Email / Texting


Whilst in other countries the main way of phone messaging is by SMS, using the recipient's phone number as the "address", in Japan this is only possible between phones using the same carrier - we use Softbank, so Softbank to Softbank is possible, but not Softbank to AU or Docomo (AU and Docomo being the other major Japanese cell phone carriers).

However, phones in Japan have an email address (with Softbank phones it is xxxxx@softbank.ne.jp , where xxxxx is chosen by the phone user like a normal email address ) and it is usual to send messages by email rather than SMS - you can send/receive messages to/from phones of other Japanese carriers, and also to/from coE-mail / Textingmputers in Japan and overseas.
Sending email works just like SMS texting except that you put in an email address and not a phone number.

Although you can receive free of charge, in order to send you need to activate the "mail service" - just call 1400 from the phone and press 41# when you hear main menu.
300 yen will be deducted from the Softbank Mobile prepaid balance (and once a month if you are renting long-term).

You can receive SMS texts from phones abroad (for free), but not send directly.
To send SMS texts to phones abroad you need to send via the Email-to-SMS conversion service (very easy - details below) and it costs 40 yen per message (you will also need to activate the mail service).



In summary -
----with the rental phone you-
- can send / receive SMS texts and email to / from other Softbank phones.
- can send / receive email but not SMS texts to / from other Japanese carriers.
- can send / receive email to / from computers and other email devices.
- can receive SMS texts from phones abroad, but cannot cannot send SMS texts directly to phones abroad- you need to use the Email-to-SMS conversion service (see below).
--- to receive, no activation is needed, and there is no charge.
--- to send, activation is needed, and there is a charge -300 yen per month for unlimited messaging, plus 40 yen per text when sending to phones abroad via the Email-to-SMS conversion service.

Email-to-SMS conversion service

If you want to send an SMS text to a phone, send an email (just like sending SMS) from the phone to :
(phone number)@brastext.jp for US/Canadian phones.
(phone number)@maritex.jp for other countries' phones.
Make sure to put the country code, but not "+" at the beginning and cut the lead zero where applicable (except for Italy).
E.g., sending to a US cell phone 987-654-3210 you would put 19876543210@brastext.jp ; sending to a UK phone 075-1234-5679 you would put 447512345678@maritex.jp
*** Please note that you _must_ request this service on the order form as not all our phones are registered for Email-to-SMS conversion.

Here is a list of the main countries covered - in each country it covers all the main carriers, and others may well work too (for other countries/carriers, please ask)-

Europe-
Austria Mobilkom/A1, T-Mobile, Orange, Hutchison 3
Belgium Belgacom/Proximus, Mobistar, KPN/BASE
Denmark TDC, Telenor, Telia, Hutchison 3
Finland Elisa, TeliaSonera , DNA
France Orange, SFR, Bouygues
Germany Telekom/ T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2, E-Plus
Ireland Vodafone, O2, Meteor, Hutchison 3G
Italy Telecom Italia (TIM), Vodafone Omnitel , Wind Telecomunicazioni, Hutchison 3
Netherlands KPN, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, Telfort
Norway Telenor Mobil, Netcom, Mobile Norway
Spain Telefonica (Movistar), Vodafone, Orange
Sweden Telia, Tele2, Telenor Sverige, Hutchison 3
Switzerland Swisscom, Sunrise Communications, Orange
UK Vodafone, 02, T-Mobile, Orange, Hutchison 3

North America-
Canada Rogers, Bell, Telus
USA AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint

Oceania-
Australia Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Hutchison 3
New Zealand Telecom NZ, Vodafone

Asia-
Hong Kong Hutchison 3, Hong Kong CSL, SmarTone (not PCCW ?)
Israel Cellcom, Pelephone, Orange Singapore SingTel, StarHub, MobileOne
Thailand Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access (DTAC), True Move

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Other options
----Sending email to other phones abroad directly  ---

You can in fact send e-mail to US phones from both cell phones and computers, as long as your know which carrier the recipient uses. The major ones are -
AT&T number@txt.att.ne
T-Mobile number@tmomail.net
Sprint number@messaging.sprintpcs.com
Verizon number@vtext.com
Virgin number@vmobl.com


---Sending SMS though your computer ----

There are various options for sending SMS texts to phones from computers, but the main ones are Gmail SMS (for US & Israel) and Skype SMS (for any country).
You must have a Gmail or Skype account (having downloaded Skype) to use.

For more details click here -

Sending SMS texts through Gmail (free)

Sending SMS texts through Skype (small charge)

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