Q. What are my internet options?

・Dial up (ISDN) Pros: None. Cons: Slow, expensive, stone-age technology.
・ADSL Pros: Fast and start up costs tend to be low. Many companies are fighting for market share now and are offering several free months' service. Cons: You can only get ADSL if your area is zoned for it, must have a phone line and must pay the basic phone charge in order to have ADSL. Actual connection speed may fluctuate and, depending where you live, be less than the speed of the service plan that you signed up for.
・ Fiber Optic (hikari = 光) Pros: very, very fast! Great for tech gurus or those who love to download movies or audio files. Cons: A bit pricey and not widely available yet.
・Wireless (musen =無線) Pros: No wires and you can use it anywhere. Cons: Slow, unstable.

Q: How much do they cost to set up? How about monthly charges?
The set up costs will vary depending on companies but you are usually looking at between 3,000 yen and 15,000 yen in start-up costs. The start-up costs for cable internet tend to be a bit pricey compared to ADSL. If technical work needs to be done such as installing a phone line or requiring a technician to come to your apartment or house you will incur additional costs. Monthly fees will vary depending on the connection speed that you choose. Expect to pay between 3,000 yen and 7,000 yen a month.

Q. How long does it take to set up?
It will take anywhere between 2 weeks to a month to get it up and running.

Q. How do I apply?
There are 2 main internet providers that offer service in English. These are Yahoo BB and Fusion GOL.

Yahoo BB - An English application form for Yahoo! BB ADSL service plus NTT phone line connection can be downloaded from www.bbapply.com. Alternatively, if you cannot print or have trouble downloading the application form, you may request to receive one by fax, or regular postal mail; just send a faxed request to 050-1324-0431 or 0797-38-0449. Yahoo BB English Customer Service is available at 0800-1111-130 (free-dail) or 03-6888-4943 (cell phone access) E-mail: info@bbaply.com

FUSION GOL - Applications can be made online at www.gol.com/english, alternatively hard copies of the application form can be sent to you by contacting the Fusion GOL Customer Center at 0120-987-800, 9:00 - 17:30 (Monday to Friday). This center also provides technical support. Software installation and internet configuration is available for an additional fee. E-mail: sales@gol.com

If you want Yahoo! BB ADSL or Fusion GOL internet access, you must have an NTT telephone line. Both Yahoo BB and Fusion GOL can assist you in getting both NTT and the ADSL internet services in one application. Of course, if you already have NTT the application process is made easier.

In order to obtain and use Yahoo! BB or Fusion GOL the following requirements must be met:
・You must have a computer that supports "TCP/IP" and has a LAN port. LAN ports on current computers are slightly larger than modem or telephone ports. If your PC doesn't have a LAN port, you will need to buy and install one.
・Operating Systems (OS). Yahoo! BB recommends that their services be used with a PC running Windows 98, Me, 2000, or XP. On Macs they recommend Mac OS 9.1 or Mac OS X.
* You need phone wires coming into your location which end in modular jacks. If your phone is hard-wired to the wall or you cannot find a jack, extra work may be necessary.
・You must submit acceptable identification documentation. The documentation must have been issued by a government authority, be unexpired, and updated to show the same address where the phone is to be installed; for example a Japanese Drivers License or your ARC (must show at least 90 days remaining on a valid visa). Before sending, the documents should be enlarged to full page size and lightened as much as possible to ensure legibility. Please write your name on any pages that don't already have your name on them.
・You must provide your full address, including the name of the apartment building(s) where you live; the building name, written in Japanese, is an absolute requirement of NTT for service applications. It is advisable to send a copy of something, e.g. a utility bill that has your full address, including the building name in Japanese on it.
・ You must provide them with a way to contact you during the processing. Submitting both an email address with which you have frequent access and a contact phone number is required. NTT will need to inform you of the date of construction and subsequent service start date. If installation work is required, you will need to be present onsite at the time.