Reasons to continue with current phone company

My mobile is old, really old & I want a smart phone. Specifically I want to be able to
- read books,
- use skype
- listening to sound files
- have better maps


I am with AU, and they are bringing out a bilingual Sharp smart phone in Nov. Based on their other models, it seems like it will cost around 35,000Y for existing customers but free for new customers.

Docomo & Softbank seem to be similar.

I can't see any reason to stay with AU. I don't have many accumulated points - am I missing something or is there really such a huge penalty on existing customers?

I had the same experience with AU.
After 3 years with the W51SA and no sign of anything that could top it's reliability, durability, or performance, I gave up on AU about 6 months ago.

By the way, AU initiated a production overhaul with manufacturers after the W51SA. This universal platform may have been good for them, but it killed their phone lineup.

You may want to hold off on your switch until AU's newest smartphone comes out, which is very soon.
The IS03 will be an Android phone so perhaps it will be something special.
I don't know about AU hardware anymore though so you'll have to look into that.

I switched to Docomo. Softbank has a lot of HTC phones that look appealing but I don't like their business structure and pricing plans (just seems deceptive). Also, I have no interest in the Iphone so Docomo was an easy choice.

Docomo phones are expensive, more so than AU but the hardware is very current. I got the SH-03B and I'm very happy with everything but the camera, which I knew would suck so I can't complain.

I suggest a little patience. An uprising is taking place in the cell phone market and Android phones are about to take over the scene.
You may want to wait a couple of months just to see all the offerings that will be available.

am I missing something or is there really such a huge penalty on existing customers?

I think it depends on the details. Is that 35000 yen unsubsidized, or does it require a new 2 year contract?

New subscribers are locked into a two year contract so thats why they offer such large discounts to new subscribers. They make it up on service over 2 years. If you reupped without a new service agreement then you could just jump ship at any time and leave au out the cost of the phone.

Anyway, I'd also recommend waiting to see what the deal is with the android phones that au will be releasing soon. If you do decide to change though, its a pretty easy process. You can keep your same number, and the most difficult part is reinputting all your contact info and notifying your contacts of your email change.

Ah, I see - I didn't realise that there was a contract to go with it. That makes sense.

If you reupped without a new service agreement then you could just jump ship at any time and leave au out the cost of the phone.

Does that mean you can move your phone between providers? It would be great if that is the case.

Each contract is different so you need to go to an AU store or shop and ask them what kind of contract you have and when is the renewal period.

If you signed up for the "daredemo wari" (2-year plan) then you can only change plans, change phones, or quit AU during the month that is 2 years after the date of the original contract date. Otherwise, you will face a cancellation fee.

As for Skype, the KDDI pres. hinted that AU would put SKype on their new smartphone and most new Android phones will be Skype-compatible so it's up to the carrier on whether or not they offer it.

Does that mean you can move your phone between providers?

Yes and no, it depends on the particular model and which providers you want to use. And even phones that can be unlocked may not work on the different provider's signals. For example, iphones can't use au even when unlocked because they use different radio bands. And then there are data protocols and fee rules specific to each carrier that may make using your handset on different carriers impractical.

If you signed up for the "daredemo wari" (2-year plan) then you can only change plans, change phones, or quit AU during the month that is 2 years after the date of the original contract date. Otherwise, you will face a cancellation fee.

Yes, beware the cancellation fee. It sounds like you've had your phone for awhile, but if you are on the daredemo plan that kyototrans mentions (and pretty much everyone is because it is the cheapest) then you'll have to pay a 10,000 yen (I think) cancellation fee to cancel outside your anniversary month which is 26 months after you initially signed up.

As for Skype, the KDDI pres. hinted that AU would put SKype on their new smartphone and most new Android phones will be Skype-compatible so it's up to the carrier on whether or not they offer it.

Au is releasing the Sony IS03 android phone in late November, initially running android 2.1 so it should support skype. Since skype for android currently only works over wifi there is little chance that au will do anything to block it. That may change when skype eventually allows calling over 3g though and you may find that it gets blocked. Btw, the IS03 looks like a very interesting smartphone for Japanese users as it includes one-seg tv, osaifu ketai, and has an ir port.

Definitely check it out when it hits the stores. But I'd also consider the iphone, especially for those that are not the most computer savvy.

take a look at the fine print on AU's website. they have changed the cancellation fees a few times since 2008. depending on how much time is left on your contract it can be worth it to pay the cancellation fee rather than continue staying on your plan. if you only have a few months left on the contract the fee can be as little as 4000yen. so check out the fine print on cancellation.

anyway, i used to be with AU too.

the main reason AU is good is because of the signal strength - you'll have a good signal almost anywhere in japan, just like docomo. however... their phone lineup is not that good, and their service is too expensive for the goods provided IMO. i switched to softbank and an iphone 3gs in february and have been pretty happy with it. my phone bill is around 5000-6000 a month which is about what it was with AU.

Thanks very much.
My phone is about 5, maybe 6 years old - so no worries about cancellation fees :)

I'll wait for AUs Nov. release smart phone to come out and see.

thanks for the skype advice - I didn't realise it could be blocked by the provider.

Fyi, au just announced that they will be supporting skype on their android phones, including the models that will be released next month.

Thanks!
Great to know :)