European smartphone (SGSII) with softbank prepaid service

[virtualkobe]

Hi everybody,

As I already mentioned in another topic in this section, I'll be bringing my european unlocked SGSII with me to Japan. Before I subscribe to a contract on the long-run I would like to be able to be reached on my cellphone for the first few weeks.

That's why I thought about using Sotfbank's prepaid service, and I have two questions about it :

- I have a softbank prepaid card but I didn't put money on it for more than a year and I know that it means my phone number has been deactivated. However, I'd like to know if the SIM card is still usable and if so what should I do to reactivate it.

- If I use the prepaid service from softbank with my foreign smartphone, I was wondering how the メール would be handled. Will they appear at the same place as the usual texts do (only with xxxxx@softbank.ne.jp or xxxx@docomo.ne.jp instead of the phone number of the person who sent it to me ?)


Thank you.

[patrixl]

Hi everybody,

As I already mentioned in another topic in this section, I'll be bringing my european unlocked SGSII with me to Japan. Before I subscribe to a contract on the long-run I would like to be able to be reached on my cellphone for the first few weeks.

That's why I thought about using Sotfbank's prepaid service, and I have two questions about it :

- I have a softbank prepaid card but I didn't put money on it for more than a year and I know that it means my phone number has been deactivated. However, I'd like to know if the SIM card is still usable and if so what should I do to reactivate it.

AFAIK, you'll need a Japanese ID, probably the same ID as the one used to activate the card initially, to get the prepaid account working again Not sure sure if they replace the SIM card with a new one or not.

then again there's wind of softbank prepaid phones (which means SIM included) available for purchase at Narita airport now, even for visiting foreigners, so that's another option. Someone can correct/add of course.

- If I use the prepaid service from softbank with my foreign smartphone, I was wondering how the メール would be handled. Will they appear at the same place as the usual texts do (only with xxxxx@softbank.ne.jp or xxxx@docomo.ne.jp instead of the phone number of the person who sent it to me ?)

Softbank's S!Mail @softbank.ne.jp is actually MMS, so it would show up in your Messaging app.

However, big caveat, you have to set it up 2 ways:

1 - have the proper APNs
2 - have the proper user agent string in your MMS application --- the stock Google messaging app cannot change the user agent string, the one in Cyanogenmod can, and Go SMS Pro can also.

Without the proper user agent string, your MMS application will be unable to correctly log on to the softbank servers and retrieve the mail. There's howtos here and there, (notably in this forum and on my blog, patrix.org ), explaining how/what to input for the APNs and user agent string.

It may or may not be reliable but it did work most of the times, in my experience back in late 2010.

[virtualkobe]

Thank you very much for your answers.

I installed the cyanogen mms.apk on the rom I'm running right now (want to go fully cyanogen, but I'm waiting for a stable version...)

Anyway, in the "user agent" field, there is a "Softbank X01T" option. Wouldn't that work? Since essentially the thing is to fake you have a softbank phone so you receive メール with no problem.
I'm just asking, but I'll copy/paste the long long user-agent wrote on your blog in a memopad just in case


And finally, I'll see at Narita airport.
I'll show them my old alien card, my passport with a 3-year VISA and my past VISAs. Will also show them the SIM card and a softbank phone that I have... Maybe it'll make things easier.

[patrixl]

Anyway, in the "user agent" field, there is a "Softbank X01T" option. Wouldn't that work? Since essentially the thing is to fake you have a softbank phone so you receive メール with no problem.
I'm just asking, but I'll copy/paste the long long user-agent wrote on your blog in a memopad just in case

yeah I can't say for sure, back in my day the CM7 mms.apk didn't have that option for user agent, it probably was added subsequently. You can always try and find out when you're here

I'll show them my old alien card,

Just wondering, didn't they ask you for your card when you left Japan? I didn't get to keep mine...

[virtualkobe]

Mmmmh good question.
I was asked to give it back when I returned from my second stay (6 month VISA) but I got to keep the one from my first stay (1-year student VISA).
I can't find it right now but I do have it (remember packing it when I was doing

[martindesu]

Sometimes you can get away with keeping it if you have a multiple-entry visa.

[patrixl]

Sometimes you can get away with keeping it if you have a multiple-entry visa.

Yeah but the last time you leave, ie the day your visa ends, they ask for it back. Maybe they didn't use to do that in the days of virtualkobe's first stay...