lomatopo

Note that a lot of the internet-based text messaging applications can also be run on PCs.

There are decent Android smartphones available in all price ranges.

All internet-based text messaging applications run on a variety of platforms including Android and iOS.

There are ~ 1 billion people using internet-based text messaging.

Many service providers offer extremely low-cost mobile data plans designed specifically for internet-based text messaging.

There may be some internet-based text messaging < -- > SMS gateway service providers.

Traditional GSM SMS services are basically going the way of the telegram, albeit a lot more quickly.

who can connect to this?

Until it is launched it can only be used by internal users and a few select customers.

DTAC updated their web-based e-Services platform a while ago. Air-card users should be able to view and manage all details of their SIM/number/account.

http://www.dtac.co.th/en/postpaid/services/dtace-service.html

My payment, My Usage, Internet, View FuP Balance.

You may also be able to issue USSD commands from the UI for your air-card (may require a firmware update).

http://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/services/happynumber.html

They, in addition to TrueMove H and AIS, have great Android apps as well.

AFAIK, any/every top-up. regardless of amount, gives 30 days accumulated validity up to a maximum of 365 days.

I'm guessing you are not in Thailand?

Can you ask someone in Thailand to add value to your number?

https://droidsans.com/dtac-4g-network-coverage-show-up-on-web

300 LTE base-stations in metro-Bangkok as of today.

http://www.dtac.co.th/en/pressroom/news/4Gready.html

Maybe you should experiment with a TrueMove H, or AIS SIM (SIMs cost ~ 50 baht, and you can subscribe to a daily plan for another 49 baht).

DTAC continues to work well for me in metro-Bangkok, although I used to get 30 Mbps (down). Have you switched to Tri-NET? Gotten a new SIM? The MCC/MNC of 520-05 is DTN, aka: Tri-NET, the 2100 MHz subsidiary of DTAC, which may deliver service on 850 or 2100 MHz (3G).

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708991-sim-topup-validity-of-1-year-now-possible/

As of 18 March 2014 TrueMove H changed to a cumulative top-up scheme whereby each top-up adds 30 days up to a maximum of 365 days.

You can use free-standing top-up machines, which allow for top-ups of as little as 10 baht (with the 2 baht fee, 12 baht each, or 144 baht for 1 year), while other top-up channels might require more substantial individual top-ups (30 or 50 baht minimum?).

I did 12 top-ups for a friend, for 144 baht, he now has validity to ~ 360 days.

I am looking for a way for people that live in other parts of the world to be able to text me, not for me to text them.

OK, it always helps when people provide as much detail about their desired application, that way we don't make assumptions or offer advice which is not applicable.

Note that Line has ~ 350,000,000 users while WhatsApp! has over half a billion users. Maybe it's time to jump on board?

I'm not sure there is an easy, inexpensive way for you to originate international SMSes, and/or make it easy/cheap for others to send you/reply to your SMSes. There are some email <--> SMS gateways/services, but this would require your friends to originate an email - which gets delivered as an SMS to you, which from the sound of it, they might be challenged to do?

I too always assumed it was more about efficiency than hygiene. Each stand doesn't need to worry about having enough change, and customer transactions - other than queuing to add/redeem value - are sped up allowing more time for prep/serving.

For those switching from TOT DSL to TOT fiber, do you get to keep your fixed-line telephone number/service?

My gf was never x-rayed, neither was he. We found out later both of them had cracked bones, she has a cracked pelvis

How was the cracked pelvis determined?

Which hospital treated your GF?

Was she ever unconscious, even for a brief moment?

I would focus all your attention on her health; maybe try a different hospital, to get a complete assessment, and let her deal with Thai social issues.

You can check with Yahoo and GMail but fewer people are using true SMS these days, opting for apps. like Line, WhatsApp!, etc. And operators are closing, or have closed their original "open" gateways

If you have a Thai mobile, your service provider may offer some limited amount of free texts on-net (from/to using the same provider), which can be originated via a web interface. I know DTAC offers this free for the first 50 SMSes per month.

You may also be able to subscribe to some paid SMS services in Thailand, or with your mobile provider?

There are also bulk, paid SMS service providers which allow for PC originated SMSes, typically at a low cost; many have gateways in Thailand with operators here.

No.

While it is true that in some countries, some (but not all - this is more dependent on the actual data plan) operators charge extra for tethering/Mobile hot-spot - usually via a flat-fee for this "feature", but here in Thailand there is no extra fee, and operators do not care how you utilize your data quota.

Note that we do not pay for incoming calls or SMSes here in Thailand, as we do in the U.S. (calling party pays, and so does the called party).

is there a way to top up phones by buying a card

Yes, although scratch cards are not as popular as they once were; now you simply give your number - at gazillions of locations, like 7/11 - and cash, and receive a printed slip with the top-up PIN. Then enter a dial command followed by the PIN. There may be a "use-by" date, 3 months - 12 months, as there was with scratch cards, so check that in case you wanted to use these well into the future.

You will not have a problem finding a method to top-up your SIM with cash.

http://www.ais.co.th/12call/en/topup.html

http://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/services/happyrefill.html

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/topup

you should buy a new Android phone which supports 850 megahertz 3G.

These maps were updated last week (April 8, 2014) even though the titles say March.

http://internet.nectec.or.th/webstats/internetmap.current.iir?Sec=internetmap_current

Total domestic bandwidth: 1,675.265 Giga-bits per second (Gbps)

Total international bandwidth: 778.394 Giga-bits per second (Gbps)

Always a surprising ratio to me, I always expected it to be more like 7 or 8 to 1, rather than 2.15:1

they are all Android apps

I think I said as much?, albeit before you clarified your requirements.

No OS budget necessary

Lucky you.

These are quite popular with Thais and Android:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=apps.hyper.tv.thailand

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.makathon.tvthailand

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yasolution.thaitv

Okay, new plan!

I don't see any budget for an OS. Is that over/above the 10,000 baht goal?

What is your budget?

Do you require 3G?

If you have used it, found it to be acceptable and the price was right, what more do you need?

Things that usually get overlooked/under-budgeted:

a really good case: design/accessibility-cleaning/cooling

a really good PSU

a really good CPU cooler

testmy.net reports on ToT 25/5mbis fiber

Download :: 22 Mbps 2.7 MB/s Upload :: 4.6 Mbps 581 kB/s

testmy.net reports on True docsys 50/5mbis

Download :: 21.2 Mbps 2.7 MB/s Upload :: 4.5 Mbps 558 kB/s

Which server did you use? Singapore?

As more and more people transition to higher speed access methods here - price is not really the limiting factor - physical access is, and discover higher bandwidth applications, you should expect these numbers to decrease.

I suspect that much of the content desired by foreigners here will probably never migrate here, save local seedboxes.

ADSL, which is what 3BB used to deliver your service in Chiang Mai and Koh Samui, is much more standardized and interoperability between modems and serving equipment is rarely an issue these days.

The VDSL, which I didn't even realize True Online was still using after having experimented with it back in 2010 in a few buildings, in much less standardized, and has been more or less supplanted with FTTx and DOCSIS.

Your issue could be related to cabling as well, so make sure they verify the integrity of that or try another pair, in addition to replacing the modem and/or shelf card.