Mobile in Japan

[...] Apple and Softbank Keep iPad SIM Locked in Japan [...]

[...] Apple and Softbank Keep iPad SIM Locked in Japan [...]

[...] Apple and Softbank Keep iPad SIM Locked in Japan [...]

[...] Apple and Softbank Keep iPad SIM Locked in Japan [...]

[...] Apple and Softbank Keep iPad SIM Locked in Japan [...]

[...] Apple and Softbank Keep iPad SIM Locked in Japan [...]

[...] Apple and Softbank Keep iPad SIM Locked in Japan [...]

hehe, i ordered the wifi-only model since i already have pocket wifi. but i hope softbank and apple will change this policy.

I didn’t think it was just a rumor that it would be locked. Yeah, the masu komi can be wrong obviously, but when I saw the article saying it would be locked, I had gut feeling it was true.

I’m going to write up a joke about this, and I’m sure you’ll get a kick out of it:

http://www.sankeibiz.jp/business/news/100510/bsb1005101056001-n1.htm

I am guessing that this won’t be a problem for long (think Israel confiscating iPads at the border), but seriously, how many WTF apple moments can we have in the span of a few weeks?

Wanna make a quick buck? Buy an iPad 3G, come to Japan and try to activated, after failing go back to your country and “sue apple” for misleading advertisements! This is the time when I wish I was a US resident!!!!

I can confirm that the cut down b-mobile SIM works fine on US iPad 3G’s. It says “No Connection” but works fine.

pple fixed the FAQ:
<blockquote>
iPadは世界中のSIMカードに対応していますか？
Wi-Fi + 3Gモデルは、iPad向け3Gデータプランを提供しているソフトバンクのmicro-SIMカードに対応します。日本では、その他の国で購入したmicro-SIMカードをiPadで使うことはできません。

Does the iPad support world wide SIM cards and carriers?
The wifi + 3G model supports softbank’s micro-SIM for the iPad. micro-SIMs purchased overseas cannot be used in the iPad.

国外でもiPadを使用できますか？
世界中どこでもWi-Fiホットスポットに接続できます。国際ローミングについては、ソフトバンクにご確認ください。

Can the iPad be used overseas?
The iPad can be used at wifi hotspots world wide. Contact softbank for information regarding international roaming.
</blockquote>

Hey Bakafish, any possibilities you can share with me the details about the B-moblie SIM?
I HATE softbank and refuse to use them.

I have a US 3G ipad now. Is it difficult to cut the card down??
Thanks in advance,
-James

Or, instead of shelling out money for a Pocket WiFi and yet another contract, get yourself a phone that supports tethering and just use your data plan for both devices. If you don’t have a plan already, the Pocket WiFi of course is an elegant solution to the problem.

In general: Sim Lock on a 2010 device = Defective by Design. It shouldn’t be left to the users to fix that situation (and fixing it clearly shouldn’t be outlawed!)

I really hope that people in Japan will be boycotting the POS that the Softbank iPad is and demand an unlocked version that is sold without a contract and for a decent price. But we probably all know that this is not going to happen as people here are used to eating what the carriers serve them.

As for the rest of us, let’s do the sane thing and opt out of this system. There are some very nice Android tablets scheduled for launch later this year and if you can wait a bit there should be several alternatives to Apple’s latest.

best news ever …

looks like I am going to have to import an ipad and get a B-Mobile SIM …

Does anyone know of any companies offering iPad 3G imports to Japan ?

This is SO not cool! Why do something as drastic as global SIM-locking when Apple could have just as easily done something like legally block other Japanese mobile providers from manufacturing those iPad-specific SIM cards in the first place? I don’t get it.

I preordered my iPad through Softbank yesterday and signed up for the 2-year plan and installment payments, not realizing that it was SIM-locked to Softbank (after all, even the Apple website was misleading in this regard). In fact when I asked the Softbank guy about using it abroad, he said something to the effect of まぁ、海外のプロバイダーですから販売が始まってから検討していただきたい (“well, that’s up to overseas providers, so you can explore that once iPad sales in Japan begin.”) It was vague but I presumed that the exclusive provider IN JAPAN was Softbank and that I could still use other SIM cards overseas. This now appears not to be the case.

