Good morning. It’s まさきん.
I rarely struggle with using a smartphone myself, but it’s often a different story for our parents’ generation. In this post, I’ll walk through Rakuten Mobile’s “Anshin Sousa Support” (in-store device operation support) for anyone who worries about how their parents are getting on with their phones.
Overview of the Option
It costs 550 yen per month. You visit a Rakuten Mobile shop and ask the staff directly how to use your device.
You can start using it on the same day you sign up. Apparently it covers not only products bought at the shop, but also other devices that have been confirmed to work on the Rakuten network.
What You Can Ask About
The range of support is wider than I expected.
Along with basic device operations, you can get help with SNS apps. The covered apps are LINE, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook. Rakuten Group apps such as Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Card and Rakuten Pay are also covered.
One thing to watch out for: account setup and data transfer are not included. If you want to transfer your LINE data, you’ll need to use a different support service.
It also seems to cover those small but surprisingly frustrating tasks, like adding contacts or turning on silent mode. They’ll also guide you on using your phone abroad and help with OS updates.
You can find a shop to visit from the shop list on the official website. Some electronics retailers don’t offer this service, so it’s worth checking in advance. Booking ahead makes things go more smoothly, but apparently they’ll help you even without a reservation.
Clicking this opens the Rakuten login page. Once you log in, you’ll see the campaign details.
Who This Option Is For
I think it’s better suited to people considering it for their parents rather than for themselves.
If you live apart from your parents, explaining smartphone operations over the phone is harder than you’d think. Being able to sort things out by going to a nearby shop together, or simply sending them there, is a real help.
This option is also one of the eligible options for the “Saikyo Senior Program” for people aged 65 and over. Combining it with other eligible options apparently gets you “ore ore” phone scam insurance added automatically. The eligible options include 15-Minute (Standard) Unlimited Calls and Nuisance Call and SMS Protection by Whoscall. There’s no extra charge for it.
On the other hand, it may not suit people who can look things up and solve problems on their own, or who find it hard to make time to visit a shop. If you’d rather get help online, there’s a separate option called “Sumaho Sousa Enkaku Support” (remote smartphone support).
Summary
“Anshin Sousa Support” is an option that gives you face-to-face support at Rakuten Mobile shops for 550 yen per month. The fact that it even covers SNS and Rakuten Group apps is a quietly useful plus.
If you want to keep an eye on how your parents use their smartphone, it seems worth considering alongside the other options for seniors. I’ve also covered basic options like voicemail in my voicemail post.
Please check the official website for participating shops and the scope of support.
Clicking this opens the Rakuten login page. Once you log in, you’ll see the campaign details.
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