Korean Job Discussion Forums

dreadster · Joined: 08 May 2007 Location: Daegu, South Korea

Well, that's what a Korean guy in my office told me today and he's pretty techy and knows what he's talking about. Apparently, there's a new law coming in which means that carriers can't lock users into one phone. They will have the right to swap SIM cards between any phone, and presumably that would mean compatible foreign ones as well.

However, I suppose the foreign phones that can be used will have to share the same bands that are used in Korea, namely either CDMA or the newer WCDMA (HSDPA). A simple GSM phone probably won't work in Korea.

Still, this is encouraging news for those of us who have a foreign phone are and currently using it as an expensive alarm clock!!

shetan · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Location: In front of my PC.

[quote="dreadster"] They will have the right to swap SIM cards between any phone, and presumably that would mean compatible foreign ones as well.

A simple GSM phone probably won't work in Korea. quote]

right gsm phones use Sim cards so they wont work here. CDMA phones will but I'd guess 80% countries use gsm sim cards. Except US, Japan and couple others.

not sure about Canada.. Id just be happy if I could use my phone to text to other countries GSM phones... namely my own country NZ...

you can text to NZ gsm phones (Vodafone) but they cant reply!!!

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

US uses GSM. AT&T and T-Mobile are the 2 major carriers.

I think GSM usage out numbers CDMA in the US.

dreadster · Joined: 08 May 2007 Location: Daegu, South Korea

The newer Nokia phones such as the N95 and the E90 are compatible with the WCDMA networks in Korea, such as Show. Your phone would need to operate on the 2100 band (UMTS) to work in Korea. These are normally referred to as quad band phones since they work on four bands (2100 being the fourth).