Buying pocket wifi, need resident card?

Hi

I'll be moving to Japan in January 2014,; and recently I just realise that using a existing phone in Japan are rather complicated.

I've been all over the internet looking for data for my iphone4s, and I found that pocket wifi would be a great choice for me.

I wanted to know if I could go to Bic camera or Yodabashi Akiba and bought the Pocket wifi without resident card?; I'm really interesting in monthly plan on e-mobile.

I won't be getting my resident card till late March 2014.; I did consider Sim card from b-mobile but all the data plan that suitable for me is needed resident card to purchase.

Please leave me your suggestion or previous experiences are all very much welcome!!!;

It can vary if you buy at a place like Bic Camera, but I bought my Pocketwifi Max from Softbank, and here`s what I had, but only needed 3 things:

Passport (they scan it, so bring the original, not a pic)

Credit Card (foreign cards are acceptable for most places)

My residence card (I received it at the airport from Customs agents when I first arrived)

Piece of mail (this could be anything from a letter to a utility bill stub with my name on it)

Just check around and be sure to ask, because a lot of places have alternatives to a residence card.

http://mb.softbank.jp/en/start/subscribe/id.html

if you are staying for a long term (more than 90 days), you could either wait till you get your residence card, OR just pop off to Starbucks and leech their wifi.

Craigslist Tokyo is also a good place to look because a LOT Of people are leaving the country and selling their still active Wifi routers.

HI! @HiratsukaKuma

Thank you for your answer!!!
I did check craigslist japan likes you suggest, and found some interesting deals, Thank you!

but now I'm wondering how am I suppose to continuing to pay for the monthly payment?
will the owner change from his credit card to mine or do I have to do that myself? Are we even allows to do that?

Thank you once again you have been a huge help!

*but now I'm wondering how am I suppose to continuing to pay for the monthly payment?
will the owner change from his credit card to mine or do I have to do that myself? Are we even allows to do that?

You usually do a transfer of ownership at one of their stores, which includes giving the store your credit card info, etc. If their is a transfer fee, tell the person you are buying from whether you want to pay it or not.

You are allowed by most companies to transfer ownership, and from what Ive seen on CL, the one time transfer fee is usually only ��2000.

new immigration law since July last year,
you'll be issued resident card immediately after you arrived at airport, at the immigration counter. this provided you have the relevant visa(long term, spouse etc.).
no need to go to city hall and apply for alien card.That was the old law.
Now all registration handle by Immigration, no longer by city hall.

as for DATA plan only (Bmobile, OCN mobile one), you do not need a resident card.
just a credit card and local/japanese phone no.(keitai) for account activation. you buy the sim card from rakuten/amazon or big electrical store and register/activate through internet with credit card/phone no.