If you're afraid of being out of range, just mix it up. A smart option to use Rakuten Mobile as a second card

1. Introduction: There is no such thing as a perfect telecommunications company

To be honest, every telecommunications company has its pros and cons.

"Rakuten is cheap, but I'm worried about it being inside the building" and "Docomo has connectivity, but it's expensive."

While living in Ibaraki, as an office worker and as a user, I have come to the conclusion that "instead of limiting myself to one company, I should just pick the best of both worlds."

Today, I will talk about techniques that will help you not be affected by communication outages or lack of signal, and will also maximize the amount of money you can use freely.

2. Dual SIM strategy to cover Ibaraki's "blind spots"

A unique situation in Ibaraki is that as soon as you step outside the city centers of Mito and Tsukuba, there are areas where the signal suddenly becomes unreliable.

Main line (prioritizing stability): povo2.0 (basic fee 0 yen) or low-cost SIM Docomo line

Sub-line (focusing on value): Rakuten Mobile

If you use these two cards in one smartphone as a "dual SIM," you can switch to another company's SIM only in places where Rakuten's signal is unavailable. Although it's unfortunate for us as employees, this is the most "stress-free and profitable" way to use it.

[Image: Image of smartphone settings screen (dual SIM display)]

Caption: Two antennas on one smartphone.

Reason: To visually convey the image of "having two lines" even without knowing the technical terminology.

3. Why should you have Rakuten Mobile even as your second card?

"If I pay for two lines, won't I save money?"

You may think so, but this is actually the key to making a **smart choice**.

Just by signing up for Rakuten Mobile, you will receive 4 times the points reward rate on Rakuten Market.

Example of point redemption (when spending 50,000 yen per month)

Rakuten Mobile monthly fee (up to 3GB) 1,078 yen

Rakuten Ichiba cashback (+4x points) 2,000 points

Balance (real) +922 yen surplus

In other words, it's like **"just having it will increase your pocket money**."

You can have two phone numbers, making it ideal for those who want to separate their work and personal lives.

4. Comparison with other companies: Cases where it is better not to switch from a low-cost SIM

I'm going to be honest here.

If you are one of the following people, there is no need to force yourself to use Rakuten as your main account.

Those who use "J:COM" or "regional fiber optic line" at home and get a strong set discount

All family members are using Y!mobile or UQ and the maximum family discount is applied.

For such people, the correct answer, which will have the least impact on their household finances, is to keep their current line and sign up for Rakuten Mobile as the aforementioned "secondary line."

5. Specific actions to avoid losses

Just between you and me, there is a **"order** to applying for Rakuten Mobile.

First, check your device:

Please check if your smartphone supports eSIM (iPhone XS and later models are generally OK).

Don't forget to enter:

Instead of going straight to the official website, please apply through your Rakuten Card My Page or the employee introduction banner.

Setting up Rakuten Link:

Once you have activated your account, make a 10-second call to anyone using the Rakuten Link app. This will complete the conditions for receiving points.

6. Summary: Choose wisely and upgrade your Ibaraki holiday

The days when cutting communication costs meant making sacrifices are over.

By combining things wisely, you can use the money you save to go buy some delicious sweets in Moriya or grill some delicious meat at a campsite in Tsukuba on the weekend.

The purpose of this blog is to create a little peace of mind.

If you are unsure whether you can do this on your own smartphone, please feel free to ask us in the comments or message us.