General

[blackrain]

Okay my little techno geek squad I need help. I'll be going to Japan sometime this yr. At this moment I have SPRINT wireless service. Here's the ass kicker. They are not sure it can be used in Japan.
What I need is a wireless card that I can use overseas and not get charged an arm and a leg.
So help a guy out who can barely turn on a computor.
Later,
Blackrain

[Kindred]

POSSIBLY ATT/Cingular.
I'm about the only one in our office left using hte ATT card, just about everyone else has switched over to Verizon, especially anyone who travels internationaly.

Almost definately Verizon.

Our experience has been that while ATT works in damn near every country we send people to, it seldom works particularly WELL outside of the US.

[bmann61]

t-mobile is always an options, but something to remember about japan is the whole country is using 3G, so using a gsm phone is not possible, but there is the options of finding wi-fi locations and getting on the internet that way, if you have any other questions pm me and i can help you as best as i can.

i have worked on the technical side at t-mobile for over 3 years

[BigAlPoulos]

japan? dont they have wireless like everywhere? At least when i was there..

[Critical]

*Note - I am a Sprint employee*

Sprint will not work in Japan, nor will the average "phone off the shelf" for any of the carriers in the US. Japan uses technology that is totally different from everyone else. Please read this, it is an article that discusses, in depth, what works, what doesn't, and how you can get a phone. It looks like your best bet is to rent a phone, however, it does cost an arm, and most of a leg. Here is a website offering aircard rentals in Japan.

Your better bet may be hoping for wi-fi access.

[bmann61]

awsome critical! i was looking for a similiar link in systems here at t-mobile but i wasn't able to find it, but what you have really sums it up.

wi-fi it is

[blackrain]

Critical,
Thanks for the info. I guess I'll be paying more then I want, but it's fine. Either way I need my internet. No sense in not being connected to the world lol. I really hope sprint comes up with something for over seas, this is going to be a yearly stop fo me now.
Later,
Blackrain

[Critical]

well, unfortunately, nothing works there, really for anyone. your best may be to convince the office to activate one under the company name in Japan that you can pick up when you arrive. Otherwise, you're back to the arm & leg scenario.

[Shiba-Kun]

Is www access a necessity (like it's for work, etc.)?

Most modern hotels have coin-op PC's. Ditto for semi-communal "mansions". If it's just to check your e-mails, log onto MCB, etc. then it might be worth it to just get your travel agent to look into internet accomodations before you book any reservations.

I think I paid 500Y per 10 minute sessions when I was last there (Fall 07). Less then $4.50/10 minutes at that time. OK for a quicky e-mail check, but not long enough for a surfing session.

The only problem would be if you lack even basic language skills as the homepages will be in Japanese and such. So just finding the search engine might take a little bit of trail and error. Also the keyboards most likely will have hiragana text on them, further complicating your typing if you toggle back-n-forth accidentally from Japanese to English.

Internet cafes are also an option.

[blackrain]

I'll have to check internet connection where I'll be staying. Maybe that will be a part of the deal. I have the power converter for the plane and local power.
Thanks,
Blackrain