mad pierrot
I jump to conclusions
- 22 Nov 2003
- 1,453
- 85
Some of you may remember I asked for your help a few months ago. I needed to buy a cell phone and asked for advice. I bought one last month, but up until this week I haven't had any regular internet access. (I've been coming to you from various net cafes, god bless their little souls.) So, to be fair, I thought I'd update everyone on my situation. Some of the information might even be useful.
I began by visiting a large cell phone retailer. A large shop set up specifically for selling phones and related junk. The shop I went to sold phones and services from AU, Vodaphone, Docomo, etc. They even offered a variety of phones that came free of charge as incentive for buying their service plan.
As per the advice of Iron Chef and others, this is what I brought with me to the store:
1. My Alien Registration Card. (ﾅ?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶徙ﾋ弯ﾂ湘倪?督ｼﾂ鞘??
2. My bank account passbook. (窶嚢窶｢ﾃ問?ｹﾃ??蚤窶ｹﾃ?窶凖岩?卍?ﾂ）
3. My inkan. (ﾋ?ｳﾅ?ﾃ督）
4. A recent bill showing my current address on it. (Proof of some kind of payment at current address.)
After browsing the service plans, I decided on a fairly cheap plan with Docomo. My particular phone was free with my plan. So, I filled out my contract, showed the necessary documents, and everything seemed copasetic. The saleswoman handed me the phone and made a phone call to the provider to secure everything.
Then we hit a snag.
Apparently, my phone bill from 3 months ago was unacceptable as proof that I pay bills at my current address.
Now before I continue with this, I'd like to make several points. First, prior to going to the store, I called and asked what was required for a foreigner to get a cell phone. They did specifically state I needed to prove I had paid a bill at my current address, something from within the last 3-4 months. Secondly, this was only required for foreign residents, as I was told. Why foreigners are required to do this and natives aren't is beyond me, but I complied none the less.
Back at the store: I was slightly annoyed. I wasn't bothered too much, however, as all I had to do was go home and come back the next day with a more recent bill. (They told me my current or previous months bill would be acceptable.) So, I drove home, determined to return the next day and get my cell phone.
The following day I returned with my a phone bill for the month of June. (This was the end of July.) I was excited to finally be getting my phone. Again, I filled out my contract, showed the right documents, and waited while the saleswoman confirmed things over the phone. I was pretty damn surprised when she told me that no, my documents were not acceptable. This time I was told that in order for them to have a contract with a foreigner, they need the most current bill possible or they couldn't make a contract at all. Now I was beginning to get angry. I had even brought an extra bank passbook, showing transactions made that month. Needless to say I was upset. (Not to mention the store was a 30 minute drive from my house.) Things were further complicated becuase by the time I would receive my invoice for July's phone charges, I would already be living in Osaka. I needed a phone before I left.
What the heck was I going to do?
I went straight to the local Docomo outlet and got my cell phone in 20 minutes.
Anyone else care to share their cell phone stories?
I began by visiting a large cell phone retailer. A large shop set up specifically for selling phones and related junk. The shop I went to sold phones and services from AU, Vodaphone, Docomo, etc. They even offered a variety of phones that came free of charge as incentive for buying their service plan.
As per the advice of Iron Chef and others, this is what I brought with me to the store:
1. My Alien Registration Card. (ﾅ?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶徙ﾋ弯ﾂ湘倪?督ｼﾂ鞘??
2. My bank account passbook. (窶嚢窶｢ﾃ問?ｹﾃ??蚤窶ｹﾃ?窶凖岩?卍?ﾂ）
3. My inkan. (ﾋ?ｳﾅ?ﾃ督）
4. A recent bill showing my current address on it. (Proof of some kind of payment at current address.)
After browsing the service plans, I decided on a fairly cheap plan with Docomo. My particular phone was free with my plan. So, I filled out my contract, showed the necessary documents, and everything seemed copasetic. The saleswoman handed me the phone and made a phone call to the provider to secure everything.
Then we hit a snag.
Apparently, my phone bill from 3 months ago was unacceptable as proof that I pay bills at my current address.
Now before I continue with this, I'd like to make several points. First, prior to going to the store, I called and asked what was required for a foreigner to get a cell phone. They did specifically state I needed to prove I had paid a bill at my current address, something from within the last 3-4 months. Secondly, this was only required for foreign residents, as I was told. Why foreigners are required to do this and natives aren't is beyond me, but I complied none the less.
Back at the store: I was slightly annoyed. I wasn't bothered too much, however, as all I had to do was go home and come back the next day with a more recent bill. (They told me my current or previous months bill would be acceptable.) So, I drove home, determined to return the next day and get my cell phone.
The following day I returned with my a phone bill for the month of June. (This was the end of July.) I was excited to finally be getting my phone. Again, I filled out my contract, showed the right documents, and waited while the saleswoman confirmed things over the phone. I was pretty damn surprised when she told me that no, my documents were not acceptable. This time I was told that in order for them to have a contract with a foreigner, they need the most current bill possible or they couldn't make a contract at all. Now I was beginning to get angry. I had even brought an extra bank passbook, showing transactions made that month. Needless to say I was upset. (Not to mention the store was a 30 minute drive from my house.) Things were further complicated becuase by the time I would receive my invoice for July's phone charges, I would already be living in Osaka. I needed a phone before I left.
What the heck was I going to do?
I went straight to the local Docomo outlet and got my cell phone in 20 minutes.
Anyone else care to share their cell phone stories?
