Charger question...

C

cursore

後輩

3 Nov 2005

150

3

• 14 Aug 2006

• #1

I was thinking to take a mobile phone with me in Japan, and I decided for borrow an A1000 Motorola from work, because it is 3G and it has a charger 100v-240v. Also I saw that the Japanese electrical socket looks like the American ones, so it should fit in this charger I have.

Is anyone had experience in bringing a charger to Japan (maybe an America Motorola charger I would say)


Cheers

 

budd

先輩

10 Jul 2003

2,069

19

• 15 Aug 2006

• #2

yes, and they have posted this info several times in the forum.
there are plenty of discussions about this. do a search for 240v?
good luck, and enjoy the trip! hope this helps.

 

JimmySeal

Tubthumper

5 Mar 2006

1,516

78

• 15 Aug 2006

• #3

a 100-240v should be fine. I think most circuits here are 100v (US is 120). Most two-prong sockets here are the same as US two-prong sockets, so if your charger has two prongs you should find a socket that works. Their way of handling three-prong devices is a bit dodgy but there are easy enough ways to deal with them.

I'm assuming you're bringing a mobile phone with international service that can be used in Japan, correct? I don't know what 3G means, so maybe that's my answer right there.

 

C

cursore

後輩

3 Nov 2005

150

3

• 15 Aug 2006

• Thread starter
• #4

Thank you very much for your answers!
I was just concerned about the prongs not of the same shape, yes the charger has to prongs (USA style) that can be connected to an adapter for UK/EU usage.

Yes the phone is compatible with their UMTS phone service 3G from 3rd Generation, I'll have just too activate the international roaming, and enjoy.

Thank you again

 

ArmandV

Eight Times To Japan

Contributor

18 Oct 2004

2,497

110

• 15 Aug 2006

• #5

cursore said:

Thank you very much for your answers!
I was just concerned about the prongs not of the same shape, yes the charger has to prongs (USA style) that can be connected to an adapter for UK/EU usage.

Yes the phone is compatible with their UMTS phone service 3G from 3rd Generation, I'll have just too activate the international roaming, and enjoy.
Thank you again

Click to expand...

I would suggest contacting your phone's customer service to confirm if your phone is compatible with Japan's system. I had signed up for international roaming and it was not enough. My phone was not compatible with Japan's system despite the website for my phone company indicating that it was usable there.

 

Last edited: 15 Aug 2006

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

Moderator

Donor

Twenty-year veteran

8 Aug 2005

7,316

3,727

• 15 Aug 2006

• #6

As long as your charger isn't polarized (one prong wider than the other) it'll fit into the plugs in Japan. Just make sure it'll be able to handle the different voltage.

And I'd second what ArmandV said about calling the phone company. I've had phone sales reps go "oh yeah this'll work all over the world" because they don't expect you to actually travel and expose their bullsh*t.

 

C

cursore

後輩

3 Nov 2005

150

3

• 15 Aug 2006

• Thread starter
• #7

Thanks again, I'm not worry about network compatibility.. After all I work for Motorola...

As far as I am aware in USA is widely used CDMA and GSM 850/1900 which are not compatible either in Europe or Japan, in Europe we use GSM 900/1800 and WCDMA 2100, the last one is the same network used in Japan. Then the A1000 is sold in Japan as M1000.

Well if after all is not going to work…. I will complaint with my boss…

 

S

Spyder93090

先輩

11 Jun 2006

68

0

• 16 Aug 2006

• #8

Haha, it'll work fine. I was tripin about the exact same thing one week before I left for J. Do I need to buy a $50 transformer or adapter or what !?!?! Then I researched it and it said that American stuff will work in Japan but not vice versa. And on rare-occasions, in certain areas in Tokyo, you're plugs WILL NOT WORK, so I was all confused. Oh well, doesn't hurt to try. What's the worst that could happen ?!?

You plug it in and it overloads the battery and then it explodes while bursting into a concoction of flaming battery acid that's burning through your skin and in your eyes while you blindly run around your hotel room as the carpet catches on fire knowing that the you're screwed ... Not much ...