Korean Job Discussion Forums

[brittlowe]

I am thinking I'm just going to bring my American iPhone but I need to make sure that I can get Wifi easily enough that my charges won't be any different.

Additionally, has anyone heard of 'The Egg'? I read about it online, but haven't actually talked to anyone about it. Its like a wireless internet hook up. Will it plug into iPhone? Or is there any other internet stick (like this 4G sleeve thing) that will work on Korean net with an American iPhone?

[Captain Corea]

There's wifi pretty much everywhere in Seoul. The thing is, a lot of it is run by the big telcom companies and you often have to be part of their plan to use it.

I have an iPhone4 (bought here) and can find wifi everywhere, but my iPad (bought in the US) has more difficulties. It's not connected to any of the plans, so I sometimes have to hunt for open wifi hotspots. That being said, they're not all that hard to find.

The egg hotspot is another way to gothough... you canbuy a plan here for it.

[rickpidero]

You would think that wifi would be in every coffee shop around, but many times they only offer a pay-service.

It is actually a big complaint for me, spend 4000 won on a cup of coffee and not be able to get free wifi. And, sometimes they set up a wireless router, but either don't have it connected to a ISP or just simply never reset it. It is very annoying all around.

[Skippy]

If you are out and about enough. Sign up for a Nespot or other big telecom Wifi hotspot service. Costs about 10,000 won (10 dollars) a month and will open major hotspots near places like 7-11 or McDonalds and Phone stores.

[Swampfox10mm]

Used to be free wifi everywhere. Now, the companies have gone into the coffee shops and food places and done a variety of things to stamp out the free wifi (because truly free wifi absolutely kills profits).

I was talking with that dude from WhatTheBook about this, and if I remember correctly, his business account somehow had it forced on him that people trying to access the wifi had to have a password with that particular phone company. Not sure how that worked, but he was ticked about it, and was planning a way to circumvent it.

So I think what happened is that the telecoms found some way to control the signal of their business accounts to include a login screen for access. This can be circumvented easily, but most businesses probably wouldn't bother. The disgusting thing is that the package was sold to them as "free wifi," and stickers touting it were placed in windows (it was only free to paying or registered customers). McDonalds in Itaewon, for example, had no clue that I was unable to use the free wifi because I wasn't an account holder. I talked to the manager, who said, "But they told us it was free for our customers...." Obviously, businesses were fed a line of half-truth bull.

That's why, in a very short time period, Seoul went from having lots of free wifi to not so much.

[nukeday]

In general, I've had better luck at independent shops (bars in Itaewon, cafes other than Starbucks, Angel-in-us, etc) than with large chains.

[ankhetbast]

I have my ipod4, and have been able to find an unlocked wifi connection somewhat regularly. I'm certain that it depends on what city and what part of the city you're in though. Still, it was highly useful to be able to email my friends that I'd arrived safely before my connection at my apartment was set up.

[brittlowe]

Okay. thanks for the insight.
a few questions remain:

can the egg be plugged in to the iPhone? or is it like a usb stick?

can the korean iPhone be taken back to the US to Att or Verizon and used more easily here than it would be to bring an American iPhone to Korea?

if i get the cheapest plan for a minimal korean phone and get a wifi service is it worth the price?

[Chalmers]

what is this "wifi" you speak of?

[Vox_Populi]

I'd say just try to get an iphone here (if you can afford it - it can be tricky to get a regular account as a foreigner so you might have purchase it outright and then sign up for a prepaid account - though you might be able to become fast friends with a Korean and then they can easily sign you up under their name). The iphone has a mobile hotspot built in so you're covered wherever you go.

The egg deal is good, but again, you have to sign up for an account so you may run into issues.

Finally, signing up for NESPOT is a great idea. You WILL have to have a Korean friend help you as their site is useless unless you speak Korean. NESPOT will let you surf while you're sitting on a subway car (an iphone would work just as well though).

[marsavalanche]

[marsavalanche]

[yeti08]

Free WiFi - Nope. Doesn't exist here. I know a generic password that works for most of the LGnets. Pretty simple

Count to 9 and press A. Boom.

[Weigookin74]

[Weigookin74]

How does this iphone work in Korea? I've had an account with Sk for a few years. Can I get an iphone or would they pull some racist crap on me? I think I've proven myself.