Wifi & Phone Numbers

Before coming to Korea I was told that Wifi is practically everywhere and you will always get Internet access. After coming to Korea I found out that this was partly true.

You see, in order to have almost constant access to Wifi and internet around Seoul you need to have a Korean phone number (SIM card). Otherwise, you're just going to have to rely on free Wifi that is available (and works smoothly) almost half the time, e.g. 'iptime' and 'SeoulWifi'.

Now let's talk about mobile networks, SIM cards and obtaining one in order to get the full experience of the networked Seoul.

Each SIM card uses different phone networks, there are 3 networks in Korea using the following Wifi that could be commonly found almost everywhere:

• SKT (SK Telecom) offers T Wifi
• KTF (Korea Telcom Freetel) offers Olleh Wifi
• LGT (LG Telecom) offers U+ Wifi

Mobile network stores could be found very easily throughout Seoul, so it's not hard to find a place to set up one. It's just the case of researching on prices and being able to communicate with the person over the counter.

However, what I would recommend as the cheapest, (perhaps) easiest, and foreigner friendly SIM card is EG Sim Card - a SIM card company specialised just for foreigners. Before coming to Korea, my friend who came for the KU ISC (Interational Summer Campus) before I came recommended this to me to be the best deal. 16,500won a month for 1GB internet (around £10)!
You can also opt for 500mb internet if you're not a heavy internet user, but I don't really recommend that. Just being in Korea makes you want to keep your internet on constantly and use it more because:

1. It's actually fast (I don't know how I'm going to cope with the slow mobile internet when I get back to England)
2. The main method of communication is through Kakato Talk messaging and phone calls - done through internet connection
3. Sometimes Wifi access can be unstable or unavailable - EG Sim Card utilises the KTF network meaning users can use Olleh Wifi.

Trust me, in Korea you are not likely to actually make calls and texts to people through the tradtional methods of numbers and mobile networks. Everyone in Korea has Kakao Talk. You contact your KUBA buddies and group on Kakao Talk. The only time you would use the traditional calls and texts is if you didn't have Wifi access, low on data allowance, and you urgently needed someone to reply immediately who wasn't answering to your KKT messages.

However, there are some things that you need to take note of:

1. Make sure your phone is unlocked
2. Make sure your phone can work in Korea (quadband supported phones)

Advantages of EG SIM for foreigners:

1. You aren't tied to a contract for it's a PAYG SIM
2. The website is in English
3. The staff members know English (to an extent)
4. You can contact them on their Facebook page to ask questions (takes them 1-2 days to answer)
5. You can pay with your home bank card. 
6. There is a free downloadable app to check your balance and manage your account

Disadvantages of EG SIM for foreigners:

1. You can ONLY pay ONLINE with FOREIGN CARDS - they do not accept your KU Hana Bank/ID card. I tried and asked.
2. From personal experience, for some bizarre reason you cannot receive calls from abroad
3. Neither can you make international calls
4. Once you select a data plan when registering (100mb, 500mb, 1GB) you are stuck paying for that amount in order to get internet access, you cannot switch from 1GB to 500mb the month after.
5. Paying for 100mb won't give you Olleh Wifi access (then again how could you survive on 100mb)

The solution to the 'foreign cards only' policy is to visit a convenience store such as GS25, 7-11, or CVS and pay for an EG top-up number. However, at these places you can only top up by 10,000won, 30,000won, or 50,000won.
Awkward top up amounts I know, but you can just buy 2x 10,000won top up numbers to get enough for 1GB, plus 3,500won for calls and texts (not that you would use it much pft).

How I ask to top up:

1. "EG SIM cardeu chungjonhae isseoyo?" (Is there EG SIM card top up?)
2. Show them the home page of the EG SIM app (EG SIM logo) if they look confused - they usually know once you show them this
3. To select 2x 10,000won top up: "man-won chungjonhae du-ge juseyo" 

UPDATE

As of early 2014 the top up method has changed for EG SIM card in convenience stores such as GS25, 7-11, and CVS.
At the till, all you have to do now is request for an EG SIM card top up, and state whatever amount you want to top it up with. You are no longer restricted to topping up by 10,000, 30,000, and 50,000. You can top up with just 20,000₩ - I have yet to try other amounts like 15,000₩ etc. 
You will then be requested to tap in your phone number at the till (a touchpad at the desk), meaning the system will know what account to apply the money to (without you having to manually input a top up number afterwards).
And you're pretty much done then. Go onto your app (or the website), and transfer the amount you just topped up, which automatically goes to voice balance, to data balance.

1. "EG SIM cardeu chungjonhae isseoyo?" (Is there EG SIM card top up?)
2. Show them the home page of the EG SIM app (EG SIM logo) if they look confused - they usually know once you show them this
3. To select 20,000₩ top up: "ee-man-won chungjonhae juseyo" 
4. To select 10,000₩ top up: "man-won chungjonhae juseyo"

KU also helps foreign students set up a SIM card during the orientation week but from what I've seen people can't access Wifi very well in comparison.