vB Easy Archive - Japanese Cell phone Market makes me Sick!

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Japanese Cell phone Market makes me Sick!
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Posted by: WeneedJapPhones

It disgusts me to know that in Japan, there are 10 and 11 year olds running around giggling and surfing the web with fully colored screen, Blue tooth enabled handsets...Not referring to Sprint, of course, they are basically on the same wave length as japan's AU KDDI, but to the rest of the US Carriers, YOU NEED TO GET WITH IT!

Just look at this 13!! I repeat 13 year old's Handset, and compare...

Posted by: jeffharris

Was just there, and using my Docomo NEC 503i phone, which is eerily similar to the Sanyo 5150. EVERYONE uses a color phone, and lots of people are snapping photos with their phones -- video is happening there, too on FOMA.

But, that being said, I have been going to Japan for many years, and I feel now the gap of technology there against what we are using here, is the narrowest it's ever been. We used to be 33% there -- now it's more like 75-80%.

Jeff

Posted by: WeneedJapPhones

Definately... I now relealize that the NTT DoCoMo, and the J-phone, Handsets only recieve about , at the MOST 28.8kbps... That is nothing... But moving text pack and forth, and tiny pictures being sent back and forth on camera phone, and downloading tiny java apps, doesn't require that much bandwith on a phone anyway...

Posted by: ConceptVBS

Who cares?

Why dont you live in Japan if your so pro-japanese phones?

Posted by: TBURT

Quote:

Originally posted by ConceptVBS
Who cares?

Why dont you live in Japan if your so pro-japanese phones?

That has to be the dumbest thing I have read in these forums for a while. Someone like yourself that has a picture of a Japanese looking phone in their signature so they can drool over it... should not be talking. If you have nothing to add to a thread, then stay out of it.

Posted by: Jack Bauer

Quote:

Originally posted by TBURT
That has to be the dumbest thing I have read in these forums for a while. Someone like yourself that has a picture of a Japanese looking phone in their signature so they can drool over it... should not be talking. If you have nothing to add to a thread, then stay out of it.

TBURT,

Actually the phone in his signature is not Japanese: it is a Korean phone, the Samsung SCH-V330.

Secondly, I agree with ConceptVBS's comment.

Posted by: IdiOTeQnoLogY

maybe the guy is a bit over the top when it comes to loving japanese phones but he can live wherever he wants. just cause he likes something somewhere else and wants more of that technology here doesnt mean he should move out.

and I'll take japanese phones over korean phones any day. samsung and LG are two of the biggest pieces of crap cell phone makers. their phones are consistently defect ridden and poor reception. sure they look nice but when you work at sprintpcs and see all the chaos that they cause you soon lose any faith in either of those companies. i myself will stick with sanyo and now hitachi phones. they are both top notch jap companies. and we do need more of them. and just cause i think that way doesnt mean i should move to japan.

Posted by: dacman

here is what will happen when you'll move to japan or korea, walking down to work 2-3 miles or riding the bike, and checking your gps/playing games/talking...whatever

Posted by: Jack Bauer

IdiOTeQnoLogY,

I think your disdain of Samsung phones is unfounded. I had the 8500 for a year, and have now had the A400 for over 6 months, and both of them got superb reception in my area. I never get dropped calls and the sound quality is excellent. I see no reason to conclude that Samsung produces faulty phones and would glady buy another Samsung as my next phone.

Posted by: IdiOTeQnoLogY

you are lucky. the failure rate on samsung phones is amazing. all techs i know can consistently verify that on average samsung models perform poorly on the RF tests during diagnostics. its not like every phone of every model is defective but if you like to gamble then so be it. i stand by my statements and until samsung and LG get their act together i refuse to purchase and or recommend their products.

Posted by: StarrWulfe

Hey as a man who was raised in Japan for part of my life, and continues to go back every summer, let me chime in on this please.

WeNeedJapPhones, the feeling is mutual because everytime I come back home, I feel lost without my AU sanyo... But it's not only the phone, it's the phone SERVICE! All the mobile phone companies have a number of things in the way of service that their American counterparts here in the US will probably never have

1> a store in every neighboorhood... I mean not just 5 or 6 in the metro area, but like 100 for Osaka City alone! And always filled with knowlegeble, frendly staff.

