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vertigokidd
Joined: 24 Mar 2009
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 Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 6:51 am Post subject: Buying a simple phone to use in US and S. Korea |
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Hi Everyone,
I'm about to leave for Seoul in a couple months and was wondering if it might be smart to buy a phone before I leave the US to use in Korea. First of all, is this even worth the trouble? I'm looking at some pay-as-you-go services here in the States that I could keep my number on while I'm gone without paying a monthly fee. Second, I realize there are some technical inconsistencies between US and Korean cell phone carriers (CDMA frequencies, GSM, etc.), so what would be the best way to avoid any problems?
Ideally, I would like to be able to have a phone to use while I'm in Korea that I can switch out the SIM card in and use in the US during my occassional visits home.
Any suggestions?
-vk |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:58 am Post subject: |
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Save your money.
Any phone you buy outside of Korea will only work here as an international roaming phone.
You will NOT be able to get a Korean number for it. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:22 am Post subject: |
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| yeah won't work, most people use skype (or the equivalent). you can get a skypein number which allows people (in the states) to call a local number and get your computer |
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vertigokidd
Joined: 24 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:25 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks! |
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Luciddreamer
Joined: 31 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:42 am Post subject: |
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| I have a blackberry in the states -- how much do similar smart phones cost in Korea? Are the monthly charges similar? |
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Auslegung
Joined: 14 Jan 2009
Location: MB, SC
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:55 pm Post subject: |
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| How about Korean phones working in the States? I have an LG KU1700 <http://www.mobileisgood.com/phone_spec.php?phone_id=2627&manufacturer_id=28> that my friend got for me, so I'm not complaining, but if it works in the States that'd be awesome. It has the USIM so I think it might, but idk. |
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mil
Joined: 25 Mar 2009
Location: Gimhae, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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with at&t they would have charged $2.24/min plus data roaming ($$$$) on my 3g iphone. basically, not just any 3g networked phone will work here. there are different frequencies of the 3g network...korea's absolute lowest frequency is 2100Mhz, only a handful of phones in the US support this network including the iphone 3g and some blackberry models. i know t mobile offers a plan that is cheaper than at&t...but it's still not a bargain by any means.
in the end i'd say it's not worth it...just get a phone here  |
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