Korean Job Discussion Forums

madowlspeaks · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Location: Somewhere in time and space

I am looking to buy a cell phone, and have been looking for the thread (there must be one!) about this subject.
Does anyone have the link to the thread or have any info about this topic? I would prefer to get one where I don't have to change the phone number every year or pre-pay for phone use. I would also rather not have a co-signer.

Any suggestions?

genezorm · Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Location: Mokpo

Atavistic · Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: buying a cell phone in Korea

Optimus Prime · Joined: 05 Jul 2007

movybuf · Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Location: Mokdong

newton kabiddles · Joined: 31 Mar 2007

genezorm · Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Location: Mokpo

snoopdrew · Joined: 09 May 2003 Location: Bundang, South Korea

Today, I bought a used phone for 40,000 won in a subway stall at gangnam station, then headed to the SK store just outside Exit #1.

Told the lady I wanted a prepaid phone in broken korean, and handed her 50,000 won, at 26 minutes per 10,000 won. She asked for my passport and made a photocopy. I do not have an ARC card, but a C-3 tourist visa. I picked a preferred phone number, filled out a form and signed it.

She said my minutes are good until 6/11/08 and that I could refill by cash at any SK store around the country.

Masta_Don · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Location: Hyehwa-dong, Seoul

I think the monthly rated phones have changed since last year but here's what I did...

Went to TechnoMart by myself.
Went around for an hour trying to get someone to sell to me.
Finally found one brave soul.
Had to pick out an overpriced phone (it was illegal when I got my phone to throw the phone in for free when signing up. That's not true now)
Got screwed on the payment plan (~40,000 base)
They made photocopies of my ARC and passport.

In summary, time+lots of money+ARC+passport=phone

No deposit, Korean credit cards, nothing else. And I didn't speak a lick of Korean at the time. It was my second month here.

isthisreally · Joined: 01 Sep 2007

My boss took me to the local cellphone shop. I needed my arc, bank book, and passport. But yeah initially I was paying like 40 per month also for the first 3 months. I'm not sure why. He told me when signing up that i needed to sign up for some more expensive plan the first 3 months, but it was the difference between i think 12 and 16. And he did that so i could get a discount on the phone. Basically it would be better to go with a male who knows how to bargain and will bargain for you. Now my base pay is 15.

Kevtron · Joined: 17 Jul 2007

What company are you using that gave you a 15,000 base pay? I went today to an SK shop and they basically told my gyopo friend that I couldn't get a plan, unless it was for 55,000 a month, and thus should get prepaid.

I'm ok with prepaid, but they seem expensive. Yet if I could get a low (ie < 20,000 a month) plan that'd be ideal.

Any suggestions about SK v LG v whatever else there is?

So far getting a phone has been rather complicated, first being told I need my ARC, and then the deposit, which doesn't always seem true, and now being told I can't do it with my E-2 visa.

So any suggestions? I'd really like to get a phone, as not having had one for the past two months is starting to get annoying.

Thanks Smile