Because information on JCI's popular b-mobile SIMs was scattered all over this blog, I've consolidated everything here. As time permits, I will also compile a separate post comparing other MVNOs in Japan. Yes, they do exist, but none of their product offering are compelling to me, though I hope that changes. For now, I can only recommend JCI's services.
B-mobile is an MVNO using Docomo's FOMA network. JCI is also the MVNE behind VoIP provider BlueSIP and MVNO Rstream. Depending on your usage and needs, the b-mobile SIMs can be much less expensive than Docomo for the same quality of service. All B-mobile SIMs allow tethering at no extra charge.
If possible, before purchasing I recommend trying out their SIMs, which can currently be done at the Yodobashi Akiba in Tokyo all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as Monday PM.
Overview of SIMs
Comparison table
Troubleshooting
Hard/firmware combinations confirmed not working
U300
This is a prepaid data-only SIM that is limited to a 300 kbps. The one month version is popular among temporarily visitors because it can be purchased with cash and doesn't require residency status. However, the one month version is not (that I've seen) available in retail stores, though I've seen them in various small corner shops in Akihabara. These SIMs can be shipped to a hotel address and paid for COD. I've also seen them available on Ebay (for twice the normal price). There are also six and twelve month versions and micro and full size versions.
TalkingSIM
This is postpaid traditional cellular phone service with 300 kbps data. It supports mobile number portability (MNP), so an existing phone number can be transferred to this service. Japanese law limits cell phones to residents. There is no micro talkingSIM - only a platinum micro talking SIM.
Platinum
Platinum SIMs are for iOS devices only and provide 1.2 GB of data per month. Speed is unlimited for certain predetermined apps (See Note 6 below the table). Other applications and tethered devices are limited to 300 kbps. There are prepaid data-only SIMs available to non residents and postpaid platinum talkingSIMs. Micro and full size versions are available
Fair
The Fair is a completely unrestricted prepaid data SIM that is charged in 1000 MB units that are valid for either 1) 120 days (4 months) or 2) 30 days (1 month).
Four Month FAIR
This is not designed for heavy data users but can be very economical for those who only need 250 MB per month (a quarter of the charge). Having reliable access to wifi during the day is helpful to ration the bandwidth over a four month period. This is an option for short term visitors who don't mind paying more excellent coverage and speed. I currently use a b-mobile Fair SIM and have a series of posts under the "Fair data cap" label. Fair Micro SIMs are also available
ADDITION: The point at which the four month Fair becomes more expensive than Docomo depends on if you are comparing to the flat or tiered plans, between which there is about a 500 yen difference. Assuming the cheaper of the two prices, about ¥5,500/month, using 658 MB per month with the Fair will be more expensive than using Docomo. (I have only ever used 650 MB in a month with Docomo.)
Comparison to Docomo:
¥8,350 / 1000MB = ¥8.35/MB / ¥5,500 = 658MB
Comparison to Aeon Plan C:
¥8,350 / 1000MB = ¥8.35/MB / ¥4,980 = 596MB
This means that the Fair is not a good deal for someone who uses 650MB with a Docomo branded phone. Compared to the Aeon Plan C SIM, the Fair is not a good deal if you use about 600 MB per month.
1 GB Flat rate
After the initial 1 GB charge is used or 120 days passes, the FAIR can be recharged for ¥3,100 for 1 GB that is valid for 30 days. See here for more information. 1 GB Flat Rate SIMs are now available. These cannot be converted to a FAIR (thought the reverse is true) and the SIM expires 10 days after the charge is used up.
TalkingFair/Talking 1 GB Flat Rate
This adds a voice plan and requires a 1 year contract, though the contract has better terms than other carriers because it doesn't automatically renew. Early cancelation fee is ¥10,500. A 1GB Flat Rate talkingSIM (30 day recharge plan) would cost ¥4,350 per month
Aeon
Data-only
There are three versions of these data-only SIMs. All are postpaid and only available at Aeon retail stores (current list [J] as a google map). The 100 and 400 kbps versions are similar to the prepaid U300 in that streaming is not allowed. The "carrier speed" version allows streaming. B-mobile VoIP service is possible with each of these SIMs. (See here for more details and Note 4 below the table). Micro SIMs are not available.
Voice
There are now voice plans available. 1-year contract required. Other terms are the same as the data-only SIMs. See here for more information.
