Giny@geenrotzooi_xs4all.nl wrote:

> Hello all,
> 
> I need some urgent advice.
> We live in Amsterdam, my husband is Japanese.
> His mother (who lives in Sakado, Saitama) is seriously ill and he will have 
> to go to Japan quite often.
> 
> He has a Japanese Windows XP notebook and wants to work and go on the 
> Internet/email while in Japan.
> 
> His old mother does not have an Internet connection and my husband has been 
> away from Japan (except for short visits) for many years and  he does not 
> know anything about Internet possibilities in Japan.
> Furthermore he is not at all technical, he wants to plug in and work.
> 
> Can you give us advice:
> -what is the best thing to do.... and quickest thing to do in a house with 
> only a telephoneline
> -are there providers that offer ADSL for which you pay only when you connect 
> to Internet?
> -are there possiblities to connect to Internet wireless (satelite or so) sot 
> hat you can work whereever you are?
> 
> -any other advice that might be even better?

1.  Your husband should be able to convert his mother's house line to an 
ADSL or fiber account for little money using the present NTT account, 
although the monthly use rates will go up and he'll have to make some 
arrangements to maintain it.  Check http://flets.com/ (in Japanese) for 
further details.

2.  He can also subscribe to an account with Willcom that will allow him 
to log on via a PHS modem from many places in Japan.  The coverage is 
not seamless for all of Japan, though (as I found out the hard way when 
I moved to a place Willcom doesn't cover).  It's a good deal if you stay 
in the right areas, though.  English begins at 
http://www.willcom-inc.com/en/index.html but there is a link to the 
Japanese site.

3.  If he wants to compare services and prices, several good Japanese 
language sites are:

Hikaku.com:  http://www.hikaku.com/isp/
All Broadband:  http://www.allbbhikaku.jp/
Ottz.com:  http://www.ottz.co.jp/B-band.htm

4.  You can also post your questions on the Internet connectivity NG of 
the Tokyo PC Users Group.  There are a couple of people who live in 
Saitama who can probably also provide advice.  The web site entrance is 
at http://www.tokyopc.org.  Be warned, though that the site is under 
reconstruction.

CL