Where do you buy DoCoMo cell phones?

[TyPe-ZeRo]

I want to buy a DoCoMo phone, and would it be possible to use it here in the us? Also whats the goin' around price for?

arigato gozaimasu

[mdchachi]

No DoCoMo phones are not compatible in the U.S.

[TyPe-ZeRo]

Darn! those phones are cool!

[mdchachi]

I agree. I wish we could have decent phones in the U.S. All the phones here are relatively expensive and crap. The low-end phone I had in Japan in 1997 was way better than the brand-new (low-end) phones you get in the U.S. now. (Don't know about high-end -- I always get the "free" or cheapest cell phone when I get one).

[Soliloquist]

Same here. i Checked on www.j-phone.com they dont sell the phone outside Japan. The only way to get it by ordering docomo phone from someone lives in Japan that`s going to visit your country.

[Enfour]

Originally posted by Soliloquist
Same here. i Checked on www.j-phone.com they dont sell the phone outside Japan. The only way to get it by ordering docomo phone from someone lives in Japan that`s going to visit your country.

What is the point if they will not work in your country?

[neko_girl22]

I know that you can buy phones that are in English and can be used in other countries - but it's more for travelling than for living outside of Japan

[TyPe-ZeRo]

Okay, i'm back, and slightly more educated! Though my absence has been long I still ask :


Is it possible to buy ANY Japanese cell phone? I ask this question again because over here :

http://search.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/j...ale=0jp&acc=jp

for a max of 1800 Yen you can get the "A1305SA" Sanyo cell phone, correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't that around $18.00 USD? Seriously, even if it didn't work here in the U.S., I would stil buy one for the video and picture functions, as 3.1 MP is good enough for me.

Anyway I still don't get why it wouldn't work, this specific Sanyo runs on CDMA, which is an 800mhz band, which I'm led to believe that U.S. carriers Verizon Wireless, and Sprint Wireless is able to cover? CDMA is CDMA no? So theoreticallyl it would work? Also, which still arouses suspicion here :

http://www.mobalrental.com/japan/pur...nyoA1305SA&cc=

This phone is also capable of making and receiving calls on some CDMA networks in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, China, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia.

We do not particularly recommend this phone for use in these Countries as the rates are expensive, but you may find this extra feature convenient for occasional use.

CDMA networks in the U.S. you say? So as long as the technology isn't WCDMA (which I think DoCoMo uses), it's very possible that it could work here in the U.S.? I've already e-mailed these people.

I'd really want one of those cell phones, but most of the auctions say that they're not willing to ship internationally... i'd be way more thanw illing to accept any charges for international shipping, and possibly a usb cable and U.S. acceptable charger to boot...

[Mike Cash]

NEWS FLASH:

Japanese phone manufacturers announce that henceforth all phones designed for domestic use in Japan will be compatible with US standards just because you want them to.

"We must apologize for our phones previously being incompatible," said an industry insider who wished to remain anonymous. "We realize now that since we had failed to explain to American teenagers the specific technical details then it logically follows that they must indeed work."

In related news, Japanese automobile manufacturers have expressed an interest in making use of this new logical approach to solving technical problems. "We believe we can cut costs by eliminating the need to make both left and right hand drive versions of the same automobiles," industry expert Buck R. Yarrow explained. "For example, we will be able to manufacture right hand drive cars to ship to America and when they are unloaded in the U.S. all the steering wheels will be on the left, because this is how Americans want and expect them to be."

[TyPe-ZeRo]

and then came along sarcasm.

Though I realize where your trying to go with your post, I still wish to know why it wouldn't work. Other than "they say", otherwise i'd very much like any further sarcasm to be kept to ones self.

[DoctorP]

maybe because of the different frequency ranges used! Many phones can be used in other countries, but it requires changing out the crystal inside the phone...which is quite often more expensive than purchasing the phone itself!

