Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Locked thread
Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
I'm seriously looking into getting one of those pocket WiFi adapters - I figure Softbank and e-Mobile are the best options. I'm probably only going to stay in Japan another year so unless the 解約費 is under 10,000 yen or so I'm kind of restricted to one year contracts.

Anyways, anyone have any experience buying these things? I don't need anything stupid fast or the latest technology, just a decent response time. With my DoCoMo HT03A using PDAnet the latency is between 200 and 15000ms+ which is altogether useless for anything other than web pages.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

Carfax Report posted:

I have an Emobile pocket wifi. It's a pretty nifty device with a couple quirks.

How much are you paying a month for it, including the cost of the device itself, if you don't mind me asking? And what are the quirks?

Edit: forgot to ask, what's the latency like? Is it weird and burst-y like cellphone 3G or is it actually comparable to being on a wired connection?

Sheep fucked around with this message at 13:21 on Jul 15, 2011

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

Rekka posted:

Is yours a wi-max router that shoots out a wifi network? Are you sure its not a device that takes a 3G signal and spits out a wifi network? I also have a pocket wifi thing and it gets its data from 3G

This is what I'm worried about. 3G latency is just horrendous as far as I can tell unless you constantly keep the connection open ('ping -c 9000000000000000000000 google.com' basically). Both my iPhone and my HT-03A are pretty much useless for SSH and what not.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

Weatherman posted:

edit: Holy gently caress they want 48,174 yen over two years for it? It's a basic loving model dumbphone! How the hell do they justify that! gently caress it, I'm not upgrading.

Pretty much even the most basic phones are, at a minimum ~4 man for whatever reason. I guess it's because people will usually pay without asking questions. For reference, some of the brand new models at Softbank are more than 10 man. How they justify that, I simply do not understand.

Kind of messed up but yeah, even the crappiest of the crap phones here cost more than an iPhone.

Weatherman posted:

Oh and a key that enters a space glyph when I'm writing in English.

Doesn't the zero key do this on most phones?

Sheep fucked around with this message at 02:09 on Jul 25, 2011

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
I agree with zmcnulty, but will add:

You're probably better off just carrying an actual camera around if you want decent pictures. Most cameras integrated into phones are pretty terrible compared to even entry-level point-and-shoot digital cameras, and since the original iPhone came out I haven't seen any Japanese-made phones that can compete in terms of price or functionality. I have, however, seen some phenomenally terrible phones with seemingly-decent built-in cameras(Docomo SH-03A, lookin' at you).

Get a phone for communication and connectivity, but get a camera for taking pictures. I like my iPhone and all but for taking pictures it just lacks a bunch of features that generic digital cameras have, although admittedly I haven't tried any of the paid camera applications or anything.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
People in the Korea thread seem to like it, and it looks like it's getting good reviews.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
If you're actually on the correct plan, your maximum data charges for any sort of data should be like 4,200 yen. My statement says "S!メール(MMS)" and it's included in the packet deduction from the flat rate data plan.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 23:15 on Jul 28, 2011

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

harperdc posted:

they also said you can't MNP from Softbank pre-paid to post-paid because they use different phone numbers.

I'm pretty sure MNP was only setup to allow transitions between carriers. As long as you're staying with the same carrier, I don't think they're obligated to let you keep the number.

Don't quote me on that but that's what I remember from the PR blitz that occurred when MNP was being put into action.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
I use my Docomo HT-03A exclusively for PDAnet so I can use the internet at work, and while the connection is like 1992 dialup levels of terrible, it "works" and I've never been charged any more than the base services I signed up for (cheapest phone plan plus business packehodai whatever). So unless they have some thing on the Galaxy that reports back to them that you're tethering or you're using absolutely tons of data you should be fine. All I really do is browse the forums with images blocked, so aside from things I can't really stop like Windows Updates I don't really transfer all that much, and I've been fine for like a year and a half.

As for figuring out how much it's going to cost you, it's possible to find out how much it's gonna cost you online, but it's way less of a pain in the rear end to go into a store and outright ask the staff what it's gonna set you back.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

tarepanda posted:

Smartphones are very, very expensive here.

Except the iPhone, which is at once both one of the best phone available on the market, as well as one of the cheapest current generation phones. Go figure.