(aka the BFT)
SIM
|
Cost
|
Voice (1)
|
Speed
|
Tethering Speed
|
Data limit
|
Streaming (2)
|
Billing
|
Residency required
|
Availability
|
Payment method
|
Initial fee
|
Unique public IP (3)
|
Notes
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U300 1 month |
¥2,980
|
X
|
300 kbps
|
300 kbps
|
Unlimited
|
X
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet only
|
COD/CC
|
¥0
|
O
| |
| U300 6 month |
¥14,900
(¥2,483/month) |
X
|
300 kbps
|
300 kbps
|
Unlimited
|
X
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet/retail
|
COD/CC/cash
|
¥0
|
O
| |
| U300 12 month |
¥29,800
(¥2,483/month) |
X
|
300 kbps
|
300 kbps
|
Unlimited
|
X
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet/retail
|
COD/CC/cash
|
¥0
|
O
| |
| Fair |
¥8,350/1000 MB
(min. ¥2,087/month) |
X
|
7.2/5.7 Mbps
|
7.2/5.7 Mbps
|
1000 MB/120 days
|
O
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet/retail
|
CC/cash
|
¥1,450
|
O
|
supported phones
micro SIM avail |
| Talking Fair |
¥8,350/1000 MB
+ ¥1,250 for 32.5 minutes (min. ¥3,400/month) |
O
|
7.2/5.7 Mbps
|
7.2/5.7 Mbps
|
1000 MB/120 days
|
O
|
Prepaid data/postpaid voice
1-year contract |
Yes
|
Internet/retail
|
CC
|
¥4,600
|
?
|
supported phones
micro SIM avail |
| TalkingSIM |
¥3,960
|
O
|
300 kbps
|
300 kbps
|
Unlimited
|
X
|
Postpaid
|
Yes
|
Internet/retail
|
CC
|
¥3,150
|
X
|
supported phones
25 min inc. ¥21/30s |
| Aeon Plan A |
¥980
|
X
|
100 kbps
|
100 kbps
|
Unlimited
|
X (4)
|
Postpaid
|
Yes
|
Retail only
|
CC
|
¥3,150
|
X
| no microSIMs |
| Aeon Plan B |
¥2,980
|
X
|
400 kbps
|
400 kbps
|
Unlimited
|
X (4)
|
Postpaid
|
Yes
|
Retail only
|
CC
|
¥3,150
|
X
| no microSIMs |
| Aeon Plan C |
¥4,980
|
X
|
"Carrier speed"(5)
|
"Carrier speed"
|
1.2 GB/month
|
O
|
Postpaid
|
Yes
|
Retail only
|
CC
|
¥3,150
|
X
| no microSIMs |
| Talking b-micro SIM platnium (6) |
¥6,260
|
O
|
"Carrier speed"
|
300 kbps
|
1.2 GB/month
|
O (6)
|
Postpaid
|
Yes
|
Internet/retail
|
CC
|
¥3,150
|
X
|
iPhone 4
|
| b-microSIM platinum 1 month |
¥5,280
|
X
|
"Carrier speed"
|
300 kbps
|
1.2 GB/month
|
O
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet/retail
|
COD/CC/cash
|
¥0
|
X
|
iPhone 4/iPad1,2
|
| b-microSIM platinum 6 month |
¥29,880
(¥4980/month) |
X
|
"Carrier speed"
|
300 kbps
|
1.2 GB/month
|
O
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet/retail
|
COD/CC/cash
|
¥0
|
X
|
iPhone 4/iPad1,2
|
| b-microSIM platinum 12 month |
¥56,160
(¥4,680/month) |
X
|
"Carrier speed"
|
300 kbps
|
1.2 GB/month
|
O
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet/retail
|
COD/CC/cash
|
¥0
|
X
|
iPhone 4/iPad1,2
|
| U300 micro 1 month |
¥2,980
|
X
|
300 kbps
|
300 kbps
|
Unlimited
|
X
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet only
|
COD/CC/cash
|
¥0
|
O
|
iPhone 4/iPad1,2
|
| U300 micro 6 month |
¥14,900
(¥2,483/month) |
X
|
300 kbps
|
300 kbps
|
Unlimited
|
X
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet/retail
|
COD/CC/cash
|
¥0
|
O
|
iPhone 4/iPad1,2
|
| U300 micro 12 month |
¥29,800
(¥2,483/month) |
X
|
300 kbps
|
300 kbps
|
Unlimited
|
X
|
Prepaid
|
No
|
Internet/retail
|
COD/CC/cash
|
¥0
|
O
|
iPhone 4/iPad1,2
|
| TalkingSIM plantinum |
¥6,260
|
O
|
"Carrier speed"
|
300 kbps
|
1.2 GB/month
|
O
|
Postpaid
|
Yes
|
Internet/retail
|
CC
|
¥3,150
|
X
|
iPhone 3G/3GS
|
- These are traditional voice options than have standard phone numbers and support mobile number portability (MNP)
- Streaming includes music, video and voice chat (youtube, skype, etc.)
- I have only personally confirmed this with the U300 and Fair SIMs. This post indicates that the Aeon 100 kbps SIM is behind a proxy, so I assume that the 400 and "carrier speed" versions are as well. I have been told by devs that the talkingSIMs have some "closed ports", which I interpret to indicate a private IP address. I understand that the platinum SIMs are technically very similar to the Aeon Plan C SIMs, so I am assuming the Platinum SIMs are also assigned a private IP address. The easiest way to confirm this is to use MyIP or run netcfg from an adb shell or terminal emulator window and look for an IP of the form 10.x.x.x, which means you have have a private IP address. (Public vs. private IP addressing could theoretically change since public IPs are not guaranteed in the terms of service.)
