From: tvp@gibdo.engr.washington.edu ()
Subject: Re: telephones again
Organization: clearer than blir
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 06:24:57 GMT

In article <HARKCOM.92Sep1125414@spinach.pa.yokogawa.co.jp> harkcom@spinach.pa.yokogawa.co.jp (Alton Harkcom) writes:
>
>   Somebody asked, so here's a description of the getting a phone in Japan.
>If you're not interested please skip it instead of flaming...
>
>   The concept of telephones in Japan is a bit different from what most
>Americans are used to.  In the US you buy or rent a telephone.  When you
>want telephone service you pay a deposit and get a number.  You then pay
                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>for the telephone service until you discontinue service.  At this point
>you get your deposit back.

It was a point of culture shock to me when I got back, but nowadays
you aren't even required to pay a deposit. You just get the line
connected and started paying bills. It's *that* easy. (This is true
of US West Communications anyway.)

I think I posted about this a long, long time ago, but try calling
information (if you're a gaijin; I'm no longer adressing just Alton
here) and getting your own phone number out of NTT's computer. Act
like you're not you, you're just trying to look up the number.

I was running a business from my home and specifically requested
that my number be *LISTED*. A client tried to get my number and
couldn't. Needless to say I was PO'd. So I tried it myself.

No luck. No "Perry" anywhere in around or near Tokyo. Then I admitted
that I was me. The operator was flustered. I said: "Yah, that's right.
I'm me. And I know I have a number. And I know I live at the address I
gave you. And I even know my number."

She does a reverse search from the number. There I am. So I ask why I
don't come up when searching by name.  (I figure they have me as not
listed.) She says: "No.  You're listed.  I don't know why you don't
come up. Hold on."

She's gone awhile and transfers me to a man who knows the scoop. Says
he: "In the case of GAIJIN ONLY a name can only be looked up EXACTLY
as it has been entered." I tell him that's stupid. He says, "It may
be stupid but that's the way it is." If you'd like to suggest a change
in our policy you may call this other number I have.

I take the number and spend a half hour explaining to the "Suggestions"
man exactly what the problem is. He finally gets it. For gaijin a
full name exactly as it appears in the computer must be given to
get their phone number. For Japanese a last name and exact address
can usually do it. The two should be the same, not different. Suggestion
noted thank you very much.

So what's this mean? It means if you're Jonathon W. Smith you should
not give them your name this way when you get your phone or they'll
put you in the database that way. After that, they'll only be able to
find you if the person doing the looking knows your full name
including the initial. The only people who know me that well already
*have* my number! OK. So my advice to any gaijin in Japan (if this
matters to you) is to have them put you in by the name people in Japan
most commonly know you. If for example they know you as Al Harkom and
not Alton Harkom, you're in trouble. If they only know you as
Harkom-san and are clueless about your first name (very common), it's
already hopeless.

Also, I'd like to know if they ever instituted my suggestion to change
this. Anyone with a phone want to check?

-- Tad Perry   Internet:    tvp@gibdo.engr.washington.edu
               CompuServe:  70402,3020
               NIFTY-Serve: GBG01266

Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan