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Text messaging (SMS) in Japan? 2007/3/27 12:09
Hi all,

First of all - I`m from the UK, and in the UK it`s possible to send text (SMS) messages between cellphones using just the cellphone number...

After recently moving to Japan, I got myself a Softbank cellphone last month. My impression is that if I want to send "S! Mail" (regular email) or "SMS" (text messages) to another cellphone in Japan, then I have to know that cellphone`s email address?

If I try to send SMS to a cellphone number, I get an error saying something like "Service not subscribed".

However - a friend in Kyoto sent me an SMS message a few weeks ago using just my cellphone number (not its email address) and when I viewed the message on my phone, it said it was from his telephone number - no email address was listed.
If I then replied, he got it OK. But I don`t think I can initiate an SMS conversation by just using a cellphone number.
I don`t know what kind of cellphone my Kyoto friend has, but he said that he is always able to send SMS messages to other cellphone numbers if he uses "Skymail".

Also - a friend in the UK has successfully sent me an SMS message from his UK cellphone, and I can reply to his SMS message OK using just his cellphone number.

Please can anyone clarify when / how it is possible to send SMS messages to Japanese cellphone numbers, and why it is only possible for me to do it if I`m replying to an SMS message? It`s very confusing!

Also - do you know if there`s some kind of upgrade / option I can get for my Softbank cellphone (I`m currently on the Double White Plan deal) so that I am able to initiate SMS conversations using just other cellphone numbers?

Thanks very much in advance for any clarification.

HP
by HP  

SMS 2007/3/28 17:41
Howell,

I'm not 100% sure, but my understanding is that you can only send SMS between phones belonging to the same operator. "Skymail" is the system used by Sofmap (previously Vodafone, previously J-phone), so that might explain why you have no problem texting your friend. I don't think you would be able to send SMS to docomo or au users.
by Dave in Saitama rate this post as useful

Softbank 2007/3/28 18:09
I don't think Sky Mail is limited to Softbank; I used to have a Tu-Ka phone that had Sky Mail too.

My friend works for Softbank, he told me that if you send a message to a foreign mobile there is an email to SMS gateway but it is expensive. I think it works in reverse.

With Sky Mail you can send a message to a number, you don't need the email address.
by koan rate this post as useful

. 2007/3/28 18:27
I think Skymail is actually classified as something other than SMS even though they're similar. Tu-Ka and Softbank (Vodafone) has this service. Pretty sure Docomo has a similar service as well but with different name.

It doesn't work internationally because its not the standard SMS system. Within Japan you both have to have the same Skymail system. However I think if it is Softbank then you can send SMS to Vodafone networks around the world, vice versa.

Honestly speaking, SMS is a step backward from MMS and a step backward from EMAIL. Japan has been using email for a long time already, so its like going backwards with SMS and making it compatible? Good thing about SMS/MMS of course is that you only need someone's number instead of needing their email address as well.
by Blanc rate this post as useful

. 2007/3/29 05:35
After recently moving to Japan, I got myself a Softbank cellphone
last month. My impression is that if I want to send "S! Mail" (regular
email) or "SMS" (text messages) to another cellphone in Japan, then I
have to know that cellphone`s email address?


You can't send SMS to DoCoMo or KDDI phones. SMS is not interconnected
among Japanese carriers and not used very often. If you want to send a
message to DoCoMo or KDDI phone, you have to know the recipient's email
address.

If the recipient is a SoftBank phone, you should be able to send SMS by
phone number, as long as the recipient is not rejecting SMS.

However - a friend in Kyoto sent me an SMS message a few weeks ago
using just my cellphone number (not its email address) and when I viewed
the message on my phone, it said it was from his telephone number - no
email address was listed.


You can send/receive MMS (S! Mail) either by email address or by phone
number between SoftBank phones. So it may not be SMS even if it was sent
to your phone number.

Also - a friend in the UK has successfully sent me an SMS message
from his UK cellphone, and I can reply to his SMS message OK using just
his cellphone number.


It's okay as long as SMS is interconnected between the UK carrier and SoftBank.
by meringue4 rate this post as useful

. 2007/11/28 12:00
I also have a Softmap prepaid phone, and I didn't have any problems so far sending messages to phone numbers, Skymail as well as long mail work both fine for me.

But I can't access my voice mails for some reason.
by Haf rate this post as useful

now we can! 2011/7/15 10:33
Docomo, AU, Softbank and WILCOM can now send each other SMS as of June 2011.
by lulu (guest) rate this post as useful

really??? 2011/7/15 17:03
REALLY? Can I send an SMS to a Softbank phone if I am using International Roaming on DoCoMo?
by fmj (guest) rate this post as useful

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