All went smoothly except: * the set-up is entirely self-service. The instructions are clear, but some human assistance at the collection point would be even better * my first attempted connection w... See more
Company replied
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Review summary
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
What people talk about most
Reviews shaping this summary
Received Sim and installed it - had data but had problem with receiving voice calls. This was due to the age of my phone. There are notes on the website about this, but the issue could perhaps be made... See more
Company replied
Great 4G LTE connectivity throughout my 14-day (9/22 to 10/05/25) trip in Japan. KYOTO, NARA, OSAKA, TOKYO. I do wish 5G data speed was available. I do love the massive data plan 50GB for 16 days.... See more
Company replied
I used Mobal during my two-week stay in Japan. Everything worked flawlessly, everywhere I stayed, including Hakuba, Nagano, Matsumoto, and even Jigokudani Monkey Park! Mobal also worked great in the T... See more
Company replied
Company details
Written by the company
Mobal is an award-winning UK/Japan-based SIM provider whose mission is to make life in Japan easier for foreign nationals, known for reliable service, and friendly English support. What makes Mobal different is that it's 100% owned by a charity, which is dedicated to building schools and feeding children in Malawi, Africa. That means that all the profits Mobal makes go straight to making the world a better place!
Contact info
The Winding House, Walkers Rise, Rugeley Road, Hednesford, Staffordshire, WS12 0QU, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
- support@mobal.com
- www.mobal.com
3.8
Great
929 reviews
Replied to 87% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 1 week
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Easy to setup and use
eSIM was easy to setup on my iPhone 11. Coverage was excellent.
August 7, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review!
We are very pleased to hear that the setup process was easy to follow and that the service worked well for your needs!
Credit Card charges months later
Coverage in country was fine, pick up convenience was fine, etc.
BUT
I've gotten 3 different charges from them for varying amounts in the months since leaving japan.
Edit: hashed it out with their CS team. Their premium voice+text+data PREPAID sim only covers INCOMING messages and will ADD charges for each individual outgoing use of the network. 2 stars for how absurdly awful of a concept that is.
May 19, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback and we are sorry to hear of your frustrations regarding our billing procedures!
As previously discussed however, we can confirm that the usage rates for outbound calls / outbound texts are available on the Mobal website / from your Mobal online account and this was also explained in the confirmation emails that were sent to you during the activation process for your chosen plan.
Your usage reports are also passed on to us with a delay (which is why the usage fees are billed at a later date) but we do of course apologize for any confusion this may have caused!
From reviewing your discussions with our support team, it appears that we have already refunded the latest usage fee that you incurred (this usage fee was billed correctly but was refunded as a goodwill gesture) but if there is anything else that we can assist you with, please do not hesitate to contact our team again!
International SIM doesn't work on a…
International SIM doesn't work on a pixel 7a in Japan. Only worked intermittently. This info is available on their website but in small print which you will miss.
July 5, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
We appreciate your feedback and we are sorry to hear of the issues you experienced on this occasion!
Handset compatibility issues are out of our control unfortunately but we can confirm that we do include a warning for our physical data-only SIM cards (explaining the issue with certain Google Pixel devices) which can be found in the "Will The SIM Work In My Device?" section directly above these products.
This section contains full details of the compatibility requirements for this service but we understand your frustration and if there is anything else that you would like to discuss with our support team, please do not hesitate to contact us again!
Poor service and tricky to cancel
Poor, very very slow slow customer service (days and days of delay) when something goes wrong. And they will keep charging you even if you email them to stop service. You have to pay attention to their emailed response and follow the directions. Would definitely not recommend.
May 1, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you for your feedback!
We were unable to locate a record of your Mobal account using the information you have provided and unfortunately, we have not received a reply to our request (which was sent via TrustPilot) for your account information either.
As we have not received this information, we are unable to look into this further for you but we are not currently aware of any major response time delays. With regards to your request to terminate the service however, we can confirm that requests of this type must be submitted by you directly from your account (as you would be required to choose a specific termination date / the reason for termination and review the information that's provided) and so we can confirm that our customer service team would have explained this and provided additional instructions. This would have also been explained when you originally selected an ongoing plan but we also provide termination instructions in the "Support" section of our website.
If you would like to discuss this further however, simply contact our customer support team again and we will be happy to look into this for you!
Just the fact that they stopped konbini…
Just the fact that they stopped konbini payments in order to make everyone subscribe for their ridiculous debit card is enough for this 1 star.
Edit: me, and I'm sure many other people are put in an enormous and unjustified difficulty because of this. I don't know what to do with your understanding.
You know perfectly that Japan is still a cash society and that it is more difficult for a foreigner to apply for a debit/credit card. Making me receive a call from an associate speaking my language...why? I can perfectly understand English and communicate in this language.
