Cell Phones

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Contents

Advantages

Bearing in mind the confusing nature of train stations, the lack of road signs and the overall complexity of major cities like Kobe, Osaka or almost anywhere, the convenience of having a keitai (携帯) in Japan is obvious. Here, more than anywhere else in the world, social maneuvers are most often done by mobile. Plus, with a Japanese keitai, you will be able to do the following:

  • Send and receive e-mails (by far the cheapest way to communicate)
  • Access the internet: weather, news, google
  • Take, store, and send photos
  • Record videos (with most models)
  • Download and listen to music (walkman fashion)

Disadvantages

Cost: Probably the biggest disincentive to getting a keitai is the amount of money the little metallic rectangle ends up extracting from your bank account each month. You'll need a good contract and an iron will to stop it from exceeding &yen5;6000-7000 a month. Many people pay in the upwards of ¥10,000-15,000 a month. Make sure to be aware of any hidden charges that may exist. One way to control the amount of money you spend on a cell-phone is to get a prepaid phone. You will have to pay for the phone, but unless you spend a lot of time on the phone, you will probably save a lot more in the end.

Rudeness Factor: Many people find it quite rude when people blab away on their cell phone on the train or in other inappropriate places. It can also be quite annoying when you are trying to have a conversation with someone and they are sitting there in silence typing an e-mail. A lot of people forget to switch their phones to silent mode when they are on the train, in meetings or even teaching a class - beyond the embarrassment you feel, you are likely to annoy a lot of people.

How to get a Phone

Obviously, the difficulty of all this depends on how well you can communicate with the person in the shop. The most important thing is a clear idea of what you want before you go into the shop. It is a good idea to pick up some brochures and ask your senpais first about what brands, models and features they think are best. And make sure to check with your predecessor about what service they used since some service providers have better service in certain areas and some have no service at all in various locations. When you do go get a phone, you will need top take the following items with you to the shop:

  • hanko (personal stamp)
  • Alien Registration Card.
  • Bank book (or relevant bank information)

A confusing array of questions will crop up at the contract filling in stage. A good portion of the questions will relate to what features you want (e.g. call waiting, Vodafone Club, etc). The answer to almost all of these questions should be NO. Most companies will prefer and often require that you set up an automatic bank transfer to pay your monthly bill.

Most major streets are littered with keitai shops. However, keep in mind that phones sold by service providers (Docomo, Vodafone, Au, etc.) are usually more expensive and there is less selection to choose from. If you've got time, head for the more general mobile phone shops (J-communication, HIT, etc.) where you're more likely to find an honest opinion and a good deal.

Types of Keitais

Bi-lingual Phones: Almost every keitai maker has a few models that come with a bi-lingual option, a feature that is undeniably handy for those just starting out here. That said, the Japanese only models are often not as confusing as you might expect, especially one that have pictorial interfaces.

¥0 vs. ¥10,000: Every company has plenty of ¥0 yen to choose from. However, as you would expect from a free phone, it probably won't be as stylish or "feature-ific" as its expensive counterparts. A lot of keitais now come with high quality digital cameras, so if you plan to buy a camera anyway, it may make more sense just to buy a good keitai and forgo the camera purchase.

Companies to choose from

There are three major companies in Japan, each with their advantages and disadvantages. Sales and offers are changing nearly constantly, so it would be impossible to cover them all here, so checking at an electronics store or at the websites is probably the best way to decide.

Docomo

The grandfather of Japanese cell phone companies, owned by NTT. It still has an over 50% share of the market, but has fallen in recent years due to strong competition. Coverage is good throughout most of Japan.

Softbank

Softbank (formerly known as vodafone) is another company. They have recently made a major attempt to undercut their competitors pricewise, and will most likely be the cheapest of the three major companies. Their prepaid plan is also very attractive. However, coverage is mediocre in rural areas.

AU

AU provides a standard of service similar to Docomo and Softbank, and is notable because of their major efforts to provide coverage to rural areas.

Service Options

  • Voice Mail: Every company provides an answering service (most of which are free for standard service plans). The answering service, called Rusuban Denwa (留守番電話) allows callers to leave (frustratingly!!!) short messages when you are out of your service area, switched off, or anti-social. If you want to have long recording time (the standard recording time is extremely short), ask about it when you are signing up for service. To access messages for most companies, dial 1416.
  • Call Waiting: Allows you to switch over to incoming calls when you are on the line with someone else. Probably not terribly necessary since calls will be directed to your voice mail if you are on the line with someone else and you can just check them later.
  • Melodies: If you want your phone to chime anything from the newest hits to the Adams family theme, it's (generally) possible. You can download new rings through the web on your phone or download one manually from a melody download machines. Just ask your students - they are more likely to know about such things that your fellow teachers.
  • Roaming: When you leave the zone in which you got the phone (this should be Kansai), you will be 'roaming'.
  • International Calls: Make sure that you get a model that can receive calls from abroad. Trust me, you're parents will appreciate it. In addition, many models can be used abroad, although the fees will be expensive for each call. If you would like to use your phone while overseas, make sure you ask whether you will be able to or not.

Tips

  • Monthly keitei bills are invariably drawn directly from your bank account. If you have just signed up for service, the first charge is likely to be a little expensive – this is because there are several initial handling fees. You may also be charged (depending on your service plan) for going over your amount of allotted minutes, making calls during peak hours, etc.
  • Most larger keitai companies offer an English version of their manual. Make sure to request one when buying your phone.
  • It is probably a good idea to get in the habit of leaving your phone in silent or vibrate mode (マナーモード). Trust me, a day will come when you forget to turn your ring off and your keitai goes off in the middle of a class. Most schools disallow their students to bring keitais to class, and teachers are supposed to set an example by not doing so either. But so long as nobody knows you have one in your pocket, you can usually get away with it.

More Information

For more information on keitais in Japan, visit the following sites:


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