I'm on Povo. Amaho was my only other choice, because the other ones don't seem to be so good for large data allowances (or at least they didn't when I last changed networks in 2021). I was on OCN Mobile One before, and I was constantly going over the 10 GB a month limit, and they charged 550 yen per additional 500 MB.
One thing I like about Povo is you can just top up your data at the regular price if you run out instead of waiting until the end of the month. It was always a pain to run out half way through the month on OCN and either put up with the slow speeds or pay the overinflated top up charges. Your unused data doesn't carry over, but that's not much of an issue for me.
I use Y!mobile. Admittedly it is not the cheapest compared to the POVO and Ahamo plans. But, my family and I like it because we can get support at the store.
Also, the family discount can run really deep if you get the right documents from city hall (I am the head account and my wife’s parents and siblings and even their partners can get the discount).
In addition, one family member has a disability which means their account is managed by their parent, who is eligible for senior’s discounts. With some finessing, they were also able to receive the same discount.
Notably, most data is used at home where there is wifi, but outside you can access SoftBank’s wifi spots. Also, anyone can access docomo’s wifi spots if they register for free in the app.
So, for three adults, 3GB a month, with truly unlimited phone calls is about ¥5,000.
Without in store help, we could never have gotten through all of the hoops to get these discounts.
If you are single I’m sure there are much better offers out there. But if you require actual phone calls and a reasonable amount of data, I do recommend Y!mobile.
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