And, moreover, there's nothing to understand. You are just doing a legalized fraud and I will have no choice than closing the contract.
July 25, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you for taking the time to provide a review!
We appreciate your feedback and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience the loss of this payment option may have caused!
We try to make our billing procedures as simple as possible for anyone visiting Japan by allowing payments to be made via standard debit / credit cards (or PayPal accounts) without the need for a Japanese bank account etc.
However, we understand your frustration regarding the loss of this specific payment method and if there is anything you wish to discuss further, please do not hesitate to contact our support team!
Reply from Mobal
Thank you for your review!
We are delighted to hear that you are happy with the Mobal services and we hope that you have enjoyed your stay!
Thank you for choosing Mobal and we hope to hear from you again in the future!
These guys are so terrible j would not…
These guys are so terrible j would not trust using them at all I payed for a sim and never got it to work for Days and there are no phone number to call for help and when I send email they never even after a week waste of time and money
July 15, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback and we are sorry to hear of the issues that you experienced on this occasion!
With regards to our response times, we believe that we have located your account and it appears that all emails you sent to our support team were responded to within 24 hours. If any of your messages were left unanswered however, please contact us again and provide us with a copy of the message / the date and time the message was sent and we will look into this further for you!
After reviewing your discussions with our support team, it appears that we had also requested some additional information from you (that would have allowed us to troubleshoot the issue further) but received no response. The network records show that the eSIM was never installed on your device which would likely indicate a compatibility issue (i.e. the device you used was not fully unlocked or the device was not eSIM compatible) but if you can provide us with the information requested by our support team, we will be happy to investigate this issue further.
Thank you once again for your feedback and we hope to hear from you soon!
SIM for Japan Holiday
Used their data SIM card during my holiday to Japan. The SIM was picked up from the specified location and easily installed. It worked perfectly and did everything we needed during the trip. Appreciated the good service and no hassle.
June 15, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Hi Adam, thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.
It’s great to hear that you found it easy and hassle free to collect and install your Data Only Tourist SIM card!
We are also delighted that the data connection was suitable for your needs and the service worked well for you during your stay.
Thank you again for choosing Mobal and we hope to hear from you again in the future!
Couldn't possibly be worse
Over the past six months I have spent four months in Japan. During this time I exclusively used a Mobal SIM card and the whole experience has been a disaster from start to finish.
1) The upfront price is over 400% of local providers
2) The internet speed is less than 20% of local providers
3) They processed 3 transactions incorrectly and took weeks to rectify it
4) They disconnected the telephone service, leaving only SMS and Data, without telling us... then proceeded to blame the Japan network
5) When downgrading my service to a smaller plan, they disconnected the service entirely then offered to post me a new SIM card weeks later
6) They aren't registered for Japans emergency warning system meaning when the two earthquakes struck, everyone else got notification except us
7) The customer service team takes at least a week to respond, assuming they respond at all
DON'T DO IT
** EDIT**
8) They take weeks to respond to customer service enquiries, to solve problems they've caused, but they respond to a negative review in under 24 hours.
** EDIT **
9) They post fake positive reviews on this site and two others, I have proof.
July 1, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
We really appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback and we are sorry to hear of the issues you experienced during your time in Japan!
With regards to the cost of our service and plans etc, we believe that our plans are appropriately priced for the benefits provided for short term stays in Japan and we can also confirm that all pricing information was available on the Mobal website prior to your order being placed. Regarding connection speeds however, please be advised that data speeds can vary greatly based on a number of factors that are outside of our control but we do of course apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused!
In reference to the Emergency Alert system, we can also confirm that our service supports the use of this feature but please note that you may have been required to enable this within the settings menu on your device. This option can usually be found by going to "Settings" > "Notifications" (and then locating the option to enable "Emergency Alerts" or "Government Alerts") but you may need to refer to a user guide for your device for specific instructions.
It appears that we have not received a response to our request for your Mobal account details (so that we can locate your account / previous discussions with our support team in relation to the issues discussed in your review) and so unfortunately, we are unable to provide a detailed response to some of the points mentioned in your review. However, we do aim to respond to all inquiries as soon as possible (we are not aware of any inquiries that took our team a week or longer to respond to) and so if there are any issues that have not yet been resolved or discussed with our support team, please send an email to our care team at care@mobal.com and we will look into this further for you!
Don't recommend their service
If you're a typical tourist staying in hotels where you can use hotel wifi in the evenings to watch your shows and do other stuff, Mobal is probably fine for you.
If you intend to travel around, where you won't have access to wifi(like camping in the countryside), and still want to watch your shows etc online in the evenings, then Mobal isn't for you. They have a 3GB policy, meaning that if you use more than 3GB of data a day, they will restrict your connection to basically nothing for 24h(making the service unusable). If you use extra 500MB during your restricted time, they'll restrict it further 24h.