2> monthly catalouges that detail every new service, update, and price point. This can be found outside the stores, kiosks, and if you're a customer, in your mailbox.

3> pay your bill ANYWHERE! I chose to pay in cash at the Lawson's in front of my uncle's house, but I can also pay at any UFJ atm, in the stores, any convience store, mail, or phone over the net.

4> Speaking of web in the phone... Killer apps! I bought concert tix, Movie tix, Amusement park tix, Train passes, and once even 5 CDs from Tsutaya on my handset. I needed no credit card, because it was billed on my AU statement. If that could happen here, then it would be the s***! But SPCS has enough trouble getting people to pay their regular bills...

5> GPS location based services.... In Japan I get LOST... But then most people do since streets have no names, and addresses go by a centuries old system of subdivisions of neighborhoods (every Japanese person seems to have a car navi installed for the same reason). I used to just ask some person on the street-- "Nan toka ha so kono hen no macchi desuka?" But now I whip out the phone, type in the chome I'm at, and then the one where I wanna go... Detailed directions are then spit out, including if Im going by car, toll costs, turns, landmarks; or by foot, Train costs, transfer points, station exit #s. I don't think I could go anywhere over there again if I lost my phone!

6> Phone selection-- Every person and their mama has the latest phone, and it seems it always has a camera, flashing lights, and polyphonic ringers! Because of this, you can get said Sanyo from AU at around 10000 yen, or ~$80! And we're getting its stripped down cousin for over $400??? Damn.

The downside to Japanese Keitai culture is that you will get "pakemoke" sooner or later--- literally "packet death" because there is no unlimited data pricing there. I have had bills in the $200 range before because you only get around 100 anytime minutes, and somewhere around 5MB data for about 6000 yen.

SPCS has # 6, 2 almost there, #1 is already showing signs because of the new CEO, and 4 and 5 will be here when 40% of the subscriber base has switched over to Vision I'm sure. This combined with out low monthly prices will put us on the same map as Japan Im sure!

Posted by: KitchenSync

STARRWULFE~
Well said! Thanks for shedding some light on real-time status in Japan.

IDIOTEQ~
I hear you on the Samsung/LG issues, I remember the episode with the 3500 i.e. RF performance and the notorius hinge and earpeice going out issue, but I still have good faith in Samsung even though they have been strugling in the RF dept. lately.
Now LG I have lost faith in completely, mainly because of the most recent LG 1010 searching for service issue (that is the main reason) That phone is currently making Sprint look really bad........

Posted by: Jack Bauer

Having lived in Japan for 5 months (Kyoto and the Yokohama area), let me address each of Starwulfe's 6 points:

1) I dont' think it's necessary to have a store in every neighborhood. I never need to go to a Sprint store, and if I do, there are two within 4 miles of where I live. I think it is safe to say that Sprint stores are ubiquitous enough that they are accessible if necessary for most people. Plus, many Americans have cars, and we have streets that are more than 4 feet wide, so we can actually drive somewhere that's not in our immediate neighborhood. This is much less the case for Japanese people.

2) If Sprint changes their plan, I can simply go to their website and look at the new plans. I changed my plan weeks ago to one of the new promotional plans. I don't need or want to receive flyers in the mail advertising new plans.

3) I can pay my bill from any computer with an internet connection and a web browser. To me this is much more convenient than having to go somewhere and pay in cash.

4) I don't need to use my phone as a computer. If I want to buy concert tickets or a CD, it is better to do that on my home computer or my work computer than on a cell phone. I don't want to be browsing the internet on a 2" screen for anything important.

5) GPS location services are useful and it would be good if we had that here. I will give you this one.

6) Japanese phones are indeed cheaper than the equivalent American phone. Then again if you consider the cost of making local land-line phone calls in Japan, and the cost of internet service, the costs may even out. So this point is arguable at best.

In summary, I dont' think we should so pessimistic about Sprint.