- B-mobile's VoIP service is allowed with these SIMs, but relying on VoIP with a 100 kbps connection, while technically possible, is not recommended. Different hardware and firmware combinations may produce unexpected results, where sound is not routed properly (e.g., incoming voice being routed through the phone's back speaker, rather than the ear speaker). Service is not guaranteed to work properly on non-bmobile hardware.
- "Carrier Speed" is indicating that the connection speed is not limited from what Docomo customers enjoy, so in general, the speed of the unlimited Fair should be comparable to the Aeon Plan C and Platinum SIMs
- Platinum SIMs give carrier speed only to certain applications (visual voice mail and facetime are excluded):
- Mobile Safari
- App Store
- iTunes (Podcast)
- radiko (recommended 30 second buffer)
- Mobile YouTube
- Ustream live broadcaster
- Mobile Google Maps
- Evernote
- Dropbox
- Skype
NOTE: So far I've got several reports of Motorola phones with Android 2.2 not working with bmobile SIMs. Before buying a SIM for a Motorola phone, if at all possible, please try it first to be sure it works.
There are several important points to consider before buying a b-mobile SIM. If you can visit Tokyo, the Yodobashi Akiba store in Akihabara has a demonstrations of b-mobile SIMs on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, plus Monday afternoon. You can slip a SIM in your phone and see if it works. (The Shimbashi Yamada Denki demo corner has been discontinued.)
- The phone must be unlocked or be Docomo branded (Docomo phones don't need to be unlocked)
- Only a handful of phones are officially supported (see links in table)
- Unsupported phones may not work at all
- Unsupported phones may work but with several issues including:
- No 3G icon (Nexus One with with 2.3)
- No 3G icon and no signal bars (ht-03a with 2.2)
- "No network connection" error message popped up by browser (does not affect browsing)
- Some apps may not use background data because of an apparent lack of internet connection
- Excessive battery use by radio searching for a signal
- Android 2.3 Gingerbread works best for phones
- Android 3 Honeycomb works best for tablets.
- NTT Docomo and "emergency calls only" are displayed on the lock screen and/or the pulldown notification bar
- There are no SIM card error messages and there is a "080" phone number (viewable from settings)
- Browser redirects to the b-mobile site (wait longer for activation to complete)
Hard/firmware combinations confirmed not working
- HTC phones with Android 1.6 Donut.
- Motorola Atrix (requires this fix)
- Acer Liquid A1 with 2.2 (see here for fix that requires root access and the ability to mount /system as writeable)
- Based on comments below, it seems the Motorola Droid 2 Global on 2.2 may also not work without the above Atrix fix.
Updated to reflect information from comments below and information on new products such as 1 GB Flat Rate and Aeon TalkingSIMs.
actually at docomo waiting in line to cancel my data plan when i read your post...saw that you put atrix into the "doesn't work" category - solidifying my plan to go "wifi" - ¥3600/mo for wimax via a j:com campaign + 1 month free and only ¥5000ish to cancel the 1-year contract...testing how it will "feel" to carry a wifi mobile hotspot (what the hell is this called in normal English?!?!) now with a emobile pocket wifi...feels OK so far.
ReplyDeletehave to try b-mobile fair again after going to 2.3, maybe that will help.
What do you guys think about the NTT DoCoMo Xi mobile wifi. Right now I think about getting a L-09C mobile wifi router.
ReplyDeleteThx
Christian
There is a bit of circular logic going on here. ;-) The reason I put the Atrix in the doesn't work category is because use convinced me it doesn't work. If you just said that there were no signal bars or no 3G icon or something like that and then never replied, I'd be left with the impression that it probably worked but you didn't realize. But, you described SIM error messages and the lack of "NTT Docomo" showing up, which is definitely indicates a serious problem.
ReplyDeleteI am curious to see how it does with 2.3. I understand that there were improvements made to the base code wrt data-only SIMs. Also, if there are any custom ROMs available, it would be interesting to try those. If one is based on stock, I bet it would work with b-mobile.
I'm not sure this is the place to ask this but i've been wondering if these MVNO's are using the same foma network as docomo phones, are they not subject to the same port blocking that Docomo does to its own phones to stop people using skype and the like? Or is part of the deal that they have to provide unrestricted access to the MVNO's if they want it?
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying my SII on Docomo but the inability to use voip with skype or Gtalk etc. is galling.... -_- AU and softbank let us Docomo, why not you too?
Check the table column called streaming (and note 2) for the answer.
ReplyDeleteThank you soooo for this useful post! Yesterday I readed all the articles you posted under the "b-mobile" tag but with this new one I definitely understood it better =)
ReplyDeleteI have just a few questions to ask:
I have an Acer Liquid, do you think or know that prepaid sims like the fair unlimited speed and the U300 will work? and, about the fair unlimited one, I readed some articles ago that someone told you that if we finish the 1gb before the end of the 4 months we will still have the connection but the speed will be limited, is that right? I don't actually know how much bandwitch I usually spend so I don't know if 250mb a month will be enough for me, I just know that when I used to be softbank I payed around 5800 yen for the smartphone plan but that in the bill it showed that in the "reality" I actually spend something like 200,000 yen of data. Don't really know how many gb/mb would equal 200,000yen on softbank's price list though..
