SIM Cards

are the Vodaphone V601sh/t phones 3G - W-CDMA ??

No. V1xx to V6xx are 2G PDC phones and V7xx to V9xx are 3G W-CDMA phones.

I was wondering, where is the SIM chip on the sony SO505iS? i can not find it anywhere on the phone. does anyone know where it is?

None. PDC phones do not use a SIM card, like American CDMA or TDMA phones.

im from the uk and have a 7600. if i bring it to japan, can i buy a japanese pay as you go sim card to insert into it? i don't understand what all this sim lock card business is on about eeeek

yes can anyone help with this as im not sure whether my triband phone will work in japan either?

can i buy a japanese pay as you go sim card to insert into it?

Yes, you can use your NOKIA7600 in Japan. But as far as I know, no pay as you go 3G SIM card is available anywhere in the world. So you have to pay outrageous roaming fee.
If your triband phone is 3G phone supporting W-CDMA network, you can also use it when you apply the roaming service.

Can I use my i-mate PocketPC as a phone in Japan (please, no accronyms in the answer, I'm not mobile phone tech' literate !!)?

You mean this?
http://www.carrierdevices.com.au/products.php?id=3

You can't use it in Japan as a phone at all.

I live in New Zealand and I will be visiting Japan sometime April this year. Although the vodafone 3g network hasn't been introduced here yet, I want to buy a 3g phone (namely the v802se or sony ericsson v800) for use when the vodafone nz 3g network does go up. I was wondering whether or not my nz prepay sim card will work in the 3g phones in New Zealand.

I have been looking for a smartphone like the treo 650 or the se 900i in Japan, but keyboard phones appear not to exist. Is there any way in which I can buy something overseas and use it here?

i have a relative in japan...and i was thinkin of asking them to send me a phone (W31S) back to the uk. My operator is o2...is it possiable to use that phone wit my sim...or is there a code or a software to unlock the phone...?

Just returned from Japan. Main reason for not being able to buy pre-paid SIMS is for anti-terrorism purposes. All phone users must be registered (or will be), so proof of identity must be shown. Tourists might find that hard to do, if the Jap law says Jap ID cards only. It is being looked into, but don't hold your breath. Even then, there are other transmitters that can be adapted to remote blow a bomb then a mobile phone, so it might be self defeating. I believe Switzerland does this alread with ID cards. No doubt UK will, once we get ID cards bought and paid for ourselves, and not issued to us!!

Now I know why the GSM card I used from Hong Kong, was emergency calls only. I should have used my UK USIM and had the full Voda facilities presented to me, instead of 5 days in limbo, no phone, little internet contact, and even less English seen or spoken.

C U

I have been looking for a smartphone like the treo 650 or the se
900i in Japan, but keyboard phones appear not to exist. Is there any way
in which I can buy something overseas and use it here?

Any W-CDMA phone should work in Japan (with an international roaming SIM
card), but I've never heard a W-CDMA keyboard smartphone.

i have a relative in japan...and i was thinkin of asking them to
send me a phone (W31S) back to the uk. My operator is o2...is it
possiable to use that phone wit my sim...or is there a code or a
software to unlock the phone...?

You can't, because W31S (or any KDDI phone) is a CDMA phone. CDMA is out
of service in UK, and it does not use a SIM card.

Just returned from Japan. Main reason for not being able to buy
pre-paid SIMS is for anti-terrorism purposes. All phone users must be
registered (or will be), so proof of identity must be shown.

Prepaid SIMs do not exist in Japan; prepaid phones do exist.

It is true that a prepaid phone now requires an ID and user registration,
but its purpose is to prevent fraud using a prepaid phone rather than
anti-terrorism.

HELLO!
im daniel from germany i want to buy an japan phone at ebay because i dont know is there a ca din the vodafone mobile phone?
or can i use the mobile phone without an sim card?
i dont want to take the phone to talk cuz to make fotos or others things can anybody help me ?
THANKS!
please sent an email to achterbahnfreak2004@go4more.de
because i m not here online thankjs!

does anyone know whether a UK USIM card will work in a SIM slot within a GSM handset?

Thanks

just need info, is there any rental phone,only need for 5 days in tokyo

does anyone know whether a UK USIM card will work in a SIM slot
within a GSM handset?

It should work, but if you'd like to talk in any country other than UK,
make sure if your UK operator offers international roaming services in
the country.

Ask your operator for details.

just need info, is there any rental phone,only need for 5 days in tokyo

You can rent one in the airport as soon as you arrive at Japan, or
perhaps in your country before you leave.

I want to have my friend in Japan buy me a unlocked Vodafone 802SH. Will the Sim work in it?

i believe in the issue about the voltage supply of v801sa would be the the answer to configure it so that it is possible to use the unit anywhere.

I just got back from Japan. I took a Motorola c975 phone purchased from 3 in the UK. They can be bought unlocked off e-bay for about US$100. The phone is triband GSM plus 2100mhz WCDMA. The phone worked perfectly in Japan using SIMs from various providers. (I've loaned this phone to friends travelling to Japan as well).

If I didn't have this phone, I could rent an unlocked 3g phone from various rental boths at Narita. It costs roughly US$6 a day. They will provide you with a SIM that effectively functions as a prepaid SIM, but they want it back when you are done. Here is a link to DoComo's booth at the Narita:

http://roaming.nttdocomo.co.jp/service/detail.html


Before this option, I rented phones from http://www.jcrcorp.com/ and was happy with their service. I took advantage of their free incoming calls and used a callback service to reduce the per minute rate on outgoing calls.

Contrary to some things that have been written, a GSM SIM functions fine in a 3g phone. I've used SIMs from the US, UK, HK, NL, UAE, and FL in the phone without incident. DoCoMo rents the Motorola c835 to travellers which is similar to the phone I am recommending. It is also similar to the Vodafone 702s sold by Vodafone.

I highly recommend the c975 as a traveler's phone. It is not the cutest phone out there, but it is rock solid and covers most bands out there. The only band it doesn't have is GSM 850mhz for Latin America. While the GSM situation is changing down there, I still find that an old ATT TDMA (e.g. a Nokia 6160 or 6360) bought off e-bay for $25 is the best solution for those countries.

Incidentally, for more stuff on international roaming checkout prepaidgsm.net. I'm a contributor to the website and we have a lot of info on getting going in various countries.

With respect to prepaid in Japan, DoCoMo has discontinued it. Vodaphone still has it, but they are requiring all owners to register their phones. You are not likely to get one unless you know someone in the US army stationed there. They are still sold at the PXs on base last I heard.


Stu

For Stu: Which of the non-Japanese prepaids will work in Japan and which offers the cheapest rate for calls inside of Japan or incoming from outside?

The $2/minute US T-Mobile rate does not thrill me. I have the phone (v800) and am trying to figure out the best way of using it.

Hello Stu! Thank you for all the info! This has really helped me out a lot as Im trying to figure out how I can live in Tokyo but still do business here in California.

I also would like to know your opinions on the cheapest prepaid.

Lastly, could any of you also give advice on how to access the internet. Can you hook up these phones to a laptop to get access to the internet anywhere? Do they also have WiFi hotspots over there like they do here in California where you can get internet access with a laptop.

Thanks in advance!