(Japan/Softbank) Moving iPhone SIM back and forth to Android

[iammike1]

Hey guys, I'm someone who likes to mess with everything, even things that aren't my favorite. I believe you can't criticize what you haven't even used. As such I occasionally get my hands on Android but it's been awhile.

Right now I'm in Japan on Softbank with an unlocked iPhone 4S from the US. I just ordered the international unlocked Galaxy Nexus which should be here in a week or two.

Here's my question, if I use a micro-SIM adapter with the SIM from my iPhone 4S and put it in the Galaxy Nexus, anyone know if it will work or cause any problems?

I'd like to be able to go back and forth while I'm experimenting with stuff. I certainly don't want to have to change my SIM and plan each time as well. Japan apparently hasn't heard of pre-paid SIM cards with data yet.

Hoping some other geek like myself has tried this already...not that it matters much I guess. I already ordered the phone expecting I will only get to use it on WiFi until I'm back in the states in August.

 

[limyh72]

Moving back and forth between iPhone and Android

Hi,

Yes, you definitely can. I'm using a micro-SIM to move between my iPHone and Android device, using the adaptor when I need the min-SIM size. It is definitely okay. Just remember to deactivate iMessage as the iMessage may continue to send to your iPhone when you move over to Android.

John

Hey guys, I'm someone who likes to mess with everything, even things that aren't my favorite. I believe you can't criticize what you haven't even used. As such I occasionally get my hands on Android but it's been awhile.

Right now I'm in Japan on Softbank with an unlocked iPhone 4S from the US. I just ordered the international unlocked Galaxy Nexus which should be here in a week or two.

Here's my question, if I use a micro-SIM adapter with the SIM from my iPhone 4S and put it in the Galaxy Nexus, anyone know if it will work or cause any problems?

I'd like to be able to go back and forth while I'm experimenting with stuff. I certainly don't want to have to change my SIM and plan each time as well. Japan apparently hasn't heard of pre-paid SIM cards with data yet.

Hoping some other geek like myself has tried this already...not that it matters much I guess. I already ordered the phone expecting I will only get to use it on WiFi until I'm back in the states in August.

 

[macingman]

Hey guys, I'm someone who likes to mess with everything, even things that aren't my favorite. I believe you can't criticize what you haven't even used. As such I occasionally get my hands on Android but it's been awhile.

Right now I'm in Japan on Softbank with an unlocked iPhone 4S from the US. I just ordered the international unlocked Galaxy Nexus which should be here in a week or two.

Here's my question, if I use a micro-SIM adapter with the SIM from my iPhone 4S and put it in the Galaxy Nexus, anyone know if it will work or cause any problems?

I'd like to be able to go back and forth while I'm experimenting with stuff. I certainly don't want to have to change my SIM and plan each time as well. Japan apparently hasn't heard of pre-paid SIM cards with data yet.

Hoping some other geek like myself has tried this already...not that it matters much I guess. I already ordered the phone expecting I will only get to use it on WiFi until I'm back in the states in August.

The adapters are normally just a piece of plastic that makes the micro sim the size of the mini sim. There should be no problem. Basically you could pretty much cut a micro sim sized hole in a mini sim and it would work as an adapter.

 

[iammike1]

One thing I didn't make clear in my original post and want to be sure the answers above apply to this...

I'm more worried about problems SoftBank might have with this or things about SoftBank that might impede this process. SoftBank isn't exactly the most forgiving cellular provider when it comes to unlocked phones.

 

[Tea-Aholic]

I'm more worried about problems SoftBank might have with this or things about SoftBank that might impede this process. SoftBank isn't exactly the most forgiving cellular provider when it comes to unlocked phones.

Doesn't the iPhone have some sort of special plan on SoftBank? I think SoftBank iPhone SIMs are black instead of the white ones with their normal keitai. You can always go in a store and ask them, your using both as smartphones though as you said SoftBank isn't a very forgiving provider.

