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Vegetarian's Japan Guide

Mobal WiFi: A Great Internet Solution for Longer Stay in Japan

Most people who have been to Japan would agree that it is a great place to visit. If you love the country so much that you want to stay for more than a fortnight or are an expat, purchasing a Mobal WiFi can be a great way to stay connected to the internet. The device is super light and might be smaller than your smartphone, which makes it suitable to carry to any other cities you are planning to visit. It also makes a great little internet router at home!

What Is a WiFi?

Ⓒ Mobal

WiFi, or portable WiFi, is a pocket-sized mobile router you can take with you to have a constant and instant internet connection. Most portable WiFi devices in Japan use 4G signals from network providers to enable the connection.

The device has a SIM card slot, and a SIM card is usually required for the portable WiFi to pick up signals. This means that the device can be used in most countries as long as a local SIM card is inserted.

How Is Mobal’s WiFi Differ from the Typical Pocket WiFi in Japan

The biggest difference between Mobal’s WiFi and products offered by other companies is that the cloud powers the device. This enables Mobal’s WiFi to pick up receptions from Japan’s top three telecommunication providers: NTT DoCoMo, Softbank, and au. What does this mean? This means that WiFi has the best coverage in Japan!

The Benefits of Using Mobal’s WiFi

Whether you are a tourist or a resident of Japan, using Mobal’s WiFi has many benefits. This includes:

  • The company offers a money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the product.
  • Mobal offers friendly and English-speaking customer support.
  • The WiFi lasts up to 12 hours when in continuous use and much longer when on standby.
  • It can connect up to 10 devices at any given time.
  • The WiFi device is yours to keep if you stay with Mobal for more than three months or pay an extra 3,000 yen.
  • Part of their proceeds go to charity!
    • Learn more about which charities Mobal donates to by visiting the Our Vision page on Mobal’s website.

Compared to the Traditional Japanese Router Providers, Mobal’s Wifi:

  • Is easier to sign up
  • Is shipped to you straight away
  • Has simpler payment plans with no hidden cost
  • Has a shorter contract period (3 months), which can be terminated early without termination cost if you:
    • Post back the device
    • Pay a 3,000 yen as early termination fee
  • Has no hefty up-front costs

Compared to Other Pocket Wifi Providers, Mobal’s Wifi:

  • Is a cheaper option if you need it for three weeks or longer if you post back the device and the contract is terminated within three months
  • Can be used in other countries as long as you insert a local SIM card to pick up reception

How Much Does a Mobal WiFi Cost

A Mobal WiFi costs 6,980 yen. In addition to the cost of the device, you will also be charged 4,980 yen per month. This is equivalent to a daily cost of around 400 yen per day for a 30-day month for the first month and 166 yen per day for the second month onwards.

Compared to other reliable pocket WiFi providers (Sakura Mobile, Japan Wireless, and Ninja WiFi), the cost is quite competitive if you plan to stay in Japan for three weeks or longer!

Tip: If you only plan to stay in Japan for two weeks or less, refer to our comparison table for The Best Japan Pocket WiFi Providers for Short-Term Travelers.

Ordering Your Mobal WiFi

Ordering a Mobal WiFi is easy. Just click HERE, hit the green Buy Now button and follow the prompts to fill in your details, including your Japanese shipping address.

Note that Mobal WiFi is primarily a product for those who reside in Japan. Therefore, the company doesn’t provide the typical airport pick-up option. If you are a tourist and plan to have your Mobal WiFi shipped to your hotel, ensure you have downloaded the offline map around your hotel to your Google Maps app before leaving the airport!

What Happens After Putting Through a Mobal WiFi Order

As soon as Mobal has received your online order, the shipping process will be initiated. It takes between two to five business days for the device to appear in your mailbox. The WiFi sent out has already been activated, allowing you to surf the internet instantly. Unlike the eSIM and SIM cards, no activation is required!

The device is partially charged, so if you need to use it right away, you can!

Like all WiFi routers, it takes a minute or two to boot up and connect to the server. When the device is connected to the internet, the signal strength icon appears. To get the device’s password, tap “the “Data usage SSID” on the touch screen.

Upgrading Your Mobal WiFi Plan

The standard Mobal WiFi plan includes 100GB of data per month. If you need more data, you can upgrade to 200GB or 300GB through the online portal, MyAccount.

If you wish to upgrade your plan, please do so by the 20th of the month. The change will take effect on the 1st of the following month when the data has reset.

Downgrading the plan is also possible through the online portal, MyAccount. Again, please do so by the 20th of the month, and the downgrade will be effective from the following month onward.

Our Experience Using Mobal WiFi

Our experience using Mobal WiFi was great. We used it during our trip that covered Tokyo all the way up to Aomori when we chased the cherry blossoms. You can refer to our itinerary HERE. We used the WiFi throughout the day for more than 12 hours, and the battery still wasn’t low by the end of the day!

We got the device sent to the first hotel we stayed at. When we checked in, the parcel was given to us, and we were able to use it right away after entering the password shown on the device’s screen.

Whether in the rural area up in the mountains or the crowded city center of Tokyo, the device was always reliable. In fact, it still connected our phones to the internet when the eSIM card wasn’t able to when we were in Hirosaki Park.

Speed-wise, we used the internet speed test powered by Google Chrome. The results we got were usually between 10 to 40Mbps for download and 5 to 15Mpbs for upload. However, we noticed that the results from Google Chrome seemed slower when tested using other speed-testing websites.

Nonetheless, we were able to use Mobal WiFi without any issues downloading and uploading photos and videos or talking to our friends via video call.

The only time the device lost connection was when we were on the Shinkansen traveling between tunnels. But this is totally understandable, as it is almost impossible to get any signals when the train travels at high speed through various mountains in rural areas.

Only Visiting Japan for a Short Period?

If you only have a couple of days or a few weeks in Japan, purchasing a Mobal WiFi might not be the best solution. But that doesn’t mean you can’t rent a pocket WiFi from other providers who offer products primarily to tourists!

If you have a couple of devices you want to connect to the internet at the same time, refer to our article on Japan’s Pocket WiFi article for more information and our recommendations!

Sakura-Mobile-Pocket-WiFi
Click the photo for information about Pocket WiFi for short-term travelers

Is a SIM Card or an eSIM Card a Better Option for Your Next Japan Trip?

Mobal-Data-SIM-Card
Click the photo for information to help you decide whether to get a Pocket WiFi, a SIM card or an eSIM.

If a Mobal WiFi doesn’t sound like the best internet solution for your next Japan trip, consider purchasing a SIM or eSIM.

Refer to our SIM Card, eSIM, or Pocket WiFi: Which One to Use in Japan article that answers all your questions about how to stay connected to the internet when you are in Japan!

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