As a foreigner living in another country – be it Korea or Timbuktu – those little everyday necessities become a little more necessary, and the mobile phone is certainly up there in the top five list, along with foreign currency, a map, a dictionary and mosquito spray.
With around 1.1 million foreigners living in Korea’s major cities, you would expect the purchasing of mobile phones and contracts to be convenient and hassle free, however, until very recently this has not been the case.
52% of foreigners use pre-paid plans and although topping up of phone credit can be done just about anywhere, this statistic exposes the inflexible nature of the mobile phone contract in fitting with the sometimes short term and changeable lifestyle of foreigners or vistors.
Previously carriers have also required that foreigners produce a formal qualification of residential status, a deposit of 200,000 won ($168) and a Korean credit card – not things that are always immediately available at the start of relocation.
KT telecom, the second-largest mobile carrier in Korea has now realized that the won is where the waegooks (foreigners) are and has launched a “smart sponsor” program to help rectify the difficulty.
KT announced it will be opening six multi-lingual mobile phone centers in Korea’s capital Seoul, where foreigners can get access to good deals on mobile phones without having to present any formal documentation of their residential status or deposit fee.
This would allow expats to get connected as soon as they step off the plane and is an attractive feature for those who want to start networking from day one.
Also, there will be no obligation on foreigners to sign up for a fixed contract term, with users able to leave the service at anytime.
It’s the first time a carrier has implemented a program favoring the foreigner in Korea, and in a country where having a mobile phone has been likened to having oxygen, we hope that KT continues to make the acquisition of the mobile phone hassle free and that its competitors will soon follow suit.