Also (ok you are gonna hate me know so I swear this is the last one) you said that with fair unlimited speed sim card it costs ¥8,350 for 1GB (around 2087 yen a month = 250mb a month) but on the site it also shows that we can actually use 500mb a month but I can't really understand well how. Are we supposed to recharge the sim after 2 months (instead of 4 months late) to do that? Of course if it's true that "after the 1gb bandwitch ends we can still get -free- connection but with limited speed" I won't need to do that ^^
I am sorry if my questions look stupid but I hope you will still be willing to answer to me ^.^
Anyway tomorrow I will try to go to Akihabara's Yodobashi to check the sim on my
Acer Liquid, just to make sure that it works ^^ Yesterday I went to
Koshigaya Laketown's AEON but they told me that prepaid one is available
only online T.T
Glad this was helpful.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any indication that the Fair will work once the charge is used up. My guess is that it won't. Do you have a link to where you read this?
I edited the post to add the point at which the fair gets more expensive than docomo. (about 650 MB/month). The most I have personally ever used in a month while I was using Docomo was exactly 650 MB. Most of the the time I used much less.
Regarding charging of the Fair you have to charge it in 4 months or after 1000 MB of usage, whichever comes first.
On you SB bill, there should be also the number of packets you used. 1 packet is 128 bytes.
I think SBM is basing that ridiculous amount of money on 0.08 yen /packet. If so, then you would have used 2,500,000 packets
2,500,000 packets * 128 = 320,000,000 bytes / 1024 = 312500 kb / 1024 = 305MB
So, the Fair may not last you for the full 4 months, but it will save you a lot of money (if you really are only using 2.5 million packets). You would have to charge it at the beginning of the 4th month. Based on the recharge cost of ¥8,350, you pay ¥8.35/MB. So at 305 MB per month for example, you would only pay about ¥2,500 per month for data with the Fair SIM.
Keep in mind that if you all of a sudden start using massive amounts of data, you can go through 1 GB in a hurry and have to recharge. For example, the new google+ app has the option to automatically upload every picture you take on the phone. If on picture is 1 MB and you take 10 pics a day, That would add an additional 300 MB to your monthly usage, which is double and would make it not worth canceling the SBM plan.
All Aeon SIMs are postpaid.
HTH.
http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/fair/faq.html#q20
ReplyDeleteI missed this before
Q:通信中に残データ量が無くなったらどうなりますか？
A:すぐに切断することはありませんが、強制切断を行う場合もありますので早めにチャージをご利用ください。
Q:What happens when I use up my charge while transmitting data
A:You won't be disconnected immediately, but in some cases you can be forcefully disconnected, so please charge the SIM as soon as possible (to enjoy uninterrupted service.)
What it really means: I don't know. Sounds like you'd probably be able to use if for a while but no for very long.
Thank you for answering me =)
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I don't have the link where I readed about the "after 1gb is over" thing, I used my husband's Iphone to browse it yesterday (and I tried to read as much links as possible) so I can't really tell where I readed that part =(
I readed the addictional point you added in the post, thanks ^_^
I changed to docomo around 4 months ago (I used to be softbank and I really regret changing because of the price T-T Well, still 1 year and 8 months to go LOL) and I don't have bill's statements anymore so I can't really check how many packets I used but I remember that in the latest ones it was written that I spent around 200,000 yen for packets.
And thank you thank you thank you for showing me how to calculate MBs based on packets (I checked softbank's website and it says 1 packet is 0.08yen per packet, just as you said).
So "normally" I spend "only" 305MB / month...I though it was worse =P If that's the case then Fair Sim Card is definitely what I need (even if it won't last 4 months it will still last at least 3..and will be cheaper than docomo and softbank anyway).
Thank you also for telling me about the google+ app, I actually don't use that and also I have the habit to deactivate the autosynch because of the low battery life so it won't be a risk for me ^^.
If the data limit on these 1.2gb/mo packages is reached, will customers be charged per mb/gb of data over their normal cap? Or will they simply be cut off?
ReplyDelete1.2 gb is an easy wall to break
I actually used Tango to make video call over IP using the new Docomo SH-12C, and it worked fine.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure that Skype etc is blocked?
Sorry it seems you're right, I swear it didn't work when I tried it the other day but maybe I was just being an idiot.
ReplyDeleteIts on Docomo's not allowed list though isn't it? does that mean excessive use (or any use) risks not being included in the packet-hodai? I wonder how much would be excessive?
Well anyway thanks, will be useful to make to odd skype call.
I think there was a discussion related to this last Oct-Nov on this blog.
