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I'm looking to pick up a prepaid SIM with both voice and data at Haneda Airport soon. Do I understand correctly that my only choice, meaning offers data, voice & has a booth at Haneda, is Softbank? Per the Japanese page, they offer a SIM with 700MB valid for 7 days at ¥2916.

The official Haneda page lists a bunch of others, but none seem to offer prepaids. (Except GSM Rentafone, but they only offer the same Softbank SIM.)

Update: Also open to meaningfully cheaper off-airport options (hotel delivery etc). Nano SIM, two weeks, at least 1 GB data but preferably more and/or the ability to top up.

lambshaanxy
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1 Answers1

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The answer is no, Softbank doesn't have a monopoly. Telecom Square, literally the next shop over on Haneda's international arrivals floor, also sells voice & data prepaid SIMs on the Y!Mobile network, which is actually a Softbank subsidiary. The baseline price is higher but gets you more data, at ¥5500 for 1GB or ¥7500 for 3GB, plus unlimited local calls, valid for exactly 15 days.

Some rather bizarre catches:

  • You can't top up, period. If you run out of data or time, too bad, buy a new SIM.
  • Incoming international calls work fine (and are free), but you can only make outgoing calls with the included Brastel calling card (or your favorite VOIP app).
  • No outgoing or incoming international SMS. Ouch!

I bought one anyway and, except for that annoying SMS thing, it worked just fine. Coverage and speed was decent too, even in the back blocks of Hokkaido.

lambshaanxy
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