Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nick70100]

I'm wondering if there's anyone out there who can give me a bit of advice. I ordered the Galaxy S online (www.t-world.co.kr) on Wednesday night. I was fully expecting it to be a hassle. To my surprise, everything seemed to go smoothly. I got a phone call yesterday morning. The guy said everything was cool, confirmed my address, and offered me a free case and protective film for it. Today the package came and I opened it up. I stuck the u-SIM card inside and started to go through the activation process. The activation failed. I tried it a few more times, still nothing. A few minutes later I got a phone call from SK telecom apologizing, saying that they screwed up and that I'm not qualified for the contract because of my visa type. I of course tried to argue and ask why, but they said there was nothing they could do about it. They said they are sending someone to my house tomorrow to pick up the phone. I got a bit upset and told them that I won't be home (which is the truth). They said someone else will call me later to arrange a pick up time, and that was the end of the conversation.


A few things maybe worth mentioning...

My current phone is with SK as well, and it was a 24 month contract when I got it (early 2009).

I also have a 3-year contract with SK Broadband for internet and TV.
I have never paid a bill late, and with all the services together I'm dumping well over 100,000 a month into SK's pockets.

(They don't seem to want to hear any of this)

Also, I've already opened the box and messed around with the phone, getting my dirty foreign fingerprints all over it. Why would they want it back unable to sell new rather than trusting me to pay for it?

Anyone have any ideas on how to proceed? This is definitely the phone I want and I'm willing to pay for it, but these fools seem determined to stop me. Is there another angle I can argue here or should I just give up and give it back?

[Hootsmon]

As far as I was aware, SK Telecom (the cell phone company, not SK Broadband, who allow contracts to foreigners easily) don't allow contracts to E-2 holders because SK do 2 year contracts and the E-2 is, of course, only for one year. That's what the man in the store told me after he called up SK...but of course, the "man in the store" is often wrong.

However, from what I've heard, I don't even understand how you got your original contract phone, never mind the Galaxy S (which I'd like to get myself, if it was possible). Were you an E-2 holder at that time? A Korean friend didn't help sign you up or anything? (cause they could have just put it in their name).

[nick70100]

[Senior]

When they give you the phone, they are basically giving you a pile of cash hoping that you will pay the pile back, plus some, on the data plan. On your broadband they didn't give you a pile of cash. They did with your other contract phone (I'm guessing it's a slider or slug style dum phone) give you a pile of cash but a comparatively smaller one. And the purchase price of the phone wasn't subsidized like your Galaxy S.

Sucks really. You should be able to buy the phone outright, though? Surely? Since it's now second hand you should be able to get a discount?

Surely?

[jhicks99]

Wow that's horrible customer service. They should have been willing to bite the bullet and let you have the phone for their mistake. Korea is very service oriented but I guess not so much in this case. I'm also curious what they will do with the phone, it's now used and worth several hundred dollars less than if it were brand new... another reason why a manager behind the scenes should have just let you keep it and hope they don't get burned.

btw. I'm going to be getting one this week but it's going to be in the GF's name, I found that's pretty much my only option without having to buy the damn thing up front.

[nick70100]