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new iphone 6 plus 2014/9/25 09:12
broke my iphone 4. parents surprised me with the iphone 6 plus for my birthday. i leave for japan in november and will be there long term.

i remember reading about people getting a sim card for their iPhone 5s, but that was because they were only gonna be in japan temporarily.

so i'm thinking this iphone 6 plus is going to be absolutely useless and in about a month and a half yes? or is there anyway to use it?
by firstclass2jp (guest)  

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/9/25 10:12
You can get a prepaid voice and data sim for it. Check bmobile:

http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/product_voice.html
by yllwsmrf rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/9/25 13:09
As long as your phone is unlocked (ie. it is not bound to a specific provider) you can use other sims.
by daai maou (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/9/26 20:17
Jail Break that bad boy!

If you have no idea about this, Google it, and there are tons of videos on YouTube to make it happen. The good news is if you screw up you don't screw up your phone, unlike with rooting android phones.

If you Jail Break your phone you can use it in pretty much any country because your not bound to any one provider. Also for obvious reasons you never want to make it known to Apple that you have tampered with your phone, and you can always factory reset it too if you need to have it back to the way it was when you got it. Thats where YouTube comes in again to teach you how to unjailbreak your phone if needed!

Good luck! I envy you as I always wanted to go to Japan, but never got to. Have fun for both of us!
by AWFordJr rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/9/29 08:41
yllwsmrf -- you think going with bmobile prepaid is a good idea or would it be smarter to get a contract phone?? i can always try to sell this, but if the prepaid services in japan are good i would do it. i know the prepaid services here in the united states are pretty good. virgin mobile is $35 a month for unlimited text and data with 300 minutes. don't use it, but my friends do.

checked out bmobile and had to use google translate. here is the page i'm looking at and have questions about:

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%...

so i'm mainly concerned about data. i need data and some voice, probably won't use voice too much. if i am reading this correctly (which i'm probably not). so would i get this plan, the Plan (smartphone phone SIM free Data). so it would be 20 yen for every 30 seconds of voice, but i would have 7GB data? and it would come to 3980 yen a month? unless of course i rack up a lot of calls??
by firstclass2jp (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/9/30 08:40
http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/platinum/plan.html

starting from Sept 23. specially cater for iphone user, iphon6 included but check to confirm.

same as earlier post but you get 8GB for 3980yen per month, others remain same. note that you need 3,***yen for initial SIMcard.
also you need to be a residence i.e. stay in japan with visa more that one year, which you have the residence card for registration purpose.

http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/platinum/flow.html

https://mypage.bmobile.ne.jp/docs/official_certificate.html
by bmobile iphone platinum from 9/23 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/9/30 11:03
If you Jail Break your phone you can use it in pretty much any country because your not bound to any one provider.

FYI, jailbreaking and unlocking are separate things. And it may not be possible to unlock your phone, even once it becomes possible to jailbreak ios8.

yllwsmrf -- you think going with bmobile prepaid is a good idea or would it be smarter to get a contract phone??

It's a possibility if your phone is unlocked. Note that the voice part is postpaid and would require you to have residency. Prepaid is marginally cheaper, but comes with the usual setup issues. Contract phone is easier but more expensive.

so i'm mainly concerned about data. i need data and some voice, probably won't use voice too much. if i am reading this correctly (which i'm probably not). so would i get this plan, the Plan (smartphone phone SIM free Data). so it would be 20 yen for every 30 seconds of voice, but i would have 7GB data? and it would come to 3980 yen a month? unless of course i rack up a lot of calls??

Yes, as the previous poster confirmed (except that you get 8 instead of 7 gb)
by yllwsmrf rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/1 03:44
I read on this website that GSM cell phones don't work in Japan.

The only unlocked iPhone 6 or 6 Plus available is through T-Mobile and it's GSM.

So even if it's unlocked I assume it won't work because it's GSM and not CDMA.

Sprint is CDMA, but it doesn't come unlocked and I don't think they will unlock it for you even if you tell them you're going overseas and are willing to pay a price.
by Make sure your check your iPhone... (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/1 03:57
also you need to be a residence i.e. stay in japan with visa more that one year, which you have the residence card for registration purpose.

My friend is with JET and his contract is only for a year. He said his visa is good for three years, but he may leave once his year is up. Even so he was able to go with bmobile.

I won't be working with JET, but since I'm teaching I figured I'd be in the same boat and am hoping I will be able to go with them too.
by Quick and unrelated question... (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/1 11:02
I read on this website that GSM cell phones don't work in Japan.

That only applies to GSM-ONLY phones. All current iphones are multiband and can operate on GSM, 3G and LTE. So they'll all work in Japan.

My friend is with JET and his contract is only for a year. He said his visa is good for three years, but he may leave once his year is up. Even so he was able to go with bmobile.

No problem, his visa is what matters, not his contract.

I won't be working with JET, but since I'm teaching I figured I'd be in the same boat and am hoping I will be able to go with them too.

What is your visa duration? If you're not with JET then it'll likely be for one year, which could cause issues getting a contract with the regular carriers. B-mobile should be ok though as long as you have a residence card.
by yllwsmrf rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/2 01:26
yllwsmrf you are an invaluable asset to this forum! Always giving great information and advice!
by Thank you yllwsmrf! (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/12 23:17
Yllwsmrf

You said all iPhone are capable of using GSM and CDMA, but

I just left the Apple Store to ask them about their contract free/unlocked iPhone from T-Mobile. They said even though it's unlocked it will only work with GSM providers.

I mentioned how I had read it is capable of both and the clerk kept telling me no, it will only work with GSM providers.

She then said I must purchase it from a CDMA provider such as Sprint and have them unlock it for me to use in Japan.

