Hey everyone,

I tried to look up this topic before but found that most discussions are about Softbank. I have an iPhone 5 through AU that I got back in September when I arrived. I pay around $80 a month with unlimited data and a 2 year contract. Anyways I have decided to go back to the states for a few months (until September) and prefer not to be paying for a phone I won't be using. I was wondering if anyone knows what I can do to avoid paying a monthly fee. I don't mind canceling my service early, does anyone know/have a idea of a cancelation fee for AU, how it works? I heard something about someone taking over the remaining contract but once again it was for Softbank service. I know back in the states you can put your phone on suspension (Verizon) for months at a time, does AU have something like that? I just wanted to see if anyone had any advice before I head over there, so I can prepare myself. Thanks!

With over a year left on your contract it will be about $125 to cancel your service, that said if you didn't buy your phone up front, and it's a part of your monthly fees not only will you have to pay a cancellation fee, but you'll probably have to pay off your phone as well, which could make it a lot more expensive.

I've never heard of anyone suspending their service with a Japanese cell phone carrier.

I don't believe the AU will let you suspend your contract. Your best bet maybe to change your contract to the cheapest plan that also covers your subsidized phone. Of course this usually means that you are entering a new 2 year contract. The other option is to cancel your contract, with its penalties, and then sell the phone. You might make out better.

If you are on 3 year orders you can Change your contract or cancel and still be back to sign a new 2 year deal but if you are on 2 year orders, you might be locked out of a subsidized plan after you get back.

Thank you for the information... I have another question if someone might have the answer. If I cancel my contract, pay the penalties (for the remainder of the phone, I did not pay for it up front) then just start a new contract when I return. If I do not sell the phone, I will already have an iPhone, so my monthly bill might be cheaper?

They will allow you to cancel your contract, and pay the phone off..... whatever that comes out to.

Then when you return you can just walk in and begin a new service which will be about 15 dollars less a month for the same plan you had.

You need to ask them one important question though, if you do that and then show up in that scenario will they still offer the 80% insurance on your phone if it has been out of service for a few months.  There is a chance they will not offer that insurance on it, just ask them about that and calculate that into your decision.

I don't know about the iPhone 5 or Au, but on the earlier versions (4 & 4s) SB would give you the phone for free, add a monthly cost to pay for the phone, then subtract an equal amount from your monthly data plan so that the phone was really & truly free. Do they do this with the iPhone 5?

If they do, then when you come back to Yoko, it's true you will not be paying that $15 per month to pay for the phone, but you will also not be getting the monthly discount that was in your original plan. In other words, you'll end up with the same monthly bill you're paying now but with the downside of having paid hundreds out of pocket for the phone. It's worth looking into.  If you visit Au and get an answer to this, please post here what they tell you.

AU web site has this information, this option has fees attached, looks like at the bottom of the page that you will be required to pay one month of basic charges as part of temporary suspension.

http://www.au.kddi.com/english/serv...jikyuushi/

I will be reporting to Yokosuka in June and my question is as follows: Would it be beneficial to obtain an IPHONE 5 with a carrier in Japan rather than purchase an IPHONE stateside? Are the IPHONE 5's in Japan unlocked? It's a 2 part question...I would like to be able to use the phone stateside after 3 years. Thnx...Engr44

Posted By Engr44 on 03-27-2013 7:31 AM
I will be reporting to Yokosuka in June and my question is as follows: Would it be beneficial to obtain an IPHONE 5 with a carrier in Japan rather than purchase an IPHONE stateside? Are the IPHONE 5's in Japan unlocked? It's a 2 part question...I would like to be able to use the phone stateside after 3 years. Thnx...Engr44

I would say NO.  The iPhone 5 is now offered with AU and Softbank- and I know from experience that the Softbank phones are locked and are next to impossible to get unlocked through tertiary sources.  I actually bought a factory unlocked iPhone 5 when they came out and was unable to get the sim chip from softbank without purchasing a completely new phone.  

The US market is showing signs of moving to an unsubsidized model which will result in handset mobility among carriers. I would procure an IPhone in Japan in the hope that the US market will have opened up by the time you return. T Mobile has just announced a no term contract policy in which the customer leases the phone and can activate and deactivate the service on demand. My guess (and it is a very educated one) is that all of the major carriers will be offering unlocked, unsubsidized options before long.

And Softbank is buying Sprint so mobility between the two carriers ought to be quite seamless within a few years. That deal is projected to close in July.