Buying from yahoo.auctions.jp?

**Totchi** · 12-06-2011, 10:41 AM

I intend to buy my first docomo keitai, but so far, I haven't been able to find it on ebay and most shops/sellers are a bit too expensive for me atm. I've looked the keitai up on yahoo.auctions.jp and found them a lot cheaper.

Now I was wondering if the cell phones there are sold unlocked. Just for your information, the keitai in question is one of the newer models that came out in July 2011, so it's one of those that can be unlocked by docomo.

Has anyone bought their keitai through yahoo auctions? If yes, would you recommend it? They might be cheaper, but if they're not unlocked, they are basically of no use to me, since I know no one who could unlock it for me (and no, I wouldn't send it to a stranger to have it unlocked, that is definitely out of the question).

Thanks in advance

**klanse** · 12-06-2011, 11:03 AM

Most of them are locked.

**cheeseus** · 12-06-2011, 04:04 PM

Most of the DoCoMos are locked and you need the owner to go to a DoCoMo shop with the purchase documents and have the phone unlocked for not-so-big a fee (about 30 EUR).

SoftBanks are still locked but Androids can be unlocked to use the phone without a USIM - no fee, purchase documents required. To use the phone with your SIM, you need a hypersim; you can use your carrier's internet / MMS if you get an Android phone.

You definitely need someone in Japan to get this done for you. While there are sites that offer a buying service for people not from/in Japan for a reasonable fee, they will not ship phones abroad because of the regulations prohibiting Li-Ion batteries in air mail, although you might be able to negotiate sending the phone by sea mail (but you'll have to wait for more than a month).

Transactions on Yahoo Auctions and Rakuten and I guess all other Japanese shopping sites are generally very safe.

**Totchi** · 12-06-2011, 11:27 PM

Thanks for the replies so far

@cheeseus: Well, that's a bummer. :/ It appears as if that was my only chance to get my hands on the particular model, as I've got a reply from canadajphones telling me that it's not available anymore...

**klanse** · 12-06-2011, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by Totchi

Thanks for the replies so far

@cheeseus: Well, that's a bummer. :/ It appears as if that was my only chance to get my hands on the particular model, as I've got a reply from canadajphones telling me that it's not available anymore...

Let me know the model. I might be able to find one.