The '0 Yen' Survival Guide to Avoiding SMS Authentication Refugee Status
Life hacks useful for overseas business trips and travel
Hello, I'm Corporate Slave Sparrow.
Today, as always, my boss has hit me with an unreasonable request for a sudden overseas business trip.
Saying things like 'Go to Bangkok starting tomorrow'—isn't that a bit too harsh on your bird?
And every time I go abroad, I think the same thing.
'SMS authentication, I will never forgive you'
The moment you swap to a local SIM, your Japanese phone number dies.
But even if you try to install a bike-sharing app,
or try to pay for a bus reservation with a credit card,
they all demand 'SMS authentication'.
'We have sent a verification code (smile)'
It doesn't arrive!!!
It's out of service area!!!
Do you understand this despair?
Should I use the expensive roaming charges of a Japanese SIM (which is a company expense, but I'll get scolded for it) just to receive an SMS?
No.
As a corporate slave, one must cut costs to the absolute limit.
This time, I will secretly share the'trick to receive SMS abroad with 0 yen in maintenance costs'that I, with my low salary, discovered.
If you don't know this, you'll get 'digitally stranded' abroad and get scolded by your boss (speaking from experience).
Chapter 1: Overseas eSIM alone is not enough, no no no
First, the basic premise.
'I'm going abroad, so I'll just use a cheap local eSIM, chirp'
You can't receive SMS authentication with this
But, international roaming from major Japanese carriers,
honestly, it's expensive, right?
You can buy a Bangkok eSIM for a few hundred yen on Klook or Trip.com. International roaming from major Japanese carriers is just too expensive...
So, the answer I arrived at.
That is'povo2.0'.
Chapter 2: The Corporate Slave's Savior 'povo2.0'
KDDI, are you a god?
Base fee: 0 yen
Overseas SMS reception: Free
I don't understand this.
It's free just to have it. It's free to receive SMS.
I switched my main Japanese number to povo.
And when I go abroad, I use a "cheap local SIM" as my main eSIM.
I set this "povo" as my second eSIM.
This is the ultimate "Dual-wielding (dual eSIM)".
Data communication → Local SIM (cheap)
Calls/SMS → povo (standby only)
With this, even when I'm eating Pad Thai at a street stall in Bangkok,
both "calls from my boss" and "bank authentication codes" will arrive perfectly.
However!Be careful, because if you answer a call, you will be charged.
Incoming calls while roaming abroad are not free!!
📞 Incoming calls = paid
📞 Outgoing calls = paid
So, it's best not to answer calls while roaming abroad!!
Even if you get a call, hold on tight,
and try contacting them through other means, saying "I'm abroad right now."
You can keep your povo SIM active by just paying for a small charge (topping up) every six months.
If you can avoid the risk of getting fired for the price of a few canned coffees, it's a bargain.
By the way, povo is designed so that you can't use data at all unless you buy a data plan for overseas use. So, the kind of unexpected "packet death" (massive data charges) that made the news a while back won't happen.
For data communication abroad, povo is
👉 basically unusable unless you buy a topping
👉designed to prevent background data usage
Safety settings to keep it at 0 yen 100% of the time (super important)
Common approach for iPhone / Android
Mobile data main line: Local eSIM
povo SIM: Set only for SMS
"Mobile data OFF" + "Roaming ON" set it to this state
👉 SMS will arrive
👉 Never use data
👉 Almost zero risk of charges
And for those who are extra worried and want to be even safer
Only turn "Roaming ON" when you need to authenticate!!Turn "Roaming ON"
Chapter 3: Another option, "Rakuten Mobile"
If you are the type of corporate slave who "makes tons of business calls," Rakuten Mobile is also a viable option.
Rakuten Link app: Free calls from overseas to Japan
This is amazing.
As long as you have hotel WiFi, you can make unlimited calls to your boss back in Japan to "show off that you're working."
SMS also arrives via WiFi.
It costs about 1,000 yen a month, but considering the call charges, it should fall within the range of reimbursable expenses.
Cost-conscious defensive corporate drone → povo2.0
Call-heavy offensive corporate drone → Rakuten Mobile
I am basically a povo user, but I also have Rakuten as a backup.
Better safe than sorry. This is the corporate drone's philosophy for getting by.
Chapter 4: Summary
The days of living in fear for SMS authentication are over.
The excuse of 'I couldn't be reached because I was overseas'
no longer holds water.
(Though that is a tough world to live in...)
But it is 100 times better than panicking because the authentication code didn't arrive, saying,
'I can't log in! I can't send the documents! I'm doomed!'
To everyone planning to go overseas soon.
Take my advice.
Unlock your smartphone's SIM and sign up for povo right now.
Now, once you're ready, spread your wings and fly.
Well, I'm just huddled up in a cramped economy class seat, though.
See you later.
This has been Corporate Drone Sparrow. Chirp.
Bonus
Hey, are you serious, chirp...! It seems that if you just enter a 'promo code' when signing up for povo 2.0, you can get a whopping 100GB for free, chirp! Think about how many of those god-awful long company online meetings you could attend with 100GB... You'd be a fool not to take this! There's no reason not to use a referral code, chirp!
Referral code to get 100GB 👉️TFJX6P
【Disclaimer】
※Smartphone settings and terms of service change daily. Please make sure to check the current terms and conditions before configuring your settings.
I cannot handle complaints regarding damages or the like. After all, I'm just a sparrow...
Special Q&A: Corporate Drone Consultation Room
Q. Settings seem difficult, and I'm hopeless with machines...
A. It's game over if you give up (overtime guaranteed).
The povo app is intuitive.
Besides, if you can't set this up, it will be even worse when a problem occurs on-site.
Please sacrifice half a day of your weekend to do it. It's for your future self.
Q. Are there any authentication methods other than SMS?
A. Let's use an authentication app.
Like Google Authenticator. With this, you can get codes even without a signal.
However, there are still some old services (like corporate attendance management systems...) that don't support it yet.
That's why an SMS reception environment is essential.
Q. Is there a feature to ignore calls from my boss?
A. I recommend using Airplane Mode.
However, since this also prevents SMS from arriving, the professional technique is 'stealth operation,' where you only disable it when authentication is required.