Any Librem Users in Japan?

Hardware
1

I’m based in Japan and just purchased a Librem 15 and Librem 5 and wanted to ask:

  • Librem 15: Anyone had customs issues getting it delivered?
  • Librem 5: Any suggestions on how to get it connected to a network (once it is released)?
2

Planning on using a Librem 5 in Japan once I get it. SoftBank appears to be the most compatible network with the EU model, although I expect coverage to be less than ideal until we can get alternative modems or something.

My carrier is Mineo who happens to have a SoftBank option, so i might use that.

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3

I’m on Softbank currently. I wonder if I should just take the Librem 5 to one of their shops and ask them what I should do.

Or, I wonder if Purism will be able to steer me in the right direction. I guess I’ll wait for the Librem 5 to arrive and then see what documentation it comes with.

4

I doubt SoftBank will help. Pop your SIM card in then find the Settings to configure mobile data (they’re all over the internet), and that maybe SoftBank might help - maybe.

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5

Inspired by Librem 5 carrier compatibility thread I’ve compiled 3 tables for compatibility of the offered options. The situation is a little bit dire in the sense that anyone buying the “US” or “A1” versions will not have signal at all if they visit Japan.

This would make Can we buy modems from Purism? very interesting as an option for traveling… Because now I have to think about which of these modems is not only compatible with Japan but with other countries I regularly visit…

Softbank

| Band                | PLS8-E | PLS8-US | BM818-E1 | BM818-A1 |
|---------------------+--------+---------+----------+----------|
| 3G B1 (2100)        |   x    |         |    x     |          |
| 3G B8 (900 GSM)     |   x    |         |    x     |          |
| 3G B11 (1500 Lower) |        |         |          |          |
| LTE B1 (2100)       |   x    |         |    x     |          |
| LTE B8 (900)        |        |         |    x     |          |
| LTE B9 (1800)       |        |         |          |          |
| LTE B41 (TD 2500)   |        |         |          |          |

AU

| Band                | PLS8-E | PLS8-US | BM818-E1 | BM818-A1 |
|---------------------+--------+---------+----------+----------|
| LTE B1 (2100)       |   x    |         |     x    |          |
| LTE B11 1500 Lower  |        |         |          |          |
| LTE B18 (800 Lower) |        |         |          |          |
| LTE B41 (TD 2500)   |        |         |          |     x    |

Docomo

| Band                 | PLS8-E | PLS8-US | BM818-E1 | BM818-A1 |
|----------------------+--------+---------+----------+----------|
| 3G B1 (2100)         |   x    |         |    x     |          |
| 3G B9 (1800 Japan)   |        |         |          |          |
| 3G B19 (800 Japan)   |        |         |          |          |
| LTE B1 (2100)        |   x    |         |    x     |          |
| LTE B9 (1800)        |   x    |         |    x     |          |
| LTE B19 (800 Upper)  |        |         |          |          |
| LTE B21 (1500 Upper) |        |         |          |          |
| LTE B28 (700 APT)    |        |         |          |          |
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6

I really respect what Purism is doing, but for now, I’m just so busy I don’t have time to figure all of this out, so I’m sticking with my iPhone and Softbank… I need something that “just works.”