ReplyDeleteGoing by other user's experience, it should not be charged separately and will be included in packet-hodai itself. That is assuming that you have not unintentionally tampered with the APN settings.
Excessive use, I am assuming would be the same limits that they caution for most data connections (I think around 300MB in a day)
Mkd, you're right about the discussions on tethering. Thanks for pointing that out. That discussion comes up about as often as b-mobile questions, which means I guess it's time to consolidate all the information into a new post.
ReplyDeleteBottom line: there are numerous ways for them to tell if you are tethering, but aside from extremely flagging heavy bandwidth consumption, it requires resources to look for tethers with TTL and packet inspection, etc. So, given the overhead, there is a balance between revenue lost from tethers and overhead required to look for tethers.
Since we've heard no stories of people getting slapped with charges by docomo, that would suggest that the cost of looking is higher than the money they think they recoup.
Two things can change: 1) the number of people tethering and the total amount of bandwidth they consumed or 2) the amount of money they think they will recoup. Will they? Who knows. If they do, could a high bill come your way? Perhaps just maybe it might.
Ok this is my report for the Fair Sim Card:
ReplyDeleteI went to Akiba's Yodobashi 2 days ago, I tried to sim on my Acer Liquid A1 (Froyo) and it didn't work. The b-mobile staff helped me so much by trying to make it work for 1 HOUR (I am seriously in love with the girl of the shop right now..I wanted to hug her 'cause she was soooo kind to me).
Anyway it didn't work so she finally searched on google to see if there was a solution for that and together we found out that the problem was the Acer Liquid + Froyo combination. Infact in Froyo's OS there must be the lack of something as the guides on "how to make acer liquid a1 work with froyo" explain that if we can extract some modules from eclair and put it on froyo then the sim will work.
So she emailed me the links with the guide and I did everything that was written on the site..and went back on the shop yesterday morning.
This time the sim worked =) So I bought the sim card and left.
I used the phone a little yesterday (watched some site etc) and the bcharge app says that I have 991mb left ^^
I will try Acer Liquid + Gingerbread combination someday this week, I will write a comment here again as soon as I do it ^^
So basically what I wanted to say is that Acer Liquid A1 + Froyo doesn't work (it works only if we replace some modules with eclair ones).
Here is the guide I followed to make it work: http://kazpard.seesaa.net/pages/user/iphone/article?article_id=168746113
This is incredibly helpful. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
ReplyDeleteI have one really simple question. Do these data only sims like the fair or the U300 come with a mobile email addresses? So, for instance, would I be able to use the messaging application on my phone to send and receive mobile emails?
Hello,
ReplyDeleteSorry, to specify: NTT DoCoMo does in fact show up as the network on my phone, and the phone number from b-mobile seems to have taken, too. When I go to Phone Properties it shows those things. What I don't get is service.
ReplyDeletetry the username bmobile@u300 rather than bmobile@fr that is for platinum. and you said you are using fair.
ReplyDeleteHi Nicholas, thanks for the suggestion! I tried the u300 username too, but it unfortunately didn't work.
ReplyDeleteThe b-mobile help desk team confirmed that the bmobile@@fr username was correct for the Fair- it's also on their site here: http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/fair/setting.html
Unfortunately beyond that the help desk was not actually any help- because the Droid 2 is an American phone, they said they couldn't support it.
I hope I can help ^^"
ReplyDeleteYou should also try bmobile@sw as apn...it's one of the apn that the Yodobashi Camera Akiba's shop staff tried on my phone.
Also which version of android do you have on your phone? 'cause for example Acer Liquid + Fair doesn't work with Froyo and Gingerbread unless you change the file "libril-acer-1.so" on system/lib with the one of eclair's version.
Are you sure the Droid 2 supports W-CDMA? Dual mode in that sense is very rare. au offer phones with GSM support but true global is rare. The Milestone 2 is the W-CDMA version of the Droid 2, no?
ReplyDelete(My point is that there is no GSM in Japan so if the phone supports global roaming through GSM you are out of luck).
It can read NTT docomo and the phone number from the SIM, so that doesn't necessarily mean that it is connected to the base station (making it a SIM issue).
I can confirm that bmobile@sw will also work with the fair SIM. I have used both bmobile@sw and bmobile@fr. I haven't had a chance to look into the lib file Alessia mentions, but that is on my list to do. I want to know exactly what is the problem with some of these phones.
ReplyDeleteSo a few points for clarification
I understand that:
1. The phone number shows up in settings/about
2. Ntt Docomo is displayed
3. Out of service is displayed
Some questions:
1. Is "Emergency calls only" displayed on the lock screen or the notification bar when pulled down?"
2. What Android version?
3. Do signal bars display at all?
4. If the signal bars do display, are they green (on gingerbread only - disregard for froyo).
5. Is bootloader security off allowing /system to be mounted rw and do you have root privileges?
6. Does the browser throw up a no connection error?
7. What happens when you hit OK?
8. Did you google PW get cleared when you added the new SIM?
Hi Alessia! Thanks for your note!
