Softbank’s iPad
With the iPad international release date finally set (May 28), Softbank has beat even Apple to the punch, and is now advertising the iPad for sale–from ¥48,960 ($535 by today’s exchange rate) for the 16GB WiFi model. That price was pretty much expected, but Softbank’s 3G data plans were the real question mark.
Softbank is doing it two ways: you can get a monthly data package, or sign up for a two-year contract. If you go by the month, it’ll cost ¥4410 ($48) for 1 GB of data per month; you go past 1 GB or if the month runs out, then the deal ends. The other way is unlimited data for ¥2910 ($32) a month–and while the details are a bit fuzzy to me (I can’t read the Japanese well enough and the English reports seem unclear), I think it breaks down to the fact that you have to buy a 2-year contract along with a 3G iPad in order to get that pricing.
Clearly, this is very inferior to the plan offered in the US, where $30–no contract, just a monthly payment–gets you unlimited data for the month. Softbank is charging twice that much for a limited amount.
Glad I don’t have to deal with that. Our data plans for the iPhone are already way too pricey.
Wow that data plan is really expensive. I would rather go without any gprs or 3G connections then pay that amount
In Japan mobile phone or IT service is too much commercial. In all IT products you have to sign 2 years contact. If you cancel the contact you have to pay remaining months of 2 years money. It’s a big monopoly market in the world.