Just wondering, does the KDDI iPhone 4S use a SIM like their other phones? I couldn't really check at the shop as there were lots of people watching and I didn't want to go in and open their SIM slot

 

[iammike1]

I need to find an off-base SoftBank that has someone who can speak english with me. My Japanese isn't good enough to communicate technical stuff and the on-base SoftBank just look confused if I try to ask about anything but the price on something.

They didn't even believe I could buy an unlocked phone that would work on SoftBank frequencies.....yeah.

I'm tempted to just plug it in and see what happens. I only have 3 months left here so what's the worst that could happen? lol

 

[gngan]

I have friends that dropped the micro sim in his Galaxy note with an adapter. Samsung charged him to get the sim card out.

 

[hinata42691]

iammike1:
You mentioned that you were using an iPhone from the US with Softbank in Japan - how did you get it to work?
I'm hoping to go there next summer to teach for a few years and would like to be able to use my iPhone (4s) while I'm there (and would prefer to use Softbank because I've used them before). I am fine with either prepaid or contract but so far everything I have read has said that Softbank won't give sim cards for phones that are non-Japanese or non-Noftbank.
Please let me know.

 

[iammike1]

iammike1:
You mentioned that you were using an iPhone from the US with Softbank in Japan - how did you get it to work?
I'm hoping to go there next summer to teach for a few years and would like to be able to use my iPhone (4s) while I'm there (and would prefer to use Softbank because I've used them before). I am fine with either prepaid or contract but so far everything I have read has said that Softbank won't give sim cards for phones that are non-Japanese or non-Noftbank.
Please let me know.

I bought an unlocked iPhone 4S from Apple when they started selling them unlocked. Had a family member then ship it over to me in Japan. Then I just put the SIM in and it worked fine.

Here's the thing though. In my experience, if you show up at SoftBank with an unlocked phone and want to start a plan, they will refuse and tell you that you have to get a phone from them. It's BS but that's the way they work I guess.

When I got my unlocked 4S I had already had iPhones on SoftBank for over 2 years so I didn't tell them squat. I got the new phone in, took the SIM out of my SoftBank locked iPhone 4 and put it in the new unlocked 4S. If I would have asked them if I could do that, they probably would have told me no.

From my research, it seems Japan is pretty backwards as far as pre-pay goes as well. All in all, dealing with cell phone providers here has made me miss the ones in the states. Compared to Japan, they are flexible.

 

[takeshi74]

Hoping some other geek like myself has tried this already...

Good luck with that. You're looking for a very small subset of people. If you got the iPhone to work I wouldn't expect problems with the Android device.

 

[iammike1]

I guess I could update with what happened.

I used the SIM adaptor and that worked fine. Otherwise I had to input the APN info for my SIM card which was easily found on the net. The SIM they put in iPhones is unique so it was easy to find the right APN settings.

APN Name: smile.world
User Name: dna1trop
Password: so2t3k3m2a

After that, off I went! Bill didn't explode either. lol

 

[hinata42691]

Then I'm guessing I won't be able to get it to work with mine as it's an unlocked verizon iphone. Looks like I might just have to buy a new phone when i go... Unless there are any other suggestions? I would prefer to still be able to use mine though...

 

[iammike1]

If your phone is unlocked, I would suggest getting the cheapest iPhone deal you can find then just swapping the SIM over. Keep in mind though, a 3GS SIM is different than the 4 or 4S. You would need to trim the SIM down.

 

[hinata42691]

I'm still really new to this so I apologize for asking so many questions. Would I need to buy a 3G iphone in Japan (or online) in order to get a sim card for it to work? And softbank would accept the phone if it has a Japanese sim card?

 

[iammike1]

The way they acted when I have talked to SB, I fear they might not start an account for you unless you are buying a phone from them that day.

 

[hinata42691]

I do have a softbank prepaid flip-phone that I've used the past nine months but I don't know if they'd count that as already having an account. I'd use that sim card but I'd prefer to have a non-pre-paid card for my iphone I think. I'm not even sure what type or size it is because I can't get the battery compartment open to look.