[TyPe-ZeRo]

Correct me if i'm wrong, and also in no way shape or form am I trying to be rude in any way, but since the phone I listed uses CDMA technology which operates at 800mhz band, wouldn't that mean it would work for the same CDMA we use here, which also happens to be on the 800mhz band? GSM and such go from 900+ (tri-quad band)


flux capacitor? I think the doc needs it for his DeLorean
Hmmm

[alexriversan]

well, why not split up your requirements: buy a digital camera, and a discman (for cd's), and a mobile just for making phone calls.

what next: a lap-top with subminiature fold-out microwave oven, to heat up pot noodle cup's? battery is getting sucked out quickly, of course

i mean, it is possible to integrate such a device, a microwave oven is not complicated...

[DoctorP]

Look, I don't claim to know everything, but with a little searching, you can find your answer:

By contrast, in the US, most digital cellphone service is both of a different type (CDMA or TDMA) and a different frequency as well!

There's some good news and bad news, however. First the good news : Recently, several carriers have started introducing GSM type phone service in the US. Now for the bad news : Sadly, this GSM service is in a different frequency band to the rest of the world - 1900 MHz instead of 1800 (and 900) MHz. And there is no way that a 1900MHz phone will work at 1800 MHz (or vice versa). Frustrating, isn't it!

Here is the link if you are interested in reading the whole thing:
http://www.gallagherstravels.com/des...ne_Service.htm

I found several other sources, but this guy puts everything into plain language.

[Mike Cash]

It isn't just cutting-edge high-tech gadgets with this problem. Buy a plain old AM/FM radio in either Japan or the US and try to use it in the other country and see how much fun you have. Especially one with digital tuning. The FM band frequencies have hardly any overlap at all, and the AM frequencies only match in spots.

[rotarymik]

well folks, I happen to have brought my AU A1305SA (sanyo) CDMA phone back with me and just for kicks I tried calling with it. Of course using the heavily routed roaming feature it's like $4USD a minute, but it does work in the US and at least in my area the network it's using is Verizon.

...so my question is where can I get a data cable for the thing, so I can patch it to run on my US verizon service? I've done this with other (US-spec) phones, notably a Trio, so I would like to try on the AU. After all, it's much nicer than any of the US phones (and it's a crap model in japan, for that matter).

If someone can get me a reference to a data cable source, or is willing to ship me one (my bad for not buying one when still in Nagoya) then I can see what I can haxxor to make them work here in the US.

...BTW, the sanyo global passport phones can switch base frequency in settings, which is why they work with US and European networks.

mike AT rotarymike DOT com

[Jayern]

My friend bought a docomo cell from Japan and he's using it right now (in canada). I did a lil bit of searching around docomo's website, it's compatible with the services you use (he uses Rogers/Fido)

[pipokun]

Some 3G phones, GSM, can be unlocked, but never heard of CDMA phones.

[yukio_michael]

This may be a dumb question, but do DoCoMo actually even manufacture phones? Both my phone and my girlfriend's phones are serviced through DoCoMo (really the alternating cases in that name are annoying!), but both are made by Panasonic---

[pipokun]

Probably not. But I don't know if they did so when phones were as big as your bento boxes.
But I heard they do research in cutting-edge tech for the 4G phone in Kanagawa Pref.

[dangdaga]

No DoCoMo phones are not compatible in the U.S.

[Venjap]

Cingular in U.S. is GSM... Docomo is GSM... and KDD too... thatｴs means... the japanese cellphones if are unlocked, could be used in any country with GSM tech an the right band (850-900-1800-1900 MHz)...

[japanps]

Originally Posted by Soliloquist

Same here. i Checked on j-phone.com they dont sell the phone outside Japan. The only way to get it by ordering docomo phone from someone lives in Japan that`s going to visit your country.

Hihi,
You guys can check out japanpersonalshoppers. net to get them to buy Japanese phones for you. They buy anything you want from Japan as well as Yahoo Japan Auction sites. They ship internationally. You only have to pay them a small service fee.

[Yo_Yo]

Why would non-Japan resident foreigners wanting to purchase DoCoMo cell phone,it's not compatible worldwide ?

[Damicci]

Some phones are, I am using a Toshiba 902t right now in the US. They just have to be unlocked properly to accept a Celluar carriers signal.