Updated on April 12, 2008

The thing with Japanese phones nowadays is that a software unlock to allow it to work on your run-of-the-mill GSM network outside of Japan is almost impossible. There are so many little quirks and security things to circumvent that it really isn't worth the time of hackers to deal with it. Not saying that there aren't people making progress on software reprogramming solutions, but what most people have discovered are SIM hacks, little microchips on films that you slap on to your SIM that fools the phone into working on your network.

Also, if you have corrections or contributions to this guide, drop me a line!

SIM Hack (PSS-SIM for Sharp)

SoftBank phones are pretty easy to work get working now, but NTT DoCoMo phones are a whole other mess. Here are some results of the testing done on them with various SIM hacks in Canada.

With contributions from darthchili, the good folks on HowardForums and the Keitai Krazy Facebook group; if the SIM type is not listed it is not known to work with the hack/phone combination.

i-smartphone 2008
- P905i (any SIM version/type except for Rogers 4000 SIMs)
- N905i (Rogers 3030 and 3040, Fido SM32, tests on other SIM versions are pending)
- Has a signal-dropping problem at high speeds, drops closer to 80 km/h when on the SkyTrain. Haven't tested it while driving quick on the ground, but will soon enough. I'm thinking this one is put together better, or has better programming than the Next SIM V7 as of right now.
- UPDATE, Apr. 11: Just had the first Signal Loss of Doom™. Went above 80 km/h on the SkyTrain again, lost the signal as usual, but then it didn't come back. Got it back at home after my own version of "SIM CPR" -- I took it out, naked SIM in a Rogers-locked phone, called, took it out, put SIM hack back on, plunk in iPhone (cuz strangely enough, the i-smartphone 2008 doesn't work in Rogers-locked phones wheras the version of the Next SIM I had did), waited a loooong time while it looked for signal, got it, plunked the whole thing back in my P and all is well.

Next SIM V7/i-SmartSIM 2008 (Revision 4)
- P905i (Rogers 3030 and 3040, tests on other SIM versions are pending)
- N905i (Rogers 3030 and 3040, tests on other SIM versions are pending)
- Has a signal-dropping problem at higher speeds, drops at 60 km/h when on the SkyTrain AND while on the road.
- UPDATE, Apr. 11: Replacing my unstable Next SIM with the next revision of it (revision 5). Supposedly works with Fido U0.02, AT&T in the States and should also work with Rogers' 4000 SIM. Will update on results when I get it and test it.

Hyper256
- 920SH (any SIM version/type)
- 904SH (any SIM version/type)
- 804SH (any SIM version/type)
- P905i (Fido M32 SIMs only)

PSS-SIM for Sharp
- 920SH (any SIM version/type)
- 904SH (any SIM version/type)
- 804SH (any SIM version/type)
- SH905i (any SIM version/type)
- P905i (Fido M32 SIMs only)

iNEX 804SH
- SH905i (Rogers 3030, 3040, Fido ST32)

China 3GP (obsolete, replaced by i-smartphone, Next SIM/i-SmartSIM)
- SO905iCS (Fido ST32)
- SH905i (Fido ST32)
- 920SH (any SIM version/type)

The Rogers 3030/3040/4000 SIMs were rejected by the P905i with both the Hyper256 and the PSS-SIM.

How to Tell What SIM Version/Type You Have

Rogers Wireless SIMs consist of 20 numbers to form the identification bits. The first eight are the same among all SIMs, with numbers nine through 12 dependent on the version:

3030 -- "Rogers AT&T"
3040 -- "Rogers Wireless"
4000 -- "Rogers Wireless" with a red back and says UICC on it

4000 SIMs are currently in circulation.

Fido SIMs of the past will say M32 on the back after the 20 numbers, whereas newer ones just have five sets of xxxx numbers.

Here is Panasonic's first VIERA-branded phone, released in November of 2007. Notoriously difficult to unlock, as it's really picky with the SIM hacks and SIM card versions that it accepts.

It's big, it's bad, it's the follow-up to the Motorola DynaTAC, and also my dad's first phone.

Here's a guide for those of you who have it so that you can properly search your contact list by typing. It's a Jap phone, as Jap as Jap can be, so it won't search last name/first name when you start typing. :(

How to Automatically Set Reading Order

There is likely a better way to do all of this, but this is relatively painless, and very much automatic. Let me know if there's a method that involves less hassle! I've tested this on my 904 and it works like a charm.

1) To start, all my contacts are in the Mac address book. I used Plaxo to sync my address books across my computers and all that, but the Mac one is nice as I can select all the contacts together and export it as one single vCard file. You absolutely need a file in that format. Export the file and get it to a Windows computer.

2) Get Notepad++, do a full install. Get NoteTab Lite, install it (for some reason the vCard file opens funny in Notepad++...dunno why).

3) Open up Notepad++, then open up the vCard file in NoteTab Lite. Copy and paste the whole text from NoteTab Lite into Notepad++. You can close NoteTab Lite if you like.

4) Do a Find and Replace (Ctrl+H) and search for "VERSION:3.0" and replace it with "VERSION:2.1". Our Sharps aren't that advanced yet. :p

5) Next, do an advanced Find and Replace (Ctrl+R), make sure only the "Regular Expr" and "Wrap" checkboxes are checked, and type the following in the boxes:

Find (top box):
FN:(.*) (.*)

Replace (bottom box):
FN:\1 \2
SOUND;X-IRMC-N;CHARSET=SHIFT_JIS:\2 \1;;;;

This takes the data from the "full name" line and adds a reading name line using that data. I have it sorted so it's by last name (i.e. I type in the last name to search).

6) Save the file.

7) Copy the file into your PRIVATE\VODAFONE\Utility\Contacts\Contacts.BCK on your miniSD.

8) Put the card back in the 904 and go to Menu>>Settings>>Connectivity>>Memory Card>>Backup/Restore.

9) Choose Restore and enter in the handset code (9999 if you haven't changed it). Choose yes when it tells you that calling won't be available while it works.

10) Select Phone Book, and choose the file to import from. Up to you whether you want to delete your phone data, but it really doesn't make sense if you don't, eh?

11) Let it finish copying, then enjoy your newly sorted contact list!

For DoCoMo phones, do up to step 6 then follow these steps:

7) Rename the vCard file to "PIM00001.VCF" and copy it to your microSD's SD-PIM\Phonebook folder.

8) Pop the card in your phone and fire it up; go into LifeKit >> SD-PIM, then Phonebook and load up your file.

9) Choose FUNC and choose your desired option. I overwrote everything on my phone because it's just cleaner that way. (=