 

[iammike1]

I do have a softbank prepaid flip-phone that I've used the past nine months but I don't know if they'd count that as already having an account. I'd use that sim card but I'd prefer to have a non-pre-paid card for my iphone I think. I'm not even sure what type or size it is because I can't get the battery compartment open to look.

I'm not 100% sure it's actually true but SoftBank will tell you that you have to have a special SIM card (not talking about the size here) for the iPhone.

I can say that the iPhone SIM card is different than a standard feature phone SIM.

 

[hinata42691]

Thanks for all your help and I apologize again for asking so many questions. I think when I go back I'll bring both the prepaid phone I already have and the iphone (I found a softbank iphone 4s sim on ebay). If it doesn't work at least I still have the old phone and can probably get one of the portable internet things since I'll need to get some form of internet for my laptop anyway. That would at least allow me to use the internet feature of the iphone even if they don't let me use the iphone. And if they do, then that'll be even better (but at least I think this might work as a back up plan). Again, thank you. I really appreciate it.

 

[shuyohei]

Hi! I wanna ask something..I have a dataplan with Softbank and I am using the iphone 4s. However, I want to change to Samsung Note 2 but they don't carry it so I was wondering if i buy the unlocked set from Singapore(where I come from) and put the SOFTBANK card inside..can the phone be used like normal? Have anyone tried it?

 

[aussieinjapan]

Docomo is the way to go

I suggest if you have an unlocked iPhone. It is way easier just to go into a do como shop and get the sim only plan. Docomo sell sim cards for unlocked phones (since march).

 

[3551]

I suggest if you have an unlocked iPhone. It is way easier just to go into a do como shop and get the sim only plan. Docomo sell sim cards for unlocked phones (since march).

Hi, do you (or anyone) know what would be the monthly costs for sim only plan? Do they offer any cheap package prices like they do with the ones with phones? Or is it more pricey that way? I would like to use both data and voice. Thank you!

 

[SmilerMoon]

I realize it has been years since anyone posted here, but going to give this a shot since this thread was the closest I have found to my particular question. It is very similar to the original question, but slightly backwards. I am currently using the Sony Xperia Z5 on SoftBank but I have an unlocked iPhone 6 Plus (also an unlocked iPhone 5) that I want to just put the SIM card into. Awhile back I put the SIM card in to see what would happen and it gets onto the SoftBank network. I am just afraid that they will be able to see a device change and my bill will be all weird. There is a "monthly discount" based on the handset I chose upon signup and I would hate for the bill to jump in price unknowingly. Also I know most carriers have special pricing plans for iPhones, so I just basically was wondering will they even be able to tell that I changed devices? I hate android and if I have to wait another 11 or so months to change that I will go insane. We had to choose SoftBank when we got here because they were the only ones who had the Nexus 6P which is the phone my husband HAD to have :/, so I basically just picked a cheap phone.

I had the same experience(s) as OP with SoftBank...they will NOT sell just a SIM to put in your unlocked iPhone as I asked about this right away, and on base I also attempted to ask them these same questions about what would happen and she seemed very confused about what I was trying to do, so I gave up lol.

 

[gkepner]

I would say that you should be able to still use the SIM card with the adapter but you should check with the place you are getting the sim card from because sometimes certain sim cards aren't compatible with the phone also some phones may be unlocked but they might not be able to pick up the 4G network frequency in Japan. For example, when I lived in Korea I had my samsung phone unlocked and brought it to Japan but was told that the samsung model that I had was not able to pick up the frequency of the Japanese network so couldn't use my unlocked phone that I had brought. My phone was a 2016 model as well so it was strange that it wasn't compatible. Anyways, I ended up renting a pocket wifi instead. If you're thinking of renting a pocket wifi or sim card i would recommend going with Genki Mobile or Sakura mobile. I've rented from both and they were both great companies to rent from. Here's the link for anyone who is interested: https://www.genkimobile.com and https://www.sakuramobile.jp