As much as I protest and would boycott this twisted and contradictory practice if it bothered me enough, Softbank does provide an OK deal by selling the iPad and letting you pay for it in 24 interest-free payments with a reasonable data plan. Mobile hotspots are few and far between in Japan, and especially so in the countryside, and getting online via WiFi is much easier in many other countries in the world. In fact I doubt I would even have a significant need for the G3 network option in the States or Europe when I’m in those places. It’s Japan where I need that kind of quick access to the internet and to GPS regularly (I’m addicted to Maps in particular).

I’m imagining that one or a combination of things is going to happen: 1) Apple and Softbank will announce some other option in the near future– for instance, through partners in other countries (like, say AT&T or Sprint, etc.), instead of swapping your SIM you can just log onto the local network and sign up for prepaid credit there, or Apple will issue firmware that specifically unlocks the SIM compatibility so that while Softbank is the exclusive Japan carrier, outside Japan the customer can use any compatible carrier they like; (2) The J. government will interfere in this as an unfair marketing practice and Apple/Softbank will be obligated to unlock the SIM cards, thus opening the market to DoCoMo, au, etc. and enabling Softbank customers to pay some silly penalty and terminate their iPad plans in favor of something cheaper or less binding; and (3) Apple will lobby for its iPad devices from overseas to be recognized as approved electronic devices in Japan, thus making the unavailability of prepaid SIM plans for overseas visitors even more obscene and forcing issues (1) and (2) above even more.

But I think for now it makes sense to get the Softbank deal and throw fate to the wind rather than sitting around vexing about something that could take years to resolve. I DO propose though that we all petition Steve Jobs and Softbank vigorously and make it very clear we’re not happy about this kind of thing.

I’ve got tons of info on it on my site, including the TOS translated in to English, issues with base band versions (doesn’t seem to be a problem with apple hardware), and information on speed and bandwidth caps. You can’t use it for youtoube and skype, but works well enough for anything else.

http://softbanksucks.blogspot.com/search/label/b-mobile

Thanks SBS…
One question though… Youtube will not work using the B-moblie sim card?
Why is that?

Thanks again,
-James

In short, it sucks. All the more reason to hold off on buying an ipad.

I would like to make a petition to NOT BUY the iPad 3G in Japan!!!

iBookstore in Japan?

I just read an article on Macnn stating that the iBookstore will be available in Japan when the iPad comes out. Here is the link to the article:

http://www.macnn.com/articles/10/05/07/not.all.countries.confirmed/

The article claims its source as being Apple, but I have not been able to confirm this information anywhere. Can anyone provide some confirmation as to whether it is true or not? I hope it is true!

There is a mention that the iBookstore and iBook app would be available on May 28 on the official Japanese press release here.
http://www.apple.com/jp/news/2010/may/07ipad.html
It should be noted that this is a word for word translation of the same press release on other international Apple webpages, and as we have seen, no one really proofread these things for local differences
Of course it makes no mention of Japanese language books or content limitations of any kind.

Hi Greggles,

I agree with your sentiment and argument 100%. Though in my case, I called Softbank before the pre-order date and was told that the iPads sold by Softbank would be SIM-locked. When I looked at the Apple website it was indicating that the iPads would be unlocked. So I thought there was the choice of paying a little more for a unlocked iPad from Apple. But I called Apple on the day of the pre-order start and Apple very pointedly told me the iPads would be SIM-locked.

I then just resigned and thought like you that I would have a greater need for 3G in Japan and to just use Wifi when overseas. So I pre-ordered my Wifi/3G iPad at Yodobashi Akiba. I was fortunate to have a sales staff who was talkative and forthcoming with lots of information. This staff member also confirmed that the iPad would be SIM-locked. However, there was nothing in the documentation I signed that made any mention that the iPad would be SIM-locked. So, since there are folks like you around who ordered assuming the iPad would be SIM free, Softbank and Apple have entered very deep unethical waters. This issue was even reported on the same evening on World Business Satellite (Terebi Tokyo).

