Cell Phones/Communication

[taptap22]

Hello GW Moms...my son is currently home on leave and heading to the GW in a couple weeks. He has an I-phone 5 that is on our personal cell plan. Trying to decide if he will be able to use it in Japan?? From Sprint we were told it would be an additional charge of $5 a month PLUS $1.70 or something a minute - ouch!! OR he could just text from it for $10 a month? He does have a laptop so, I'm assuming we can set up Skype or facetime? Any assistance or guidance would be greatly appreciated!! I want to be able to communicate but at the most affordable (and smart) plan available. HELP!! TIA!!

[momof2sailors]

taptap22,

Most all Sailors put their phones at home on Military hold and get a cell phone thru Softbank once they get to Japan. Much cheaper to do that. He will need a cell phone there so he has contact with his command if need be. And the Sailors have set up accounts thru SKYPE  so us moms can communicate with them. If you want to have his phone on for texting you could try and see how it goes. He will also want to get renters insurance before he goes. Theft is a real problem there in the barracks and on the ship. Also if he has car insurance now and plans on canceling it and does not own a car he will want to consider getting a NON OWNERSHIP POLICY thru USAA. It only costs 5.00 a year. It will even cover him when and if he comes home on leave with full coverage. Well worth the 5.00 a year and to keep continuous coverage in tact.

[AmOm]

Yes, definitely put his phone on military hold and get one there. IPhones don't work well over there so he will need to get a different model. He can Skype or Facetime when he can get service. Get his GW email address as that will be the best way to keep contact. Facebook works a fair amount too. You can text to his phone when he's in port. As for insurance, we have GEICO. It was very easy to do a non-ownership. We don't get charged anything and if she drives, she'll still be covered. You may want to look into getting new light darkening rack curtains as issued ones are often times threadbare or torn. He'll also need extra T-shirt, underwear and socks as sometimes they can't get to the laundry facilities or they are out of order, on the ship.

[Anna_Tricia_]

Hi taptap22 - My son is also stationed in Japan and he at first was using his iPhone 4 and downloaded a free app to call/text home for free.  He would FaceTime for free as well over WiFi.  But he had to get a new phone, iPhone 5 with a cell plan which he pays himself.  We put his cell phone on military suspension but we have AT&T family plan.  My son downloaded that same app onto the new phone so he can  text/call for free. It will have a different phone number so watch out for that when he calls you so you won't reject the call.  Your son can use FaceTime over wifi for free.  And of course he can SKYPE and he can use FaceBook, whenever he has time.  When they are on base its easier to communicate with him by text and phone calls/FaceTime.  Once they are on the ship its harder. They can email home, they will have to set up a Navy email account, again when they can and make occasional phone calls. When they call home from the ship the caller id says "unknown" so don't reject the call.  I did that once and I was so upset and crying because I remembered that it could have been my son! Luckily, he called me back in 10 mins. Your son will have to buy a calling card to call home and they sell those on the ship. Once your son comes home for a visit, that phone that's on military suspension can be re-activated for him to use at home :)   Hope this helps. 

[TNmomof8]

So glad I joined this group today.  This question was why I got on here.  My son is home on leave and will be heading to Japan and the GW in a couple of weeks. @ taptap22 he was pir 9/6

[taptap22]

@ TNmomof8...I wonder if they know each other, my son pir'd 9/6 also. He was @ GL for about 2 weeks for training for undes.  I still am unsure about all of the communication (or lack of) once he gets to Japan. I need to sit down, reread all these posts (with wonderful and helpful) information and make some notes (mostly for me - he doesn't seem to worried about it)lol.

[MrsBis06 Shp12 Div031]

My son had trouble with the cellphone. He even went out and tried to get one there. He  usually uses his tablet to skype us when he's in port or calling cards (really wierd numbers show up when he does call). Emails mostly.

[Patricia - Navy mom x2 :)]

We had ATT family plan.  Its not the international calls that gets you... it is the data charges.  $19 per mb of data pulled off an international tower.  If you google "cell phone bill horror stories" you will find all sorts of folks who got thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollar charges on their cell phone bills unknowingly.  We faxed our daughters PCS papers to ATT and were able to cancel her phone early with no fine.  She will be getting her own plan as soon as they get back from their cruise. My son is on the Nimitz... we were able to put him into military suspense and he can reactivate when they return to the states.  I have read there are several text message apps that work fairly well... Pinger and  Voxer among a few.  While in Singapore, I think she signed up with Magic Jack... I have no clue how that works.  Someone in her shop must have suggested it.  I have realized that the lag when she calls home is Horrible.  It can take over a minute of me saying "hello" for us to be connected!!  I had been hanging up :-(  now I just wait patiently until I can hear her.

[AmOm]

My daughter has an Internet number so when she's in port and gets a WiFi signal (usually at a hotel), she can call. The signal is really clear and we usually talk for about an hour. I don't know who it's through but I can ask her. If I text her, I use a number that she got through Heywire.