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braunshade
Joined: 19 Apr 2006
Location: Somewhere better!
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 Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 7:10 am Post subject: Advice- New and used cellphones, and payment plans |
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| HI. What do you think is the most cost effective way to obtaining a cell phone here in Korea? Where can one purchase a used one? Is an ARC necesary? |
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princess
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: soul of Asia
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Most phone shops WILL NOT sell to foreigners. I found two that will sell a new or used phone with a monthly bill, but you have to have an ARC. Many places will sell a card phone to foreigners, though. You have to buy minutes and when they run out, you have to go buy more. But, of course, Koreans can go anywhere outside Korea and get a handphone in a jiffy. |
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chronicpride
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 4:00 pm Post subject: Re: cheap cell phone? |
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| braunshade wrote: |
| HI. What do you think is the most cost effective way to obtaining a cell phone here in Korea? Where can one purchase a used one? Is an ARC necesary? |
In Itaewon, you can get new or 2nd hand cellphones pretty easy. You can choose either prepaid or monthly billing. The vendors that offer monthly billing will usually ask for a deposit of around 200K or so.
Two good vendors that I know of:
1. If coming out of Burger King, turn left and walk around the side of the building and turn left up the road after the convenience store. This road will be the one with all the Korean food vendors and the odd juicy bar. Near the top of this street and on the right, you'll see a cellphone vendor with lots of phones available.
2. If coming out of Hamilton Hotel, turn right and walk for about 10-15 minutes and walk around the bend past the entrance to Itaewon street, until you start seeing more businesses on the other side of the bend. This small vendor is a few doors down from Thunder Burger. You've missed it, if you pass Taco Taco. |
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krats1976
Joined: 14 May 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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| More and more phone shops will sell a phone & regular service to foreigners. However, they will not (with a few exceptions) give you the same discount on the phone that they give to Koreans, and you probably need a Korean credit card. I think the ARC is necessary. |
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braunshade
Joined: 19 Apr 2006
Location: Somewhere better!
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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| thanks very much! someone told me to go to technomart too....may be able to get a used phone for around 40,000......... |
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seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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| braunshade wrote: |
| thanks very much! someone told me to go to technomart too....may be able to get a used phone for around 40,000......... |
I did the same two years ago. After constant ridicule from my students though, I was shamed into upgrading to a phone that at least had a color screen. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 7:44 pm Post subject: Re: cheap cell phone? |
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| braunshade wrote: |
| HI. What do you think is the most cost effective way to obtaining a cell phone here in Korea? Where can one purchase a used one? Is an ARC necesary? |
This has been covered many times before and is in the stickys.
But for the newbies here in country:
You CAN get a cellphone new or used in just about any shop but you may need a translator to help you.
You CAN get monthly service billing or a "CARD PHONE" that uses prepaid time.
IF you get a card phone (read prepaid time cell phone here) there is NO hookup fee and no deposit and no monthly fee. You simply buy the phone and buy time as you need it. Card phones are about 4x more expensive per minute of talk time than monthly ones.
If you get a phone from SK or KTF then you need your ARC, possibly your passport and a DEPOSIT of 200k-250k won PLUS the cost of the phone.
If you get a phone from LG you do NOT need to make a deposit.
You DO need your ARC, PASSPORT, BANKBOOK that has been open for more than 3 months and the cost of the phone.
If you get a card phone there is NO CHARGE for the hookup fee.
If you get a monthly plan there is a 55k won hookup fee.
If you want a phone shop that is willing to assist a foreigner then the shop at Yeongdongpo-gu office (Purple or Green line) subway stop (out exit 3, walk straight ahead, cross the first light and it is the right hand one of the 2 on the corner. Ask for InSook) can help you. She speaks English and is willing to assist a foreigner to get a phone. This is 2 stops away from the Seoul Immigration office.
I think that covered it all. |
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krats1976
Joined: 14 May 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: cheap cell phone? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
If you get a phone from SK or KTF then you need your ARC, possibly your passport and a DEPOSIT of 200k-250k won PLUS the cost of the phone.
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I signed up for KTF through a dealer at HomePlus a few months ago. I did not pay a deposit.... perhaps because I had a Korean credit card? |
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capebretoncanadian
Joined: 20 Feb 2005
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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| I got a brand new KTF dealie from my school (in color!) for 60,000....not bad!! |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: cheap cell phone? |
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| krats1976 wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
If you get a phone from SK or KTF then you need your ARC, possibly your passport and a DEPOSIT of 200k-250k won PLUS the cost of the phone.
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I signed up for KTF through a dealer at HomePlus a few months ago. I did not pay a deposit.... perhaps because I had a Korean credit card? |
That will do it... or perhaps a Korean wife and F2 visa...