I can't think of a single reason why anyone would buy a domestic Japanese-made phone anymore, since between the iPhone and whatever HTC/Samsung Android offerings are out, the Japanese models are totally blown out of the water in terms of both price and function.

Edit: maybe if you really need imode or whatever for some silly reason.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 14:12 on Sep 19, 2011

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
Yeah but that's literally the definition of the Galapagos syndrome. The "mobile web" stuff in Japan is pretty much all kind of terrible and already being quickly outmoded and made obsolete by developments in the west in terms of web content and access as far as I can tell. The only services that I use that require that kind of functionality are my online banking thing, and that's only because they're obstinate about just making an all-in-one site that works on both mobile and desktop platforms. It's like those company intranet services that only work on outdated versions of IE and Java because nobody can be bothered to update them and get with the times.

Anyways that's why I can't do online banking from my phone :v:

vvv :laffo:

Sheep fucked around with this message at 14:20 on Sep 19, 2011

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
Anyone know what the price for the iPhone 4S unit sans contract is yet? Or is that even possible?

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
Will au unlock their iPhones? I'm like 90% sure Softbank flat out refuses to do so, at any rate.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

zmcnulty posted:

considering that Japan's (locked) 4S are like the cheapest in the world.

That's only if you sign a two year contract though, right?

Edit: I'm going to America next week. What steps would I need to take to get a 4S there, bring it back to Japan, and use it in place of my current Softbank iPhone 4?

Sheep fucked around with this message at 10:03 on Oct 24, 2011

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

Ganguro King posted:

I got a carrier update on my softbank iPhone the other day. It said it just added free access to more public wifi spots though.

Yeah I got one of those a few months ago, along with a gigantor text from 57 (Softbank notifications) explaining what was included.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

dtb posted:

Does anyone's iPhone iOS 5 earthquake warning system ever go off?
Mine went off once in the middle the night for an earthquake that woke me up, but for example it didn't go off today a few hours ago.

Nope. We had a shindo 2 or 3 here a few weeks ago and it didn't go off, either.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
So just a follow up on my "finding affordable 3g internet access in Japan" adventure, I went to Costco today and got a b-mobile wifi 3g router (2man + 1 month/1 gigabyte included), and holy poo poo this owns. It even uses Docomo's network but it's literally half the price. One year of pakehoudai is only 6man which is about half of what Docomo would charge, and I don't have to rely on a lovely Android handset + PDAnet anymore.

In conclusion I am cancelling my Docomo account on Monday.

Edit: it's all prepaid too so none of that "cancelling your contract" charge crap either. Setup took literally 45 seconds and they even had English instructions.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 12:55 on Mar 4, 2012

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
Smaller than an iPhone.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
This is my router. I bought a package at Costco that included the router and the one month/1gb teikaku card so I can just call them up and recharge the card I currently have, which is one year pakehodai for 29800 yen.

Amazon looks to be about 2000 yen cheaper for the actual U300 card so that's probably a good place to buy as well.

Edit: I was mistakenly looking at the iOS-device cards earlier, looks like generic smartphone SIMs are cheaper, so it actually works out to closer to a quarter or so of what I currently pay a year. This page talks about what I would do (router + U300) if I didn't already have a card, although that specific campaign ended last year.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 04:18 on Mar 5, 2012

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

Pompous Rhombus posted:

Whoa, nice!

I hosed up my pricing in that post, it's actually 2.9man, so it's even cheaper than previously thought. Docomo would have to charge me a 7.5man cancellation fee on my 2.5 year old phone for me to take a loss in long run here. It's insane how much cheaper b-mobile is (2man router + 3man/year vs 5man handset + 11man/year).

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

seorin posted:

Any advice on what to get and where would be greatly appreciated. Not having internet makes me very sad. (Yes, I have problems.)

I'm starting to sound like a b-mobile shill in this thread but they have exactly what you want. The Doccica U300 is a USB Docomo FOMA 3G/hotspot connector that includes 10 months of unlimited access for 32800 yen. Webpage is here.

nb I haven't read the fine print for the Doccica but it looks right up your alley. Also I reckon it requires some Japanese software to make it go so all the usual caveats apply there.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 03:44 on Mar 19, 2012

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

Sheep posted:

A bunch of crap about mobile 3G internet previously in the thread

An update for anyone that cares: I got my U300 SIM the other day from Amazon, 6 months of FOMA pakehodai for 14000 yen, and things are great. Switching SIMs couldn't have been easier, and speeds are as advertised (~30-45kb/s).

