Best Keitei (mobile) Service In Japan?

[shiro240]

Just curious...

I've noticed that most people overwhelmingly use DoCoMo over just about any service, but are they the best? What company did you pick and why? Also, who has the best service and cheapest plans?

Thanks!

PS - I did a search in the archive and nothing came up.

Edited September 20, 2006 by shiro240

[MaximusSmurf]

As a generalisation, Docomo have best coverage then AU then Vodafone.

I went with AU because they had a phone that I liked. Had a good camera, and was a little smaller than some others. Prices are pretty reasonable, obviously depends on how much you use it.

Also I don't know about other carriers but u can use C-mail with AU. Its like SMS, cheaper and smaller than an email, but can only send to other AU people.

Also check things like english to japanese dictionary on phone. As well as English dictionary with predictive text. My phone does not have predictive text, so it takes a little longer to type mail. But for the translator you can use an online one, Tango Town is what I use.

BTW my phone is a W41CA.

[shiro240]

As a generalisation, Docomo have best coverage then AU then Vodafone.

I went with AU because they had a phone that I liked. Had a good camera, and was a little smaller than some others. Prices are pretty reasonable, obviously depends on how much you use it.

Also I don't know about other carriers but u can use C-mail with AU. Its like SMS, cheaper and smaller than an email, but can only send to other AU people.

Also check things like english to japanese dictionary on phone. As well as English dictionary with predictive text. My phone does not have predictive text, so it takes a little longer to type mail. But for the translator you can use an online one, Tango Town is what I use.

BTW my phone is a W41CA.

Very good info--thanks! I'm considering AU because they have some sort of 300 yen monthly fee whereby you can talk to another AU user unlimited. Sounds like a good deal to me, although I hear that other companies might have something similar.

[Wojski]

Well Im with vodafone and I got good coverage erywhere+english support and they have something called a mail flat rate for 840yen a month including tax you get unlimited e-mail, sms and mms to anyone any email to any carrier anywhere in Japan! plus Im on the love chat plan with my girlfriend for 315yen a month i get unlimited voice calls to aq designated number! I SAY GO VODAFONE!

[dodgybrooks]

DoCoMo is cool, AU and Vodafone are not. DoCoMo is insanely expensive, AU and Vodafone are not. DoCoMo's coverage was once the best but is not getting any better, AU and Vodafone's is as good as/better than DoCoMo and getting better. Most people use DoCoMo, including me. I pay about 4000yen a month for unlimited packet transfer ie. mail and internet (porn,porn,porn,porn,auctions,porn,porn) and another 2thou for calls. I don't get coverage in my house so I have to plug it into a cord attached to an antenna outside (so much for mobile). 6thou for a phone with shite coverage sounds like studipity, which DoCoMo is all about, but everybody is on DoCoMo here and it's cool to follow the crowd. Using AU and Vodafone gets you funny looks.

[Beer Baron]

plus DoCoMo has the best sounding name. lol Do Comunications...Mobile!

Last time I was in japan a friend kindly lent me an old phone to use whilst I was there. it was so ancient and was a Tuka Cyber Giga flip phone with skymail (which no-one uses anymore i think). man i got some funny looks with that phone. chicks would laugh at me and pay out on it.

so the moral is, if you want to fit in and not have chicks laugh at you go with NTT DoCoMo and get a nice handset. or do the sensible thing and buy based on price and coverage which i have no idea about.

[shiro240]

plus DoCoMo has the best sounding name. lol Do Comunications...Mobile!

Last time I was in japan a friend kindly lent me an old phone to use whilst I was there. it was so ancient and was a Tuka Cyber Giga flip phone with skymail (which no-one uses anymore i think). man i got some funny looks with that phone. chicks would laugh at me and pay out on it.

so the moral is, if you want to fit in and not have chicks laugh at you go with NTT DoCoMo and get a nice handset. or do the sensible thing and buy based on price and coverage which i have no idea about.

"DoCoMo" is just a dual-meaning for the real use of the word "anywhere" right?

I have to admit, that is so Japanese of you guys to buy that stuff just because everyone else does! Don't you know that since you're a "kakkoo ii hakujin" that you can just buy whatever you want and instantly set trends???

Actually, you got me thinking...it's about time those old Motorola brick phones came back in style!

[Rezz]

Actually, you got me thinking...it's about time those old Motorola brick phones came back in style!

Yeah, you can mount it on your belt alongside your water flask and swiss army knife holster...

[Wojski]

lol well you guys can pay your extra couple thousand for DoCoMo, Mind you Vodafone is no Vodafone anymore Softbank Hawks Baseball team owns it so it is now SoftBank not Vodafone! YOu pay extra couple thousand I save it and get myself an extra whole day drift session at sekia hills dec circuit evry month!

I think id rather go vodafone!

[dodgybrooks]

Mate if I could be assed changing over my number and mail address and all the other can't be f*ked paperwork that goes with changing networks I would, but I can't.(be assed)

By the way how much do you pay?

[Wojski]

Mate if I could be assed changing over my number and mail address and all the other can't be f*ked paperwork that goes with changing networks I would, but I can't.(be assed)

By the way how much do you pay?

LOL im not telling anyone to change im jsut recommending it if you havent got anything yet! I pay ￥3750 per month.