ReplyDeleteI tried bmobile@sw but it also didn't work. My phone is currently running 2.2 but it's a Motorola phone so it doesn't have that library. I can try to find a corresponding library though!
Hi SBSdroid, thanks very much for your help! Here are the answers to your questions:
ReplyDelete1) "Emergency calls only" is not displayed. Both the lock screen and the notification bar say "NTT DOCOM | NTT DoCoMo."
2) I am using Android 2.2.
3) No signal bars display- there's a red "no" symbol over them.
4) (no bars)
5) I have root privileges through the z4root app. I'm not sure if bootloader is on or off.
6) The browser does throw up a no-connection error.
7) I am not sure which OK you are talking about, but when I select the "DoCoMo" network, nothing happens. It just returns me to the main Wireless and Networks options screen.
8) No, my Google PW did not get cleared at any time. It keeps failing actually and I have to get on the wifi to put it back in.
Sorry to reply to myself here but the REPLY button didn't appear for the SBS comment on my comment.
ReplyDeleteVerizon can be somewhat schizophrenic. They refer to UMTS on Droid 2 global page also but all their marketing copy is as below:
*****
QUAD BAND GSM GLOBAL ROAMING
Whether across the country, or across the world. This DROID never stops doing for you.
****
If the device definitely does support W-CDMA, then try changing your network authentication method to PAP OR CHAP. That has been known to fix some issues with b-mobile SIMs on some of the Japanese sites.
Just changed maxed threading sitewide to 4. And I deactivated disqus's @mentions because if there is anyone with the the disqus username fr or sw, that guy is gonna hate this thread. ふふふふ。
ReplyDeleteI'd hope that isn't the case. I guess there is also no guarantee that there aren't multiple revisions with different basebands... I am not at all familiar with the handsets available in the US.
ReplyDeleteAfter hitting the OK to clear the network connection error (or whatever it says) message that comes up with the browser. Just want to confirm that the page didn't actually load, which is what happens on my N1.
ReplyDeleteI just want to clear the usual suspects before moving into more complicated stuff. Check what was mentioned above by likethesite. You need to confirm that this phone does indeed support UMTS-2100 (I think it does).
Just wanted to add that this summary you have done up is fantastic. Very useful.
ReplyDeleteHi Likethesite,
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for helping! I am pretty sure my phone will work in Japan, and here is why: I have a prepaid Softbank SIM that I got with another phone way back in the day. All the money on it is depleted, but I have gotten that to work on my phone such that it can receive calls. Here's how:
I inserted the Softbank SIM.
I went to Wireless and Networking in Android. There are three choices for Network Mode: Global, CDMA, and GSM/UMTS. I selected GSM/UMTS.
No additional access point data etc was required.
Having done that, I get bars from Softbank and the phone can receive calls to the number of the Softbank SIM. So I think it's safe to say that the phone will work in Japan, just not necessarily on b-mobile.
I should also note here that when I select CDMA mode, there are only two suboptions, both regarding Roaming mode. I can set them to "Home Only" or "Automatic." Selecting "Home Only" gets me nowhere. Selecting "Automatic" gets me Roaming with very limited capabilities (can receive texts and calls, can't call or text, no data).
Does any of that help? Thanks very much for helping me!
Also: if I select GSM/UMTS mode, I am given suboptions for:
ReplyDelete1) either GSM only, UMTS only, or both
2) manually selecting an operator (weirdly, when using either a b-mobile or softbank sim, i always am given options for Docomo AND softbank)
3) access point names
Even further, when inputting the b-mobile APN information, I set the authentication method to "PAP or CHAP."
ReplyDeleteOK, First, don't use CDMA that is different. It is a little bit confusing and confused me at first, but the 3G version of CDMA is essentially CDMA-2000. The 3G version of GSM is W-CDMA, which is where the confusing comes in. UMTS is, for our purposes the same as W-CDMA.
ReplyDeleteNext, since there is no GSM, select only UMTS.
The network operator will be Docomo. It is not strange that you also see softbank, since they are also using UMTS-2100. If it supported 1700, you'd also see Emobile showing up. B-mobile won't show up because they are a virtual operator on Docomo's real network.
OK, I selected UMTS only, and then picked "JP DoCoMo 3G (44010)" as my network operator. But sadly there's no change.
ReplyDeleteConnor
ReplyDeleteI would recommend you do the following:
Do UMTS only. Select docomo as the operator and in the APN choose "PAP or CHAP" as your authenticaiton mode.
Also, what city are you in? If you are in docomo's BAND VI (800MHz (FOMA PLUS)) area (i.e. outside of urban area) then that prolly won't work on a US BAND V (850MHz) phone.
Hi Likethesite,
ReplyDeleteThanks for that! I made those selections but frustratingly I get the same result. I'm in Tokyo right now and have no plans to leave the city. It is very strange that it would work with the Softbank SIM but not this one! I don't get it!
