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MollyBloom
Joined: 21 Jul 2006
Location: James Joyce's pants
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 Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:59 am Post subject: most foreigner friendly cell phone carriers? |
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| I have only used LG Telecom in the past. They always helped me out when I needed something and their English-speaking operators were pretty friendly and helpful. Walking into the shops were a different story, though. |
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jhicks99
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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The shops are always hit or miss (mostly miss) when it comes to Englishy.
LG Telecom is the best for pre-paid IMO. You're right, their operators are excellent and can resolve most issues for you (such as re-enabling the device if you haven't used it for 3 months). Koreans always tell me that LG has the worst network but I had ZERO issues with the service and the call quality was always crystal clear.
Now I'm with SK as I jumped on the Galaxy S bandwagon (I'm off contract as the phone has been paid off). I can't do anything to my plan without a Korean helping me. That said once you're setup there's very little to do and the esl forums will keep you up to date if there's any significant plan changes you should know about (such as the switch to offering unlimited data). They always send me an image of my bill every month to my phone and it's always exactly what I expect to be paying. If you can have a Korean friend walk you through the sign up process then I'd go to the carrier that has the phone and price plan you want, once you're setup there's very little reason to ever deal with them. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:13 am Post subject: |
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| KT has a number of stores set up where they speak English, and they offer contracts to all visas with varying requirements. You can find the list of stores that are "global stores" on their website. I've been pretty happy with them. |
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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:36 am Post subject: |
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Go to the Seoul Global Center (there is one at city hall, gangnam, itaewon, and other places).
You will be amazed at the services they can give you. They can get you a cell phone, credit card, and whatever else you need right on the spot. |
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imarkon
Joined: 18 Jan 2011
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:14 am Post subject: |
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im tired of my shitty prepaid phone.
it takes 5 mins only to write an sms and when characters are over i have to write a new sms from 0 because its too old to autosplit them.
so tomorrow armed only with my passport (dont have any AlienID) i will go to the KT building in samgakji exit 3 and ask if they can activate the number on my foreign iphone , transfer the credit from there and will as well ask if they can enable 3g data.
anybody has ever been to that kt center? if they have an english speaker thats it, if not, im done and will ask my landlord to do that for me ! |
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Drew10
Joined: 31 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:34 am Post subject: |
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| imarkon wrote: |
im tired of my shitty prepaid phone.
it takes 5 mins only to write an sms and when characters are over i have to write a new sms from 0 because its too old to autosplit them.
so tomorrow armed only with my passport (dont have any AlienID) i will go to the KT building in samgakji exit 3 and ask if they can activate the number on my foreign iphone , transfer the credit from there and will as well ask if they can enable 3g data.
anybody has ever been to that kt center? if they have an english speaker thats it, if not, im done and will ask my landlord to do that for me ! |
Save yourself a trip.
KT won't be able to do anything for you with no ARC. IF you had your ARC, they wouldn't be able to do number porting from your Pre-Paid to a line phone, and any money you had on your pre-paid is lost when you activate a line phone. |
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imarkon
Joined: 18 Jan 2011
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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| but didnt they recently allow random foreigners without ARC to enable their phones as well? |
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Drew10
Joined: 31 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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| imarkon wrote: |
| but didnt they recently allow random foreigners without ARC to enable their phones as well? |
Not to my knowledge.
Every account I open must be done with an ID card, whether the customer is Korean, Foreigner, or U.S Military, they each have their own type of ID card we require.
We actually had to deny a Korean lady service because she just came back from the U.S with her husband and had only a (Korean) passport, no ID card. SK said they wouldn't activate her. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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| imarkon wrote: |
| but didnt they recently allow random foreigners without ARC to enable their phones as well? |
No, they just allowed anyone regardless of visa with an ARC to get a cellphone.
There are different restrictions depending on the class, but any visa can obtain a cellphone with KT. |
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imarkon
Joined: 18 Jan 2011
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:04 am Post subject: |
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ok thank you !
but can you do the ID card without having a visa? |
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Drew10
Joined: 31 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:00 am Post subject: |
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| imarkon wrote: |
ok thank you !
but can you do the ID card without having a visa? |
Nope.
Visa class must be disclosed upon opening the account. That way the retailer knows which restrictions apply to you.
For example...at my store E9's can only get pre-paid phones. |
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nstick13
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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So as an E-2 planning to be here for the next year, am I able to get a smartphone? I'd prefer an i-Phone. What kind of costs will be associated with it up front and in the contract? What about when I have to cancel next March?
