I have been here for about a year now and I’m wanting to switch to a service that is a little cheaper and I can pay from my JP Bank Account. I want to switch to Line Mo (it seems the cheapest for my area) but Im a little unsure of the process. I know I need to get the MNP/MNO number from Sakura Mobile, but around when I should try to get that? I want to have my supervisor help me with the Line Mo application, so I wanted to make sure I had everything before we started. (Also, any advice on other phone companies is welcome! I live in a small town in north-central Hokkaido)
4 comments
Linemo iirc you can completely google translate the application in your browser, so it shouldn’t be difficult.
I recommend having scans or pictures of your zairyuu card (always useful to have) to upload in the portal.
You can request your MNP number is advance i think but just make sure to read clearly when your contract gets terminated so you’re not left with a period with no service.
application turnaround is quick and SIM should arrive within a day or two.
Request your MNP a couple of days before you sit down to do the application, when I swapped to Ahamo I needed it in one of the very first steps of the application, and it takes Sakura Mobile at least a day or two to email it out.
I’m not 100% sure how strict/annoying it is with linemo, but I had issues with ahamo’s online form and ended up having to go sign up at docomo then do the internal swap (TL;DR, took about an hour at the local docomo office and my first month was a little more expensive, I think around 6000 yen?) but I’m all sorted now.
I just did my change from Sakura to Y mobile. You can request for your MNP a few days before you intend to sign the new contract. It takes about 2 days for them to issue it. MNP number is valid for 2 weeks, after that you gotta pay and request for a new one.
Once you have the MNP number, they can do the switch almost immediately to the new carrier.
I switched from Sakura to Rakuten a few months ago and have been super happy with it. You pay based on how much data you use, and since I don’t use much, it ends up being really cheap for me (~2200 yen/month for me and my partner). I’m not sure what their service is like in your area, but it may be worth checking out!
As for requesting the MNP, you do that just before you’re ready to switch. If I remember correctly, I was able to keep my Sakura service until the end of the month (I didn’t end up needing it though, because Rakuten shipped my new SIM really quickly). Also, I think my MNP was valid for around 7 days or so.