Comments on: No joy for foreign mobile phones

By: admin

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:37:39 +0000

@ Kazetrigger If you are on global roaming and your phone is WCDMA/HSDPA then you won’t have any problems getting on either SKT or KTF. Make sure to turn on 3G, some people forget to do so.

By: Kazetrigger

Kazetrigger — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:23:48 +0000

So, from what I understand here is that NO foreign phone will work on Korean networks unless the IMEI is registered. However, what if I’m on a Global Roaming service with one of their international SIM cards (i.e. Telestial, or OneSIM)? Will those be blocked, too? I asked the companies and they say their phones will work with their SIMs as long as it’s WCDMA/HSDPA 2100 compatible. Can someone clarify this?

By: admin

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:13:38 +0000

I wouldn’t count on your BB working in Seoul, not for technical reasons but if you look at previous posts here you’ll see that most carriers have a white list based on your IMEI for your phone to work with a local sim card

By: MiNO

MiNO — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:56:19 +0000

Hi guys,

I have Blackberry Bold (3G) unlocked Australian release.. Im heading over to Seoul soon and I know I can roam there…but data for me is $15 per meg… I heard that BB is available in Korea?… has anybody got a BB working over there? or does it have to be a Korean release?

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:07:39 +0000

Hi Tae-ahn Jahng

Apple got the MIC approval. They also over-ruled the location service law where KOREAN technology is required. KT announced that Iphone will be on sale 23 Oct. So… how do I tell the SK folks to register my unlocked US Iphone on the whitelist?

Somewhere I read that it is illegal for Korean operators to refuse phones to be registered if MIC provides approval.

Please email me at tik2you at gmail dot com. Better yet, post it here and everyone will thank you.

Thank you

By: Matthew Wilson

Matthew Wilson — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:56:06 +0000

Hi Jang TaeAhn,
I would be really interested in finding out more so I can use my iPhone 3Gs on SK I am a VP customer and pay them about Won400,000 each month but they refuse to connect me. Currently I can only use my 3Gs outside of Korea. Can you mail me at mwilson250574 AT gmail DOT com?
Thanks in advance
MW

By: Lyn

Lyn — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:55:23 +0000

tae-ahn jahng what ways are you able to use the iphone?? as of today here in korea there isn’t anyway to use any unlocked foreign phone in korea. i’ve tried many times at many different places to see if they are able to let me us my G1 on KTF, SKT or LG Tele’s network. not until the providers get rid of the SIM locks or the IMEI list foreigners are doomed with the crappy selection korea has…funny how a few years ago korea was top on the cellphone market game…now they are trying to play catch-up…

By: tae-ahn jahng

tae-ahn jahng — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 04:54:28 +0000

Sorry… Currently Korean providers keep IMEI whitelist (not blacklist) policy, you cannot use unless register your phones’s IMEI. But you may use your smartphone. Recently Korean EMC Lab certified Phone 3G and 3 Gs (http://www.koreaemc.com/home.asp) by request of Apple. Thus there are ways of using iphone. For more detail email to me.

By: Pete

Pete — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:28:12 +0000

I purchased an iPhone 3GS on my last trip to the US, unlocked it, put in my Korea SIM and was very disappointed. With my US or Japan SIM I can roam the iPhone here, it just won’t register with my SKT SIM. I’m trying to talk the SKT folks into registering my phone but so far no luck.

Providers here have controlled the content forever, the don’t want to give that up as a revenue source.

Also with some of the old “National Security” laws I’m sure they want close control of what and who can make wireless calls. There use to be a law against an individual owning a two-way radio, don’t know if that still exists or not. Seems with international roaming allowed now that the SIM lock is a little ridiculous. Lock the Phone to your SIM ok, protect your special pricing etc on that but if I have an unlocked phone why can’t I use it if I purchase your SIM and/or phone? Just doesn’t make sense……

By: Stafford

Stafford — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:22:42 +0000

So IMEI numbers are blocked. Ergo there is a database somewhere in the depths of SKTelecom, or a line of code that excludes a range of numbers that could be altered.

Surely it’s a matter of changing a tiny number somewhere on the network.

Arrrrgh!

It’s not like SKTelecom aren’t going to get money off me from calls and their overcharging for Data use.

What possible rationale is there for blocking foreign handsets!!!!!?????

Although did you notice on your Korean handset there is no mention of an IMEI?