I used to let my cellphone batteries drain completely before charging them. I was told the last time I bought a cellphone that that is not necessary anymore, but I continued to do it anyway, just to be safe. I figured it couldn’t hurt.

Well, apparently, it CAN hurt!

This source says that lithium-ion batteries should *not* be discharged fully on a regular basis.

Avoid frequent full discharges because this puts additional strain on the battery. Several partial discharges with frequent recharges are better for lithium-ion than one deep one. Recharging a partially charged lithium-ion does not cause harm because there is no memory. (In this respect, lithium-ion differs from nickel-based batteries.) Short battery life in a laptop is mainly cause by heat rather than charge/discharge patterns.

Source: http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

So, it seems that I probably contributed to the short life of my last two batteries (not including the defective one) by following the same rules as for nickel-based batteries. From now on, I will not let the battery run out completely before charging it. Also, I will try not to leave my cellphone in a place where it will get too hot. Let’s hope that leads to a more reasonable lifespan for my cellphone
batteries from now on!

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The advertisement was from Softbank (Yahoo BB!’s parent company) founder, CEO and entrepreneur Masayoshi Son. A celebrity in his own right, Son shook up the Japanese stock market in late August and early September with his announcement that Softbank intended to launch both a fixed-line telephone service (which will not require NTT’s Y80,000 phone line purchase rights) and an 800Mhz wireless cellphone service.

Why should a Frugalite care about this news? Well, Son & his brainchild, Yahoo BB!, are the ones we really have to thank for Japan’s cheap broadband Internet. As Son brags in the advertisement text: “Japan’s Internet connection fees were once the highest in the world. However, thanks to price competition brought about by the Softbank Group, Japan’s broadband Internet fees are the cheapest in the world. Our ADSL service, brought to you by the Yahoo BB brand, reduced prices from close to Y10,000/month to a fifth of that cost.”

The text above, of course, is a paid advertisement. But anyone who remembers how expensive Internet access here was in the “old days” (3 to 4 years ago) will probably agree — Yahoo BB! brought prices down.

So what about cellular charges? Well, Japan’s prices are higher than they are at major mobile companies abroad. NTT DoCoMo’s average average revenue per user (ARPU) was Y94,680 PER YEAR from 2003 to 2004. Compare this to major overseas brands: Y66,776 for Vodafone Wireless (US), Y51,914 for Orange France, Y50,888 for SK Telecom (South Korea), Y49,265 for T-Mobile UK, and Y31,548 for T-Mobile Germany. (All three Japanese carriers rank higher than Verizon, by the way.)

With such advanced phones, it makes sense that Japanese would have higher data and voice use than other countries. That said, $920 US per year for cell phone service seems awfully expensive. Softbank’s ad is aimed at convincing readers to pressure lawmakers to allocate Softbank some part of the 800Mhz wireless spectrum. Whether or not this happens, developments in this area are certainly worth watching. Softbank’s Yahoo BB! service certainly threw a wrench into NTT and other major companies’ plans for broadband Internet, and I expect an interesting catfight in the fixed-line and wireless markets as well.

Note, however, that BB Phone is usually bundled for free with Yahoo BB!’s ADSL Internet service, and without it, the monthly service fee is Y1,508. As the service still requires a phone line, you also must maintain your NTT access line, incurring the monthly NTT basic charge of around Y1,800. So, IP telephony, while cheap, still requires some added expense if you don’t get it as part of your ADSL service.

While on the topic of Internet access, I thought I’d delve a little into the issue of wireless Internet access. Also known as “WiFi” in English or “musen LAN” (wireless LAN) in Japanese, wireless internet is an excellent choice for both in-home browsing and browsing on the go. Even more interesting from a frugal standpoint is the trend towards free wireless “hotspots,” or locations where wireless-enabled notebooks and PC devices can access the Internet for free.

Our newest laptop has a build-in wireless modem and “finder,” which is software that automatically locates what wireless networks are within range. (You can also add a wireless modem PC card to your existing PC.) I first discovered this unique attribute when I went online at Narita Airport. Y500 (using your credit card) will buy you a day-pass good within any of Narita’s terminals. Haneda, Kansai, and other airports offer similar services. JR East also offers a paid service through mobile Internet providers.

In Japan, YahooBB continues to offer free wireless Internet at some McDonald’s, Starbucks, Mister Donuts and other locations. You have to sign up online for a special ID, but for the moment this service remains free.

Melco, one of the largest manufacturers of wireless routing equipment, has also set up a subsidiary called “Freespot Association,” which actively recruits stores, restaurants, cafes, and other locations to join their “free Hotspot” program. The Freespot Association website lists 183 places in Tokyo alone with free wireless Internet access, searchable by map.

Finally, there is wireless mooching. Three times over the last few weeks I have been in locations where someone else’s wireless LAN system has been strong enough for my PC to pick-up, and use, the signal. In a country like Japan, where buildings are quite close together and houses are made of flimsy wood, I’m sure this can happen elsewhere as well. Just be careful using an unsecured connection — we picked up some nasty viruses mooching wireless access in San Francisco a few weeks back. As for the ethics of wireless mooching — you’re welcome to debate this on the Frugal Japan mailing list!

First, some explanation. As you may know, the domestic, long-distance and international calling markets in Japan were liberalized in 2001, and the decades-long monopoly of NTT and KDDI was broken up. Through the oddly named “My Line” service, you can literally register for three or four different service providers for one line, although NTT still maintains the rights to access lines (or home phone lines). The are a wide variety of discount options, but today I will focus on three: a bulk service buying company, a new telephone card option from Costco, and cable phone.

First, let me introduce T-1 Communications, a local foreign-owned company that purchases long-distance (both overseas and within Japan) telephone service in bulk and offers it to customers at a discount. The rates offered (Y10.5/minute to the US 24hrs a day) appear quite reasonable, and no registration or monthly fees are charged. Payment is by credit card, and registration quite simple, with excellent English customer support. I currently subscribe to T-1’s cell phone service (you can register any number), and am very pleased. Check out http://www.T-1.co.jp for more information.

Phone cards (such as the Brastel and Global Card) are also an option, and attractive in terms of cost-control as they are prepaid. Rates for cards vary, but are among the lowest available. Costco recently started offering a particularly attractive MCI Calling card, with Y7.6 rates per minute for fixed-line to fixed-line calls from Japan to the US any time of day. To get more information, call 0120-98-1022 (from 8:00-24:00). Note that, depending on your provider, you may not be able to use your phone card from your individual phone. The Costco card is available at Costco locations nationwide.

Finally, I was surprised to find that some local cable operators (such as local Kansai powerhouse, J-COM) are offering bundled cable, high-speed Internet and telephone service. The bundled service,
starting at Y9900 per month, might not be the best option for everyone, but the low-local rates and possibility of totally cutting ties with NTT even for local service (and thus avoiding NTT’s basic monthly charge) is extremely attractive. In some locales, you can even keep your existing phone number. Check out J-COM Hokuetsu’s excellent English site for more details on the service.

It goes without saying that other options (such as callback services or IP telephony) are worthy of exploration, but I will have to address this another week!