So confused.
by . (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/12 23:19
Correction - not capable of GSM and CDMA, but GSM 3G and LTE.

Either way the woman kept assuring me the unlocked iPhone from T-Mobile (the only one they have unlocked) would not work..
by . (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/13 05:13
I'll be moving to Japan in the spring and am interested in buying a new cell phone beforehand that I can use both here in the US as well as in Japan. I visited the Apple Store today and was told something different.

They said that the contract free iPhone 6 for T-Mobile is only unlocked to a certain extent. They said that it can be used with any GSM carrier in the US, but that it wouldn't be usable in Japan.

They recommended that if I wanted to use the iPhone 6 in the US as well as Japan that I would have to buy the Verizon version at full price because that one is completely unlocked for any GSM or CDMA carrier in and outside the US.

Looks like the answers vary depending on who you ask?
by wanderlustdoll rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/13 06:16
What's the problem, exactly? The iPhone is normally capable of using any 36 or LTE network. Now, if some iPhone reseller decides to cripple down their iPhones before selling them, that's their problem. It doesn't say anything about iPhones in general.
by Firas rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/13 06:35
sorry forgot to subscribe. a lot has happened here since i first posted lol. my original problem was that i didn't know if bmobile would allow me to use a sim card for the new iphone 6 plus but it appears they will.......

now a whole new problem. it is not unlocked.

i don't know where u guys are reading/hearing that apple sells the iphone 6 unlocked because they told me they didn't. they don't sell unlocked iPhones when first released. they said it takes a couple months. the iphone 5s was released in september and apple didn't sell them unlocked until november.

apple said the only way to get it unlocked is to ask my provider to unlock it for me. they said my provider may say no because i did not complete my 2 year contract. i am thinking if i offer to pay shouldn't they unlock it??

stupid question.... but i'm not a techie..... you said all current iphones are multiband and can operate on GSM, 3G and LTE. so even if the phone i have is with a gsm provider (tmobile) it will work in japan AND on bmobile because of 3g and lte??? sorry i know this is stupid but i just don't get it. i thought in order to get 3g and lte in japan you must be on a cdma phone.... again sorry. i just don't know much about this and really want to get on either unlocking it or selling it lol.
by firstclass2jp (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/13 08:01
back again........

bmobiles website said that it supports SIM free iPhone6 Plus model A1524 (iOS8) and the SIM free iPhone6 model A1586 (iOS8). you can see it here:

http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/english/devices.html

so as long as i got an iphone 6 or 6 plus in model number A1524 or A1586 it will work 100%????

models A1524 and A1586 here in the usa are offered by people such as sprint and us cellular. guess i will see if they will unlock them...
by firstclass2jp (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/13 09:13
just contacted sprint. said they would unlock it for me for international use but only a sim card from a gsm carrier in japan would work...

by firstclass2jp (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/13 15:02
You said all iPhone are capable of using GSM and CDMA, but

Please note that I said that all current iphones will work in Japan. Some models may default to 3g operation depending on the carrier and the particular sim plan.

I just left the Apple Store to ask them about their contract free/unlocked iPhone from T-Mobile. They said even though it's unlocked it will only work with GSM providers.

The term "GSM provider" is used slightly differently in the US. In this case, I think they mean that it will only work with 3g providers such as Docomo (and their mnvos) and Softbank, but not au.
by yllwsmrf rate this post as useful

Re: new iphone 6 plus 2014/10/13 15:13
They said that the contract free iPhone 6 for T-Mobile is only unlocked to a certain extent. They said that it can be used with any GSM carrier in the US, but that it wouldn't be usable in Japan.

They recommended that if I wanted to use the iPhone 6 in the US as well as Japan that I would have to buy the Verizon version at full price because that one is completely unlocked for any GSM or CDMA carrier in and outside the US.


I'm unaware of such issues that T-mobile is imposing on their handsets, and I'd have to look into that further. Btw, that sounds really odd considering their "free international roaming" plans they've been instituting.

i don't know where u guys are reading/hearing that apple sells the iphone 6 unlocked because they told me they didn't. they don't sell unlocked iPhones when first released. they said it takes a couple months. the iphone 5s was released in september and apple didn't sell them unlocked until november.

It depends on where you buy the phone. Some countries have unlocked phones at release, most don't.

apple said the only way to get it unlocked is to ask my provider to unlock it for me. they said my provider may say no because i did not complete my 2 year contract. i am thinking if i offer to pay shouldn't they unlock it??

They may unlock it after you pay the early termination fee, but they'll definitely want to recover the cost of the phone first, which is usually recouped over the 2 year contract.

stupid question.... but i'm not a techie..... you said all current iphones are multiband and can operate on GSM, 3G and LTE. so even if the phone i have is with a gsm provider (tmobile) it will work in japan AND on bmobile because of 3g and lte???

Yes, presuming you are able to fully unlock your phone. Previous post suggest that may not be the case.

sorry i know this is stupid but i just don't get it. i thought in order to get 3g and lte in japan you must be on a cdma phone

CDMA is a different system. It technically has more compatibility than phones that just use 3g or lte, but there are other complications involved such as whitelists. It's a lot to get into. Frankly you're probably better off giving your phone away to a family member when you leave and getting a new contract phone in Japan.

so as long as i got an iphone 6 or 6 plus in model number A1524 or A1586 it will work 100%????

As long as you have an unlocked A1524 or A1586

just contacted sprint. said they would unlock it for me for international use but only a sim card from a gsm carrier in japan would work...

Which means you could use it with Docomo, B-mobile (and other Docomo mnvos), and Softbank, but not au. Incidentally, au doesn't sell prepaid or rental sim cards so it's not an issue.
by yllwsmrf rate this post as useful

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