Page 168 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Tokyo
P. 168
166 SUR VIV AL GUIDE
Communications and Media
Tokyo basks in the image of being a high-tech megalopolis,
and there is some truth in this – the Japanese were
accessing the Internet on their mobile phones long
before anyone else. Just about everyone has mobile
phones, while Internet cafés and free Wi-Fi hotspots
are widely available. Public phones are rare; they can
be found in shopping areas and around stations, though
not all are suitable for making international calls. English-
language newspapers and magazines are readily
available, and the postal system is fast and efficient.
A green public telephone, used for making
International and Local are 11pm–8am daily, though local calls only
Telephone Calls Public Telephones
the rates between 7 and 11pm
Some public phones accept are also offpeak. Public phones are found in
international credit cards as The charge for a local call is ¥10 train stations, often outside
well as phone cards. The call per minute. Use small coins or convenience stores, and
will be routed via NTT phone cards in a public phone; on some busy streets,
Communications, unless you unused coins will be returned to although they are now less
purchase a phone card issued you. In this guide, the area code common, with the advent of
by one of the other major is given in parentheses; omit it if mobile phones. Green public
telecom companies offering calling from within the area. phones, which accept coins
international calls, such as and phone cards, are for
KDDI (KDDI Super World Card) Mobile Phones domestic calls only. For inter
and SoftBank Telecom (Super national calls, use the gray
Moshi Moshi Card). Each Some foreign mobile phones public phones, which have a
company has a tollfree number may work in Japan if the operator button for Englishlanguage
for information on charges and is an inbound roaming partner information and another for
services. To make a call, dial the of SoftBank Mobile or NTT the emergency services. They
relevant company’s access code, DoCoMo. Check with your ser also have digital jacks for data
then the country code, area vice provider before traveling. transmission. Oldstyle pink
code (minus the initial zero), As an alternative, visitors can phones, occasionally found in
and the desired number. rent a mobile phone from restaurants, are for local calls
All major hotels in Tokyo offer companies like Rentafone and accept ¥10 coins only.
international direct dialing, but Japan. Payment is typically
there may be a surcharge for made by credit card. Prepaid Useful Dialing Codes
calls from your room. NTT phones (though not prepaid
Communications and KDDI offer SIM cards) are also available And Numbers
international collect calls; simply from such mobile operators • Domestic directory
dial the relevant access code, as KDDI and SoftBank. The enquiries, 104
then ask the operator to place a operator’s conditions may • Domestic operator, 100
collect call. The cheapest times differ, but a passport as ID and • International directory
for making international calls a hotel address usually suffice. enquiries, 0051
Use these codes after the
international access codes to
dial the following countries:
Australia 61, Brazil 55,
Canada 1, China 86, France
33, Germany 49, Hong Kong
852, India 91, Indonesia 62,
Ireland 353, Israel 972, Italy
39, Republic of Korea 82,
Malaysia 60, Netherlands 31,
New Zealand 64, Peru 51,
Philippines 63, Russia 7,
Singapore 65, Spain 34,
Sweden 46, Switzerland 41,
Taiwan 886, Thailand 66,
A phonecard dispenser and a gray public telephone that provides local and international United Kingdom 44, and US 1.
dialing access
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