Softbank versus AU

Ok so today I went to good ol' Yodobashi Camera to check out the Softbank phones. I wanted to stay different as long as I could but I couldn't help but give into the pressure, jump onto the bandwagon and go to change my phone to softbank. Honestly, it is awfully hard to argue with Softbank's new "Yosougai wari"(unbelievable discount) plan. For only around 2000 yen you can talk all you want and mail all you want. In addition their phones are pretty cool too! At the least, they are a lot better than the AU phone I am carrying right now. The only reason that I still use AU is because of the student discount but Softbank's prices have the power to change all that. Actually before becoming Softbank, it used to be Vodafone and before Vodafone it used to be J-Phone. I was in Japan back when J-Phone was THE brand to have and since then I have always wanted to be associated with J-Phone. I don't care if the name is Softbank because in my heart it will always be J-Phone.

Since coming out with it's new plan, customers are rolling in to buy Softbank phones. The mass influx of customers has been so great that just the other day Softbank had to shut down it's system because there was an overload of new people starting plans. At some stores customers were waiting for over 4 hours to start new contracts!

So back to the story. I jumped on this bandwagon too. I was tired of paying over 8000 yen a month for my AU phone and any way I looked at it Softbank was the better deal. To add to all of this at Yodobashi Softbank was having a deal where all Softbank phones, even the best ones, were 0 yen! Unfortunately though, I learned a few things about Softbank at Yodobashi that made me rethink my position on this matter.

First, the 0 yen would be the initial cost but an extra 500-1200 yen would be added to the monthly cell phone bill.

Second, (this was what finally made me decide to wait) you must sign a contract for two years and if at any time you cancel the contract you are liable to pay for the rest of the money you owe. I believe that the total amount was around 68,000 yen. So if after one year I cancelled I might have to pay around 34,000 yen.

905SH is kewlThird, the phone I wanted (905SH) was the only one which was Wansegu, or basically the only one with a TV. However, the contract was for 2 years and they informed me that if the TV broke Softbank would not repair it for free. Since I have broken many Japanese phones with relative ease: one dropped in a glass of rum and coke, one was in my pocket when I fell in a lake while fishing, and one was somehow put in a freezer, I figured this might come back to haunt me.

Fourth, gyaru are not loyal to their work. The girl working at Yodobashi was a gyaru and advised me to wait on this matter because 2 years is too long for a cell phone contract and Yodobashi would come out with a new, and probably better plan in about a week or two. Only a gyaru could be so honest!

Anyways, I didn't go with Softbank today but I probably will soon. As long as I am paying less than 8000 yen a month then I am happy!