I assume that it was a monthly plan (regular phone) complete with points card and not a pay-as-you-go card phone.
| capebretoncanadian wrote: |
| I got a brand new KTF dealie from my school (in color!) for 60,000....not bad!! |
Ya... but is in the school's name or they signed for it or it is a card phone.
You don't get the points card for it, or the discounts. You just get the bill.
Apples and Oranges. |
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krats1976
Joined: 14 May 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 11:08 pm Post subject: Re: cheap cell phone? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
I assume that it was a monthly plan (regular phone) complete with points card and not a pay-as-you-go card phone.
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Yeah, although I keep forgetting to call & get them to send me the point card.  |
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capebretoncanadian
Joined: 20 Feb 2005
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 11:55 pm Post subject: Re: cheap cell phone? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| capebretoncanadian wrote: |
| I got a brand new KTF dealie from my school (in color!) for 60,000....not bad!! |
Ya... but is in the school's name or they signed for it or it is a card phone.
You don't get the points card for it, or the discounts. You just get the bill.
Apples and Oranges. |
Yeah you're right, it is in the schools name...but luckily it's not a card phone. |
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braunshade
Joined: 19 Apr 2006
Location: Somewhere better!
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| Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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| i wish this was not so complicated! thanks for the detailed advice. |
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Poktanju
Mod Team
Joined: 15 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, this is a great thread on the subject. It deserves to be stuck. Please continue to post more of your individual experiences on cellphone shopping and usage plans in here. Especially for areas outside of Seoul.
Outside of US bases continue to be the best bets for non-Seoul expats looking for foreigner-friendly deals. If any of you live on or near US bases around Korea, could you kindly keep an eye open for vendors outside of the base and report back with some basic directions/contact info, etc...
ie., we all know that Yongsan and Itaewon has them.
Daegu- Outside of Camp Walker gate #6 has a good vendor.
Uijeongbu has a good vendor.
I need to dig up contact info for both.
I'm willing to bet that Camp Long by Wonju has at least one vendor that would be useful for folks out there. Maybe even a small Red Door-esque vendor tucked away on a back street that most people on here don't know about.
Maybe same for around Camp Hialeah in Busan.
Thx,
Mods |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 2:30 am Post subject: |
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| Poktanju wrote: |
Yeah, this is a great thread on the subject. It deserves to be stuck. Please continue to post more of your individual experiences on cellphone shopping and usage plans in here. Especially for areas outside of Seoul.
Outside of US bases continue to be the best bets for non-Seoul expats looking for foreigner-friendly deals. If any of you live on or near US bases around Korea, could you kindly keep an eye open for vendors outside of the base and report back with some basic directions/contact info, etc...
ie., we all know that Yongsan and Itaewon has them.
Daegu- Outside of Camp Walker gate #6 has a good vendor.
Uijeongbu has a good vendor.
I need to dig up contact info for both.
I'm willing to bet that Camp Long by Wonju has at least one vendor that would be useful for folks out there. Maybe even a small Red Door-esque vendor tucked away on a back street that most people on here don't know about.
Maybe same for around Camp Hialeah in Busan.
Thx,
Mods |
Actually, it is getting easy to get a DUAL language phone, just take a translator with you... there are LOTS of models.
The problems used to happen because of policies of the big 3 mobile phone companies that were NOT foreigner friendly. This has changed (for the better) SIGNIFICANTLY over the last 2 or 3 years...
In 2002, LG started offering regular phone service as long as you had a bank account that was active for more than 6 months and your ARC. Now the requirement is down to 3 months and no deposits.
SK and KTF also offer regular account service but still require a "SECURITY" deposit for the service.
You can hook up a "card phone" anywhere as long as you have an ARC.
Have your translator ask the phone shop clerk to call the phone center for specifics and current phone company policies.
If they are not too busy at they minute, they most likely will cause the phone business is slow now and they need the sales.... Not like in 2002 when they were selling 10 or more per day and owning a phone shop was like a licence to print money.
New phone pricing is government regulated and there is no significant price difference between shops on the same model. That said... different shops will carry different models... shop for the features you want and price accordingly.
New phone discontinued models are often priced very low for clearance. These are often good deals (many times under 100k for a new phone) but may not have all the features you want. ASK. There is a 55k won hookup fee for a monthy plan phone.
USED and refurbished phones are a different matter. They run from 30K won (I have a 2 year old LG model that I will sell for that price) up to 200k. Be careful of the battery... this is where you will likely enounter problems... make sure it is a good one and/or that the phone shop will buy it back or replace the battery if it is not good. |
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