Re: [tlug] (off-topic) Unlimited data plan (mobile internet access) in Japan

[Darren Cook <darren@example.com>]

>> As I recall, they have a fairly reasonable (~500 yen) fixed monthly
>> rate.  The speeds were good, as you’d expect of WiFi.

Actually cheaper than that:
   http://wi2.co.jp/jp/300/price/

(They don't even bother mentioning this on the English side, as you need
a Japanese residential address: I imagine this means your credit card
must be for a Japanese address, as they've never actually sent anything
through the post to me.)

> Now *that* is a fantastic deal! I really miss Japan; I pay around
> 6000 yen here for bloody 24 Mbps down / "2" Mbps up (meaning 0.6, of 
> course) DSL. :(

You're comparing apples and oranges. wi2-300 is for using in cafes,
restaurants, hairdressers, etc. I suspect it is partly subsidized by the
shops.

And it is public wifi, with all the security risks that entails.
(wi2premium_club connections are encrypted, but I'm betting the routers
are sitting on an open shelf in the kitchen areas...)

Having said that, it *is* not just cheap but good. Fast enough and they
don't block ports (so SSH works, the secure SMTP/POP ports work, etc.)

Darren



-- 
Darren Cook, Software Researcher/Developer
My new book: Data Push Apps with HTML5 SSE
Published by O'Reilly: (ask me for a discount code!)
  http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920030928.do
Also on Amazon and at all good booksellers!