Posted by: ImmerStark

1)there is a radioshack within 5 miles of 95% of the us population, and len lauer is planning on using us more as customer service centers than just retailers. so customer service will be much more accessable.
2)sprint is pretty good about sending me news about promotions and stuff in the mail, and i can pop by their stores and get the latest flyers that detail all the services and plans.
3)i can pay my bill anywhere too, over wireless web, *3, and at radioshacks
4)i can buy tickets over my wireless web for movies, i am sure the service can be expanded.(true the charge isn't to my bill, but i will live)
5)those wil be popping up soon enough, i would love tohave them now, i am dirrectionally impared.
6)we may not have as many phones as they do in japan, but we have the best inthe united states and the best prices.
7) we do get service pretty cheap considering how much we use our phones, americans talk on their phones twice as much as people in most other contries.

Posted by: StarrWulfe

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack Bauer
Having lived in Japan for 5 months (Kyoto and the Yokohama area), let me address each of Starwulfe's 6 points:
--snip--
In summary, I dont' think we should so pessimistic about Sprint.

Im not being pessimistic at all! I LOVE Sprint! I have been a customer with them for 5 years now, and will remain so as long as they keep doing what they are doing, and that is merely being the most technologically advanced carrier in the US!

I only brought up those points to shed some light on what it is like to have a cell phone in Japan.

Here in the US, a store in every neighborhood isn't neccasary because we DRIVE everywhere. In japanese cities people primarily take the train, walk, bike most places. If they do have a car, then it's only used to go futher out, or special trips. Because of this you'ss have not only cell phone stores everywhere, but everything else too like 3 McDonalds, 4 7-11s, and 2 UFJ bank branches within 2 km of each other!AU and most other cell providers have the same net based option to pay online if you want to, but Also I like having the option of paying in cash ANYWHERE I GO! Japanese people in general like to use cash, and really only use the plastic when they are buying big ticket items, or traveling. No bank there gives out the debit card with a Visa or MC logo, and it is not uncommon to see people getting 20~50k in yen out of an ATM machine. When I am there working, I get paid in cash in a envelope (!) so the first thing I do when I get home is look at the bills, and go to the convience store and pay them (you can do this for any utility, most store, and online bills in Japan. Imagine if you could go to circle-K, QT, 7-11 here and pay all your bills either with cash, credit card, check, etc! now that's the s***!) I also like having another outlet to buy tix, goods and services. In Japan, and here in the States I am always on the go, and when the weekend rolls around, I am not one to sit in front of my PC searching for things to do... In japan when I am with my friends, someone says lets go to see ABC movie, or XYZ concert tonight, then we whip out our cellphones, and look it up, and then buy the tix. Just this past weekend I wanted to see Ghost Ship with my bro, and we were in a restaruant talking about it. I pulled out my 5250 and looked it up and found the closest theatre, but couldn't buy tix for it... We drove to the theatre and stood in the line and 10 mins later that show sold out... It wouldn't have happened in Osaka like that! As for landline service, with reforms in NTTs monopoly, you can lease a landline for about $8 US, and pay about 15 yen ~ 10cents/min for local calls now, and Yahoo BroadBand DSL service is at 2500yen ~ $19 /month now... Plus most urban areas have a wide selection of internet cafes to get the PC net fix, so this is a moot point now.

The Japanese just did what they usually do and that's take some item (like cars, consumer electronics, 7-11 stores, etc) and made it 500% better... which is why my next phone will either be the Sanyo 5300 or Kyocera 7135

Posted by: StarrWulfe

OMG Immer replied to my post! I feel so special now!

Quote:

Originally posted by ImmerStark
1)there is a radioshack within 5 miles of 95% of the us population, and len lauer is planning on using us more as customer service centers than just retailers. so customer service will be much more accessable.

I fogot about Radioshack letting us do that... but the $5 surcharge has got to go! That's what sux the most... I know that the payment network has to be paid for, but I know its nowhere near $5 a transfer! At least SPCS has the in store payment machines too, but I wonder if THOSE can go into a RS store... Also how about SPCS teaming up with QT, BP/Amoco, or some other national gas station chain for payments too? I live in the *ghetto* and RS is a haul for me but Amoco is up the street. most people in my neighborhood couldn't but a gumball on credit, but ALL seem to have cell phones. They are usually seen in the nearest SPCS store jammed packed on the weekends paying for their service in Cash. so much so that that store installed 2 extra machines!

and you can forget about using the "red phone" at those times...

