DTAC assures 430,000 cellphone users of no disruption of services after September 15 

By Thai PBS

 

 

DTAC assures it’s 430,000 mobile phone users that their services won’t be disrupted once it’s concession on the 1800 MHz and 850 MHz spectrums expire on September 15.

 

Assurance by DTAC came after the National Broadcasting and  Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)  notified DTAC about the concession expiry and advised the mobile phone operator to inform its  430,000 users on the 2G network to transfer to other two 3G and 4G networks on the 2100 MHz spectrum to maintain their services.

 

DTAC won the 2100 MHz spectrum bid in 2013 to operate 3G and 4G mobile phone services. Besides, in cooperation with  DTAC also operates 4G mobile phone service on the 2300 MHz spectrum in cooperation with the state-owned TOT Plc.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/dtac-assures-430000-cellphone-users-no-disruption-services-september-15/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-06-21

5 hours ago, webfact said:

DTAC assures it’s 430,000 mobile phone users that their services won’t be disrupted once it’s concession on the 1800 MHz and 850 MHz spectrums expire on September 15.

Only when its  430,000 users on the 2G network transfer to other two 3G and 4G networks on the 2100 MHz spectrum to maintain their services.

So if your phone doesn't do 3G , it's a big disruption .

2 hours ago, BuaBS said:

Only when its  430,000 users on the 2G network transfer to other two 3G and 4G networks on the 2100 MHz spectrum to maintain their services.

So if your phone doesn't do 3G , it's a big disruption .

People on 2G always have the option of reverting to carrier pigeon. You can buy a new phone from about 2000B up.  3G is fast enough for me.  Should get another few years out of that.

9 minutes ago, The Deerhunter said:

People on 2G always have the option of reverting to carrier pigeon. You can buy a new phone from about 2000B up.  3G is fast enough for me.  Should get another few years out of that.

...and if anybody wants a pigeon, I have about 8, flapping around and cooing all day; they're a pain in the backside!

 

They're free, but you'll need to arrange collection.

19 minutes ago, The Deerhunter said:

People on 2G always have the option of reverting to carrier pigeon. You can buy a new phone from about 2000B up.  3G is fast enough for me.  Should get another few years out of that.

Could you please explain "carrier pigeon". Is that a technical term are you suggesting we get birds to deliver our messages?

 

I have 2 DTac SIMs in 2G phones. This will be quite a bother if I have to buy 2 pigeons to keep on my balcony. I'll have to buy a lot of birdseed too. Perhaps DTac will provide birds and seed?

14 hours ago, Moti24 said:

...and if anybody wants a pigeon, I have about 8, flapping around and cooing all day; they're a pain in the backside!

 

They're free, but you'll need to arrange collection.

Nah.  All those pigeons will be dead or too old to eat before they cut 3G.  The thing is that they cant afford to keep all the old ones running a still bid cubic foot diamonds value for  new spectrums.  However,  Old Gen 1 & G2 do very well for burglar alarms & suchlike and there is always a market. Some other commercial users want the old bands without the clutter of phone use.

14 hours ago, tropo said:

Could you please explain "carrier pigeon". Is that a technical term are you suggesting we get birds to deliver our messages?

 

I have 2 DTac SIMs in 2G phones. This will be quite a bother if I have to buy 2 pigeons to keep on my balcony. I'll have to buy a lot of birdseed too. Perhaps DTac will provide birds and seed?

But think of all the ready available free guano, just over your garden and so handy to your balcony herb gardens.

2 hours ago, The Deerhunter said:

But think of all the ready available free guano, just over your garden and so handy to your balcony herb gardens.

LOL> I'll first have to get my self a garden and then plant herbs before I get the carrier pigeon.

 

But on a serious note, I have 3 SIM cards sitting in old "dumb phones" on my desk that I use to receive SMS's for banking etc. That's all I use them for. Cutting out GSM will mean I've got to go out and buy smartphones with features I don't require. Yes, I could probably try to consolidate my SIM's into one smartphone, but some of these numbers cannot be changed while I'm in Thailand, and if something goes wrong, I'm unable to transact with my offshore banks so I have the "leave well enough alone approach". These old phones date back to 2007 and 2005, so they owe me nothing.

 

Don't assume all people using "carrier pigeons" are idiots with outdated technology. 

