CELL PHONE FAQ

[modernseoul]

I really don't want a cell phone solely because i don't want to pay for any plans..but what has everyone found to be the cheapest method about going about cell phones?

You can buy pay-as-you-go phones, just pay for the phone (prices start at W40,000) and then pre-pay for useage, when the credit has gone put more money on. Simple.

[modernseoul]

Does anyone know if you can get a cellphone contract using the temporary ARC certificate?

Thanks :)

It depends on the store you visit, take a Korean speaker with you and you should be ok as long as you have a Bank Account and maybe your passport.

[modernseoul]

Recently heard that if you bundle your internet service with your cell phone that it is cheaper....any truth to this??

I looked into it, basically you have to sign up for at least 2 years but often 3. The savings are good but cancelling would be very very expensive. If you plan to stay for years to come go for it, otherwise don't bother.

[xiloa360]

Hi everyone,
I signed up for the 2 year KT iphone installment plan but I'm leaving a year early. Does anyone know the penalty fees? Do you think its worth buying the phone or handing it over for someone else to take over the contract.

[CDW]

Hi everyone,
I signed up for the 2 year KT iphone installment plan but I'm leaving a year early. Does anyone know the penalty fees? Do you think its worth buying the phone or handing it over for someone else to take over the contract.

I don't think there is a penalty fee in Korea. You have 50% of your contract left so you will have to pay 50% of the cost of the phone if you cancel.

[bobrocket]

I thought it was full price of the phone minus what you already paid.

[xiloa360]

Yes. I think it'll come to 450,000₩.
I just can't make up my mind on whether it's worth it or not.

[modernseoul]

Yes. I think it'll come to 450,000₩.
I just can't make up my mind on whether it's worth it or not.

You can try and find somebody else to take over your contact, also check to T & C of your contact as it should state the costs of finishing your contact early (if you can read Korean).

If you leave Korea without paying your bill/cancelling your contract, it maybe put onto your immigration record (happens 1/3times) which may affect you in the future if you wish to come back to Korea, mainly meaning you will be declined from getting another phone contact but nothing serious.

[mamaneek]

Thanks to WAYGOOK my HTC sensation is up and running in Korea! SO this is what I did....

When I first arrived in Korea the previous teacher before me was nice enough to give me her phone I used the phone in her name for approximately 3 weeks until I received my ARC. This was beneficial to both her and I because she would have had to pay a cancellation fee (due to the 2 year contract requirement) and I would have been without a phone for almost a month.

After receiving my ARC went to a local phone shop to convert the plan over in to my name.
Next I took my phone to an Olleh store, every store will not know what you are talking about when you tell mention registering the phone. The person in the store where I got the contract told my co-teacher that it was impossible Korea doesn't do that. But obviously he didn't know what he was talking about.

So I skipped on over to Olleh and the young lady behind the counter knew exactly what the deal was! She sent an email to see if the IMEI can be registered in the country. After it was approved she registered the phone and I signed a contract of some sort and I was on my merry way...but to my dismay neither the SMS or Data was working...

 Of course I went back and she didn't know what to do, but no worries...good 'ol WAYGOOK always has answers! I found a posting from Rilakuma about manually entering APN...worked like a charm. My phone is now up and running and things are looking up...thanks WAYGOOK (and by WAYGOOK I obviously mean the contributors) your a godsend : )

If anyone has any questions about the process feel free to message me.

[knottmich1]

Does anyone know how to check the phones balance for pay as you go phones?

[artwalknoon]

Does anyone know if its true that you can cancel your contract within 15 days of activating it/the start of your contract without having to pay anything except for services used thus far? I feel really ripped off with my contract and someone told me this policy exists in Korea. I know most if not all US smart phone contracts have this provision.

[modernseoul]

Does anyone know if its true that you can cancel your contract within 15 days of activating it/the start of your contract without having to pay anything except for services used thus far? I feel really ripped off with my contract and someone told me this policy exists in Korea. I know most if not all US smart phone contracts have this provision.

Phone your network provider, and also have somebody (maybe you) check the T&C's as they are normally in Korean to see if there is a clause.

What is the issue with your contact? Phone or Plan?

[artwalknoon]

Does anyone know if its true that you can cancel your contract within 15 days of activating it/the start of your contract without having to pay anything except for services used thus far? I feel really ripped off with my contract and someone told me this policy exists in Korea. I know most if not all US smart phone contracts have this provision.

