Roaming in Japan with 3G mobile

[Flashback]

Yeh, that was the other option I considered but can still come in quite pricey.

serfty, I've found PEOPLES»» IDD Talk Stored Value SIM Card and PEOPLES»» PEOPLES Stored Value SIM Cards - would these be the only 2 I should consider, given that I'd be mainly calling Australian mobiles/landlines?

Cheers..

 

[NM]

Thanks serfty Now to scour the Telstra website and find out what number I'd need to ring to access my VM.

The international number for Optus VM is +61 411 000 321. I can't remember the Telstra prefix, but it is in the same format such as +61 4xx 000 101, but I can't remember the xx values for Telstra.

 

[Evan]

The international number for Optus VM is +61 411 000 321. I can't remember the Telstra prefix, but it is in the same format such as +61 4xx 000 101, but I can't remember the xx values for Telstra.

NM, good thing to have stored in your phone ! Had that problem when i roamed and couldn't figure out the number, not easy to find either.
Also make sure you know your PIN, without your VM pin your also stuck from memory.

Some countries are great, like Singapore (And not just Singtel either if i remember correctly) where you just dial your 321 normal number and get your VM.

Evan

 

[NM]

NM, good thing to have stored in your phone ! Had that problem when i roamed and couldn't figure out the number, not easy to find either.
Also make sure you know your PIN, without your VM pin your also stuck from memory.

Yep, my normal VM diversions (Divert on busy, divert on no answer) use the full international dial code, as does my speed dial for calling VM. That way I don't need to make any major changes when I travel.

 

[Shano]

Thanks serfty Now to scour the Telstra website and find out what number I'd need to ring to access my VM.

For my last O/S trip (to USA) when a voicemail was received Telstra would send me a SMS. All I had to do was reply to that SMS with a blank message, at which point the phone would ring and I would be connected to VM. I assume that this works in Hong Kong?

The other more expensive way is to ring you Australian mobile # using your prepaid SIM (complete with +61 prefix) and when your VM message is playing hit #. You will then be prompted for your PIN to access mailbox setup. From here you can listen to messages

 

[Flashback]

For my last O/S trip (to USA) when a voicemail was received Telstra would send me a SMS. All I had to do was reply to that SMS with a blank message, at which point the phone would ring and I would be connected to VM. I assume that this works in Hong Kong?

It would, but you need to pay for 'incoming call airtime', which can add up pretty quick..

 

[Shano]

It would, but you need to pay for 'incoming call airtime', which can add up pretty quick..

Hmm, as my employer pays for all mobiles calls I tend to forget about some of the exorbitant 'incoming call airtime' charges. One good fringe benefit I suppose.

I spent quite a bit of time in Shanghai in the early 90's working. The first month I was there my mobile phone bill was ~$1,500 (thankfully my employer paid). I made a concerted effort after that to minimise outgoing calls, but would get regular calls from my boss in Australia. The phone bill still ended up ~ $1,000 per month at times. My boss kept approving the monthly bills as it was the most convenient way for him to contact me at the time, but there are obviously much smarter ways of doing this now.

 

[Flashback]

Hmm, as my employer pays for all mobiles calls I tend to forget about some of the exorbitant 'incoming call airtime' charges. One good fringe benefit I suppose.

I spent quite a bit of time in Shanghai in the early 90's working. The first month I was there my mobile phone bill was ~$1,500 (thankfully my employer paid). I made a concerted effort after that to minimise outgoing calls, but would get regular calls from my boss in Australia. The phone bill still ended up ~ $1,000 per month at times. My boss kept approving the monthly bills as it was the most convenient way for him to contact me at the time, but there are obviously much smarter ways of doing this now.

Thanks to the joys of IP telephony, which is another option to look at.. Wireless net access, and just use our normal VoIP.

 

[serfty]

Thanks serfty Now to scour the Telstra website and find out what number I'd need to ring to access my VM.

Ring your mobile 'phone number using the IDD prefix (e.g. +61417123456 for 0417123456). While your "Leave your message after the tone" is playing, press the # key, enter your PIN when requested and press the # key again. Off you go ...

To set up your pin etc, do this before you go.

And of course, forward all your calls to VM (101) as well before you go.

 

[Flashback]

Great, have written that down in my 'travel diary' kindly given to me by Mother for Christmas last year

 

[serfty]

The most expensive call I've ever had was a double roam... In Oxford st London, waiting for mrs serfty to return from her shopping safari ... over an hour after meeting time I rang her Oz mobile with my Oz mobile. 3 Minute call ... total cost over $25 with the two 'phone calls; outgoing and incoming. :shock:

Always been careful since ...

Back OT: Next time I'm in Japan it will be good to be able to employ my 6mo 3G 'phone.

 

[Evan]

OT: The most expensive call i have ever had was about $800 one call, Data call (Oracle 7 to 8 upgrade on a tenet session) but i do know somebody i work for that managed around 1900 i believe.

E

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Ouch. My worst was over a $1000 which I thought was bad enough - also having to hook into work's network so not many options available then. Although when I pointed out how much cheaper it was than flying me back from overseas to the office at zero notice they calmed down a bit.

 

[Evan]

Yep thats exactly the point, for me the upgrade was in Indonesia and ok the cost was cheaper but all that aside we used to have special rescue policys when we went there, at that time there was guards in the basement of the building with machine guns and hand grenades (to protect forieners). My driver there was running a massive 100 series turbo so he could go anywhere to avoid touble, only idiots used the mercedes to and from the airport.

Back OT, with a tri or quad (850mhz gets you extra US coverage) + UMTS/WCDMA at 1900 or 2100mhz you should get coverage over the whole world i beleive.

I still don't know why the 2 UMTS/WCDMA freqs and which country uses which.

Evan

 

[NM]

The most expensive call I've ever had was a double roam... In Oxford st London, waiting for mrs serfty to return from her shopping safari ... over an hour after meeting time I rang her Oz mobile with my Oz mobile. 3 Minute call ... total cost over $25 with the two 'phone calls; outgoing and incoming. :shock:

So which was more expensive - the phone call or the extra hour of shopping :shock: .

 

[Commuter]

So which was more expensive - the phone call or the extra hour of shopping :shock: .

My bet is on shopping!


By the way my extra telco cost (the total for me and work) was about nil for my recent 3-week overseas trip, thanks to Skype, except I don't know the cost of Blackberry roaming that the work has incurred yet (but I doubt it would have been that much). Admittedly I was given a free broadband internet access which did help a lot.

 

[serfty]

So which was more expensive - the phone call or the extra hour of shopping :shock: .

The Shopping was far more costly; however, it was a budgeted expense as disctict from the 'phone calls. :-|

 

[Flashback]

Yeh, that was the other option I considered but can still come in quite pricey.

serfty, I've found PEOPLES»» IDD Talk Stored Value SIM Card and PEOPLES»» PEOPLES Stored Value SIM Cards - would these be the only 2 I should consider, given that I'd be mainly calling Australian mobiles/landlines?

Cheers..

So.. serfty, do any of those PPS' ring a bell? Or should I just scope out what's there when I arrive?

 

[serfty]

Sorry not to get back to you; It's the "IDD Talk" Stored Value SIM card.

 

[Flashback]

Thanks.. as always, a fountain of knowledge