Buying iPhone 4 in Japan without contract/breaking a Softbank contract

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Aug 11, 2010
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Hi, I asked some questions a few days back about unlocking/jailbreaking a Japanese iPhone 4. I have all that cleared up now, thanks.

This is a new question, one that was thrown up by something a friend from Japan just told me. I was told that it's impossible to get an iPhone 4 in Japan without a Softbank contract.

Now, if I were to get a Softbank contract and get an iPhone 4, how easy is it to cancel the contract during the first month? I heard somewhere that it is easy to cancel phone contracts in Japan, and it should be, since the iPhone price there is unsubsidised, and when you get an iPhone plan with Softbank, they build in future savings rather than subsidising at purchase.

Basically, cancelling a contract means the consumer forgoing future savings on the iPhone, as opposed to the consumer getting out of future debt obligations owed to the carrier (incurred at purchase of iPhone). Basically, if the consumer owes nothing, it should be easier on the carrier to allow cancellation of contract.

Is that the case? Can anyone from/in Japan tell me how easy it would be for me to get an iPhone either (a) without contract, or (b, and more likely) get an iPhone on Softbank contract, then break the contract in the first month and have an iPhone with no contract obligations (I will be jailbreaking the thing as soon as I get it home anyway, so no worries about the SIMlock).

Thanks in advance,
Phil
 
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Hi Phil,

as I am in a similiar situation as you are (i will stay 6 more month in japan and i really really want to get a REAL phone ;D ) i have asked some people at softbank.

So basically you can buy the IPhone with contract from Softbank (45kyen for 16 GB, 57kYen for 32 GB as far as i remember) and if you just want the phone you can get the cheapest plan (White Plan) without and data-plan (4.5kYen or a flatrate). The contract is for 2 years, but you can always cancel the contract for a "small" fee of 10kyen.

So basically, the IPhone will cost you the price of the Phone plus the first month of contract plus 10kyen.

Hope it helps and its not to late,

Tobias
 

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