This doesn't make sense, as if you get their 16 day SIM card, you'll get 50GB of data. Simple maths tells you that 16x3GB=48GB. Meaning you pay the 2GB for nothing.
They do mention the 3GB limitation if you open up the more information page with your package, but that still kinda feels like a rip-off.
Do not recommend if you won't be using WiFi during your travels.
Feel like they should reset the restricted connection every day at midnight.
Also, at first I bought their eSIM, which I had to cancel as I found out that my phone was not supported. I sent them an email asking to cancel the eSIM and then continued to go purchase the regular SIM cards. Everything looked good, until I arrived in Osaka airport. Went to pick up the cards and the airport information desk people(who were amazing in all of this) couldn't find my order. They tried many times and I went through my emails using the airports wifi to see if there's anything wrong. The staff at information desk tried contacting Mobal(they've got their service number) but no luck for a long time. I finally logged into my Mobal account on their website and saw that they had cancelled my newly purchased SIM cards instead of the eSIM's. At that point it was about an hour later from when I went to collect the SIM's and I gave up on them. I almost bought some other SIM cards(which I wish I did as they were cheaper and had no limit), but they finally managed to get a hold of Mobal's rep and they activated the order again and refunded my other order.
It wasn't very fun experience dealing with this kind of mistake right as I got off the long flight and just wanted to rest.
Mobal needs to do better.
June 7, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you experienced and appreciate your patience during this time.
We are sorry to hear that our data policy did not meet your expectations and that there was a mix-up with your SIM card order. We understand how frustrating it can be to deal with such issues, especially after a long journey.
The 3GB daily usage policy is enforced by the network to ensure fair usage for all our customers, but we recognize it may not suit everyone's needs. You're right that 3GB per day for 16 days equals 48GB. While we publish this fair usage policy based on our supplier's guidelines, we aim to provide a realistic upper limit for 16 days' worth of use, which we’ve found to be up to 50GB.
On a positive note, you will be pleased to know that we are in the process of transitioning to SIM cards that do not include fair usage policies. This means customers will soon be able to use the full 50GB as they see fit!
Regarding the SIM card mix-up, we acknowledge this mistake and assure you that we are actively working on improving our processes to prevent such errors in the future.
Thank you again for your review and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with service in the future.
Great communication
Great communication. Due to difficulty arranging to pick up the physical sim, I needed to cancel my order & swop to am esim. I found they were very accomidating & helpful.
June 13, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.
We are delighted to hear that our Customer Service team were able to accommodate you!
We hope you have a wonderful time in Japan and thank you for choosing Mobal!
We recently visited Japan and I…
We recently visited Japan and I purchased a Mobal SIM card and installed it. My wife went with an on-line sim arrangement with another provider. Mine worked fine, hers didn't! I had reliable internet everywhere we went, not a single problem. I am not a techie, my only suggestion is that Mobal have a technical person to install their SIM card at the airport, nevertheless I muddled through and got it working and installed.
Peter M Canada
May 20, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Hi Peter, we appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback about your recent experience with our service.
We are delighted to hear that your Voice + Data SIM card provided a reliable data connection throughout your time in Japan!
Despite not being a ‘techie’ we are glad you were able to successfully install and activate your SIM card! Please be advised that the collection point agents are not Mobal staff which is why they are not able to provide technical guidance. Therefore, we endeavour to ensure that the setup instructions provided and our support pages are as easy as possible to follow so that customers are able to install and activate their SIMs without assistance. However, your feedback is greatly appreciated and we hope to hear from you again in the future!
Airport Desk opening times!
While the actual SIM connection was fine for my stay in Japan [7 days] what was not good, in my opinion, was the collection desk at Tokyo Haneda Airport. Many long haul flights arrive into Haneda early in the morning [our flight arrived at 06.30] but the desk does not open until 10.00. There should be a method to collect your pre-paid for SIM card before 10.00. I queried this with Mobal and they just pointed to their T+C that stated the desk was not open until 10.00 [which I missed] but what I found misleading was the fact that the videos about collecting your pre-paid SIM state that if the desk is closed, there is a phone to call someone to come to the desk an issue your SIM. There was no phone. So was left with a 3.5 hour wait for the desk to open.
May 9, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Hi Tony, thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.
It is great to hear that your Tourist SIM card worked well during your time in Japan!
However, we are sorry that you encountered issues collecting your SIM card from the Haneda Airport collection point as your flight arrived before opening hours.
Unfortunately we do not have any control over the opening hours of the collection points we use, but we can confirm that the collection point hours were provided at checkout (so that you could make an informed decision before placing your order). In addition, you were sent an email after making your purchase that contained information about collecting your SIM card and a link to the collection point opening hours, and you could also view these details in your Mobal MyAccount.
