I don’t speak Japanese yet, so I went through GTN (a middleman agency) to handle my internet contract. I kind of opted in before I had a proper idea of how things usually work here – so yeah, I know it’s not the most cost-effective path, but I’m learning as I go.
Anyway – GTN just confirmed that fiber isn’t available in my apartment (Suginami-ku). My only options now are:
SoftBank VDSL (max ~100 Mbps)
• Wired, so more stable (at least in theory)
• Costs YEN 31,000+ in construction fees.
• I’ll only be here for 1.5 years, so that stings.
• No idea if setup means multiple visits & delays (probably does)
SoftBank Air
• Plug-in modem, no construction needed.
• Less reliable, and from what I’ve read on Reddit, it’s trash.
• I plan to stream, so stability is a must.
So, what is the general consensus here? Do I swallow the cost for VDSL (knowing it’s capped at 100 Mbps) or risk SoftBank Air and hope it doesn’t throttle like crazy on Friday evenings?
And if both options are garbage, should I push GTN to check alternatives? Anyone in Suginami in an ancient concrete building been in the same situation and found a better workaround?
by FashionableApple