I have an iPhone 13 Pro unlocked and a monthly contract with Three (UK). I use apps such as ‘Signal’ and ‘Line’ that use my phone number.
I’ll need a sim card with data, ideally unlimited when I’m in Japan, but i’m worried about how my existing phone number-related apps will function, and whether I would have to keep both contracts.
Does anyone have any experience and recommendations with this sorry?
EDIT: I’m going for a year as well. So pocket-wifi seems too expensive.
6 comments
Line will work on phone with different number, but if you intend to use additional service in Japan (like Line Pay, etc), you will need to change your account to Japanese number anyway.
Idk about Signal.
Having the same thoughts actually. Moving there in 2 weeks, just bought my unlocked phone. I have no idea what service to go with
>i’m worried about how my existing phone number-related apps will function
Most number-tied apps (Line, Whatsapp, etc) have functionality built in to transfer to a new phone. You go into the settings and there’s a “Change number” or “Transfer Account” option.
Like /u/innocenat mentioned, you’ll need a Japanese number to use the Japan-specific things like Line Pay.
In terms of service providers, Line Mobile comes highly recommended by a lot of people. It’s a bit tricky to set up, as it requires (Or at least did last I looked) Line Pay, which requires a Japanese number. Many folks get around this by getting a Mobal or Sakura SIM for the first couple weeks, then leverage that Japanese number into setting up Line Pay for Line Mobile.
I transfered my number to google voice (i live here now, not sure if that’s an option for you).
Unlimited data doesn’t really exist in japan due to “fair use policy” (unless you go through Docomo or similar which normally requires a lot of extra hoops to jump through). When someone offers “unlimited” it caps out at about 10GB/day, make sure to ask. However, you can find some good deals with sakura mobile, ivideo, etc; they ship around the world prior to your arrival so you can just pop in the sim when you get here OR pick it up at the airport.
For Line, you can register the email address and password, and activate “log in with password”, and with that you can transfer to another device, and log in on a pc/tablet as well.
I’ve switched number several times without issues.
For other apps, I’d think they have some way to transfer the accounts to another number
After reading all the comments and looking from the advice I plan to:
* Reduce my UK contract down to a pay-as-you-go to keep my number for convenience. (Google Voice looked interesting thank you for sharing /u/evohans but not viable for UK consumers it seems, also I’m pretty anti-google). I suppose I might need to activate roaming every now and again for auth, but I can’t see a way around this)
* Buy Mobals Unlimited Sim: [https://www.mobal.com/japan-sim-card/](https://www.mobal.com/japan-sim-card/)
* Transfer numbers for Signal and Line etc to that sim while i’m in Japan
It has:
* Unlimited data (just really slow past your set limit e.g. 10gb)
* Free incoming texts (which i’m mostly interested in for potential authorisations)
* Free incoming calls (not sure i’ll need this but maybe handy for similar auth)
* Delivery to your home country (data for when I land for imigration might be useful with these sos apps and questionaires). You can pick it up at the airport etc as well.
* Easy to cancel in a given month
Ends up being roughly £20 to buy, and £20 monthly (10gb plan) from then. I just might be playing this awfully close with delivery seeing as I depart in a coupe weeks..
EDIT: I’ll update if I get any hickups/advise after arriving