Hi Likethesite and SBSdroid,
ReplyDeleteThanks very much again for helping me! I really appreciate you trying, but I think I am about ready to throw in the towel- do you think it's even worth it to take it to the Yodobashi in Akiba, or just figure out how to sell it?
This would be a prime example of potential issues surrounding
ReplyDeletefragmentation on Android. The stock AOSP code works, though not
without issues that seem to come from Google's lack of thought
regarding data only sims and the exact structure of the sims provided
to bmobile by docomo.
But for reasons that it appears aren't crystal clear to even people in
the business, some hard / firmware combinations have more issues than
others. Gingerbread by far works better than the previous versions.
Hopefully as Android matures, these issues will go away. I am hoping
the next version completely fixes these issues.
As I mentioned on G+, if it just won't work at all and you're not
comfortable modifying your phone in the hope we can make it work, I'm
sure there is someone around who would be interested in buying your
sim.
Send me an email.
ReplyDeleteThis post is a goldmine. Thanks a lot for consolidating all that information.
ReplyDeleteI got an Atrix a couple of months ago, it is an AT&T phone that has been unlocked.
ReplyDeleteI got a b-mobile sim and experienced the exact same symptoms that you describe, also running Android 2.2
I could put a prepaid softbank voice sim in, that works.
The data only ones are the problem, exactly like you.
I upgraded to Android 2.3 today, but I no longer have the b-mobile sim. I got so frustrated I tossed it in the trash, it was making me angry that I could not get it to work. I tried b-mobile support, they had no clue.
I went to e-mobile and got one of the guys to give me a sim to try, no luck (they also had no clue).
I've just been using wifi at home and work, but now that I have 2.3 I have hope again. I would really like a Aeon sim for 980 which would be good enough for me.
Has anyone tried any data only service in Japan now with 2.3 available?
I can confirm (as I used it long for months), that a Motorola Milestone 2 worked with a bmobile U300 SIM card. However, the 3G icon never showed up (but download speed was about 300 kbit/s) and internet connectivity was often not working on the first try (but always some seconds later), which makes me think the phone did disconnect from the cellular network. As incoming calls/traffic never happened, this does make sense.
ReplyDeleteI now use a bmobile talking SIM and all small issues are solved: 3G icon is on, network always works, and of course talking is ok now too.
Forgot one annoying thing: Thethering did not work with the data-only card, but works just fine with the talking SIM card. No idea why, but it was very reproduceable.
ReplyDeleteGreat post - I am just visiting Japan and trying b-mobile's Fair SIM for the first time, with my Galaxy S Android (T-Mobile Vibrant) unlocked.
ReplyDeleteThe connection works okay - except the caveats in the post such as "No network" dialog in the browsers.
There's also one major drawback, at least when used with Android 2.3 apparently - the phone thinks there's no network, and "Cell standby" hoses the battery, trying to find a better network. To me this reduces the whole battery life up to 50%. http://picplz.com/user/miyagawa/pic/hf2wn/
I searched for the (Japanese) web and found that the workaround is to buy talking SIM because that way you actually will have the cell network with voice, but that's absurd, and require residency in Japan etc. Hope this bug gets fixed in the Android mainline. I published this issue on my g+ post and seems lots of people are affected, not only Nexus phones.
Funny thing is, the same thing happens to my unlocked European Xperia Play with a regular AT&T sim. In fact, my "Cell standby" meter is *higher* than my "Display" meter. But I still get about 6.5 hours of heavy use, which is longer than my previous Droid. Of course I have a voice plan that works and everything. The only issue I can think of is that it's a European phone, set with the AT&T APN. The phone supports AT&T frequencies, I get HSPA.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing this up. Thing is I never really noticed because I've only ever used this n1 with bmobile or on ATT. It is a t-mo version, so on EDGE on ATT. I have never had both voice and 3G. So I never had anything to compare with. The battery drains fairly quickly, but I am using it a lot and it is an old battery. I hadn't considered this.
ReplyDeleteTethering does work using data-only simcard. I tested running YouTube on my iPhone 4, tethered to my Galaxy2 (2.3.3). Speedtest app doesn't seem to work though, probably because data-only simcard is not fully supported on android phone yet.
ReplyDeleteI can compare - when I use this phone in US with the regular T-Mobile's 3G, the battery lasts for 10-12 hours with the normal use. With b-mobile's data only SIM and high cell standby drain all the time, it's 5-6 hours. It's that bad.
ReplyDeleteMy workaround so far is to turn on Airplane mode whenever it's connected to WiFi. There's a lot of apps on Market that automates this with screen lock or scheduling. Also, charge the phone whenever i'm near the power source :)
Is there any reason a UK HTC incredible S *wouldn't* work on the Talking Sim plan?
ReplyDeleteJust about to buy one, so if there are any problems it'd be good to know now! ;-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Incredible_S
It should work.
ReplyDeletePut the Nexus S in the "lots of issues" category. Has all the problems listed in the post and the battery life was not just bad but *really* bad, and the phone stayed warm all the time.