Thanks to all for the info on this thread. |
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s4yunkim
Joined: 28 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 12:55 am Post subject: |
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Hello everyone,
As some of you may know, my name is Chris and I am a manager with the Expat Marketing Team at KT. There seems to be a lot of confusion and misinformation on the boards regarding cell phones in Korea (honestly, cant really blame anyone), but I've been working to clear up as much as I can. Here's my input on what has been discussed in this forum so far:
| MollyBloom wrote: |
| I have only used LG Telecom in the past. They always helped me out when I needed something and their English-speaking operators were pretty friendly and helpful. Walking into the shops were a different story, though. |
| crossmr wrote: |
| KT has a number of stores set up where they speak English, and they offer contracts to all visas with varying requirements. You can find the list of stores that are "global stores" on their website. I've been pretty happy with them. |
KT does have 7 "Global Stores" throughout the Seoul Metropolitan Area. Here, you can find someone who speaks English, and get information on plans, phones, new services, membership cards, etc.
The Gwanghwamun and Gangnam Stores are our flagship stores, and Gwanghwamun has an awesome cafe. It has even been featured on coffee review sites! Here's one of the ones I found: http://frshgrnd.com/2010/08/kt-olleh-square-cafe/
Here is where you can find a list of the stores and their locations:
http://expatblog.kt.com/category/List%20of%20KT%20Global%20Stores
| pkang0202 wrote: |
Go to the Seoul Global Center (there is one at city hall, gangnam, itaewon, and other places).
You will be amazed at the services they can give you. They can get you a cell phone, credit card, and whatever else you need right on the spot. |
Actually, having worked at the Seoul Global Center before my job here at KT, I can tell you that you can only get a cell phone at the main Seoul Global Center branch (City Hall). They retail only a few basic models of LGT phones, but you must have an ARC. They are great for the other services (credit card, driver's licenses, etc)! But if you need a smart phone or a more flexible line of service, head to the Gwanghwamun Global Store (about 5 mins walking from the Seoul Global Center, towards Gwanghwamun Station, directions here: http://expatblog.kt.com/13)
| imarkon wrote: |
im tired of my shitty prepaid phone.
it takes 5 mins only to write an sms and when characters are over i have to write a new sms from 0 because its too old to autosplit them.
so tomorrow armed only with my passport (dont have any AlienID) i will go to the KT building in samgakji exit 3 and ask if they can activate the number on my foreign iphone , transfer the credit from there and will as well ask if they can enable 3g data.
anybody has ever been to that kt center? if they have an english speaker thats it, if not, im done and will ask my landlord to do that for me ! |
You can visit a KT Global Store and get a prepaid plan (with data!), without an ARC. As long as you have a passport, you can visit the global store with your iPhone (make sure it's at least a 3G, and unlocked), and sign up for a prepaid plan.
If you're going to be using a prepaid plan with an iPhone, you're going to need data access, and among the three carriers in Korea, KT is the only one that has data access on a prepaid plan.
You can check out the prepaid pricing plans here: http://expatblog.kt.com/42
| Drew10 wrote: |
Save yourself a trip.
KT won't be able to do anything for you with no ARC. |
This is not true. You can get a prepaid line of service with just a passport and a Korean bank account. The phone line will be valid for 90 days from date of activation, which is the maximum allowed stay in Korea without a visa. After that, under immigration law, you will have to have a visa and an alien registration card, with which you can either renew your prepaid line, or switch over to a postpaid line of service.
| Drew10 wrote: |
We actually had to deny a Korean lady service because she just came back from the U.S with her husband and had only a (Korean) passport, no ID card. SK said they wouldn't activate her. |
I'm curious as to what the exact situation was. If she was a Korean citizen (with a Korean passport), then she should have had a Korean ID card, or at least a citizen #. If she was a foreigner, then she still would have been able to get a prepaid phone with a passport.
| imarkon wrote: |
| but didnt they recently allow random foreigners without ARC to enable their phones as well? |
I believe you are referring to the ability to get a prepaid phone as described above, with just a passport. ^^
| crossmr wrote: |
No, they just allowed anyone regardless of visa with an ARC to get a cellphone.
There are different restrictions depending on the class, but any visa can obtain a cellphone with KT. |
It is always possible for a foreigner to activate a phone for use, as long as they have an ARC. The issue is when they want to buy a phone (as one would naturally want to do, unless they have a used phone). As phones in Korea are bought on installment plans, which is essentially a line of credit, foreigners with no credit have had problems buying a new phone this way. It has always been possible to buy a phone by paying for the cost of the phone upfront, rather than paying for it over 24 months.
