When people living abroad return to their home countries, they often face the dilemma of how to use their mobile phones. This concern is also shared by travellers.
Many of my friends opt to purchase a prepaid SIM card from the country they are visiting and swap it with their current SIM card when they return home.
However, this means changing their mobile phone number and the added risk of losing or damaging the small SIM card.
Personally, I prefer to keep my mobile phone number even while abroad to be able to respond to emergencies. That's why I always rent a pocket Wi-Fi when I return to Japan.
If I have my own pocket Wi-Fi router from a previous trip, I don't need to rent a new one every time.
Initially, I considered buying one for convenience, but I discovered that the gigabytes of a prepaid pocket Wi-Fi card expire after one year.
This might work for frequent travellers to Japan, but not for someone like me who visits once a year or less.
I wonder if renting a pocket Wi-Fi router is the safest choice for those who wish to retain their mobile phone number.
However, I had a dreadful experience when I forgot to return my pocket Wi-Fi device when leaving Japan for New Zealand.
When utilizing the pocket Wi-Fi, you must place all borrowed items in a return envelope provided by the rental company and deposit it in a post box.
I intended to use the Wi-Fi until the last moment, so I searched for a post box after passing through the departure gate, but it was too late.
The post box I was counting on was no longer there after passing through the departure gate.
During that incident, a resourceful friend managed to negotiate with the rental company, allowing me to return the device from Auckland without incurring any additional charges.
Nonetheless, it left a bitter memory of dealing with international postage fees.
As I pondered what to do the next time I visit Japan, I stumbled upon something called Holafly, which offers eSIM services. With this, you can retain your mobile phone number without needing to switch SIM cards and enjoy unlimited usage for 700 yen per day in Japan.
To be frank, the price seems a bit steep. Initially, I assumed renting a pocket Wi-Fi would cost around 400 yen per day, but it appears that in my home country, there are numerous mobile Wi-Fi options for under 100 yen per day. The affordability is almost startling. Additionally, the disclaimer "may be out of stock" does raise some concerns.
Another option to consider is utilizing the roaming plan offered by your original provider.
Perhaps that would be the least troublesome choice after all?
