Want an iPhone? Think again
Just when you start thinking Japan has got over its racist attitude toward foreigners it kicks you in the face again.
SoftBank, the mobile phone company I've been with for almost three years, will not sell me an iPhone on the standard plan. Foreigners who have less than 15 months on their visa - even those who get a new visa each year like me - most pay the full price of the phone upfront.
Of course, SoftBank's reasoning is all foreigners want to come to Japan, get a three-year work visa, get an iPhone, then rush off to another country without fulfilling the contract. Idiots.
Labels: japan
posted by GKK @ 5:00 pm
3 Comments:
Jean Snow wrote about the same problem ... ridiculous. I'm waiting for the Docomo version to come out in hopes they're more rational about these things. (Although I'm not holding my breath ...)
can you blame em? that would suck to get stuck w/ a ton of bills. it does suck though to say the least.
Try another store!
I went to Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku and I got an iPhone on the regular plan and they didn't even ask to see my visa. Just try another store or two. You'll find one that will sell to you. I don't think it's a racist thing (though there's no shortage of racism in Japan), it's just a business thing. Why would they let you buy a phone on a two year payment plan if they're not sure you're actually going to be around for two years? Makes good business sense to me. But, some stores don't have good business sense. Find that store or find that particular clerk who'll bend the rules and forget the business sense.
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