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Gov't unveils action plan to lower mobile phone fees

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Its pretty much everything in japan. High fees for joining, changing and cancelling coupled with paperwork that requires half the amazon to be cut down to process the request. Not to mention the incredibly complicated rules, regulations, and conditions surrounding ANYTHING here. Its not just phones and housing. Its EVERYTHING

Typical Japan.

I dont know..... I have 2gb internet that is 980 for a year and will be 4500 after that with no other fees....i dont know why a country needs to the lowest in EVERYTHING. each county has their thing that is cheaper or more expansive than others.

my rakuten service is free for a year and will be 2980 yen after that. my area also lets me use unlimited data and calls are free using their app.... sounds like people need to learn how to shop around. if the top three can promote their brand well and can get people to sign up then thats on them.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I don't mind paying what I do for SoftBank because I get Sprint network usage when I go to the US without having to pay extra for roaming.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Gov't unveils action plan to lower mobile phone fees

Arrgh.... don´t we have enough smartphone zombies here already?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@Do the hustle

I had a two year plan a few years ago with an iPhone 4s (new).

That made me chuckle then vomit in my mouth a little. I'll wager that 4s is still locked to the carrier as well. I paid an early 4s contract out and while I kept the phone they wouldnt unlock it. I now have a very expensive paper weight lying around that I just can't bring myself to responsibly dispose of.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

im using iijmio sim. cost me 2000yen per month. very enough!.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

exite uses docomos signal and for 3 sims (one data only) it’s less than 5k per month. Put that in ya pipe and smoke it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The best thing I did was switch to Rakuten Mobile three years ago.

I went from paying 6,000 yen a month to Docomo to paying only 1,700 yen a month to Rakuten.

The amount of data I can use is just about the same or maybe just a tad but lower but it doesn't matter because I can still use all my apps each month without going over - easily.

Get away from the expensive 3-headed monster.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I have a mobile but not a smartphone. Even with the package we use, our bills are stupidly high compared to those in the U.K.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The bottom line is that the carriers operate as a cartel, just like the breweries and every other yokonarabi industry.

Japan does have anti-cartel legislation... as window-dressing.

Because it has no teeth, many Japanese companies struggle to compete overseas with:

ア companies that can't indulge in cartel behaviour, and therefore compete on value (not necessarily price)

イ companies used to strict consumer protections, rather than strict corporate protections

ウ companies whose customers understand and demand value-for-money

So Prime Minister, for the sake of Japan Inc., give the law teeth, police it, and hold chief execs responsible.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Why only mobile carriers, at least with mobile carriers now it has MVNO that can be use as an option. Complicated fees and high fees? That's not only happened in telco, please check housing that consist many charges when people need to move to new place.

Its pretty much everything in japan. High fees for joining, changing and cancelling coupled with paperwork that requires half the amazon to be cut down to process the request. Not to mention the incredibly complicated rules, regulations, and conditions surrounding ANYTHING here. Its not just phones and housing. Its EVERYTHING

Typical Japan.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

The mobile phone carriers here really do take the pith, and customer service levels suck.

Yup

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@Do the hustle

Another one they get you with is the two year plan with a new phone. I had a two year plan a few years ago with an iPhone 4s (new). It was ¥14,000 monthly which included ¥6,000 p/m for the phone for the two years. 

They said the plan is discounted for two years with the amount of the phone payment, but after the phone is paid, the discount is gone. Which will make your plan ridiculously expensive.

I don't think this is a case anymore.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I do not think prices are expensive .... but went to a low cost operator.

The problem is not the prices of low cost operators. It is the price of ones on the high street who have the shibari and hidden fees. Why this matters is that many people are not tech savvy and like to buy something in a shop where they can get assistance if need be. 30% of the country is over 65. They do not deserve to be exploited.

We use a low-cost MVNO but my wife's phone line went down the other day. She was still getting data, but the phone was off. She rang UQ mobile and they didn't know how to fix it. We had to ring Huawei who told us the solution, which was to check whether the "VOLTE over 4G" setting had been turned off. I like UQ mobile's prices, but that is very poor service from them. We were looking at 20,000 yen for an unneeded new phone. It does not affect me living in inaka, but some MVNOs have notoriously slow speeds at peak times in peak areas, like lunchtime on a weekday in the city. MVNOs are not for everybody.

As for the question of why Suga is doing this now, perhaps more people working or studying at home, some without Internet via a landline (most college students I'd imagine), has meant push has come to shove.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Price cartels that politicians are still benefiting in a way.

This has been outlawed and heavily fined by other developed countries long time ago.

No Japanese to demonstrate at least online...that is why no change.

I pay 2 euros (250yens) per month for 2 hours call. If unlimited internet it would cost 15€ (2000 yens). For highest quality, perhaps equivalent to 3500 yens (tailored services)

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I am guessing he was charged millions yen and some change after few overseas tour. Something triggered him to make this his main agenda.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

When can we buy SIM cards and top-up vouchers in convenience stores, like I do in other countries?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I do not think prices are expensive. It is up to you to choose your operator, the pricing plan, and all is related to your use.

Have been 20 years in Japan, never paid over 5000-6000 yens a month. I changed twice operators. In one case, I think I did not pay for some reasons I forgot, and the other case, it was just at the end of the 2 years period when the iphone was officially paid, and I was charged a few thousands yens. For the first change from Softbank to Au, when getting the iphone 6, which I still use. it was a special offer. Would have stay longer with au after two years, fees would have been up to 8000-9000 yens. But went to a low cost operator. For the last three years, it has been 3400yens a month for 10GB. Could even be cheaper if I was not using much.I do not think prices are expensive. It is up to you to choose your operator, the pricing plan, and all is related to your use.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

All nonsense from government. All they need to do is set an upper limit of 5000 yen/month and then let the 4 carriers compete ( which they would not do without Rakuten) Below that level.

