Guide and introduction to keitais!

[aw614]

I guess martin had an old vodafone sim card b/c his worked with inex128 and his sh905i

[murdoc2k]

Doesn't this seem like too much for phones that you are buying at full retail price? I like Keitai's too but jeez. Has anyone tried contacting DoCoMo to get info on actually fully unlocking the phones? Keitai manufacturers are dropping like flies in Japan and DoCoMo has recently expressed a desire to make it easier for Japanese companies to sell abroad. You would think they would be happy to sell to people willing to pay full retail price.

I highly doubt it. It's been discussed before that Manufactures just don't find the need to expand to oversea markets (even though Docomo would appreciate its manufactures spreading phones tailored for docomo to be used overseas). Another thing is these phones are made for Docomo, so they don't want you to unlock it. They wireless companies have the most say in what their phone specifications are like and they wouldn't want you unlocking and changing providers now would they?

[bottlecap]

Dude, Riel, how the hell do you know all this? I am seriously in Awe of it.

[joshyth]

I highly doubt it. It's been discussed before that Manufactures just don't find the need to expand to oversea markets (even though Docomo would appreciate its manufactures spreading phones tailored for docomo to be used overseas). Another thing is these phones are made for Docomo, so they don't want you to unlock it. They wireless companies have the most say in what their phone specifications are like and they wouldn't want you unlocking and changing providers now would they?

Well, it's not really that the manufactures don't want to expand their market, it's just that the phone company have to be willing to use the i-mode service that are developed by Docomo on their network. For example, there are few cool keitais on FarEastone in taiwan, and they also are using the i-mode service by Docomo. By having more company using i-mode, Docomo will be making more profit, thus allowing more of their phone to be sell oversea on other network.

[murdoc2k]

Well, it's not really that the manufactures don't want to expand their market, it's just that the phone company have to be willing to use the i-mode service that are developed by Docomo on their network. For example, there are few cool keitais on FarEastone in taiwan, and they also are using the i-mode service by Docomo. By having more company using i-mode, Docomo will be making more profit, thus allowing more of their phone to be sell oversea on other network.

ic... I doubt north america would like to do that because that would mean they need to spend a large sum of money just promoting those phones and hopefully people would buy into it so that they can fund i-mode and since people are still really fascinated by how small and light their phones are, Jap phones just aren't for the norm. For Canada, cool phones is defined by it's ability to text and go online (eg: Blackburry) which is geared towards the corporate crowd. It's a mono block so it doesn't take up much space and it's not as thick. Jap phones aren't useful because there aren't enough Japanese people coming over and they don't have a solid T9 thing as a norm. People here are also very money conscious so with data plans this high, it's very non-profitable using Internet as selling point unless your company is willing to pay for it.

[aw614]

ic... I doubt north america would like to do that because that would mean they need to spend a large sum of money just promoting those phones and hopefully people would buy into it so that they can fund i-mode and since people are still really fascinated by how small and light their phones are, Jap phones just aren't for the norm. For Canada, cool phones is defined by it's ability to text and go online (eg: Blackburry) which is geared towards the corporate crowd. It's a mono block so it doesn't take up much space and it's not as thick. Jap phones aren't useful because there aren't enough Japanese people coming over and they don't have a solid T9 thing as a norm. People here are also very money conscious so with data plans this high, it's very non-profitable using Internet as selling point unless your company is willing to pay for it.

older gsm phones from nec, panasonic, and sharp had T9, etc that all regular phones have.

[riel]

Dude, Riel, how the hell do you know all this? I am seriously in Awe of it.

I just read and ask a lot of questions. Then I put all the information together.

[joshyth]

ic... I doubt north america would like to do that because that would mean they need to spend a large sum of money just promoting those phones and hopefully people would buy into it so that they can fund i-mode and since people are still really fascinated by how small and light their phones are, Jap phones just aren't for the norm. For Canada, cool phones is defined by it's ability to text and go online (eg: Blackburry) which is geared towards the corporate crowd. It's a mono block so it doesn't take up much space and it's not as thick. Jap phones aren't useful because there aren't enough Japanese people coming over and they don't have a solid T9 thing as a norm. People here are also very money conscious so with data plans this high, it's very non-profitable using Internet as selling point unless your company is willing to pay for it.

i just really get the point of why phone company in the US, Canada, or most of the countries in Europe have to charge so much for data service. Just take a look at what they charge in Japan, HK, or Taiwan. It's like we are paying 3 or 4 times more of what they pay over there. The same thing could be said about the broadband service too, i know that i could get 100Mbps service for around US$30 in HK, but i have to paid like $50 every month just for a 20 Mbps service.

[ryoaska1]

Not sure, but I think part of the reason they pay less in places like japan for data ( and for things like canceling contracts) is because they make so much more money on services than in places like the us/canada. Cell phones were broadly mainstream so much earlier than over here that they have all kinds of infrastructure in place for services that generate money for everyone involved which includes carriers. Those are also smaller areas, so it's easier to put that infrastructure in place. We're not even close over here...haha. I'm sure there are other reasons too.

[joshyth]

Not sure, but I think part of the reason they pay less in places like japan for data ( and for things like canceling contracts) is because they make so much more money on services than in places like the us/canada. Cell phones were broadly mainstream so much earlier than over here that they have all kinds of infrastructure in place for services that generate money for everyone involved which includes carriers. Those are also smaller areas, so it's easier to put that infrastructure in place. We're not even close over here...haha. I'm sure there are other reasons too.

yeah, like the phone carriers is trying to mike as much money as they can get out of their subscribers. Just look at the iphone data plan for att, it cost $20 (and then $30 for the 3G version) just for the basic internet service.

[alicelc]

Informative guide Riel. Thank you
This should prepare me when I decide to purchase a Japanese cell.
So tempted to buy a P905i....

[Tabris]

I'm on the edge of buying a P905i at the moment.

I just lost my N91 on holiday in Japan and I really grew a liking for Japanese phones whilst I was over there. However, I need to get a new contract with a UK provider, so it's just finding a company with decent 3G covereage (although I believe the FOMA 905i series works with GSM? Better 3G coverage would be nice, just out of principle, I understand that most features are gimped outside of Japan) and getting a good deal out of things.

Anyone have any experience with providers other than O2 and Voda?

[Tabris]

Okay, make that either a SH905i or a P905i.

I can't quite decide yet, or I'll just get something standard like an N82.

[IonNuke]

Hahaha~~~ The N82 is really fun too.

[4merly_blucific]

...Keitai manufacturers are dropping like flies in Japan and DoCoMo has recently expressed a desire to make it easier for Japanese companies to sell abroad...

source? i haven't read anything in mobile news (and i read a lot of japanese sites) where anyone from docomo or softbank for that matter wanted to sell abroad.