RetireJapan

I bought mine sim-free directly from Apple.

Aeon Mobile in Tokyo. 3:20 pm, in the middle of an office full of tech workers who are all constantly using their phones.

Ping 36ms
Download 8.21Mbps
Upload 7.14Mbps

However note that I had to run the test 3 times, as the first 2 times, it refused to run the upload test due to "connection issues".

To Steve and Noobster: you'd be surprised at how much ISPs claim you need in order to stream video decently, and how much you *actually* need. Streaming Netflix in HD requires somewhere between 5 and 7Mbps. SD requires between 1 and 4 Mbps. 4MBps ensure the best Non-HD quality you can get, which is really decent on a tiny screen. Arguably, you don't need HD on your phone depending on the phone and your eyes.

Does anything like "pay as you go" exist in Japan?
I'll be arriving this month, and am looking for a cheap SIM only service that I can use with an unlocked phone that I'll bring with me. I'm used to paying just a couple of pounds (literally) per month - i.e. no monthly charge, just paying for a few calls/texts and very occasionally looking up a train time or something. Expecting to have to pay more in Japan, but are there any minimalist users out there that have found a good deal, or is it just a case of taking a pick from one of the options on the smappy site?

I'm very happy with Aeon. It's not PAYG, but pretty close.

http://www.retirejapan.info/blog/mobile ... in-japan-2

Yeah, I guess it'll have to be something like that.
5-10x what I'm used to paying, but at that level it's not as though it's going to break the bank.