Getting Japanese Cell Phone Service

Trying to get sim cards for our phones was very long and arduous process. Papa P went into our cell phone provider in the US and wanting to pay off our phones. They didn't let him and told him to port our numbers (we saved them to Google Voice so we can still have them when we return to the US) and then they'd bill for the rest. 

Well, it wasn't so simple. He couldn't get into his account to pay off the remaining balance because he ported the numbers. Also, apparently there is a two week waiting period with any of the phones that weren't paid off, and they couldn't tell him what the bill would be, even though when he paid the bill each month, it told him the remaining balance on our phones. So my phone and the two boys are all locked. Papa P bought his phone entirely separate from our service provider, so fortunately can use his new sim card in his phone. 

In order to get approved for a sim card, they enter your information into the system and you have to have a credit card. Then it will come back approved or denied. If denied, there are no explanations. 

Papa P came back approved, then G, but C was denied. Then I was approved (using my own credit card), then they tried to get C approved using me as the adult and he was denied again. Then Papa P, for whatever reason, was denied. So G and I were the only ones approved out of four people! So... Papa P signed something to change G's sim card to his name. 

We thought it was over, but it wasn't. Then Papa P put his new sim card in his existing phone and it didn't work. He turned his phone off and on and tried it again. He turned his language on the phone to Japanese and let the clerk try to figure it out. Papa P Googled what might be the problem. We finally gave up and asked if we could cancel. The answer was yes, AFTER ONE MONTH! 

We took the sim card and my new phone and left. We got into the car to leave and suddenly, HE HAD SERVICE!  Oh what a pain, but at least the two adults have working phones! 

I thought the little stuffed mascots were cute...

I thought this kid's carry case was fun. 

On the bright side, I got a fun iredescent phone out of it! After we get my phone from the states taken care of, I'll switch the sim card to that one and keep this one for a backup. 

When all was said and done we were there three hours. We lost the opportunity to go shopping in a car with our contact from the relocation company because it took so long... we wanted to go to IKEA and get a few things, or check out the futon store, as we plan to buy futons to sleep on. It'll have to wait for another day.