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Korean Galaxy S2 in the USA?

 
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akcrono



Joined: 11 Mar 2010

PostPosted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 3:11 am    Post subject: Korean Galaxy S2 in the USA? Reply with quote

I'm going to be going to the USA soon and want to bring my Galaxy S2 (3g) and use it with a prepaid SIMM. From what I've seen, it looks like I have to do this:

Contact SK telecom, who will unlock the phone after I show proof of a return ticket.

Contact a GSM provider (Sprint or AT&T?) once I get home and get a prepaid SIMM card.

Has anyone brought their Gs2 home, and if so, what was the procedure?
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ghostrider



Joined: 27 Jun 2011

PostPosted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Galaxy S2 phone is sold by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint in the USA so your phone should be compatible with those networks.
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r122925



Joined: 02 Jun 2011

PostPosted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ghostrider wrote:
The Galaxy S2 phone is sold by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint in the USA so your phone should be compatible with those networks.


This simply isn't true. Even though all 3 of them sell it, each model is slightly different.

Your Korean Galaxy S2 will not work at all with Sprint or Verizon.

It will partially work with T-Mobile, however T-mobile USA uses a non-standard frequency for 3G/4G service. You will be limited to 2G speeds (slow) for data if you use T-mobile.

It will be fully compatible only with AT&T.
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jhicks99



Joined: 04 Mar 2009
Location: Seoul, South Korea

PostPosted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am not so sure it's fully compatible with AT&T. It will be ok for the 1900mhz band and 2G speeds... but I found out recently (to my schock and horror) that it doesn't have the 850mhz band (I think it's just 1900/900mhz). If I'm not mistaken 850 is used by AT&T (and Rogers/Fido in Canada).

So it should at least get him on the network, but there may be some coverage gaps and don't expect 3G. A number of GSM bands were left off of the SK/KT version of the Galaxy 2 as samsung had to cram a DMB chip into the Korean model. My phone worked fine roaming in Toronto on 1900mhz for Rogers, I wasn't going to test the data network speeds though... I just connected it as a curiosity to make sure it would work there.

Also my phone is unlocked, but that may be because I purchased it outright and not under contract. Pop in a sim card from another carrier to test it first, you may already be unlocked!
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ghostrider



Joined: 27 Jun 2011

PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 10:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, it doesn't look like it would be fully compatible. According to the handbook that came with my Korean Galaxy S2, my phone's frequencies are:

2g: 900/1800/1900 MHz
3g: 2100 MHz

AT&T's frequencies are:

2g: 850/1900 MHz
3g: 850/1900 MHz

So it's only compatible with AT&T's 2g service on the 1900 MHz band. The iphone 4 is a better choice if you want to take your phone back to North America. The iphone 4 is compatible with 3g service on both the 1900 and 2100 MHz bands.
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