ReplyDeleteHi! I just bought my u300 sim and when I place it in my Nokia E61 (a supported phone on their list), it says "SIM CARD REGISTRATION FAILED". Any ideas on what to do? I emailed the helpdesk but they still haven't replied.
ReplyDeleteDo I have to do anything before being able to use the sim card? Or do I just put it on my phone and start using? Am I missing a step like actiation/registering or something? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHave you activated the SIM by calling with a cell phone to the activation number? Do you have another phone to try it in? I am not sure what else to suggest.
ReplyDeleteHate to plonk this question in the article, but figured it'd be a good place. I'm attempting to order the b-mobile U300 Micro Sim for my one month visit, and used my very limited Japanese knowledge to fill out the order form. I am however stuck on the Contact Phone number...obviously I don't have a Japanese phone number hence the purchase, but it's asking me to input one. Was wondering if I should just put in a fake 0900000etc.? I'm having the SIM sent to a Tokyo address but would prefer not to give her phone number to save her more hassle :) If I must, I could though. Any advice would be much appreciated, this website is a godsend. What would I do without the internet!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for this fantastic post. Very useful.
ReplyDeleteOne quick question. Although Platinum is only iOS device, can I use it with SIM card adaptor and use in Android device?
Thanks in advance for your prompt answer.
I doubt if there would be any restriction at SIM level. I currently use my iPhone micro-SIM with adapter in Android device without any problem (ofcourse after setting correct APN, mail settings etc)
ReplyDeleteBest would to try it out at the Yodobashi store in Akihabara. The lady is really helpful and would let you try anything. (She let me check the SIM on JB iPhone devices with complete knowledge that it was JB)
Awesome post, thanks so much for the info.
ReplyDeleteI will be going on exchange in Kyoto for 6 months, and will be getting a phone there.
It appears that Docomo's data plans are ridiculously expensive, and I'm thinking of just doing the ￥2k value plan (voice only) without any data plan when getting my phone.
I would like to ask if anyone happen to know whether b-mobile FAIR SIM is compatible with Docomo's AQUOS PHONE f SH-13C (Android 2.3, uses microSIM)? This model isn't in b-mobile's officially supported models list =(
I can't say. There is another Fujitsu phone... But the only way to know is to try it or google it in Japanese and see if anyone else has.
ReplyDeleteIs it worth buying a phone from Docomo with no subsidy for only a 6 month stay? Maybe it would be better to get something cheaper?
Yeah it's expensive, but I don't have a smartphone atm and would probably need it to prevent getting lost etc. =/
ReplyDeleteAs for that phone, I'll see if I can try the SIM before buying it -- but it seems like the only place to do that is in Akiba...
Hi Everyone,
ReplyDeleteSeveral months later I was finally able to get my Droid 2 Global working using these instructions: http://zxxiziii-mikkabouzu.blogspot.com/2011/08/b-mobile-sim-u300-on-atrix.html. That link is for the Motorola Atrix but it works on D2G as well; I saw a frustrated Atrix owner on this thread and this seems like his fix!
The problem seems to be that the APN information won't take if you put it in through the normal interface, so you actually have to manually alter a file called /etc/ppp/peers/pppd-ril.options.
I did that with the Market app "Root Explorer" and now everything works. As SBS noted originally, my phone still shows No Service and there's no UI indication given that the phone is even connected. But the internet works.
Just to add my findings, the Talking U300 sim seems to work fine in an HTC incredible S.
ReplyDeleteI bought it direct from the website (with help for the japanese) and it was delivered the next day. though it doesn't activate for 2 days.
When I first put it in it wasn't working at all - i was just about to call their helpline when i put the back cover on and the voice/network connected right up - i guess the incredible S has it's aeriel in the back cover then.
One weird thing was that although voice then worked fine, and I'd entered the data information (APN), the data didn't work for about 10 minutes, then suddenly kicked in. Don't know if that was my fault too.
I mostly have a HSDPA connection, although today it seemed to often switch between that and 3g. Not sure why that started.
The speed of the u300 seems fine for may apps, and sites like the bbc mobile site - but it's kinda slow on big pages like the full bbc news page. And that's with using their accelerator that works like opera mini and compresses pages and images - supposed to be like a 800kps line.
I'm mostly using wi-fi for downloading apps and syncing things though.
Another weird thing is that SMS messages seem to work between it and AU phones... i thought each carrier restricted SMS to their own network here?
All in all, it seems like a great deal so far, as it costs 2000 a month less than my old au feature phone with wap/imode style 3g internet.
Thanks for sharing. I didn't realize they had an accelerator. I should change the URL of this site to bmobiledoentsuck.
ReplyDeletehttp://softbanksucks.blogspot.com/2011/06/japanese-carriers-finally-to-allow.html
Very useful information. Thanks for all your work. Do you have any information about b-mobile and windows phone 7 or 7.5. Any problem report with some windows phone?. I'm interested in a nokia lumia and b-mobile talking sim (voice and unlimited data). Thank you once again
ReplyDelete