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Data Roaming in Japan with the Android Bionic - or not...

I signed up for a global data plan using my Android Bionic. I can receive calls without a problem and I'm able to place calls. However despite my best efforts I am unable to use any data on my phone (every time I try I get the message "No Data Connection" . I have enabled data roaming and checked all of the settings I can find. Anybody care/able to tell me what I'm doing wrong? It's a major inconvenience to not have data access while here. FWIW, I'm in Kobe, which according to the map should have full voice and CDMA data coverage.

Comments

Ann154

I don't believe the 4G phones are capable of international data roaming. At least not at the moment. Can you sign into your MyVerizon from a computer and check if you have international data roaming listed as a feature on the account?

DavidSchwarz

Thanks for the reply Ann. I am currently signed up for "Global Data 4G" and made sure to confirm the rider on my account before I left. There was no mention of a lack of 4G support by any of the representatives I spoke with, all of whom were told of my destination. Does this mean that a 3G phone should work?

Ann154

I am not sure. I know that my Nexus according to my account has a feature on that says domestic data only or something to that affect. This works for me because I don't plan to travel out of country anytime soon.

If you have added the global data plan to your account, I don't know why it isn't working for you.

sds230

I am in Tokyo right now and my Galaxy Nexus is also not able to get a data connection. Before I left I enabled global data and the rep told me my data should work just fine. Please post back if you resolved your problem. Thank you.

Kiroa

It's a bit of a relief I'm not the only one having the issue... I have droid bionic with global data plan as well. I'm in center of Tokyo and don't have data connection as well. Any resolution would be great.

DavidSchwarz

Good luck to all of us on getting any resolution soon. I have contacted Verizon twice by email but so far my requests for assistance have been ignored. Apparently they don't have any administrators on this board either. I guess customer service is as foreign to them as proper data handling in Japan.

Ann154

This is a user peer to peer forum. We don't have access to your account information.

Have any of you call the global services number for help?

Kiroa

Hey everyone,

So I just called the verizon customer service whom connected me to global data customer service (or whatever the name was...)

Basically most cities in Japan doesn't support CDMA network, which is required for Bionic (and I'm assuming for Nexus as well) for data roaming. Most of Japan's network is using GSM. I believe some Verizon android phones supports GSM, though not sure which ones they are.

I asked her when I signed up for the global service plan, why the customer rep didn't check my phone's incompatibility for Tokyo. She said that the customer service will usually only check at the country level, and not by cities. On their system, Japan is shown as eligible as some cities does support CDMA.

I also asked which cities support CDMA network, and she said Sendai, Yokohayam, Osaka, Toyama. Probably there's few others but that was enough as a list for me.

David, I didn't check if Kobe has CDMA coverage (as you stated), so for your case, I'm not sure if my issue applies.

Btw, I stopped my global data service plan immediately, as there's no use. However the lady that helped me out was very helpful in detail so kudos to her!

DavidSchwarz

Thanks for the updated information. I looked at the map of CDMA services that I was originally directed to (link below) and it looks like there is pretty good CDMA coverage in Japan - and certainly in Kobe.

http://businessportals.verizonwireless.com/international/traveling_to/Asia-Pacific/Japan.html

Kiroa

Yeah, certainly looks like Tokyo is included in the coverage as well... but it seems it's not supported :smileysad:

sds230

I am in Kyoto now and data is not working here either. Everywhere I have

been has shown coverage on the CMDA map. I have tried to call the customer

service line several times and I always get a busy signal.

Vegeta_GG42

This is because only 4 or 5 Verizon phones are capable of international roaming, Droid 2 Global, Droid 3, and the following with an update that is coming out within the next week or two: Droid 4, Razr, Razr Maxx, and Rezound. This also requires international roaming package provisioning on your account as well. Other than this, I would recommend a prepaid from Japan, or you may use WiFi, which a lot of businesses in Kyoto provide it for their customers.

*Edit*, also for CDMA, Japan runs on a frequency that most of our phones don't support, but their LTE is on the same frequency as ours for the most part.

DavidSchwarz

I too finally spoke with a knowledgeable representative yesterday. In short, Japan uses GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) for data and text, but most phones (including my Android Bionic) are only capable of CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) communications. In order for a phone to function in Japan, it has to support GSM. Verizon currently has four phones available that can communicate via GSM: The Apple 4S; HTC Trophy; Blackberry Bold and the Blackberry Torch.

Ann154

Some of the Android phones on Verizon Wireless support GSM roaming. For example, the Droid 3 is a world phone.

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