Hi all,

Will be heading back to Osan for my fourth tour this month. I am trying to remember what the deal with cell phones is. Last time I was there (2003) you could buy a sim card and top up cards as required. What I want to know if I should buy a smart phone (Treo, etc) here in the states prior to getting there. Any advice? Thanks. Can't wait to see how things have changed, first tour was in 1995, 2nd was 1997, 3rd was 2001-2003. Now another 2 yr tour coming up. Going to be fun. Laters all.

Mike
(yes, another Mike)

Hey "another Mike" I'm not sure about the sim cards or smart phones? But you can get just about anything here now. Phone cards are cheap to the U.S. I have a contract phone (pay monthly) has 400 minutes for $30 a month.

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They must find it difficult...

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I wouldn't buy a phone in the states... the phones in the states typically don't use the same protocol as phones in Korea do. I think they're using next gen cdma protocol as opposed to tdma/gsm. So just get a phone when you get here... plus you can always pick up a phone here that can be used in the states.

Bob is correct. When I bought my cell phone through T-Mobile, only 1-2 cell phones out of 40+ worked outside the US in Korea or Japan. They were also the most expensive. You can pick up a CHEAP used cell phone near the base or through a GI that is leaving. Check out the classifieds, there are usually some good ones in there.

Oh yeah, welcome to the site!

Mike

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is has to be a CDMA phone and only sprint and one other group uses CDMA (i think it might be nextel which would just make sences)

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HELP !!! PLEASE !!!!
im going to korea in november. can i use US cdma unlocked phone in korea just buying a preapaid sim card with korean number??? thanks for any advice.

I was told that the problem with an unlocked phone is getting the ESN number programmed into the carriers database. It is theoretically possible, but you need to locate one of two things to make it work.

1. A person working at a local phone store that has the skill and willingness to help you out, plus the access to insert your phone into their database.

2. A person that can help locate #1 or has the software and equipment to reflash the phone himself.

so i'll better buy a used one in seoul. this time i'll be there only a week. can u gimie advice how a newbie can find a used cell phone near the airport. i'm going to visit korea a few times so imgonna really need this phone later on. thanks

just rent a phone for a short term visit... or hit the thrift shop and grab a pre-paid phone...

where can i find a thrift shop in seoul? i think i could use a korean phone in the future.