I wouldn't go out and replace my home internet with it or anything but if you need affordable wireless internet away from wifi hotspots it's probably the cheapest option I've found yet, at 2333 yen/month, so it's about 25% of what I was paying Docomo previously for a tethered connection.

Did I mention the router's software is actually decent? That was a surprising find, especially for something made in Japan.

Edit: random google ping at 11am:
code:
Ping statistics for 173.194.38.83:
    Packets: Sent = 267, Received = 267, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 89ms, Maximum = 1031ms, Average = 138ms

Sheep fucked around with this message at 02:47 on Apr 2, 2012

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
Start -> cmd.exe, "ping -t https://www.google.com"? That's what I used to keep my connection open so it didn't get shifted onto the 3000+ ms round trip backburner.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
If that were the case, it would (should?) apply to all Docomo connections, and I never experienced anything like that.

Tare, are you actually losing signal entirely, only 3G, or is it just your tethering connection dropping? If you're using, for example, PDAnet to tether, then there's your problem. If you're losing 3G connectivity or the complete cell signal then that's more a QOS issue and nobody other than Docomo can really sort that. Also which pakehodai plan are you on? The bizhodai thing has way a way better QOS setup than the standard pakehodai or any FOMA options.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
If you're not using the business pakehodai option I easily could see the frequent high latency/packet loss periods being enough for your connection to the server to drop. Not much you can do in that respect other than switch to business pakehodai, but I'm not even sure they offer that anymore (I got a letter explaining I was grandfathered in to some special status under their new pakehodai schemes about 6 months after I got my phone back in 2010).

Sheep fucked around with this message at 00:34 on May 1, 2012

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
U300 speeds won't be fast enough for Skype unless you're just trying to use the chat functionality as it's throttled to 30kbps.

It's sufficient for web browsing, checking email, and the like, but it simply will not handle streaming anything, including audio, just as it says on the b-mobile webpage (ストリーミング 不適). It's theoretically possible but it's not something you'd ever want to suffer through.

If you want to use Skype get either the Fair or 1gb定額 plans, which are unthrottled.

Edit: Apparently the new Chameleon thing might work but I can't be bothered reading the fine print this morning.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 23:34 on May 9, 2012

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
I'm not sure that it won't work, but I am sure that I wouldn't even bother. 30k/s is their optimal best effort speed, and in reality you should expect an average of 20-25k/s, with periods of high packet loss when you hit the throttled cap (ie when using streaming media of any sort), with the occasional 1500+ms ping. As I said it's sufficient for internet browsing and email but nothing much more intensive than that. Availability will be the same across the country as you're using FOMA, which is 90% of the time going to be using Docomo's infrastructure. So if your standard Docomo connection would suck then so will b-mobile's.

I can confirm that 1GB定額 speeds were unthrottled (I got about 350kb/s), but other than that and the data usage cap, it's exactly the same connection as the U300.

I should point out that using Skype sucks even on an unthrottled 3G connection (ie my Softbank Iphone 4). The response lag was incredible, not to even mention call quality.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 01:35 on May 10, 2012

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
Anybody have any hard information about this? It'd make my life way easier if I could just up my iPhone (4) plan and use tethering on that but they don't seem to have pushed any update as far as I can tell. Please don't tell me it's only going to be available on iPhone 5s. (It is, isn't it?)

I enjoyed my time with b-mobile tremendously but DoCoMo throttling the hell out of FOMA connections when everyone stops working at noon to mess with their phones and apparently continues not working until well past 5pm makes my current setup kind of untenable.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 23:24 on Sep 30, 2012

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
I'm out of here in eight months so I'm not about to get into another autorenewing two year contract or whatever Softbank wants.

B-mobile has a new generation of 4G portable hotspots that look enticing and right up my alley (device + 100 days/10gigabytes for 3.2man) but I'm really worried that they're also going to be subjected to the same throttling/connection issues caused by Docomo that my current setup has to deal with.

Would be nice if some company offered a decent contractless mobile hotspot option for a reasonable price.

  • Locked thread