SIM Cards

Hi

Is it possible to get the SIM unlock codes from VF japan. Do they have a practice of releasing the unlock codes??

I am going to Japan in 10 days and have have noticed several people on ebay selling unlocked Sharp 703SHF. This is a Softbank/Vodafone 3G phone. My husband and daughter have Japanese passports, so getting a prepaid phone in Japan is possible. My husband goes to Japan 2-4 times/yr and my daughter will be there for 4 mos this fall, so we want to own a Japanese phone that can be used with a prepaid card. Is it cheaper to buy one here or wait until we get to Japan? Also, the ebayers say that they will work with US carrier, is this true?

Here's the simple fact about mobile phone in Japan.

1. Prepaid phone does not have SIM card. You need to buy the respective prepaid phone in order to use the prepaid service.
2. You need alien registration card in order to purchase prepaid phone service. Tourist Visa/Temporary Visitor Visa won't be able to purchase prepaid phone. This can be done/bought either in the phone company respective shop or convenient store (7-11, FamilyMart, Sunkus etc. ). Convenient store tend to be more lenient on identification proof, maybe you could get by just showing your passport but it won't work always.
3. You can rent SIM card at Airport, provided your phone is 3G capable, thus can be use in Japan.
4. Web link on prepaid phone in Japan.

SOFTBANK PREPAID
http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/en/prepaid/about/index.html

KDDI AU PREPAID
http://www.au.kddi.com/english/prepaid/index.html

Japan mobile phone cannot be used outside Japan unless

1. The phone is UNLOCK, as all the phone are LOCKto their repsective service provider.
2. Eventhough the phone said to be GSM capable, you must first UNLOCK the phone.
3. The phone can be use outside Japan either through
Global Roaming Service or you UNLOCK the phone.
4. Once the phone is UNLOCK, it should be able to work with any SIM card.
5. UNLOCK the phone if you want it to be use outside Japan and with overseas SIM card.

i'll be staying in japan for 6 months (maybe even more). i currently have a nokia 6680 (3G) phone that i intend to use there. i am planning on buying a prepaid SIM when i get there. where can i get the best deals for a SIM?

no sprepaid sim cards are sold in japan.

You can subscribe a postpaid sim when you get japan's alien registration card.

So, if I want a (foreign) PDA phone, I can not use it with _any_ Japanese SIM?
Or I can, but only with postpaid, what can be very expensive, according to other users' experience? :(

So how do i get it UNLOCKED, I got the F904 from docomo. The docomo card works on my palm treo 750 but I want to use vodafone on my docomo device