Talk:Using the Telephone

American cellphones CAN work in South Korea so long as they are unlocked for international use (call your provider to have international roaming added to your bill), and they use one of two systems. 3G 2100 (a GSM system) or CDMA. Sprint uses CDMA and T-Mobile has just launched 3G 2100 GSM signals in the U.S. They have 4 phones that will work in South Korea. Call your provider for further details as to their signal system and overseas coverage, but be forwarned, using an American Cellphone in Korea can be expensive. An internet search can net you a list of providers and the systems they use. There are also Dual Mode phones (Such as the Samsung W599 and W399) that will hold as many as 2 sim cards and utilize both GSM and CDMA signals, respectively. They are hard to get ahold of depending upon where you are. I had no luck and had to wait until T-Mobile launched their new system in the U.S. and made the phones available. Some Korean phones are unreliable, be cautious when getting one. My husband's prepaid cellphone (from the exchange no less) is extremely unreliable and sometimes takes up to 3 days to charge, shuts itself off during phonecalls, while being turned on, or even just setting on the table. Whichever way you wish to go with your cellphone, it's best to do the research and know what you're getting and what you're paying before you commit to it. Good Luck. :)