I think the gas station idea would definately open up some new avenues there if no more than a $1.50 charge was added to it.

Posted by: ImmerStark

i think the $5 fee wil be reduced soon, len lauer is fixing all the screw ups that were made by chuck.

Posted by: volatile

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack Bauer
IdiOTeQnoLogY,

I think your disdain of Samsung phones is unfounded. I had the 8500 for a year, and have now had the A400 for over 6 months, and both of them got superb reception in my area. I never get dropped calls and the sound quality is excellent. I see no reason to conclude that Samsung produces faulty phones and would glady buy another Samsung as my next phone.

the guy only works at sprint and sees firsthand how many Samsung phones fail. You are 1 person who has had the 8500 and the A400. Hmm let's see. Which one of you would I trust more and which one of you is more qualified to make a general statement about the overall quality of the Samsung phones?

I think I'll agree with IdiotTechnology since I've taken in my previous Samsung phone at least 3 times to Sprint PCS for different reasons and other people I personally know had problems with that phone as well (earpiece suddenly died, keys on keypad no longer work).

Posted by: volatile

Quote:

Originally posted by ConceptVBS
Who cares?

Why dont you live in Japan if your so pro-japanese phones?

I agree this has to be one of the dumbest things I've ever seen someone say. So what if he likes Japanese phones. Does that mean he has to move out of the country? It's a fact that countries like Japan are more advanced than us when it comes to certain technologies. Just cause one person likes those things doesn't mean he has to move out of the country. By your rationale, why don't you move to Korea since you are always drooling over that phone in your signature. I'm sure you like things that aren't American made, whether they be German, Japanese, Korean, or whatever. Does that mean you should move too?

Posted by: Aurora

Quote:

Originally posted by volatile
I agree this has to be one of the dumbest things I've ever seen someone say. So what if he likes Japanese phones. Does that mean he has to move out of the country? It's a fact that countries like Japan are more advanced than us when it comes to certain technologies. Just cause one person likes those things doesn't mean he has to move out of the country. By your rationale, why don't you move to Korea since you are always drooling over that phone in your signature. I'm sure you like things that aren't American made, whether they be German, Japanese, Korean, or whatever. Does that mean you should move too?

lol...that was very well said

I agree with volatile

Posted by: TBURT

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack Bauer
TBURT,

Actually the phone in his signature is not Japanese: it is a Korean phone, the Samsung SCH-V330.

Secondly, I agree with ConceptVBS's comment.

Someone slams someone else for drooling over Japanese phones in one post, while he himself is drooling over a Korean phone!?! If that is not bad enough, he does it in his signature at that! So we get to see his drool everytime he posts a message. Using ConceptBS' logic... why does not HE move to Korea then? Come on, if you have nothing to add to a thread then stay out of it. You are doing no one a favor by posting such childish replies and thread hijacking.

Posted by: Jack Bauer

Quote:

Originally posted by volatile
the guy only works at sprint and sees firsthand how many Samsung phones fail. You are 1 person who has had the 8500 and the A400. Hmm let's see. Which one of you would I trust more and which one of you is more qualified to make a general statement about the overall quality of the Samsung phones?

I think I'll agree with IdiotTechnology since I've taken in my previous Samsung phone at least 3 times to Sprint PCS for different reasons and other people I personally know had problems with that phone as well (earpiece suddenly died, keys on keypad no longer work).

I think I am qualified to make a statement about the quality of the phones that I have owned, and I would say that I have been highly satisfied with my Samsung phones. I would recommend them to anyone.

I have never had to take in either of the Samsung phones I have owned for service, nor have I ever had any kind of problems with them.

If you had a bad experience, that is too bad.

Posted by: TBURT

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack Bauer
I think I am qualified to make a statement about the quality of the phones that I have owned, and I would say that I have been highly satisfied with my Samsung phones. I would recommend them to anyone.

I have never had to take in either of the Samsung phones I have owned for service, nor have I ever had any kind of problems with them.

If you had a bad experience, that is too bad.

