will may note 3 work in japan?

[Toughscale758]

hi guys, I live in the middle east, saudi arabia and I am planing on going to japan for couple of weeks, my question is this.. will may note 3 work in japan? and if I bought a Japanese SIM from there and use it in my note 3, will it work fine?

I want the phone for making daily call, maps app and internet.

if it help my phone work fine right now in saudia because I used SIM from here.
I bought if at full price from saudi arabia.
I bought it * at full price from saudi arabia.

[jamie]

You will first need to carrier unlock your device. If you purchased your device with a contract for a reduced price then it is most likely carrier unlocked (will not work in Japan). If you brought it online for full price then it is likely carrier unlocked (will work in Japan). If your device is carrier locked then you can contact your provider and request a unlock code.

EDIT

From what I have heard, Japan has crappy data speeds.

EDIT

I am guessing it is carrier unlocked. If have a sim card of a different carrier then go ahead and power off your phone. Swap the sim and turn it on. If you dont get an error message asking you to enter a pin then it is carrier unlocked.

[KnightSaber2000]

Almost all countries uses GSM, especially with 4G services..
You may have to worry about CDMA when you go to USA, US territories and US occupied territories..
but many 4G services in the USA are GSM, while many 3G services in the US are CDMA..

In the middle east, they use GSM almost exclusively, Iraq and Afghanistan are the only exception as some of its carriers uses CDMA..
both countries were occupied by the US recently, and it seems CDMA is found in countries that had strong US presence in them..

Japan and Vietnam as well..

Its a funny trend only few know about it.. but Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan and Vietnam uses GSM with some carriers support CDMA.. but will CDMA work in your phone?
It is difficult to answer because Note 3 has sub-models.. some models do not support CDMA while others do..
But to be safe, just tell the guy when you buy the sim card in Japan, to get you a GSM sim card.. not CDMA aim card..

All the countries above support GSM, only few carriers are CDMA.. while many US carriers uses CDMA..

Next is factory lock question..
if you have bought the phone part of the plan, it is usually a factory locked..
if you paid the full price for the phone, it is a factory unlocked..

But that's NOT the general rule..

The best way to know for certain is, to pop out your sim card and insert a sim card from another DIFFERENT carrier..

For example, if you are in the USA and you are using a sim card from AT&T.. try to use a sim card from a different company, like Verizon..

If it fails to detect any signal.. it means that the phone is factory locked to AT&T Sim cards only.. and all other carriers, both local and international, will NOT work on your phone..

Fortunately many carriers will 'unlock' the phone after completing the plan.. AT&T will do it for free..

Unfortunately, unlocking the locks on the phone without the permission and the knowledge of the phone carrier, is considered illegal in the US.. but the good news, many middle east countries do not consider it illegal.. and you may have to look for a phone repair shop that knows how to break the locks for you..

Its actually software lock.. it is not a hardware or a physical lock..

If the phone is factory-locked, simply contact the carrier to unlock the phone or to recommend a shop to unlock it..

Finally, the price..
You should know, the phone services there in Japan are very expensive..
if you are going to make a lot of phone calls and expecting to receive a lot of calls, then you should get a Japanese sim card..

But if you only want to be in contact with your family, and you are expecting to make few phone calls..
You should not buy a local Japanese Sim card..
Smply ask your carrier in the middle east, to activate the international roaming service.. so you can use your own number while you are in Japan..

If you want to make local calls, just use the land telephones, or the Hotel's phone service..
it is much cheaper that way..

Most hotels have WIFI so you can call your family back in the middle east using VIBER and Skype (very soon, even whatsapp will have voice call capability).. those apps are found in app stores for both Android and iOS for free.. and those phone calls are totally free, as long you have access to the internet..

I stay in Malaysia and Thailand, and I always call my mom in Kuwait using Viber or Skype.. both apps are available on my iphone, and my android phone..
they are easy to use, free and only require internet connection..

All the best..

[Alphones]

Hai, Is your phone unlocked? If your phone is unlocked you can use any network otherwise you have to unlock it to use other gsm network. Code is best way to unlock your phone. If you need an unlock code you can get it from your network provider or online providers. After getting the unlock code you can check at http://www.mobileunlockguide.com/samsung-galaxy-note-3 for free step by step unlocking instructions and unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note 3 mobile easily..