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gregoryallen
Joined: 26 Mar 2006
Location: atlanta ga
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 Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:48 pm Post subject: Is a cellphone all that necessary? |
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| I've been here over a month teaching English. The friends I make ask for my cell number. I don't have a cellphone. They look at me like I'm a pathetic shlump. Seems to me one has to jump through some fantastic hoops to get phone service here which is appallingly ridiculous. People act like cellphone are the #1 greatest invention, dwarfing any and all medical breakthroughs since the dawn of man. WTF? I'd really dig having a cellphone but not if I have to go through some financial paperwork gauntlet. I had a phone plan back in the US, cheapest one available, 30 bucks a month, shazam. I probably talk on the phone about two hours a week. The pay phones here are quite good. I have only about five friends anyway. |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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The pay phones here are good? Did you just say that? Man I tried to use a payphone last night only to find out it didn't accept cash or coin. You have to go to a store, buy a special calling card, then come back and go through the calling card fandango.
Just get a cell phone. It's not as difficult as you're making it out to be. |
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shevek
Joined: 29 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:08 am Post subject: Re: Is a cellphone all that necessary? |
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| gregoryallen wrote: |
| I've been here over a month teaching English. The friends I make ask for my cell number. I don't have a cellphone. They look at me like I'm a pathetic shlump. Seems to me one has to jump through some fantastic hoops to get phone service here which is appallingly ridiculous. People act like cellphone are the #1 greatest invention, dwarfing any and all medical breakthroughs since the dawn of man. WTF? I'd really dig having a cellphone but not if I have to go through some financial paperwork gauntlet. I had a phone plan back in the US, cheapest one available, 30 bucks a month, shazam. I probably talk on the phone about two hours a week. The pay phones here are quite good. I have only about five friends anyway. |
Very few "fantastic hoops". Go to someplace like Technomart, buy a used phone for less than 100k and get it prepaid. When you walk around on the floors with the phones, walk nice and slowly and anyone who says "carduhpone" as you walk past has what you need.
With those babies you get a prepaid card (usually 10,000 won which will get you the ability to call and speak for either 27 minutes or send 300 text messages). People can call you as much as they like, you'll always receive the calls even if your card is out of $.
Just go to either SK, KTF or LG or whoever your "provider" is and update the thing when it runs out of $.
Very straightforward. |
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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:16 am Post subject: |
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I had a hard time getting a cell phone too:
I bought my phone within my first two weeks here, but since I didn't have my passport on me or my alien card yet, I couldn't activate it that day.
Later that week I went into an SK Telecom close to work. The conversation went like this:
"Hi, I'd like to activate this"
"(Korean)"
"Ummm.... ac-ti-vate? Phone?"
"You use?" (pointing at the phone)
"No, that's why I'm here. I want to activate it"
"Sorry, I no understand"
Every store I went into was like this (my favourite was the guy who, when I said "I'd like to activate this", simply replied with "no"). Finally, a few weeks and half a dozen stores later, I went into an SK Telecom where someone spoke English, who told me I had to go to the SK Telecom headquarters (I'm still not sure why). So I did and everything went fine. But yeah, it was a huge pain in the ass.
Why do you need a cell phone? I suppose you could get by without one, but if you're at all interested in dating the local ladies (I'm assuming by your handle that you're male), I think you will need one. I've heard a few stories from friends of mine (either their stories or friends of theirs) who go to meet women in a bar or whatever, and the concept of them not having a cell phone is apparently completely beyond their comprehension- they just don't understand the meaning of "I don't have a cell phone." One Korean girl I dated told me that she "can't meet someone if they don't have a cell phone." The reason was mostly in case someone was late or whatever and wanted to send the other person a text message. |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:01 am Post subject: |
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| If you pay 100k for some used phone, you're getting ripped off. There are killer bargains for the new phones, but you just have to be on the lookout for them. I've seen brand new slide phones for 70k. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:02 am Post subject: |
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| I survive just fine without one. |
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shevek
Joined: 29 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:23 am Post subject: |
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| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
| I survive just fine without one. |
Right...with 7000 odd posts on here to your name, the need to possess a cell phone would obviously require some form of social life, no?
Ah......I'm just busting your balls, luv...no need for a harsh reply.
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jlb
Joined: 18 Sep 2003
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:15 am Post subject: |
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| Of course you need a cell-phone if you want to have a social life of any sort. It's not like all the teachers don't make enough money here to afford it. 50 000 for a used one and 10 000 a month if you're thrifty and don't make horrendous amount of phone calls. |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:48 am Post subject: |
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| cdninkorea wrote: |
I had a hard time getting a cell phone too:
I bought my phone within my first two weeks here, but since I didn't have my passport on me or my alien card yet, I couldn't activate it that day.
Later that week I went into an SK Telecom close to work. The conversation went like this:
"Hi, I'd like to activate this"
"(Korean)"
"Ummm.... ac-ti-vate? Phone?"
"You use?" (pointing at the phone)
"No, that's why I'm here. I want to activate it"
"Sorry, I no understand"
Every store I went into was like this (my favourite was the guy who, when I said "I'd like to activate this", simply replied with "no"). Finally, a few weeks and half a dozen stores later, I went into an SK Telecom where someone spoke English, who told me I had to go to the SK Telecom headquarters (I'm still not sure why). So I did and everything went fine. But yeah, it was a huge pain in the ass.
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So you walked into a phone store speaking a foreign language that nobody understood and it didn't work out for you? mmmm, suprising. |
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Ginormousaurus
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:51 am Post subject: |
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My thoughts exactly.  |
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neandergirl
Joined: 23 Jun 2005
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| Posted: S | |
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