We appreciate that you had an early flight, but please be advised that flight arrival times vary depending on where you are flying from, which airline the flight is with etc.
With regards to calling an agent to come to the desk, the information provided on our website and at the collection point states that if no one is manning the front desk during opening hours you can use the phone on the desk for assistance. Please note that the phone is only placed on the desk during opening hours. Nevertheless, we are sorry if this led you to believe an agent would be available out of hours.
It would be greatly appreciated if you could email us at care@mobal.com to advise us where you have seen videos that contradict this information so that we can investigate this further for you!
The Perfect Phone Plan for Your Life in Japan
I highly recommend this service. I used Mobal for my phone plan in Japan from January 2018 until May 2024. I had the SIM V1 and then the SIM V2. I saw the service getting better and more flexible with time (e.g., being able to freeze the account during Covid-19, or being able to change the data plan each month). I plan to keep buying a Mobal SIM or eSIM for my future trips to Japan.
June 1, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
We really appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback.
It’s great to hear that you have enjoyed using our range of SIM cards over the past 6 years, and that you have been able to take advantage of various flexible plan options we have had available!
We are also thrilled that you have noticed enhancements in our service, as we are committed to continually improving our customers’ experience!
We also welcome your kind recommendation and thank you for your repeat custom.
Thank you for letting Mobal be a part of your adventures in Japan!
Super easy process to order and receive…
Super easy process to order and receive the product. Good customer service that is helpful and the instructions you are sent are easy to follow for both android and apple.
Best product I had whilst in Japan. No problems with connection or data at all.
May 20, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide your feedback! We're thrilled to hear that you found the ordering process straightforward and the instructions easy to follow. It's fantastic to know that the service worked well for you (not that we would expect anything less!).
We hope you had a wonderful time in Japan!
Void at any cost, No network working in Japan Softbank(Mobal)
I bought sim card on 25th April 24 & got delivered to UK home address about few days later. So i can setup my mobile phone When I arrived in Japan at 11pm but after 6pm all shops going to be closed.
I followed mobal instructions how to setup my phone to there network but I do now it won't work in UK at least I am ready to use it at arrival in Japan.
Arrived in Japan on 10th May 24 but no network so I used airport WiFi. Next day or so I want to shop at Ginza mobile shop this young man check my setting all perfect still NO network, in the end we find out that Softbank pole antenna not working and that was in there Mobal troubleshoot.
In the end I have to get another sim card Ntt Docomo cost me 3600yens only data.
Mobal knows they have issues in there network but still selling sim card's, my advice is Don't buy Mobal sim card until you arrive in Japan another point I must mention there english speaking customer service not available 😉 on this number 21 2785 5800 only by email and I send them email 4 days ago still no reply appsolutely rubbish I wast my money on there qulity don't work.
They should refund all my money back to my card I paid.
May 13, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're really sorry to hear that you had issues with your Mobal SIM Card on your recent trip!
We understand that you didn't receive an email from our support team for over four days. After looking into it, we found that aside from two pre-sale emails, we didn't receive any other messages from you and so could only assume the service was working well for you. However we are dissapointed to hear this was not the case and of course apologize for any inconvenience caused.
I can see our support team have since been in touch with you regarding your recent experience, and we hope you’re happy with the outcome. However if you have any more questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Reply from Mobal
We really appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback.
It’s great to hear you have found our service works well!
Thank you for your review and recommendation, and for choosing Mobal!
higly satisfy with the service and recommended for everyone
this is the cheapest option i found in japan but its really worth. using it for almost a year now. good signal good 4g connection two 👍 👍🏻.
April 25, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Hi Aravinda, thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.
We are delighted to hear that you have found our service good value for money and that your service and data connection has worked well for you!
Thank you again for your review and for choosing Mobal!
I have now used Mobal twice on visits…
I have now used Mobal twice on visits to Japan, once using a physical SIM and once using an eSIM. Both worked well for my purposes, and on both occasions I found the company extremely helpful when I had queries or uncertainties. I definitely recommend them.
March 7, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback!
It’s great to hear that both our physical Japan Tourist SIM card and Japan Tourist eSIM worked well for you during your visits to Japan.
We are also pleased to hear that our Customer Service team were able to assist you with your inquiries and put your mind at ease!
Thank you very much for the recommendation and we hope to hear from you again in the future!
The eSim was easy to install and to use…
The eSim was easy to install and to use (iPhone)! Thanks a lot.
Next Japan Journey I will bay my eSim from Mobal again!!!
April 19, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Mobal
We really appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback.
We are delighted to hear that you found it easy to install and use your Tourist eSIM during your stay in Japan.
Thank you again for your kind review and we look forward to receiving your order in the future!
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