Galaxy S3 - which one?

charlieharper

charlieharper

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Howzit guys.

I want to buy myself the Galaxy S3, but I see there is an LTE version and Non-LTE version.
https://shop.vodacom.co.za/shop/mob...iew=&selectedTab=&selectedPlanSkuId=sku120013

https://shop.vodacom.co.za/shop/mob...=mobile&menuKey=&skuId=sku450042&voucherCode=

But the thing is. I'm going to South Korea in a few weeks, for a while, and I know for a fact that Samsung products are MORE EXPENSIVE in Korea than in South Africa, surprising, but true!

Anyway, they use different frequency bands than SA -http://www.gsmarena.com/network-bands.php3?sCountry=KOREA

Which one should I buy?

What I'm basically trying to say, is that if the cheaper, Non-LTE version, will work in Korea, can I buy that one instead?
 
Last edited:
Ockie said:
The S3 LTE from Vodacom should work there as we use the same bands for 3G and LTE.

View attachment 38054
Click to expand...

Our LTE coverage isn't that great going by other threads here, apparently it only works in the major cities. So it might be great in Korea but you'd be stuffed when you get back.

The UMTS 2100 band is also supported by our phones (I9300), so I'd say go for that, the normal, non-LTE version.
 
The network is completely different over there, they use CDMA as opposed to our GSM. I went over in 2011 for a year, the phone I used here in SA didn't work there (I had enabled roaming with Vodacom before I went but it still didn't work where I lived in Nonsan, not far from Daejeon. If you're going to be in one of the major cities most of the time then it might work, I never tested this)

LTE may change things, but it seems like a bit of a gamble to me - I'd say buy one there!
 
TheLoot said:
The network is completely different over there, they use CDMA as opposed to our GSM. I went over in 2011 for a year, the phone I used here in SA didn't work there (I had enabled roaming with Vodacom before I went but it still didn't work where I lived in Nonsan, not far from Daejeon. If you're going to be in one of the major cities most of the time then it might work, I never tested this)

LTE may change things, but it seems like a bit of a gamble to me - I'd say buy one there!
Click to expand...

That is strange....the bands above that I posted was taken from GSMarena. Thought they only showed countries that have GSM networks.
 
TJ99 said:
Our LTE coverage isn't that great going by other threads here, apparently it only works in the major cities. So it might be great in Korea but you'd be stuffed when you get back.

The UMTS 2100 band is also supported by our phones (I9300), so I'd say go for that, the normal, non-LTE version.
Click to expand...

Vodacom only started rolling out LTE late last year. It will take a bit of time to get coverage that is on par with 3G
 
Ockie said:
That is strange....the bands above that I posted was taken from GSMarena. Thought they only showed countries that have GSM networks.
Click to expand...

Ja look I've seen another site also say that there is UMTS in South Korea; that must be in bigger cities / select areas but it's definitely not all over, or at least wasn't when I was there - that country changes at one hell of a pace.

@ronald911, whereabouts are you going in South Korea?
 
Ockie said:
That is strange....the bands above that I posted was taken from GSMarena. Thought they only showed countries that have GSM networks.
Click to expand...

They show all networks, the GSM in the name is only because they started out. But according to Wikipedia at least:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_industry_in_South_Korea

The 3 major networks use different standards, and only LG doesn't support HSPA. So just don't get an LG U Plus SIM card. SK Telecom uses HSPA, CDMA2000 and LTE.
 
Spoke to one of my dutch friends who's in Korea at the moment, and she bought her 3G only S3 in Belgium, and it works fine in Korea, so I guess it will work fine. Also, most of these phone are world phones these days, so it will be fine, as long as I don't use LGu+ as my provider.

:)
 
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