Text 243, 63 rader
Skriven 2004-08-01 09:35:45 av Carol Shenkenberger (6:757/1)
    Kommentar till text 230 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Re: Fido on the move via cell phone.
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*** Quoting Robert Bashe from a message to Carol Shenkenberger ***


RB> However, you go on to confirm my worst fears...

CS> You'd have to check into the Japanese system of a landline to
CS> understand this. Landlines are *very* expensive to get (start with
CS> 700$USA non-refundable fee and work upwards).

RB> Sounds something like we used to have in Germany until the telephone m
RB> was opened up and the German Telekom monopoly terminated. The "install
RB> fee" was high - although not anywhere near as high as you indicate for
RB> Japan - and you had to apply for a line and wait anywhere from a coupl
RB> of months to over a year to get your phone. How fast _that_ changed af
RB> the monopoly ended! Now you move into a new apartment on Monday and ha
RB> a phone by Friday.

Well, it may have dropped in price.  My info is for 3 years ago when we got
here.  I have another type of line so never had to pay that fee.  They have a
set for the military to use off the DSN system for those of us in base housing
(which I am at last).

Oh the wait here for a regular NTT landline?  If the place was already wired,
wasnt bad.  If the place wasnt wired or needed re-wiring, am told could be 2-3
months wait.  One of the reasons i didnt go ISDN in the Cho (local apartment)
was we werent wired for it.  I do not know what the difference is, but we'd
have had to wait a few months.  As it was, we 'rented phone rights' for 15$ or
so a month in addition to the regular monthly fees (option only available to
Military stationed here).  I needed the landline for the computer.....


CS> Cell phones cost only a bit more to use, and do not have more of a
CS> startup fee than the cost of the phone (normally about 100$USA).

RB> A bit high - very high, if you consider the following remark...

CS> Yes, the cell phone expires and has to be replaced every 2 years...

RB> ... but I suppose that's the least disadvantageous route under the cir

Correct.  Japan also as you probably know, isnt a cheap place to live.  If you
stretch out that 100$ over a 2 year period and think of that like your monthly
service charges, it's not so bad looking.  There are no monthly charges, just
the setup fees for an account which are part of that 100$ charge.

Do the Japanese have monopolies on phones?  Yes.  I dial out to Bob Seaborn in
Canada as he's at 1/2 the cost of the USA and only about 1/5th the cost of OZ.
(I have a phone bill next to me and yup, thats about right).  Landline wise, I
have no alternative choices to the one the base provides and living onbase, no
ISDN option.

RB> Cartels, cartels, cartels. Unfortunately, Japan is a group of islands,
RB> nicely insulated against any foreign competition, and the population i
RB> apparently used to this type of thing and doesn't find it so objection
RB> as to demand some tough antimonopoly laws and more competition.

Perhaps, but I'm also in what for Japan is considered a small town.  Tokyo
might be a bit different?

                                       xxcarol

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