Day 5 (continued) - Buying an iPhone

I got an Iphone! So expensive here, though. The carrier is SoftBank. The process and breakdown of costs is really complicated. I think it's like:

~$34 activation fee

+ $480 up-front for the phone (minus some increment each month so that when the two-year contract is over, the phone is free)

Total upfront cost: $514

But since we're only going to be here for 1 year, ~$80 early termination fee will be applied when we cancel

+ $11.66/mo White Plan (got a promotion, so first 3 months are free. Doesn't include any minutes, it's just something you have to pay)

+ 50c/min for Phone calls

+ $54.50/mo Data plan (unlimited data)

+ $3.85/mo Unlimited messaging

+ 5%/mo taxes and fees

First month (pro-rated):

$0 White plan (free for first 3 months)

$21.41 Data

$1.51 Text Msg

- $20 Reimburse cost of phone

+ 5% taxes

$3.07 before any phone calls

Months 2-3

$0 White plan (free for first 3 months)

+ $54.50/mo Data plan (unlimited data)

+ $3.85/mo Unlimited messaging.

- $20 Reimburse cost of phone

+ 5%/mo taxes and fees

= $40.27 before any phone calls

Months 4-onward

$11.66/mo White Plan 

+ $54.50/mo Data plan (unlimited data)

+ $3.85/mo Unlimited messaging.

- $20 Reimburse cost of phone

+ 5%/mo taxes and fees

= $52.51 before any phone calls

Last month (assuming full month; plan not pro-rated)

$11.66/mo White Plan 

+ $54.50/mo Data plan (unlimited data)

+ $3.85/mo Unlimited messaging.

- $20 Reimburse cost of phone

+ 5%/mo taxes and fees

+ $80 early cancellation fee

= $132.51 before any phone calls

Since Koko and I got the family plan, our calls to each other are free. Other in-network (SoftBank) calls are free from 9 am - 7 pm. Otherwise, calls (to SoftBank and other carriers' phones) are 50c/min for me and 25c/min for him. 

He has the Double White plan, which is exactly the same is mine, except his basic plan costs double mine ($11.66 x 2 = $23.32), hence the per-minute cost for calls is half of mine.

Apparently, it's worth getting the Double White if you talk more than 46 minutes per month. I don't talk that much on the phone anymore anyway, so I'm not sure if paying more is worth it. I have the White plan for now, and we'll see how it goes. The good thing is, you can change your plan at anytime (unlike in the States, where, if you change you plan, you have to extend your contract by another two years).

The downside is you can't return the phone if it turns out you don't have service where you live/work, like you can in the States. I don't remember what recourse you have, though.

I know this may not interest most readers (especially since I don't remember the exact amounts and was just going off the numbers I remembered and my math skills aren't the most brilliant--sorry). But I wish I'd seen something this exact before we got the phones, so we'd know what to expect. I hope this helps any future foreigner trying to get a cell phone in Japan.