Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cfedora]

So, I am moving to Korea, and I am trying to figure out some things about living there. Can anyone give me advice about whether it's worth getting a cell phone vs a home phone (how are the plans), and how expensive is it to get an internet connection at my apartment normally?

[thursdays child]

Cell phone - as a foreigner you pretty much have to get a prepay. You can pick up a decent 2nd hand phne for around 60,000 and then you'll pay around 50,000 a month for calls...... if you're a cheapie. You can get a contract phone IF it's put under a Koreans (who has a clean credit history, and only has one other phone) name - then it's quite a bit cheaper.

Home phone - easy to sort out - all the phone companies have English speakers and it cost's about 25,000 a month plus calls. Natioanl calls are really cheap, international calls are expensive but pick up an international calling card.

Internet - get a package with your home phone bringing the both upto about 35,000 a month.

I have all 3 - only use the home phone for international calls (mostly inco ing!). Anyway your school will prob sort this out for you - unless their useless like mine - but it was easy.

[peppermint]

I've had a cell phone in my own name since 2002 without a hitch. LG telecom charges a 30,000W connection fee, and that you set up automatic payment from your bank, but it's very possible.

[thursdays child]

I've had a cell phone in my own name since 2002 without a hitch. LG telecom charges a 30,000W connection fee, and that you set up automatic payment from your bank, but it's very possible.[quote]

Yeah, I know. But I and many people I've known have tried so many times in so many places to get a phone in our name and have not succeeded. But I do think it is actually illegal now for a foreigner to get a phone now. Oh I did find one place, but the deal was worse than pre pay.

[peppermint]

Illegal?

You might have to go to an actual LG shop, but a print out of this page might help:
http://www.lgtelecom.com/eng/services/servives_subscription.jsp

[Binch Lover]

I got a KTF phone in Yongsan in April that's not prepay. I actually didn't ask for it but I just went along with whatever he was doing and in the end I got one that just charges the money to my Mastercard every month. I also get a bill from KTF to my house every month. It costs me about 30,000 a month for lots of calls. So definitely possible, even if you're not looking for one!

[Ekuboko]

[thursdays child]

Ekubobko - I have my cell phone, landline and internet all through the same company (KT) so maybe that's why it's cheap - I get one bill for all three. But I shopped about and all companies came up with the about the same price.

Pepermint - I got told by most shops it was 'ilegal' it's more likely they meant 'inconvienent'!!

[Ekuboko]

Thursday's child: from what I understood from your first post, you pay 25000 won a month for your landline alone. That's why I was surprised - as I said, I only pay 5000won.

[denverdeath]

Yep, my basic monthly charge for the home phone is less than 5 G's, too. Price here is much cheaper than Canada, in my opinion. Even doing a lot of long-distance domestically is reasonable...calling cell phones and internationally are killers. At least in Boo-sahn, I think the deposit/installation is 200,000 refundable and 60,000 or something for non-refundable...but don't quote me on that.

Internet through KT varies depending on the plan...should be no more than 30-35 for VERY FAST and 40-50 for VERY VERY FAST(sorry, don't have the correct terms nearby). If you live in a big apartment complex, you may also be subjected to screwy bandwidth regulations that you should be aware of...ask questions.

Cell phones. Hmm. Like Peppermint, I had my own at one point in time. I was with SK Telecom and had to put down a 200,000won deposit(fully refundable at the time...now, I don't know - I heard that they were going to try some sort of scam at one point wherein the amt of the deposit lowered the longer you had the phone). I had to provide my passport, ARC, and bankbook at the time. The bills were supposed to be direct-debit, but, of course they screwed that up a couple of times...had my phone shut off twice because the bills weren't paid for, so they said. Go in and yell at them, "Why the hell does the agent require my bankbook and I check the direct-debit box, but YOU don't take the money out?" They'll probably say, "Oh, it takes three months" or some other crap. Plans are between 15,000 and probably 25,000won per month. Just be aware that the calling prices they quote are done on a per-ten-second-basis...at least they used to be. Bonus? You only pay for outgoing calls. You can also get family plans/couple plans where you give the two or three numbers you call the most and those calls are not charged. For example, whenever I call my wife, I'm not charged, and I also get something like 100 text messages per month free(I never text as I see it as a bloody waste of time). Oftentimes, you can also get some kind of discount when calling the same prefix/carrier, but that may've changed in the past year or two as I still have my SK 011 number, but I'm actually with LG Telecom. My current phone is under my wife's name. 70,000won deposit, non-refundable, as she's Korean. A visit for a cell phone(new) will likely cost you around 500,000won, or so, in one shot. And that's for the crappy phones that don't make kimch'i or rice. Also, be wary of LG if you want an MP3 phone as their software is a real pain. Their phones might be okay, but if you want to be able to comfortably use the MP3 functions, set the LG phone up with somewhere like SK that has ironed out some agreements. Anyway, as others have noted, get your boss to do some of the work, at least for the home phone and Internet, and bring a Korean friend along for the cell phone shopping.