My father has had many of low end Samsung phones (he is always loosing them), and they only problems I have seen with them is they are not the best with regards to reception. He has a Samsung SPH-n200 now (about 2nd one), and when we took a trip to Dallas (from Houston) we both had our Sprint phones on. His Samsung lost singal 7 to 10+ times on the way there, while my cheapo Touchpoint 1100 (LG) phone lost it only once. His phone was constantly beeping that it had lost signal. Before that he had a couple of Samsung 3500s, and they also had the same type of reception. He has always purchased the cheap end Samsung phones, so that is all I can directly compare. His low end Samsung phones have always worked, and never needed to be returned. My friend had a Samsung 8500 that he hated because it would have full signal, then no signal and full signal again... while standing still. I know it was not tower related, because my phone worked fine and held the signal the entire time. He has since got rid of it due to this. A firmware upgrade may have fixed that problem though he never tried. As for my cheapo LG phone. It has been a trooper. Many of battle scars from being dropped, and it is still working great. My only complaint about LG phones are their really bad incoming sound.

Anyways, if you are happy with a certain brand or type of phone and it works for you... that is all that should matter. Who cares what others think? You can trash talk my LG 1100 and Motorola V60g phones all you want, it does not make me enjoy them any less. I would suspect most Samsung owners will feel the same way.

Posted by: Aurora

Quote:

Originally posted by TBURT
Someone slams someone else for drooling over Japanese phones in one post, while he himself is drooling over a Korean phone!?! If that is not bad enough, he does it in his signature at that! So we get to see his drool everytime he posts a message. Using ConceptBS' logic... why does not HE move to Korea then? Come on, if you have nothing to add to a thread then stay out of it. You are doing no one a favor by posting such childish replies and thread hijacking.

Hmmmm...

Let's be nice everbody...

Would you like to define the phrase "thread hijacking" for me, tburt?

(following addressed to everybody) You really don't have to get nasty about things... ConceptVBS might have said something that didn't make a whole lot of sense (at least in my opinion it didn't b/c of his signature), but he always posts good things on this board and I think we need to show a little respect everyone...(and that was definately not aimed just as tburt).

Hey, maybe ConceptVBS's comment to original poster to get the heck outta the US wasn't smart: but I say stupid things all the time

-aurora

Posted by: TBURT

Quote:

Originally posted by Aurora
Hmmmm...

Let's be nice everbody...

Would you like to define the phrase "thread hijacking" for me, tburt?

(following addressed to everybody) You really don't have to get nasty about things... ConceptVBS might have said something that didn't make a whole lot of sense (at least in my opinion it didn't b/c of his signature), but he always posts good things on this board and I think we need to show a little respect everyone...(and that was definately not aimed just as tburt).

Hey, maybe ConceptVBS's comment to original poster to get the heck outta the US wasn't smart: but I say stupid things all the time

-aurora

The definition C of hijacking from www.dictionary.com is "To seize control of by use of force..." ConceptVBS' whole purpose was to seize control and derail a thread he did not find interesting. He did it by coming into this thread and posting a hostile reply like that. He was almost successful because it nearly turned the thread into "You suck! Get out of the country!" thread. All I ask is people leave a thread alone if it is not of interest to them. Do not to single handily decide a thread is worthless and then proceed to turn it into a flame war so the topic will be overshadowed. By turning it into a flame thread, you ruin it for the people that was enjoying it. If you do not like a thread (for whatever reason), go on to the next thread... it's that simple.

Posted by: Aurora

Quote:

Originally posted by TBURT
The definition C of hijacking from www.dictionary.com is "To seize control of by use of force..." ConceptVBS' whole purpose was to seize control and derail a thread he did not find interesting. He did it by coming into this thread and posting a hostile reply like that. He was almost successful because it nearly turned the thread into "You suck! Get out of the country!" thread. All I ask is people leave a thread alone if it is not of interest to them. Do not to single handily decide a thread is worthless and then proceed to turn it into a flame war so the topic will be overshadowed. By turning it into a flame thread, you ruin it for the people that was enjoying it. If you do not like a thread (for whatever reason), go on to the next thread... it's that simple.

Good point, tburt

I can understand your frustration now.