Can I use old Iphone on softbank prepaid?

My Aunt came to America and gave me her old Softbank Iphone5 for when I go back to Japan for just under a year. I want to use a softbank prepaid sim or something with it while I am there. Since I am not a resident, and I do not want to trouble my family for any help with the actual plan, how can I use the iphone? I understand that prepaid sim do not allow data usage, but I figured I would just get a pocket wifi for using line, navigation, and instagram now and then. , can you do prepaid pocket wifi through softbank too? If sim card only came in standard size I will just have it cut to size. However, if there is a simple option that would combine both these needs I would like to here that also. Price is not a huge problem, I am willing to pay for convenience. Any help would be appreciated. I am afraid of what the cancelation fee is for a year contract.

Hi, Chuck

My Aunt came to America and gave me her old Softbank Iphone5 for when I go back to Japan for just under a year. I want to use a softbank prepaid sim or something with it while I am there.

As I understood, that iPhone was sold by Softbank. If that's so there should not be any Trouble with a different Provider. If it is a Verizon or AT&T branded Phone it may have a SIM-Lock, which means the Phone only accepts SIM-Cards from the Carrier who sold it to you. (More Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_lock)


if there is a simple option that would combine both these needs I would like to here that also

Softbank offers 3G data plans for prepaid customers also, so as far as i know you can just get one of those and use it with your iphone. as they sell iphones, they should also offer micro sim cards
http://mb.softbank.jp/en/prepaid_service/

I hope i could help you out :)

Since I am not a resident

Quick question, what visa will you be staying in Japan on for just under a year?

how can I use the iphone?

If you can unlock it (note that softbank doesn't do factory unlocks of iphones yet), then you can use it with an a la carte plan from docomo or a prepaid like bmobile. Otherwise, I believe that you might be able to take it to Softbank and sign up for a new postpaid plan (assuming you have some sort of residency status).

I understand that prepaid sim do not allow data usage, but I figured I would just get a pocket wifi for using line, navigation, and instagram now and then., can you do prepaid pocket wifi through softbank too?

At that point its probably easier to just use a prepaid phone for calling and then a getting a pocket wifi for your internet needs. They are probably cheapest to buy and unlocked one and then use it with a prepaid sim from bmobile.

However, if there is a simple option that would combine both these needs I would like to here that also. Price is not a huge problem, I am willing to pay for convenience.

The simplest would just make a new contract with softbank and get a new free iphone in the process. I believe the cancellation fee is 10,000 yen plus the balance you owe on the handset if you get a new one. It'll probably be easier to set this up than using the old handset, but moderately more expensive if you plan to cancel within a year.

Softbank offers 3G data plans for prepaid customers also, so as far as i know you can just get one of those and use it with your iphone.

I've tried this in the past and the softbank prepaid sims did not work with the softbank iphones without jailbreaking first. Not sure if this is still the case though.

Thank you for all the Information.

I am going on a student visa to finish my education at a Japanese university. I am an American Citizen, but the majority of my family is Japanese Citizen.

I figure I will go to softbank and talk to a rep and see what they will say when I mention these ideas or what option the suggest. Then I will figure out if I go with them or go around them with another option.

If you're interested in voice-only, you could purchase a japan sim here for 2079 yen.
http://www.mobell.co.jp/mobal/domestic-cell-phone/

This is postpaid plan, so you'll need to provide a credit card which they will bill monthly. You will be billed only for minutes used, nothing else, so your bill will be 0 in months that you don't use the phone.

The sim is from softbank so it will work with your softbank phone even if it is locked. Just be sure not to use it for data, as the data rate is exhorbitant.