Good morning, it’s まさきん.
With four kids, calling schools and clinics comes up more often than you’d think. I signed up for Rakuten Mobile’s “15-Minute (Standard) Unlimited Calls” option, so let’s look at how much it actually saved.
What the option covers
It costs 1,100 yen a month. The first month is free when you sign up.
The content is simple. Domestic calls of 15 minutes or less are unlimited, however many times you make them. Anything over 15 minutes gets billed separately at 22 yen per 30 seconds.
No app is needed. You just call as usual from the standard phone app on your smartphone. There’s no special prefix like “003768” to dial either.
Some numbers are excluded. That includes third-party connection services starting with 0570 and some special numbers (like 188). Worth knowing before you sign up.
It covers domestic SMS too, not just calls
There’s another perk to this option that’s easy to miss: unlimited domestic SMS. There’s a cap of 200 messages a day.
I think this comes in handy for people who only have a phone number and no LINE, like an older relative, for instance. It’s also a way to reach a business contact quickly without feeling too casual.
How much calling makes it worth it
The standard call rate is 22 yen per 30 seconds. Ten calls of 10 minutes each works out to 4,400 yen.
The option itself is 1,100 yen a month, so on a simple calculation, it pays off once you’re calling more than 25 minutes a month. If you barely make calls, it might not be for you.
I actually went back through our call history. Some days it was about 5 minutes for a question to the school, and about 10 minutes calling the clinic for our youngest. Even short calls, like asking for a redelivery, add up more than you’d expect once you stack them together. Add it all up, and 25 minutes arrives faster than you’d think.
Clicking this opens the Rakuten login page. Once you log in, you’ll see the campaign details.
The bundled “Saikyo Call Pack”
There’s also a “Saikyo Call Pack” that bundles this with voicemail. The first month is free for the bundle too, apparently.
If you’re on the phone for around 15 minutes a day, I think bundling it is less hassle than signing up for each option separately.
Who it’s for, and who it isn’t
- Good fit: People making more than 25 minutes of calls a month for work or family, and people who also do a lot of SMS
- Not a great fit: People who barely make calls and mostly get by with messaging apps like LINE
Wrap-up
“15-Minute (Standard) Unlimited Calls” is an option that gives you unlimited domestic calls under 15 minutes and unlimited SMS for 1,100 yen a month. For a household like mine that makes a lot of calls, I don’t think signing up is a loss.
If you want to compare it with other options, take a look at Saikyo Protection and Whoscall spam call/SMS protection as well.
For the latest details on rate plans and options, checking the official site is the safest bet.
Clicking this opens the Rakuten login page. Once you log in, you’ll see the campaign details.
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