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cazador83
Joined: 28 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:14 pm Post subject: Can I use a cell phone here back home? |
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| I am in the market for a new cell phone here in Korea. I was wondering, if I got one here, could I get it unlocked and then use it back home in the States? I was considering purchasing a new phone like the LG Chocolate, but I don't want to spend 500,000 won if I won't be able to use it back home! How would I find out if that particular phone might be used back home? |
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cazador83
Joined: 28 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:26 am Post subject: |
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| Oh, I'm also interested in the Motorola Z as well. Anyone knows if either of these two phones would work back in the States? |
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coffeeman
Joined: 24 Nov 2005
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, I think you can use it back home, but when you get home, you will have to have it unlocked by a technician. Cell phones are programmed so that you have to use them with the cell phone provider you got it through. You have to ask a blackmarket technician to do this for you as it is not really legal (at least according to industry rules). You might be able to get a Korean to do that here cheaply before you go home.
You should also find out what kind of system the phone uses and what kind of system your area in your country uses. There is the older TDMA system and the newer GSM system. The world is trying to switch over to GSM. I don't know which system is being used in Korea. I assume it is GSM. |
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pdxsteve
Joined: 29 Sep 2004
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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| coffeeman wrote: |
Yes, I think you can use it back home, but when you get home, you will have to have it unlocked by a technician. Cell phones are programmed so that you have to use them with the cell phone provider you got it through. You have to ask a blackmarket technician to do this for you as it is not really legal (at least according to industry rules). You might be able to get a Korean to do that here cheaply before you go home.
You should also find out what kind of system the phone uses and what kind of system your area in your country uses. There is the older TDMA system and the newer GSM system. The world is trying to switch over to GSM. I don't know which system is being used in Korea. I assume it is GSM. |
All Korean phones use digital CDMA technology. Korea and the USA are the only major countries still using this technology. Most other countries are on the GSM standard. |
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lostinseoul77777
Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul, Gangnam
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| Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| I have a friend who bought a Motorola phone in Korea and had it unlocked before he went back to the states. I think it would make more sense to get a Motorla phone instead of a LG phone in case you need support in the states. I think my friend got the phone unlocked at Yongsan. I'm sure if you ask around they'll accomodate you for a modest fee. |
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europe2seoul
Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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| pdxsteve wrote: |
| All Korean phones use digital CDMA technology. Korea and the USA are the only major countries still using this technology. Most other countries are on the GSM standard. |
CDMA is alive and well in the mobile phone world. USA, Canada, Australia, etc. However, there are parallel systems....for example Tmobile in US is GSM as well as ATT Wireless (the new one). Verizon is TDMA, Sprint is CDMA, etc. And older analog AMPS is still supported by mobile carriers when digital service is not available.
Anyway....there are some phones available in Korea that have GSM standard built in, so you can use it regularly as CDMA in Korea and when you go to a GSM country you can put the GSM SIM Card chip in, and use it as GSM phone. I think its called World phone or world roaming...there is some icon/sign on the phone when you are checking them out. Or just ask.
Just beware, that in North America GSM frequency is 1900 Mhz, in Europe and most othe countries is 1800 Mhz and 9 hundred something Mhz (older base stations). So you should check that as well. Usually most GSM phones produced today are tri-band.
And in Korea they use CDMA-2000, WCDMA in 3G technology. Which is much more advanced than first CDMA initially developed. NTT DoCoMo in Japan uses CDMA as well, but Korean and Japanese CDMA are not compatible at all. |
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TOGirl
Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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I have the new Motorola V3 Razr which is GSM quad-band. I bought it in Canada and had it unlocked to bring it here.
When I took it to SK today they told me that there is no way I can use it here.
So I would be careful when spending alot of money on a new phone and hoping to take it back with you.
I would have loved to use my phone here since its almost brand new but alas no go. |
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little mixed girl
Joined: 11 Jun 2003
Location: shin hyesung's bed~
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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mm...using a korean phone in the states, you can do it.
SK telecom has a thing with verizon because their phones are on the same band or something.
so, if you unlock it i think you'll be stuck with verizon.
case in point, i have a 'card phone' that i use only when i'm in korea. the first time i brought it back with me to the states and tried it out i got a "verizon wireless. your phone is not avaliable for use. please dial..."
so...yeah. if you like verizon, go for it. |
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