AND forbid all the extra non and fake costs for switching providers, unblock sims, etc

Lastly punish the companies for unclear contracts and build in a guaranteed breakaway clause, every year after the 1st 2 year contract.

government making “ a simple and easy to understand website “ ??? Now there is global first

5 ( +5 / -0 )

The main companies have always used deceptive sales methods with various penalty clauses ("shibari"). They are not that expensive if you want to keep upgrading your handset, Iphones are 10 man and that's 10 man of your money, nobody else's, but are very expensive if you are happy to keep using the same phone. Selling a handset on a plan also works as another shibari-type deal for the companies. The icing on the cake has been them selling simlocked handsets so that they don't work on other networks. au and docomo actually use slightly different channels, but most phones have enough different frequencies to work on both, till you get deep into the mountains at least.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

It should have done this long ago.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

It would be nice if they could also pass new regulations for home internet. Those services are also plagues with the same issues described here. I mean they're provided by the same companies, so I'm not exactly shocked.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Pathetic to say the least, the phone companies have been cheating all over the world, their owners are the billionaires who won't let go.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

I do not have a mobile phone. Don't need one. If you all take a moment to think of the full cost of owning a mobile phone ~ maybe if you do the numbers ~ owning a mobile phone is not necessary. I have never had one since I have been in Japan and I laugh when I see the bill of my friends. I have no bill. None. There are other ways to communicate. And the other ways are free of charge. I do business with my laptop. And there are so many free apps that enable you to communicate free of charge. How much do you pay to own a mobile phone on a yearly basis? After five years, what do you need to pay? Do the numbers and free yourself from mobile phones that you really do not need.

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

Hopefully this doesn't equate to lower entry-level salaries for new hires at the phone companies. These days, it seems like the phone companies are the only ones hiring.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Suga is a man of down-to-earth. I think it is a good change. He will not be flying around the world promising aids.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

@thepersoniamnowToday  06:37 am JST

Nice but kind of odd that this is his main project.

What about building some kindergartens and working on some rather more pressing issues?”

This a political move, the glitter in all the chicken feed. “I work for the people” b.s. sadly it works.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

instead of esims why dont japan also go sim free like rest of the world now even UK has made a rule which dont all telecom service providers to sell locked sims embedded sims also has sam effect plus sim free would b beat use one service provider if u dont like it throw that sim away n put another service providers sim use it

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Just buy a good android for 2-3 man and use a bmobile or iij Sim card. It costs about 1400 yen a month for 20GB. You a pay a little extra for each voice call but of course line and zoom calls are free.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

I told them I wanted to cancel the contract and they told me it would cost me ¥40,000 to do so (at that time).

That's what happened if you not cancel your contract just right after 2 years contract with major telecommunication company in Japan, it need to be exact in that month which will cost you nothing. After that you will get normal cancellation fees.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Mobile carriers in Japan have been criticized for locking consumers into contracts that include complicated fee systems and make it difficult to switch to competitors.

"We will carry (the plan) out with a sense of urgency," communications minister Ryota Takeda said at a press conference. "We are confident this will bring fees more in line with international standards."

Why only mobile carriers, at least with mobile carriers now it has MVNO that can be use as an option. Complicated fees and high fees? That's not only happened in telco, please check housing that consist many charges when people need to move to new place.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

I think the standard carrier fees are quite reasonable. However, it’s all the other BS ‘money-for-nothing’ fees they add on that need to be investigated. Things like the disconnection fees. I had been a SoftBank customer for over ten years. When I left Japan they requested a ¥60,000 disconnection fee. I didn’t owe any money on the phone because I bought it outright. I told them it was extortion and left Japan without paying it.

Another one they get you with is the two year plan with a new phone. I had a two year plan a few years ago with an iPhone 4s (new). It was ¥14,000 monthly which included ¥6,000 p/m for the phone for the two years. Silly me was expecting to have my phone bill reduced by ¥6,000 after two years but, no! I approached them about it to find out why I was still paying for a phone that had already been paid for. They gave me a whole of BS telling me how the fee was not for the phone it was for the service. I went into battle mode with all the documents stating that the phone was ¥6,000 a month and the service was ¥8,000 per month, but they would not budge. I told them I wanted to cancel the contract and they told me it would cost me ¥40,000 to do so (at that time).

They are just blatantly ripping people off and getting away with it. No wonder the owner of SoftBank is one of the richest people in the world.

31 ( +31 / -0 )

While all the businesses are affected by COVID 19, they are safe and enjoying high profits under monopoly by three majors. Softbank's Son is using profits for his speculations. I do not have a smart phone. I use a so called "Gala-Kei." I am a retiree and I cannot afford a smart phone. I use PC to check internet. Before, I came across a sad scene. A high school girl was crying to her mother. She was crying she does not have a smart phone while many others in her class have them. The mother did not look wealthy enough to buy a smart phone for her. Suga, Go ahead and next is NHK.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

The mobile phone carriers here really do take the pith, and customer service levels suck.

22 ( +22 / -0 )

Good for Suga. This will be a popular move if fees really are brought down by 40%.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Lets all turn off our phones till they comply.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Nice but kind of odd that this is his main project.

What about building some kindergartens and working on some rather more pressing issues?

13 ( +20 / -7 )

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