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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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 Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:29 am Post subject: Where can I buy a cheap or used flip phone |
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I'm looking for a slider or flip phone.
Where can I find a cheap me that I can pop my sim into from my contract phone? |
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Jake_Kim
Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 4:58 am Post subject: |
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Then you're talking second-hand (may or may not be refurbished, depending on the vendor) handsets for which I'd rather find a vendor on online marketplaces such as Auction.co.kr or Gmarket.
Also note that it's more likely than not that the flip phone you're getting would be a good ol' 2G CDMA phone which does not use a SIM card at all, is carrier-locked at circuit board level, and has to come with a new account and re-activation process at the hands of respective carrier's employee, and probably a new phone number as well. |
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Lazio
Joined: 15 Dec 2010
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| Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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You can see them every once in a while on craigslist.
You could also buy a pre-paid card and in some cases with the purchase you will get a free phone. Either that or very cheap. You can do this online.
Or you can just simply by the phone itself online.
All the above options will be second-hand. |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 3:23 am Post subject: |
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Thanks.
It can be a "touch" phone, I'm just looking for anything that is not a smart phone.
The phone that I currently have is broken, and I don't have a need for a smart phone right now.
My SIM card is with SK and I'm currently out of contract (have had the same number for years).
Do I just search for SK phones on gmarket?
Also, if I use Craigslist, do I need to have the phone cleared with the carrier? |
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Mr Crowley
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Location: Suwon
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| Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Will a slide phone work in the US ? |
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schmoove
Joined: 31 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 2:33 am Post subject: |
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| Jake_Kim wrote: |
Also note that it's more likely than not that the flip phone you're getting would be a good ol' 2G CDMA phone which does not use a SIM card at all, is carrier-locked at circuit board level, and has to come with a new account and re-activation process at the hands of respective carrier's employee, and probably a new phone number as well. |
This is true, be careful with this.
For example I have my old slide phone from 2007.
Brilliant phone - best ever!
Only stopped using it because it is 2g, so it couldn't receive long text messages around 2009/10 I think. Suddenly they just started bouncing back to sender.
Man I loved that phone...
Also PM sent,
as I have my old 3g touch phone for sale on these very forums! |
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Swampfox10mm
Joined: 24 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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There are pushcart vendors selling them in front of and inside of the traditional market between Sinseldong station and the chunggyechon e-mart. I almost bought a few just for nostalgia and not activation. I know the inside vendors can activate them.
The 3g models usually say so on the outside of the phone. |
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Jake_Kim
Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 1:50 am Post subject: |
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| Mr Crowley wrote: |
| Will a slide phone work in the US ? |
Your question is too vague. You need to track down its mode and frequencies it supports, say, from user manual, and see if it matches to those used by a U.S. carrier.
If the 'slide phone' in question uses a SIM card, then it means it's of 3G WCDMA for which there's a good chance it'll be compatible with U.S. infrastructures of AT&T or T-Mobile, for example.
However, most 'slide phones' being ancient models, there's a possibility that it was released before 2010 and is still under carrier-lock and/or country-lock. If so, frequency compatibility means nothing unless you take care of this first with your Korean carrier.
As far as frequency compatibility goes, someone with good command of Korean can in fact see if it's gonna work by checking 'roaming service availability' in the U.S. but it might require that you already have a log-in ID with your Korean carrier. |
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Jake_Kim
Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 2:00 am Post subject: |
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| shostahoosier wrote: |
Thanks.
It can be a "touch" phone, I'm just looking for anything that is not a smart phone.
The phone that I currently have is broken, and I don't have a need for a smart phone right now.
My SIM card is with SK and I'm currently out of contract (have had the same number for years).
Do I just search for SK phones on gmarket?
Also, if I use Craigslist, do I need to have the phone cleared with the carrier? |
If you've opted out of contract by properly terminating it with the carrier, then your number must have been pulled by the carrier to be re-assigned to future clients. It may or may not have been taken by now, but in any case your retaining your old SIM doesn't really mean you still have your old number nor does it guarantee that you can get it back. |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Jake_Kim"]
| shostahoosier wrote: |
If you've opted out of contract by properly terminating it with the carrier, then your number must have been pulled by the carrier to be re-assigned to future clients. It may or may not have been taken by now, but in any case your retaining your old SIM doesn't really mean you still have your old number nor does it guarantee that you can get it back. |
I didn't terminate the service, I'm just paying month to month (I just assumed that meant I was out of contract). |
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Jake_Kim
Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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| shostahoosier wrote: |
| I didn't terminate the service, I'm just paying month to month (I just assumed that meant I was out of contract). |
Sounds like you were rolling over a prepaid scheme, then.
Commonly, T&C of prepaid service that Korean carriers present is that you can't make calls once you hit expiration date without 'recharging' (adding more credit), and they block incoming calls from D+15. They reserve the right to terminate your prepaid account and pull your number from D+90.
