Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Omkara]

Or is the technology incompatible?

[jeffkim1972]

you must swap out the GMS sim chip. If you have CDMA, then you cannot. and must buy a new phone.

[Omkara]

How do you know which you have?

[sock]

uhhh .... wrong. Korean cellphones don't use GMS. The "sim chip" in my current Korean phone is not a chip at all, but a sim chip-shaped piece of clear plastic that serves no working function. They use a closed CDMA system, so you must purchase a phone that will ONLY work in Korea. It theoretically might be possible to use an American CDMA phone if you can find someone who can unlock it and/or otherwise enable it to work on the Korean system, but I don't know of this ever being accomplished in reality.

This topic has been covered--check on the FAQ forum and look for the phone stickys posted at the top of other forums.

That being said, I have an American cellphone that "works" although it doesn't work to make calls. Only the games I've downloaded and whatever extra features like the calendar, mp3, and the calculator work. Sometimes that's all I need on the subway.

[jeffkim1972]

I have had people come in from New zealand and other places swap out the sim chip and have their calls automatically forwarded to the phones here.

But you don't have to buy a new phone, but these people were only here for a week at most and needed the phone number everyone could reach them at.

But if you are here for a year, just get a new phone.

I may be wrong on the GMS, or CDMA thing, but you can definitely swap out the sim chip, i've seen it done at the airport at the SK Telecom booth.

SK Telecom runs on GSM. That's why only an SK Telecom will have international roaming. I've seen korean phones (SK Telecom) work in the US.

I have an LG, and everytime i leave the country, i must get a loaner phone from LG, but my calls are all forwarded if they call my korean number. only bad thing is all the phone numbers in memory are gone (since it's a different phone).

[khyber]

I've been told by several Korean friends that it is relatively easy to change providers (SK to LG to KTF or whathaveyou). Could I assume the phones are ALREADY unlocked...and be right?

[jvalmer]

Actually, all the cell phone service providers in Korea use CDMA. The chip you see being swapped out is for mobile commerce (i believe they use moneta). The reason you see SKTelecom phones being used in North America is because of "piggybacking" agreements made with one of the US providers. But, it's only for short term use and costs more money.

Although, rumour is that SKTelecom is thinking of starting to offer GSM service sometime in the future.