[brianky2]

[SEE LATER POSTS ... CONFIRMED IT WORKS IN SELECTED CITIES IN JAPAN FOR CDMA VOICE ROAMING]


One of my co-workers claims his 8830 was able to make and receive calls when he was in Japan last week (Tokyo area). No data but voice was working.

Is there a new roaming agreement between Sprint and Japanese telcos to allow 8830 to roam in Japan?

I have tried this on my previous trips to Japan and never got a signal.

From the other posts here (yes -- I used the search feature already!), 8830 is previously noted as not compatible with Japan CDMA standard.

My question is --- did something change in last 1-2 months to suddenly allow 8830 to roam in Japan?

My colleague also notes that data roaming was working in S. Korea.

[djm2]

Wirelessly posted

No idea--would love to know more.

[Dubdub]

Most likely wouldn't be roaming on CDMA, but on GSM. The CDMA is US freqs only, the GSM is outside the US. I had heard one of the carriers was running GSM, but that was only in the Narita airport area. Maybe they have expanded? Makes sense for a place like Tokyo to have GSM given the amount of business people and tourists who go there.

[marchitect]

Before arriving in Tokyo I called Sprint and they assured me my 8830 BB would work.
Well, here I am in Tokyo an it works to some degree.
In both the air port and in central Tokyo I get a roaming signal. I can't verify for the rest of the area but only for central Tokyo itself.
Here are the details from my phone under the "Services Status" screen:

Status: Roaming
Connection: Mobile Network
BB Internet Service Connection: Not Connected
BB Enterprise Server: Not Connected

Mobile Network - 4 bars (typically)
1x (not sure what this is)
Mobile network provider: International (not really a company like vodophone or similar)

So, It doesn't look like I can get any email or other data services here in Tokyo.

Originally Posted by brianky2

One of my co-workers claims his 8830 was able to make and receive calls when he was in Japan last week (Tokyo area). No data but voice was working.

Is there a new roaming agreement between Sprint and Japanese telcos to allow 8830 to roam in Japan?

I have tried this on my previous trips to Japan and never got a signal.

From the other posts here (yes -- I used the search feature already!), 8830 is previously noted as not compatible with Japan CDMA standard.

My question is --- did something change in last 1-2 months to suddenly allow 8830 to roam in Japan?

My colleague also notes that data roaming was working in S. Korea.

[brianky2]

Originally Posted by marchitect

Well, here I am in Tokyo an it works to some degree.
In both the air port and in central Tokyo I get a roaming signal. I can't verify for the rest of the area but only for central Tokyo itself.
Here are the details from my phone under the "Services Status" screen:

Status: Roaming
Connection: Mobile Network
BB Internet Service Connection: Not Connected
BB Enterprise Server: Not Connected

Mobile Network - 4 bars (typically)
1x (not sure what this is)

Encouraging!

Have you tried to make a phone call to see if it will actually connect?
If yes, did dialing using "+ country code" for international calls work or did you have to dial a CDMA roaming access code for international calls?

1x means you're voice roaming on a CDMA network.

[marchitect]

Originally Posted by brianky2

Encouraging!

Have you tried to make a phone call to see if it will actually connect?
If yes, did dialing using "+ country code" for international calls work or did you have to dial a CDMA roaming access code for international calls?

1x means you're voice roaming on a CDMA network.

Yes, I've made several phone calls,
I have to dial 001-010-1-(Area code) Phone number. But it works.
We'll see what happens when I get the bill.

Definately no data though.

[holden]

I just sent 2 managers to Toyko and had to rent 8707g's - two of them. These phones will work on At&t sims if you have the int. data plan and you can make calls. I enterprised activated them to the 8707g's and they had voice and data. We are sending them back in November and hoping the Bold will be available...

H.

[brianky2]

2 of my co-workers with Sprint 8830's confirmed they were able to make phone calls in CDMA roaming mode last week from Tokyo.

The service seems limited to immediate Tokyo limits. The phone picked up signal and worked near Narita Airport, JR Tokyo Station and JR Shinagawa station. They were unable to get a signal in Kawasaki.

They claim to have received text message from Sprint with local access dialing code when they turned their phones on after landing at NRT.

Anyone know what the roll-out plan is to allow CDMA roaming in broader area of Japan?

[jpexpert]

Japan's AU/KDDI service is a 3G CDMA1 service. The other two networks are NTT DoCoMo and Softbank. NTT provides the largest coverage area and allows calls and data.

[holden]

Originally Posted by jpexpert

Japan's AU/KDDI service is a 3G CDMA1 service. The other two networks are NTT DoCoMo and Softbank. NTT provides the largest coverage area and allows calls and data.

Hi, Thanks for the post...

So, who is using BOLD on NTT's network?

If the other posts are correct, then a BOLD with an ATT sim and International Data Package should run on NTT?

Like I said in the previous post, we sent two managers with 8707g's two months ago and that worked with O2 sim cards. We are not going to send them again in November and the BOLD is out in USA. We are wondering if this combination of BOLD and ATT Sim will work now and how ATT is going to change their support for international travel in Japan now that the BOLD is out.

H.

[brianky2]

According to Sprint's website, there is now official indication that CDMA roaming is supported in about 1/4 of the Japan cities (Tokyo, Kyoto are included as "yes"). It is voice only at $1.99/min, no data.

[hchon]

Originally Posted by brianky2

[SEE LATER POSTS ... CONFIRMED IT WORKS IN SELECTED CITIES IN JAPAN FOR CDMA VOICE ROAMING]

My colleague also notes that data roaming was working in S. Korea.

I am not sure if this is old news but I can confirm that 8830/Sprint roams in Korea, both voice and data. The data rate is on special - $2/Mb, which is really sweet.

-hchon

[ace587]

how bout Nagoya anyone pass by Nagoya?

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by Dubdub

Most likely wouldn't be roaming on CDMA, but on GSM. The CDMA is US freqs only, the GSM is outside the US. I had heard one of the carriers was running GSM, but that was only in the Narita airport area. Maybe they have expanded? Makes sense for a place like Tokyo to have GSM given the amount of business people and tourists who go there.

THERE IS NO GSM IN JAPAN. PERIOD.

There is CDMA1x and UMTS/HSDPA only.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by ace587

how bout Nagoya anyone pass by Nagoya?

I wouldn't count on it. Your best bet is at&t or T-Mobile with an 8707g or a Bold.

[Dubdub]

Softbank has a limited GSM presence from what I have read.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by Dubdub

Softbank has a limited GSM presence from what I have read.

You can trust me when I say that they don't.

I was in Tokyo Narita airport in August, and Osaka Kansai airport in September, and there is NO GSM whatsoever. I switched my 8707g to 2G Only just to test because I had been told the same thing, and it is not true.

[Dubdub]

I have a fried who told me it did. Haven't tried it myself. When I lived there, cell phones were still a dream (1977-1980).

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by Dubdub

I have a fried who told me it did. Haven't tried it myself. When I lived there, cell phones were still a dream (1977-1980).

Like I said, I tried it just for fun in two different cities and airports when I was there just a few months ago, and it did not work.

I know that DoCoMo had a test GSM cell set up downtown a few years back, but it has been gone for some time. If there was ever a GSM cell at Narita, it wasn't airport wide. I walked through almost all of terminal 2 in August because I got bored of the United First Class lounge.

[moorken]

i just received confirmation from my provider (i verified this since we have some users going to japan soon): you will need a 3G enabled blackberry in japan, other blackberries won't work there....