However, at the end of 2010, we've worked with the Seoul Guarantee Insurance Corporation to allow almost any foreign customer to get a phone on an installment plan. You can view the list of what visas are eligible here: http://expatblog.kt.com/4
| imarkon wrote: |
ok thank you !
but can you do the ID card without having a visa? |
If you are referring to the Alien Registration Card ("ARC"), you must have a visa to do so, and also register with immigration, which in turn gets you the card, and an Alien Registration Number.
| nstick13 wrote: |
So as an E-2 planning to be here for the next year, am I able to get a smartphone? I'd prefer an i-Phone. What kind of costs will be associated with it up front and in the contract? What about when I have to cancel next March?
Thanks to all for the info on this thread. |
Yes! You will be able to get any of a wide range of Smartphones, including an iPhone 4. Since you are an E-2 visa holder, you can get your phone on an installment plan, which means you can pay for the cost of your phone over 24 months, rather than all upfront. Here is a breakdown of how it works: http://expatblog.kt.com/5
Hope that clears some things up! There is a lot more information on our KT Expat Blog, http://expatblog.kt.com, which I am in charge of, as well as our Expat Twitter, @olleh_expats - http://twitter.com/olleh_expats.
Follow us and feel free to use twitter to send any questions my way!
--Chris
Manager, Expat Marketing Team
Korea Telecom |
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Drew10
Joined: 31 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:02 am Post subject: |
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| s4yunkim wrote: |
| Drew10 wrote: |
We actually had to deny a Korean lady service because she just came back from the U.S with her husband and had only a (Korean) passport, no ID card. SK said they wouldn't activate her. |
I'm curious as to what the exact situation was. If she was a Korean citizen (with a Korean passport), then she should have had a Korean ID card, or at least a citizen #. If she was a foreigner, then she still would have been able to get a prepaid phone with a passport.
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Chris, She is a Korean Citizen and Korean passport holder. SK wouldn't activate her without a Korean ID card which she did not have. She has residency in the U.S (Greencard) and had to relenquish her Korean ID card upon moving to the U.S, which I understand is the standard protocol.
I could have easily activated her under KT, but she had her heart set on the Galaxy S.
I hold an F2 visa and have had no problems with SK, my phone is in my name and draws from my bank account. I've found that military (SOFA) visa holders have trouble with SK. However, my store deals plenty of KT phones, including the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 (with zero wait) to our foreign customers (including non-military) with minimal problems. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 4:52 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| There seems to be a lot of confusion and misinformation on the boards |
Yes there certainly is.
| Quote: |
| This is not true. You can get a prepaid line of service with just a passport and a Korean bank account. The phone line will be valid for 90 days from date of activation, which is the maximum allowed stay in Korea without a visa. After that, under immigration law, you will have to have a visa and an alien registration card, with which you can either renew your prepaid line, or switch over to a postpaid line of service. |
This is no true. Canadians are allowed 6 months of visa free stay and are not required to get an ARC if they're here for more than 3 months during that time.
| Quote: |
| Hope that clears some things up |
Not entirely Chris. While 7 stores is great, Korea is more than central Seoul and not everyone is in Seoul or near these 7 stores. What even possessed you guys to put like 3 of your stores all within walking distance of each other? Spread them out a bit.
But in addition, what is KT and the expat marketing team doing to address issues in local stores. What exactly is the issue preventing foreigners from going into any store and getting a contract? Obviously KT has the infrastructure to do this. Half the paperwork that was given to me at the global store was in Korean anyway, and it was paperwork. It wasn't even done on the computer at the time.
Now I realize at some level that those stores may not have English speaking staff, but it doesn't explain why people who speak adequate korean or who go with a Korean spouse/friend are being turned away from these stores.
I've heard from some expats that they were able to get service at stores that weren't part of the global stores but I've also heard of people getting turned away store after store after store.
So I know that non-global stores are more than capable of processing the paperwork since some expats have gotten it done.
Please clear up what is going on here.
Oh, and please add another way to contact you through the blog. Not everyone has or wants to use twitter just to contact you. Add a comment field or at least an e-mail address to the blog please.
| Quote: |
| Chris, She is a Korean Citizen and Korean passport holder. SK wouldn't activate her without a Korean ID card which she did not have. She has residency in the U.S (Greencard) and had to relenquish her Korean ID card upon moving to the U.S, which I understand is the standard protocol. |
This makes no sense at all. A greencard isn't citizenship and wouldn't invalidate her korean citizenship, which is why she still had her passport. The ID should continue to function perfectly fine. Did anyone even try keying in her old ID number? |
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