 

Here's another one for you... My carry around cellphone is an old Nokia dumbphone that cost less than 1000 baht. Why? Well, my wife has an iPhone and we usually travel together, so if I need the Internet for anything, I use hers. Why waste money on 2 smartphones? I spend most of my day in front of a computer at home. I have no interest in checking out Thaivisa while I'm out and I HATE social media with a passion. I don't communicate on apps unless I absolutely have to. Secondly, I hate touch typing on a small touchscreen. As a touch typist, it's too frustrating and slow, especially if the keypad is so small I often hit the wrong letters.

1 hour ago, tropo said:

LOL> I'll first have to get my self a garden and then plant herbs before I get the carrier pigeon.

 

But on a serious note, I have 3 SIM cards sitting in old "dumb phones" on my desk that I use to receive SMS's for banking etc. That's all I use them for. Cutting out GSM will mean I've got to go out and buy smartphones with features I don't require. Yes, I could probably try to consolidate my SIM's into one smartphone, but some of these numbers cannot be changed while I'm in Thailand, and if something goes wrong, I'm unable to transact with my offshore banks so I have the "leave well enough alone approach". These old phones date back to 2007 and 2005, so they owe me nothing.

 

Don't assume all people using "carrier pigeons" are idiots with outdated technology. 

 

Here's another one for you... My carry around cellphone is an old Nokia dumbphone that cost less than 1000 baht. Why? Well, my wife has an iPhone and we usually travel together, so if I need the Internet for anything, I use hers. Why waste money on 2 smartphones? I spend most of my day in front of a computer at home. I have no interest in checking out Thaivisa while I'm out and I HATE social media with a passion. I don't communicate on apps unless I absolutely have to. Secondly, I hate touch typing on a small touchscreen. As a touch typist, it's too frustrating and slow, especially if the keypad is so small I often hit the wrong letters.

It is not the end of GSM.  That is a type of mobile phone system with a removable transportable SIM card. As opposed to CDMA where there is no removable SIM. I have friends with old phones that only go up to 2G but they proudly show me their 4G card thinking they have 4G.  They don't.  So the SIM cards are backwards compatible on many older phones but only with a new SIM card. I am not a TELCO expert but the way I read it many phones will still work but you might just need an new GSM SIM card with your old number on it.  I think a new card will communicate with the new band but as your phone does not have new bells and whistles it will.only communicate as a 2G.  Hope I have not put you wrong but I think that is right.

On second thoughts I think your phone will have to be at least 3G capable to receive 3G signals I.e. a 3G ariel or you may be up for a new phone.  But they start at 1xxx THB so you won't go bankrupt.

2 hours ago, The Deerhunter said:

It is not the end of GSM.  That is a type of mobile phone system with a removable transportable SIM card. As opposed to CDMA where there is no removable SIM. I have friends with old phones that only go up to 2G but they proudly show me their 4G card thinking they have 4G.  They don't.  So the SIM cards are backwards compatible on many older phones but only with a new SIM card. I am not a TELCO expert but the way I read it many phones will still work but you might just need an new GSM SIM card with your old number on it.  I think a new card will communicate with the new band but as your phone does not have new bells and whistles it will.only communicate as a 2G.  Hope I have not put you wrong but I think that is right.

On second thoughts I think your phone will have to be at least 3G capable to receive 3G signals I.e. a 3G ariel or you may be up for a new phone.  But they start at 1xxx THB so you won't go bankrupt.

Thanks for the info - I'll look into it. I had a problem with the AIS service back in 2015 on one of my 2G phones. They discontinued it back then. My phone was using the AIS network for international roaming for an overseas SIM ... so I had to put the SIM in a 3G phone, but I had an old non-smart Nokia phone.

 

I'll probably switch over to some cheap smartphone and be done with it... a dual SIM one. 

I think the interesting question here, is after DTAC ceases providing 2G service, what if any of the remaining carriers will still offer 2G service?

 

AIS told me recently that they no longer provide any 2G service, and DTAC will soon join. But I was told recently by True Move that they still provide 2G still on the 900 Mhz band. But if that info from True CS is correct and how long that will remain, I can't vouch.

 

In my case, all my phones are 4G. But, I have ONE phone where the 2nd SIM slot will only support 2G when the main SIM is using 3G or 4G. So that's heading toward making that phone's 2nd SIM slot here pretty much obsolete.

 

19 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I think the interesting question here, is after DTAC ceases providing 2G service, what if any of the remaining carriers will still offer 2G service?

 

AIS told me recently that they no longer provide any 2G service, and DTAC will soon join. But I was told recently by True Move that they still provide 2G still on the 900 Mhz band. But if that info from True CS is correct and how long that will remain, I can't vouch.

