vB Easy Archive - Going to South Korea with SMT 5600

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Going to South Korea with SMT 5600
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Posted by: blufly89

Next month I will be going to Korea for about 3-4 weeks. I really would like to use my phone (AT&T Unlocked SMT 5600) while there. I have read about the internatl calling cards and sims but it gets too confusing. I also heard about Cingular's 3.99 Internatl calling plan, but not quite sure I want to go that route. I need something that is economical for incom/outgoin calls to the US for the small length of time I'll be there.
Can someone explain how do I use this, where to get it (internatl sims, c cards)?
Thanks

Posted by: Buck Wheat

I don't believe your 5600 will work in S Korea or Japan. As someone that roams regularly in other areas of the world, if you are going to be calling back to the US primarily or want your calls direct to your handset, roaming could be the way to go. A couple of caveats, it's expensive and your plan minutes don't count. Calls that go to your voicemail will be charged at the roaming rate, even if you don't answer. If you are going to do this and expect many calls, turn off your handset and check your voicemail a few times a day.

If you are going to be calling primarily within that area of the world, it's much less expensive to use local prepaid. Other areas of the world have done a much better job of offering prepaid plans to customers, particualrly Japan and S Korea. The availability of prepaid is pretty wide in most parts of the world usually less expensive than prepaid in the US for local calls in that region.

You can always rent a handset from someone over here and take it with you. The guys that Cingular suggest I've used a couple of times and thought they were expensive and had poor service.

Posted by: SpiralSlash

AFAIK there are no GSM networks in S. Korea, so you won't be able to use your 5600. (I think S. Korea is almost entirely CDMA...) I'd bet there are places in the airport that'd rent a handset to you...

Posted by: Foxbat121

South Korea and Japen are the two Asia countries don't have GSM network. SMT5600 is not exactly a phone to use outside North America because of the lack of 900MHz band support.