So many questions, so much confusing information

[Habbitty]

Yeah, it's a horrible system. I've even commented to co-workers... "You know that these companies are 100% completely ripping you off, right?" and their response is indicates to me they're ok with it. I don't get it. -____-

One quick question, I have a friend with SoftBank who said that he only gets charged for minutes if he is making a phone call. Is this true, and does this same concept apply to docomo and bmobile as well?

[tokyo_dom]

That applies to virtually all mobile carriers around the world, except for the US

Who pays for a call that someone else has forced onto you?! Man i would be the most grumpy person on the phone: "Hello, what do you want? When do you want it? Ok bye."

[tokyo_dom]

So it seems the 100% ripping you off part, applies to the US too

As for prices, its just what you are used to. They would be shocked to hear that most people pay for sending messages/emails, when it is just a given here - messaging is free.

Just take the good with the bad, and accept that you can get drunk at an izakaya WAY cheaper than you could back home. Do that once a week, and the monthly total, with the phonebill, would be less than the equivelant in the US or Australia.

Btw, maybe look into E-mobile - i think it totals to around 7000yen for a phone, unlimited 10 minute calls, unlimited emails, unlimited internet.

[IonNuke]

That applies to virtually all mobile carriers around the world, except for the US

Who pays for a call that someone else has forced onto you?! Man i would be the most grumpy person on the phone: "Hello, what do you want? When do you want it? Ok bye."

Yeah but when you're grandfathered into a plan that offers unlimited minutes.... I would just call people just to waste my unlimited minutes.

[martindesu]

Just sign up and get a phone and then change it in the future. It's just the way it is. There's no competition in this market, nor will there be. The Japanese telecomms have so much infrastructure invested that other companies can merely biggy-bag and then their service isn't as good. No prepaid, just enjoy the lovely full-bars of signal and fast data. The bill is just another monthly expense, like gas and water.

[Habbitty]

So it seems the 100% ripping you off part, applies to the US too

As for prices, its just what you are used to. They would be shocked to hear that most people pay for sending messages/emails, when it is just a given here - messaging is free.

Just take the good with the bad, and accept that you can get drunk at an izakaya WAY cheaper than you could back home. Do that once a week, and the monthly total, with the phonebill, would be less than the equivelant in the US or Australia.

Btw, maybe look into E-mobile - i think it totals to around 7000yen for a phone, unlimited 10 minute calls, unlimited emails, unlimited internet.

The problem with emobile is that I wouldn't be able to use any unlocked Android phone on their plan, and being able to root and use CyanogenMod are my two most top priorities in a phone. I ended up going with docomo's Xi LTE plan. Annoyingly, I have no data connection, which pisses me off because I have been using a bmobile SIM for the past month and data has been fine. I do have voice though.

Dialing *#*#4636*#*#* and going to Phone Information shows GRPS as Disconnected (obviously) with the State being "DCInactiveState disconnected with last try at 9:49PM fail because Activation Reject GGSN"

Anyone have any experience with this?

[tokyo_dom]

This guy says that turning the phone off, then on again after a little while fixed the problem (for his Xperia S)
https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=...g/y-twz0ZUzBMJ

Couldnt you just have gotten the Emobile plan and then used the sim in your own phone? But anyway sounds like you are sorted (once the net starts working for you)

[Habbitty]

This guy says that turning the phone off, then on again after a little while fixed the problem (for his Xperia S)
https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=...g/y-twz0ZUzBMJ

Couldnt you just have gotten the Emobile plan and then used the sim in your own phone? But anyway sounds like you are sorted (once the net starts working for you)

From what I've read, Emobile runs their network on the obscure Band IX under the 1700MHz frequency, while T-Mobile phones only support Band IV 1700MHz. I've read that T-Mobile phones will not work with Emobile, unless someone can confirm this is not the case.

[tokyo_dom]

Ahh you might be right there. Didnt think about frequencies.

Damn you must love that phone to bits to go through all this trouble to get it working here!

[IonNuke]

From what I've read, Emobile runs their network on the obscure Band IX under the 1700MHz frequency, while T-Mobile phones only support Band IV 1700MHz. I've read that T-Mobile phones will not work with Emobile, unless someone can confirm this is not the case.

T-Mobile's AWS granted is IDed as Band IV being 1700 but for AWS it is unique which utilizes 1700 for Tx and 2100 for Rx. But their phones that support AWS also come with Band I for just regular 2100. With that being said, I guess in theory T-Mobile phones can work with EMobile and just about all the other carriers with the proper bands.

[Habbitty]

Ahh you might be right there. Didnt think about frequencies.

Damn you must love that phone to bits to go through all this trouble to get it working here!

If the rain slacks up I'm going to run by Emobile later today and see if they'll let me try a voice and data SIM in my phone. But yeah, I love this phone so much! Two and a half years and it does everything I need plus want it to do! I would be miserable using these cheap feeling, slow Japanese phones with their ugly carrier skins for any amount of time.

Something else odd, yesterday evening I tried my friend's iPhone 4s SIM in my phone and had no service at all. This is so annoying because even according to T-Mobile's International Services website I should be getting 3G data on docomo and at least 2G(?) data on SoftBank. I'm pulling my hair out right now!

I just flashed a non-CM7, ICS ROM, and still nothing. I just don't understand how I have data with bmobile, but not with docomo. Another note, as I forgot to mention this, but I bought a Fujitsu F-07D in order for docomo to give me a SIM and data functions normally on it.

[tokyo_dom]

The only thing i can think of is IMEI number filtering or perhaps a problem with your APN settings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPRS_Co...ode_.28GGSN.29

Seems to indicate that it is the point where it checks your account details to decide if you can get service or not.

[Habbitty]

Here's a screenshot of my APN. Unless I'm just really stupid and looking way past something, it looks correct. I thought about the IMEI filtering, but every source I have been to says they don't filter under the mopera.net Xi LTE service. The only other two things I can think of doing are flashing a new radio (I have to borrow a PC) and getting another SIM from docomo. Grrrr...

[Kyoex]

Welcome to Japan Mobile phone use ! hehe

Spend lots of money to talk for 5-10 minutes a day, then use LINE 99% of the other time to communicate

Enjoy !

[tokyo_dom]

Ah yes, Xi does not filter apparently. You *have* confirmed you are on the Xi plan though right? I assume you are using the info from this site to get to where you are?:
http://www.japanmobiletech.com/2012/...works-for.html
http://www.japanmobiletech.com/2011/...ng-docomo.html

Can you try any other unlocked (non-docomo) smartphone to see if it is something specific to your phone?