Would a RAZR 3x work in Japan and the US?

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Henry - 13 Jul 2006 21:39 GMT

Does anyone know whether if I got an unlocked RAZR 3x with UMTS whether
I could use it both when travelling to Japan and also on the regular
U.S. t-mobile network?

http://www.motorola.com/motoinfo/product/details.jsp?globalObjectId=95

Thanks,

Henry

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BruceR - 14 Jul 2006 00:53 GMT

Japan's system is unique to Japan.

> Does anyone know whether if I got an unlocked RAZR 3x with UMTS
> whether I could use it both when travelling to Japan and also on the
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Henry

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Donald Newcomb - 14 Jul 2006 04:22 GMT

> Does anyone know whether if I got an unlocked RAZR 3x with UMTS whether
> I could use it both when travelling to Japan and also on the regular
> U.S. t-mobile network?

If the RAXR 3X has UTMS (WCDMA-2100), as I believe it has, you should have
no problem roaming on both Vodafone's and DoCoMo's UMTS networks in Japan. I
have a Motorola A835 and regularly roam in Japan. No problem. BTW, don't
panic if it takes your phone about 30 minutes before it first locks onto and
works in Japan. For some reason, every time I go to Japan I'm waiting in
bagage claim before the phone locks on.

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Donald R. Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net

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Henry - 14 Jul 2006 04:51 GMT

> If the RAXR 3X has UTMS (WCDMA-2100), as I believe it has, you should have
> no problem roaming on both Vodafone's and DoCoMo's UMTS networks in Japan. I
> have a Motorola A835 and regularly roam in Japan.

Thanks for the information.
Is it also possible to easily buy SIM cards in Japan that could be used
in a UTMS phone to avoid roaming costs? (Like I do when I visit Europe).

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Johnnie Leung - 14 Jul 2006 05:05 GMT

> Is it also possible to easily buy SIM cards in Japan that could be used
> in a UTMS phone to avoid roaming costs? (Like I do when I visit Europe).

No. There is no prepaid 3G in Japan. Roaming is the only way to use a
foreign phone.

JL

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Donald Newcomb - 14 Jul 2006 12:10 GMT

> Thanks for the information.
> Is it also possible to easily buy SIM cards in Japan that could be used
> in a UTMS phone to avoid roaming costs? (Like I do when I visit Europe).

Every time I go there I ask the same question and the answer is always,
"Very sorry, no."

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Donald R. Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net

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Johnnie Leung - 14 Jul 2006 05:11 GMT

> works in Japan. For some reason, every time I go to Japan I'm waiting in
> bagage claim before the phone locks on.

That's lousy. I remember switching on my Nokia after the the fasten seat
belt sign was turned off and it got onto DoCoMo's network within a minute.

JL

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Donald Newcomb - 14 Jul 2006 12:12 GMT

> > works in Japan. For some reason, every time I go to Japan I'm waiting in
> > bagage claim before the phone locks on.
>
> That's lousy. I remember switching on my Nokia after the the fasten seat
> belt sign was turned off and it got onto DoCoMo's network within a minute.

I don't know why the initial search and registration takes so long for me.
After that first time it's much quicker, but I always have to tell myself,
"It will be OK, just give it a few minutes." YMMV, etc.

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Donald R. Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net

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