Data SIM: Seoul

Having access to a data network is more important than voice these days.  Especially when I have the "O50 Plus" (EN) IP telephony service from NTT Communications.

Googling revealed at least one prepaid SIM option in Korea; EG Sim  Even if they shipped to Japan, which they don't, activation is a bit of a hassle; as of March 2015, one can only activate it between 09:00 and 22:00 weekdays, and between 09:00 and 18:00 on weekends and holidays.  My recent flight to Seoul didn't arrive till after 22:00 so it was a no-go for me unless I would wait till the next morning.

An alternative was renting a WiFi router (aka, egg, dongle, pocket wifi.)  LG U+ Roaming seems to have a counter 24x7 counters and Incheon but the counter at Gimpo probably with gears from other telecoms closes at 23:00.  So, if my flight was delayed, or, if there were long lines for the immigration, I wouldn't make it.

I recalled reading from shimajiro@mobiler that there are at least 2 outfits in Japan that I can rent from.  I checked them out and decided to go with Global WiFi because it was cheaper though by a very small margin.

The application process was relatively painless (if you know Japanese.)  I paid ¥100 extra to have them courier the hardware to my home which was schedule to arrive and did one day prior to departure. They were running some kind of campaign for the ¥100 courier fee.  It's usually more expensive.  I could have picked it up at Haneda but I didn't want to rush.

As advertised, the package, arrived the day before my departure.  In the pouch, there was a USB charger suitable for Korean outlets, a short USB cable, and the LG U+ WiFi router model# ME-Y30K.  The charger was handy as I could use it as my phone charger too and I didn't need to bring my own.

I'd rented it for 3 days and the total cost came to ¥2,658 which I think it's around the same if I were to rent it in Korea.

Returning the package was easy too. I dropped it off at "Global Wifi" counter in the arrival level of Haneda.

Beware: I didn't test it but according to the literature which came with the package, voice-calling someone on Line is blocked in Korea. 

I'll probably use them again.