That said, however, it's hard to tell if you still have your number beyond D+90 unless you check directly with your (former) carrier. I once had a prepaid account with SKT, on a 3G handset with a SIM card, and I left it unused without adding any more credit for a while. Voicecall and text were naturally suspended within said time frame, but I didn't officially terminate my account for over 6 months. Afterwards, I found out my prepaid number was 'dormant' but still not cancelled or pulled by the carrier.
So the bottom line is, find whether you still have your old number first, and only then find a decent, compatible handset to reactivate your account. |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Jake_Kim wrote: |
| shostahoosier wrote: |
| I didn't terminate the service, I'm just paying month to month (I just assumed that meant I was out of contract). |
Sounds like you were rolling over a prepaid scheme, then.
Commonly, T&C of prepaid service that Korean carriers present is that you can't make calls once you hit expiration date without 'recharging' (adding more credit), and they block incoming calls from D+15. They reserve the right to terminate your prepaid account and pull your number from D+90.
That said, however, it's hard to tell if you still have your number beyond D+90 unless you check directly with your (former) carrier. I once had a prepaid account with SKT, on a 3G handset with a SIM card, and I left it unused without adding any more credit for a while. Voicecall and text were naturally suspended within said time frame, but I didn't officially terminate my account for over 6 months. Afterwards, I found out my prepaid number was 'dormant' but still not cancelled or pulled by the carrier.
So the bottom line is, find whether you still have your old number first, and only then find a decent, compatible handset to reactivate your account. |
No...I'm sorry I'm probably not explaining it correctly.
I originally had a 2 year contract with SK (which included the price of the phone). After the contract "ended", my monthly payments dropped.
I'm still on a post-paid plan with SK....I'm just not sure if it is a contract because I can quit anytime without penalty (as far as I know).
I generally pay less than 30,000W per month for service, and it is all post-paid, same phone number.
So I'm just looking for a phone that is compatible with SK that I can pop my SIM card into.
That being said, your info is helpful as I was wondering how the number thing worked here. |
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schmoove
Joined: 31 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 6:38 am Post subject: |
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Smart phones are pretty cheap these days.
Are you ruling out a smart phone for cost reasons? (Or contract length reasons?)
I pay W40,000 per month now in total.
Unlimited messages to all networks, unlimited calls to KT customers, and 750mb of data, plus access to KT wifi. Included is the fee for the new phone, Vega R3, an older model, which is why it was cheaper than other deals for the latest phone.
Unfortunately, the way it works in Korea, is that new handset costs are subsidised by access fees to the network; meaning that if you are using an older phone, you are getting much less value, than if you signed up for a new phone, depending on a degree, as to how much you use your phone of course. You will be paying less, but getting less value for your money.
Finally be aware that you will pay less if you switch companies, whereas if you stay with the same company (SK in your case) you will pay more. There is no loyalty discount, only a new customer discount :) |
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farfromhome
Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Location: seoul
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| Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 12:30 am Post subject: |
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| schmoove wrote: |
| Jake_Kim wrote: |
Also note that it's more likely than not that the flip phone you're getting would be a good ol' 2G CDMA phone which does not use a SIM card at all, is carrier-locked at circuit board level, and has to come with a new account and re-activation process at the hands of respective carrier's employee, and probably a new phone number as well. |
This is true, be careful with this.
For example I have my old slide phone from 2007.
Brilliant phone - best ever!
Only stopped using it because it is 2g, so it couldn't receive long text messages around 2009/10 I think. Suddenly they just started bouncing back to sender.
Man I loved that phone...
Also PM sent,
as I have my old 3g touch phone for sale on these very forums! |
my 2G razr from 2008 is still perfectly functional on SKT (sms/"colormail"/mms). SK will continue to support 2G until 31 December 2013. |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:40 am Post subject: |
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| schmoove wrote: |
Smart phones are pretty cheap these days.
Are you ruling out a smart phone for cost reasons? (Or contract length reasons?)
I pay W40,000 per month now in total.
Unlimited messages to all networks, unlimited calls to KT customers, and 750mb of data, plus access to KT wifi. Included is the fee for the new phone, Vega R3, an older model, which is why it was cheaper than other deals for the latest phone.
Unfortunately, the way it works in Korea, is that new handset costs are subsidised by access fees to the network; meaning that if you are using an older phone, you are getting much less value, than if you signed up for a new phone, depending on a degree, as to how much you use your phone of course. You will be paying less, but getting less value for your money.
Finally be aware that you will pay less if you switch companies, whereas if you stay with the same company (SK in your case) you will pay more. There is no loyalty discount, only a new customer discount  |
Great points!
I've held off on getting a smart phone for 2 reasons:
1.) I already own a tablet, so I feel like a smart phone is just duplicating functions.
2.) I'm paying only about 20,000₩ a month for service. My friends are always complaining about paying monthly bills of 60,000₩+ (some friends go over 100,000₩). I need a phone for calling and texting....I don't see the value in paying an extra 40,000₩ for that each month. |
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