South Korea: SK Telecom Releases “Real WorldPhone”
The true age of global mobile communications has come, in which one mobile phone can be used for services anywhere in the world.
On September 13, SK Telecom and Samsung Electronics revealed that it would release a World Phone (model: SCH-V920) that supports CDMA, mobile communications technology used in Korea, GSM, used in Europe, and JCDMA used in Japan, making automatic roaming possible in 90 countries around the world. This is the first time in the world that a mobile phone has been released that allows automatic roaming all over the world including Japan.
“Real World Phone”, released by Samsung Electronics for SK Telecom, supports CDMA for automatic roaming in North America, Latin America and Asia where 800MHz spectrum is used as in Korea, as well as GSM with frequencies of 900, 1800MHz in Europe, CIS, Oceania, and even Japan’s JCDMA, and is a “World Phone” in the true sense.
In the past users could use their phones and numbers in North America, Latin America and Asia where the same CDMA technology is used, but now they can receive automatic roaming services in Europe and Japan, and the World Phone is expected to become an essential for businessmen who travel frequently to Japan and Europe.
Also, through the launch of World Phone, SMS messaging and receiving, and caller ID services are possible in GSM regions such as Europe. SK Telecom has revealed that a free demonstration event will be held until the end of October for outgoing SMS messages, which are KRW 460 per message (SMS reception and caller ID services currently free.)
Despite the fact that it is a phone that supports various mobile communications technology, it has adopted the currently popular slim slide style, and it is hoped that its functional attractiveness along with sophisticated design will be favorably received by consumers.
An “Anycall Translator” function has also been included, allowing translation of simple expressions in various situations into English, Japanese and Chinese in airports, hotels and stores. The phone also has functions most preferred by consumers, including a 1.3 million pixel camera, Nate Drive, MP3, and Bluetooth functions.
To celebrate the launch of World Phone, SK Telecom and Samsung Electronics will hold a “Two-Top Real World Phone Festival” from September 20 to October 31. Customers that purchase World Phone during the period are automatically entered, and among the winners 10 will receive airline tickets for a world tour, 20 the opportunity to visit Tokyo and Yokohama, a total of 100 receiving diverse prizes.
SK Telecom’s CEO Kim Shin-Bae remarked, “Among total departures, those leaving for Japan take up 20%, and thus it is highly significant to become the first in the world to release a World Phone that can cover Japan.”
Samsung Electronics Head of Information and Communications Lee Ki-Tae remarked “Samsung’s mobile phone with hi-tech functions and quality design will be a route through which people can communicate freely and conveniently anywhere in the world.”
“Real World Phones” are to be released through SK Telecom in four colors – “deep grey”, “double red”, “shiny silver”, “white” – and cost approximately KRW 500,000.
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Tags: Operators, Regional, Samsung, SK Telecom, South Korea
1. November 2006 at 21:26
If this phone is anything like the 3G+ phone from SK Telecom/Samsung Anycall, don’t buy it. 3G+ phone is supposed to roam almost everywhere in the world including China. Went to China on a biz trip and could not get any signal while my colleague using the automatic roaming from an old phone had no problem. Once back in Korea, I could not change the network setting because I had forgotten to set it while in China before departure. In Korea, where there is no 3G+ network, it should switch to the normal CDMA network but it does not. So while other people are talking on the phone, I am not getting any signal and therefore, not being able to make a call nor receive/send SMS. Of course brought up this issue on several occasion with SK Telecom and Samsung and they are busily blaming each other instead of solving the problem.
29. May 2008 at 01:07
I heard the phone was suppose to be pretty good. I would love to get my hands on one.
9. July 2008 at 23:32
dear sirs,
yes, one of your empoyees, mi-sun lee constantly haresses me by pretending to want to sell me sk services. i have the phone and email records to prove this. if not appropriate action is taken, i will be forced to seek satisfaction beyond your capabilities. mi-sun lee has threatened my well being by telling me that she has the power to disavow my credit rating with at&t cell phone service, if i do not comply with her wishes. she seems to want some sort of cyber relationship. dear sirs, i find this action upon mi-sun lee’s behavior atrocious and riduculous. please be advised, i am seeking legal advice concerning your responsibilities in this matter, internationally.
thank you, t c norris
17. January 2010 at 17:09
i want know about your pakege premium nuber and sms pakege plz contant me plz give me your testing number its my contact number 00919320721136 from india
ok thank you