Phone your network provider, and also have somebody (maybe you) check the T&C's as they are normally in Korean to see if there is a clause.

What is the issue with your contact? Phone or Plan?

Phone and plan. My phone is really complicated and I'm having trouble figuring out the interface. My plan is just bad. I feel like the sales people took advantage of the fact that my co-teacher isn't very savvy and I didn't understand anything that was being said.

I've been told I can have the phone replaced with another but the plan is another story. My co-teacher is looking into it for me. Oops, I also made a mistake earlier, most contracts allow you to replace the phone free of charge but not alter or cancel the contract free of charge.

[bobrocket]

Oops, I also made a mistake earlier, most contracts allow you to replace the phone free of charge but not alter or cancel the contract free of charge.

You can certainly change your contract plan, I changed my plan a few months into a contract (sk) to a cheaper data plan and there was no charge. The guy said I couldnt change until after the first bill was paid but after that I could change to any of the data plans.
The plan options are limited to the service your phone uses, if you have a 4g plan you wouldnt be able be able to change to a basic CDMA plan.

If their trying to charge you to change a plan then you might just be getting that special forgiener tax, the type where you want them to do something and they don't want to do because they don't get paid. If you dont want the work, a common business trick is to charge twice as much as everyone else, if they pay you, sweet, if they go elsewhere that's still ok.You'd be surprised at how many people just pay.

[DamienWyldeRyan]

How is it going? I am a loser sand smasher of phones!! how helpful is it to have a smart phone in korea because i have not yet jumped on the band wagon. Maybe just a sh!tty one will do...? pay as you go? any advice?

[nameproblem]

Hey, great thread for info, I should have checked it out months ago  :D

I have a strange question, I hope someone can help. When I got my ARC in October I began looking for a smartphone, but was overwhelmed by the 2/3 year contract options, and decided to get a cheap android. (WORST mistake I ever made ) The phone is constantly giving me problems, from randomly crashing, to not allowing me to answer calls.

My question, I've had the phone 6 months now, on LG U+ and have decided I'll pay fees if needed, if it's possible I can upgrade the phone to a galaxy S2, preferably stitching to SK or KT so I can use the phone in Ireland after. Has anyone done this before? Is is possible? Could www.mobileboo.com be a better option?

Details, I have my phone with LG U+ on a 2 year contract, as of yesterday it has been 6 months.
 
Cheers for any help!

edit!
I'm going to a phone shop tomorrow to see if they can help me, just posting here, to see if anyone has had similar experience, thoughts, input, advice?
Thanks

[JABU NXAU]

i have a basic phone and want to upgrade it to a smartphone is this possible and how much would the costs be?

[Littlefury]

I'm looking into getting a phone through mobileboo. Under the FAQS page, I see information about terminating a contract, but do they allow you to sell your plan to another foreigner if you leave after a year? Three weeks in entirely too soon for me to decide the length of my stay in Korea, after, of course, the initial year I signed on for.

Thanks!

Edited to add: I've also been a mac person most of my life, but I was thinking of branching out and getting the galaxy note. I mostly am attracted to the idea that it could be a more comfortable e-reader. Anyone have any experience with the Note? How ridiculous would I look making calls with that huge thing, haha?

[nameproblem]

Got sorted with my phone, I went to an Sk telecom shop, once 6 months of my original contract were up, I had to pay near 300000 off the old phone, and my new one will be expensive when I leave after only 7 months of the 36 month contract, but I#m happy with the phone, and it's worth it in my opinion...

[dhlumsden]

hey y'all,

maybe this is common knowledge, but i didnt know it.

if you have an at&t locked iphone (from the US) you can get it unlocked for free now by at&t, and can avoid jailbreaking and gevey sim issues.
provided the phone's contract was not broken, there's no balance owing on the account, and the phone is not lost or stolen, you can get it unlocked.
there's one catch.  up until late last month, anyone could do this.  now, however, it has to be someone with an existing at&t account.
However, it can be anyone.  so if you don't have an at&t account yourself, but know someone who does, they could unlock the phone for you with a short call to at&t.
they'll ask for the imei number, and sometimes for the previous number of the phone, as well as an email address.  this last item would be your own.
they contact apple, with an unlocking approval, and at&t sends you a message for when you can unlock your phone.
you plug it into itunes and update it, and pow, it's unlocked!

then your local provider here can give you a sim and the phone should work without a problem (as of may1st, 2012)

best of luck