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The SIM CARD option in Japan

By on August 7, 2013

All mobile phone carriers in Japan competing in the market have just one common goal-  to lock each subscriber in to a fixed monthly fee in addition to the actual calls made, for up to two years.  If you make regular overseas calls to families and for work, your total cost could easily come up to a hefty sum in a year.  Up until now, that was the only way to get a smartphone in Japan.  With the arrival of Sim cards, people can now buy unlocked phones abroad and enjoy options that were not possible before.  Unlocked smart phones sold online offer way more flexibility in terms of device choices, cost, storage space, design and mobility, and you can manage and control your call costs.  But which smartphones are wise to get?

Picture 12DUAL SIM CARD 3G smartphones
A smart option to put everything into one gadget when traveling is by using dual SIM mobile phones.  Dual-SIM operation allows the user two network carriers without the need to carry two phones at the same time. So if your homebase is Japan, you use a SIM CARD for Japan (only NTT sells SIM cards for 3G smartphones) and another for making and receiving calls abroad.  The same handset can be used for business and private use with separate numbers and call charges, or for travel, with an additional SIM for the country you are visiting.  LTE phones are highly unlikely to work in countries except in territories where they were intended to be used so that leaves you with a choice of just a 3G network.  Before you order your handset abroad, check that the phone’s radio supports NTT Docomo’s frequency  2100/1700/800 Mhz.

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