 

In my case, all my phones are 4G. But, I have ONE phone where the 2nd SIM slot will only support 2G when the main SIM is using 3G or 4G. So that's heading toward making that phone's 2nd SIM slot here pretty much obsolete.

 

 

They lied to you. All network SIMs currently work in my more than ten year old 2G phone. 

8 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I think the interesting question here, is after DTAC ceases providing 2G service, what if any of the remaining carriers will still offer 2G service?

 

AIS told me recently that they no longer provide any 2G service, and DTAC will soon join.  

 

 

AIS ceased providing 2G over 3 years ago.

24 minutes ago, tropo said:

AIS ceased providing 2G over 3 years ago.

8 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

 

They lied to you. All network SIMs currently work in my more than ten year old 2G phone. 

 

Seems we have some disagreement of facts here....

9 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Seems we have some disagreement of facts here....

I know for a fact that I had to visit an AIS service center in April 2015 to find out why my SIM wasn't working in my 2G phone. It was an overseas SIM that required the AIS network on roaming. That's when they informed me that their GSM network had been switched off and I had to switch the SIM to a 3G phone.

 

Maybe you have your old phones confused. The 3G phone I switched my card to is an 11-year-old (2007) Nokia Slide 6500 which supports EDGE, a pre-3G radio technology and is part of ITU's 3G definition. As it happened, it was a newer 6-year-old (2012) Nokia phone which didn't support the AIS network.

 

Not all old phones were created equal.  

I know what AIS told me lately, which is the same, that they no longer run a 2G network.

 

However, I was reading last night a bunch of stuff on DTAC and their looming loss of the bands that they currently operate their 2G service on due to an expiring concession deal.

 

And oddly, one of the measures that DTAC said could exist to accommodate its 433,000 subscribers still on 2G services would be roaming to AIS -- if the Thai government doesn't allow DTAC to continue using its existing frequences past September, because the planned auction for new concessions was just canceled due to no bidders.

 

So the subject and state of 2G here is confusing, to say the least.

 

Anything involving government regulation here is opaque at best. But from what I can gather, it seems like the chances of DTAC being able to continue their 2G services on their existing concession bands past their September expiry date are decent.

 

There was supposed to be a new auction for the 1800 Mhz band now being used by DTAC, but that was canceled just the other day because none of the three big mobile telcos were willing to bid. And under NBTC rules, in such a case, the existing provider normally gets to continue using the bands until some new concession is awarded, even after theirs has expired, but they have to turn over any profits to NBTC.

 

Had there been an auction and had DTAC lost, they could have been forced to really cease using the 1800 Mhz band by September. But since there now won't be an auction presumably for many months, DTAC may be able to stay on 1800 Mhz for who knows how long. The only rub is, now, the NBTC, perhaps pissed they got no bidders, is talking about seeking an Article 44 order from the PM to NOT allow DTAC to continue operating on 1800 Mhz past their expiry date. And who knows what might happen with that.

 

 

53 minutes ago, tropo said:

I know for a fact that I had to visit an AIS service center in April 2015 to find out why my SIM wasn't working in my 2G phone. It was an overseas SIM that required the AIS network on roaming. That's when they informed me that their GSM network had been switched off and I had to switch the SIM to a 3G phone.

 

Maybe you have your old phones confused. The 3G phone I switched my card to is an 11-year-old (2007) Nokia Slide 6500 which supports EDGE, a pre-3G radio technology and is part of ITU's 3G definition. As it happened, it was a newer 6-year-old (2012) Nokia phone which didn't support the AIS network.

 

Not all old phones were created equal.  

 

I'm going to have to refute your statement.

My phone is GSM only. Though only nine years old, as opposed to my initial thinking that it was ten. ?

It's in the phone and working normally, as usual.

In fact, I'm using it right now for a OTP.

 

 

 

6 minutes ago, KneeDeep said:

 

I'm going to have to refute your statement.

My phone is GSM only. Though only nine years old, as opposed to my initial thinking that it was ten. ?

It's in the phone and working normally, as usual.

In fact, I'm using it right now for a OTP.

 

 

 

(I didn't make a claim to refute... I explained the situation with my phones and used "maybe" for yours)

 

Well, isn't that interesting. Perhaps it's because I needed a 3G phone to receive international roaming through AIS. I have never used the AIS network directly. Let's see how my Dtac SIMs go after September.

 

 

24 minutes ago, tropo said:

Well, isn't that interesting. Perhaps it's because I needed a 3G phone to receive international roaming through AIS. I have never used the AIS network directly. Let's see how my Dtac SIMs go after September.

 

 

 

That could be, according to network agreements. Mine roams on DTAC.