Activation Processing Times

Modified on Thu, 11 Sep at 5:16 PM

For details of our activation processing times, please refer to the relevant product section below -

Voice+Data / Voice Lite Products

WiFi Devices

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When going through the activation process (for a Voice capable SIM / eSIM or a WiFi Device), you will be asked to select a specific activation date.

If you request immediate activation, we will process your request as soon as possible but please be advised that in some cases, it may take up to 24 hours for your activation request to be processed.

If you select a future activation date however, we will begin the activation process in advance (usually 1-2 days prior to the selected activation date) to ensure the service is active / ready for use on the requested date.

When activating a voice capable SIM / eSIM, please also note that you will not be assigned a phone number until your SIM / eSIM has been activated (and so we cannot provide you with your phone number in advance).

Once your plan has been activated for the requested date, the status of the service (within your Mobal Account) will be updated to reflect this and you will receive a confirmation email (which will also contain the phone number you have been assigned if you are activating a voice capable SIM or eSIM).

Data-Only SIM Cards

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If you have purchased a physical Data-Only SIM Card, the SIM card will already be active / ready for use and so you will not be required to submit an activation request.

The 8, 16 or 31 day plan will simply begin from the day that you first connect to the network within Japan.

Maintenance Window:

Between the hours of 10pm on Tuesday and 9am on Wednesday (Japan Time), the network will sometimes perform system maintenance.

This could mean that if you try to use your SIM card for the first time during this period, you may not be able to connect. Also, you may not be able to connect to the network immediately after the maintenance has completed (due to congestion).

If you experience this issue, we would recommend that you wait a short time before rebooting your device and attempting to connect to the network again.

Data-Only eSIMs

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When going through the activation process for your Data-Only eSIM, you will be asked to select a specific activation date.

If you request immediate activation, you will receive an email (with the subject "Your Mobal eSIM is ready!") within approximately 15 minutes.

If you choose a future activation date, you will receive an email (with the subject "Your Mobal eSIM is ready!") approximately 24 hours before your chosen activation date.

Once you have completed the installation process (by following the instructions in the "Your Mobal eSIM is ready!" confirmation email), your eSIM plan will officially start on the day that you connect to the network within Japan.