by phone.
You have to configure settings of SIM by yourself
When you insert SIM into your smart phone, you need to configure API settings. Unless you do this, you can’t connect your mobile to a network. It should be no problem if you do as instruction says.
Communication speed is very slow
Communication speed of Cheap SIm is not stable and sometime much slower than its speed of major mobile carrier’s SIM. It is often a case that communication speed is slown down depending on the time zone. However, each MVNO improve communication speed now and it gives me less stress to open new page.
There is no unlimited calling plan
Do you really think you need unlimited calling plan? Do you have an important person whom you need to talk to frequently? If you want to talk long conversation with your friend, you should use IP phone apps (LINE, What’s app). It is not necessary.
There are many cases where you can’t make a contract without a credit card
This is probably going to be your problem. If you made a credit card in your country, threre would be no problem about your payment but if you don’t have a credit card, it is very difficult for exchange students to make a credit card in Japan. In that case, There are some Cheap SIM providers that allow you to use direct debit. You should find them.
Cheap SIM providers
I wrote article “Japanese Cheap Pre-paid Sims’ functions and price lists”. A pre-paid SIMs’ companies I listed up here have mid-to-long term contract. They are cheap SIM providers.
Due to populization of cheap SIM, charge plans become gradually complicated. No matter which services prepare plans of basic charge from several hundreds yen and data plan from about 1700yen.
If you can afford to burden 2000yen to 3000yen per month for your mobile communication, you should buy Cheap SIM.