Korean Job Discussion Forums

[NoExplode]

I know they are not here yet, but this guy at the airport was chatting away on his iPhone. I knew it was an iPhone cuz he couldn't stop showing various apps to this chick on the other side of him (I was sitting on the one side) between "calls."

Now I am 99% sure that you can only use iPhone where AT&T has global roaming partners, and I know several guys who spend 50/50 time here and the States for business, and spoke to one of these guys just last week and he said he couldn't use his iPhone here at all to talk.

So the Korean douchebag was either pretending to talk on his iPhone, or they just made the iPhone roam-capable in the last week.

Anyone have insight? I've been googling "iPhone + South Korea" daily, as I want to get one as soon as they release it. Last I heard the Wipi thing ends next month, and after that they (any smartphone) can be imported here.

[Korussian]

Parts of the airport have free wifi. The iPhone might be running Skype or another similar app, so he could be making his call via VoIP instead of relying on cellular networks.

[jeni_escobar]

I'm also waiting anxiously to be able to use an iphone.... How will it work though? Which cell phone companies here will support it?

[Ut videam]

iPhone 3Gs use the same 3G technology (WCDMA/HSDPA) that's used by Korea's 3G networks. I believe AT&T's global roaming partner in Korea is SK Telecom. So an iPhone 3G will work here. Due to current Korean telecom regulations, however, I believe that even an unlocked iPhone 3G cannot be activated on a Korean wireless provider's network.

The original iPhone is a GSM phone and will not work on Korean 2.5G networks, all of which use the competing and incompatible CDMA standard.

[Xuanzang]

Could have been a gyopo or Korean with a 3G iPhone on roaming. I`ll be glad when they release their asinine restrictions so I can get a real mobile instead of this CYON garbage.

[Rusty Shackleford]

If you type iphone into gmarket it comes up with one you can buy. It's 890,00won though.

[Xuanzang]

[oskinny1]

Could he have been Japanese or maybe he lives there. They have some pretty good roaming packages. The iPhone is sold through Softbank there. I don't think it has anything to do with AT&T unless his contract is through them.

I know Koreans can use their phones in Japan, so it stands to reason that the Japanese can use theirs in Korea.

[victorology]

[NoExplode]

...but as of last week, iPhone had no global roaming partner in Korea--SK and Apple made a deal between then and now? Haven't seen a single article anywhere about that...and why would you use a VoiP app if you have an iPhone? I have it on my Touch, but it's because it wasn't designed to use that way. Then again, if that's the only way to get to speak, maybe he was bouncing VoiP afterall. I really think he was just pretending to talk though

I can't freakin' wait til April...I'm just getting scared that it won't happen afterall because of the lack of news. There was the announcement, then nothing since. No news on who's won/winning the iPhone serivce provider race, no news on other smartphones, no news on Blackberry...who's gonna sell and set these new foreign phones up? A lot of q's and this is supposed to happen in 5 weeks.

[Xuanzang]

i`m going the grey market route and jsut import it from back home. Just need to know their stupid services will support it eg. 3G USIM card. They better get that WIPI junk away. Prevents me from using my 3G phone right now...bastards

[victorology]

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/en_US/popups/travel-to-japan-south-korea.jsp

[victorology]

http://www.apple.com/iphone/countries/

Korea isn't listed as one of the countries where it's coming soon. April 1 is the day it can be sold in Korea but that doesn't mean it will be.

I am also looking forward to its release. Anyone care to guess as to what the price will be?

[NoExplode]

[hugekebab]

if he was using a handsfree headset it wass probably just an ipod and hes using a voip client and talking over wifi.