will a US iphone5 work in south korea? will a south korean iPhone 5 work in the US?

I just bought my phone from a Verizon store without a contract for full price. I haven't activated it on any carrier in the US... If I just take the phone, as is, without contacting Verizon about anything, will the phone work in Korea?

Yes. Take it to an SKT service center or a KT global store and have the device registered in Korea as either a 4G phone if you want to use LTE or as a 3G phone if you want a cheaper unlimited data plan(this can be changed at a later date). At this time they will take out the Verizon sim and give it to you to hold on to and insert the carrier sim. You reverse the process when you go back to the US. (Note: you cannot use LG in korea as the CDMA antenna in the phone is incompatible with their network)

So just to clear this up because im still a little bit confused on this. I have an LG phone and the company im using from them is LG Uplus. I bought an iphone 5 a week ago online and its the Verizon one so its going to be unlocked when I recieve it. I want to switch the phone I have now and activate my iphone instead. Now the company im using sells the iphone 5 but I thought they were over priced so I bought my own. They told me that they dont have any nanosim cards for the 5 and I would have to get a SKT or KT one for it to work. So If I went to a SKT or KT store and bought a sim from them and went back to LG Uplus and they tried to activate it, its not going to work then? So did I pretty much waste my money on buying an iphone 5? Lol. Help pleaseeeee.

That is correct. You will not be able to use the Verizon phone on LG because the CDMA antenna are not compatible. Verizon and LG both use CDMA. Now you could change to skt or KT because they don't use CDMA or you could use the AT&T model. However, unless LG decides to offer. Nano sim you are S. O. L. On their network

I'm also a bit confused (sorry!) on which model iphone 5 I need to purchase as well...

I am currently stationed in Germany with an upcoming assignment to Korea (Yongsan) come May.

I have a buddy trying to pick me up a couple iphone 5's in the states right now...but there has been confusion on which model to purchase.

I had told him that I needed: Verizon CDMA A1429 (Unlocked)

Is this correct? I would get this one over the A1429 GSM model? There are 2 models of the A1429, correct?

I am just really confused on if I need the CDMA or GSM version of the A1429.....I will likely use KT or skt once in Korea, and would prefer to have LTE (will depend on the cost for my wife and I both)...

Thanks for any/all clarification!

Mike

mikebunting wrote:

I had told him that I needed: Verizon CDMA A1429 (Unlocked)

There is no such thing. The Verizon iPhone 5 is not truly "unlocked". There are known issues using some features on networks other than Verizon.

The A1429 GSM is not sold in the US at all. Only the A1429 CDMA and A1428 GSM are sold in the US.

How long will you be stationed in Korea? If you will have a 2 year (or longer) posting there, you may be best to just buy a phone in Korea with the understanding that it will be old and you'll want a new one anyway by the time you get new orders. You could then sell it to someone coming on post for them to use while they are there. If it will be less time, you may just want to get an unlocked phone (A1428 GSM) from the US that you can take with you. LTE is nice, but it's not all that and a bag of chips. In the real world, it may not end up making much difference to you.

It's not true. The Verizon model is completely factory unlocked. The discussion on this issue is dead. Look at the previous posts in this thread. There is actual photographic evidence of it working fine. To answer your question, after all of my research, I decided to go with the Verizon model as it is just the same as the international model only it includes a CDMA antenna for use on Verizon's network when I go home. You can buy either model the AT&T or the Verizon. The AT&T will not work at 4g speed, the Verizon will. Or as the previous post mentions you could buy the korean version here, but when you go home you will not be able to use LTE. no matter which version you buy you can use anywhere on 3G networks. I'm not sure about the unlocked nature of the AT&T model. For this reason, I would recommend Verizon off contract.

Thank you for a your posts. If you purchase the phone through a Verizon contract and then just suspend it for active duty military being stationed in Korea, does that phone still work the same as buying it without contract? I won't be cancelling the contract- just placing it on hold till I get back. I only have 7 mo left here and then am back to the states so I didn't want to purchase a phone for the full price.

Yes. Should be no problem.

I just got to Korea and I tried to get service w/ my iPhone 5 and I got connected w/ SKT and it was 3G and they said I was unable to get data b/c of frequency (whatever that means) can you help?

Well maybe,

1. Where is your phone from? (carrier)

2. By data, you mean you can get 3G but not 4G?

3. Did you go to a store or to an actual service center?

5. Do you or does anyone you know speak Hangul?

6. Where in Korea are you located?

1. I got my iPhone from Verizon.

2. I got 3G but I am unable to get internet

3. I went to a store in the BX and I went to one off base as well

4. I don't know anyone who speaks Hangul

5. Im stationed at Osan

Hope it helps

http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/

Verizon iPhone 5 are CDMA iPhones with GSM SIM port unlocked for non-US carriers. (See Model No.)

Therefore, all features including LTE, should work in Korea if you have Model A1429. Of course, carrier has to provide all services.

Okay,

First make sure that its just not a problem with data being turned off on your phone. Go to settings>general>cellular. Make sure data is on but LTE is off. If that doesn't work then what we have is a failure to communicate.

I can't believe that you would be the first person on base to deal with this but it's Korea so nothing surprises me anymore.

A Korean telecom has to register your phone in Korea for it to work. If you have voice then they probably have done this. There is no difference in frequency between your phone and the Korean one, so they are pouring the proverbial **** in your boots. I don't know how long you have been here but something I have observed is that Koreans give really good customer service. Friendly, quick, helpful, but if they don't know the answer to something that is outside the realm of usual they are quick to give an answer that it doesn't work or its not possible instead of let me find that out for you. This is where having a Korean speaker with you can be helpful. Now, where you are I would think they would be used to dealing with foreigners but I'm not sure. The only thing I can think of is that the phone registration is tied to your Alien registration card, and you guys don't have those. But I'm sure there is a rule for serving military. The bottom line is that you have to get them to follow the steps they would take as if they were setting up a Korean phone. This was a 5 minute process for me to do even before the iPhone was released here. I was told also at the time it wouldn't work. I, with the kind but firm help of my Korean wife, assured them it was possible and when they did it, it worked, has worked, and is still working now. Many of my coworkers have also brought phones from the states and no problems. If you can't get them to follow protocol your next best bet is to come into Seoul, go to a big service center where they often deal with foreigners and get it done. Find out what the rules are for you guys, there are a bunch of places around yongsan that do it. Lemme know how else I can help and thank you for your service!

Update: I heard that with KT Olleh, if you bring your iPhone 5 to Korea (Verizon model verision) it will work in Korea but it will only work with 3G Data service only not LTE. Can anyone help me i want to use LTE in Korea with my iPhone 5.