Steve Jobs, at launch of the iPad, made a big point of promoting the iPad as SIM-lock free for the world. I had to laugh when the CEO of the company that owns B-mobile wrote in a Tweet, “Mr Jobs, is Japan not part of the world?” It cut to the very core of this issue.

As you may know, the Japanese government has been working hard on ensuring that all mobile devices in Japan are SIM-lock free. However, the opposition from all the telecommunication companies, including Softbank, has been strong. So what started as a strong resolution has been weakened to ‘guidelines’ which the Japanese government will release next month (June). In light of this, Apple has a lot of nerve going against government recommendations.

It will be interesting to see how things unravel. I think with this particular issue, if the voices of protest are loud enough, we may end up with SIM-lock free iPads. The more Softbank pushes for artificial protection, the more it has to lose in the end.

Steve,

Thanks for the link. It does read as a translation. So, I guess we can’t get our hopes up … which is disappointing.

I find it amazing that Apple is so unprofessional when it comes to providing accurate information on their very own website. It could be an indicator that Apple is being so secretive that those responsible for the website don’t have the full facts. I growing less happy with Apple as each passes now. I guess many of us are.

Yes, Darren, I had the same thought as you, and I’m holding onto that contract I signed yesterday tightly, because it’s proof that there was no indication we were signing up for locked iPads. We’re probably in the minority because we actually checked this out and got answers about the SIM lock. But I think your average consumer of the iPad who has been waiting for it for the past few months simply presumes that it’s unlocked– especially if they’ve seen all the pre-release hype online. Those early reports about the locking are only just starting to hit the blogosphere and the airwaves. I wouldn’t doubt that most people who are pre-ordering have no idea they’re signing up for a device that can only be used in Japan, with Softbank. But I suspect the biggest pressure is going to come from people who travel internationally on a regular basis and who expect to be able to use this device in other countries. The idea of “international roaming” on an iPad 3G is absolutely absurd (even more absurd than doing so with an iPhone), and it’s even more absurd that unlocked iPads from other countries are ineligible to purchase SIMs here.

Check my post here explains it more fully

http://softbanksucks.blogspot.com/2010/04/b-mobile-usim-300-on-sale-includes.html

It has a bandwidth throttle that prevents streaming. It also has a three day packet limit, but it is unlikely you’d hit it. Read the above post for more info.

Though a guy who has been giving me real world info on it says he has been able to watch youtube vids but it takes a while to buffer. I wouldn’t expect to be able to use it with any steaming apps, though.

http://softbanksucks.blogspot.com/2010/05/b-mobiles-best-effort-seems-pretty-good.html

Just a heads up, I bought a b-mobile U300 today at Yodobashi camera. I trimmed it with some scissors and…. Viola!! It works on my US 3G iPad.

SoftBank Sucks……

There’s some more info about cutting down a SIM:

http://ide.st/cDmpH7

Do it at your own risk.

It is trivial to cut down the SIM, and there is much less risk involved than people imply. The components in the SIM are all far from the area’s you are trimming off, it is just soft plastic. It took me 10 minutes with a box cutter. I did use a piece of cellophane tape to insulate the extra conductor pads as they touched the aluminum guide frame, but I’m anal that way, it probably isn’t an issue.

What you need to understand though is that the b-mobile service is only 300KBps where as Softbank/DoCoMo is 7.2MBps. This is a pretty significant difference. It’s far cheaper though and can load up email and Google Maps when you would be otherwise hosed.

For more demanding data I use the MyFi app (requires Jailbreak) on my iPhone to turn it into a WiFi hotspot. Screw Softbank.

an Japan tech analyst ?

[...] Apple and Softbank Keep iPad SIM Locked in Japan [...]

[...] free, long time contributor to our community, Doug Lerner, admittedly quite upset by the situation like many others, took the initiative to send Steve Jobs an [...]

[...] Apple and Softbank Keep iPad SIM Locked in Japan [...]