No, I use all possible address links, reset my iPhone, reinserted the SIM card - ALL of that while on the phone with THEIR tech support. Same results.

Every time, it loaded a profile - same identical profile - where I can't change the APN or username or password. As such, no data connection.

My iPhone 6 Plus is the standard N. American model A1522 direct from an Apple Store. If they had offered something like a refund or partial refund, it may not be so bad but to claim that my newly updated iOS 8.2 device is faulty is just like, "we don't care." Spending close to an hour and achieve the same results is just bad.

You know the worst part? Regardless of whether it works or not - you need a WiFi connection to activate. It means that if you bought one at say Narita and try to activate it while in transit on a bus or a train, you are out of luck.

By the way, AFTER I returned to N. America, both my iPhones which went through this madness had no data connection! Until I deleted that stupid APN profile from So-net.

Bottom line, if you cannot assist a customer to work something out, at least do the right thing on customer service by offering other help or assistance - another SIM maybe? Try not to claim that there is something wrong with your customer's phone?

If ANYONE can show me a working activation process with the same APN profile, I will change this review to "Ok, they may have fixed their problems and now I can change the username and password!"

Bottom line, if you cannot/will not read the terms and conditions (no refund, requires valid internet connection - such as WiFi, to activate ), are not technically savvy enough to use a SIM card and configure an iOS 8.0 + device using 3rd party APN profile configurator , do yourself a favour - use roaming or rent a pocket WiFi.

>> had no data connection! Until I deleted that stupid APN profile from So-net

same if you were to use B-Mobile, Comst , IIJMIO, or any Japanese MVNO SIM card. SIM cards are cheaper for a reason.

So how do you know I am not technically savvy enough?

I do not install cellphone towers professionally nor knows the in and out of which spectrum NTT DOCOMO is on. I know if you can bring on a technical question on spread spectrum, I will try my best to answer it. Honest!

There is something wrong with that APN profile from their website:

1. It cannot be modified as depicted with the settings in the manual/instructions. Settings CANNOT be changed. The usual terminology is greyed out I believe?

2. Both iPhones I had exhibited the same identical problems.

If you are googling spread spectrum, it shows that you are not knowledgeable enough in the foundation of mobile cellular communications.

Purchased 3GB from KIX vending machine today. Used the downloaded profile. Yes it took a while to activate because it asked for name, address/phone in Japan etc. But it's working - iPhone 6 iOS 8.2 purchased from Apple Store Canada, never locked.

The APN profile cannot be modified - blame Apple, iPhone 6, and iOS 8. Well documented. That's why the website unlockit.co.nz exists, and it's been around since iPhone 3GS to solve this problem - Canadian providers lock their APN on iPhones.

On my iPhone 4S, the APN is totally open and configurable with a proper (non-Canadian) SIM card.

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This post has been removed at the author's request. The author may post again if desired.

Posts on the TripAdvisor forums may be edited for a short period of time. Once the edit period has expired, authors may update their posts by removing and reposting them.

To read more about editing your posts, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/help/how_to_edit_your_posts

Sure. Again, my iPhone 6 Plus was never locked and purchased at a local Apple Store.

It did not work for me.

If it requires an APN changer and in the context of this forum, the so-net SIM card as is required what was not documented in the package to work IF you have a certain carrier that may lock your APN. As such, there is another step not documented - and like you said - but known to you and supposedly a wide enough community. Pardon my frustration but I call this madness as not seeing the need of international travellers - if it is "known issue since iPhone 3GS", etc.

Obviously, this "known issue" is NOT known to me nor the people who locked the APN nor the people who sells SIM cards that requires an open APN settings menu item.

NO, I did not know even for unlocked iPhones the APN is locked after engaging certain carriers. I do create my VPN profiles manually accordingly with providers of VPN services at Settings --> General --> VPN --> add VPN Configuration... and yes, I am creating APN profilers with that website now. My iPhone 6 Plus and other iPhones should work from this point forward with access to APN - until next time ...

I would suggest if you can respond to my APN settings issues as per the original post questions with a focus on the need to change the APN setting and locking issues, it would fit the spirit of this forum better. Would appreciate that website immediately after my first post - as possible help.

Please do try to inform others - tech savvy or not.

I just wrote to the website (http://www.unlockit.co.nz) admin asking them to add the so-net prepaid SIM card's APN profile.

Therefore, as it was back when I had my so-net SIM card, it still won't work even if I am aware of APN locking issues? But that is a what if question.

Hopefully, adding the so-net prepaid APN settings to that website's collection of APN settings will help all travellers considering buying so-net prepaid SIM.

>> I just wrote to the website (http://www.unlockit.co.nz) admin asking them ...

I asked them after I first responded to this post last month. They used to do it right away (for B-Mobile), but I don't think they will do it this time.

iPhone 5 and 6 series have the APN profile locked for everyone. That's why all the Japanese data SIM providers have their own APN download. For example B-Mobile never had this feature until now. I had been using B-mobile since at least 2012. This is the first time I use SO-net.

Sorry it didn't work out for you.

I am sorry too that it is a write off of money but worst the time lost and effort spent trying to figure it out.

Well, for my iPhone 5S, it went to southeast asia last year and my iPhone 6 Plus was also in Asia in November last year and had zero issues with data or voice in multiple countries on prepaid SIM cards. Prior to that my iPhone 4S also travelled with me to Asia (except Japan) and USA - and also zero issues with data or voice.

So you asked that website to include so-net AFTER you saw my post on March 20 .... okay.

If you managed to get so-net working currently WITHOUT that website's APN Profile your are referring to, may be you can share your APN setting tips and methodology here? So others can enjoy without my type of horror and frustration ...? If you have or know of ANY other forum posts that would solve this APN issue without that website, please do advise because as of right now, it still means that it does not work with or without that APN changer website. I'd most certainly appreciate your further information.

Granted, Japanese may certainly want their own way of handling and designing prepaid SIM cards. As a traveller, I suppose most will have no time to try to figure it out (and happens to read this and other posts)? When you travel, you want to enjoy the trip.

I am most certainly sure that the people who designed so-net prepaid SIM understood the need of a traveller visiting - as to why they design it with so many UNDOCUMENTED hoops to jump over before it starts working, it is more my comment than a question.