AIS TV to Drop Many Western Channels Like HBO Channels Effective March 2020

[Pib]

If True was getting back HBO they would have publicly announced it already...would have been blasted all over new media.  When True and HBO parted ways several years ago, AIS almost immediately announced they had signed with HBO.  Plus, once True dropped HBO they announced they will now concentrate more of True-developed local/Thailand programming.     

 

And I just can't see paying approx Bt1500/month for a True gold/platinum TV package whose channel lineup quantity/quality wise is very similar to the new AISPlay Premium Plus TV package at Bt299/month....5 fold cheaper than True.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Pib

[BestB]

9 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I'm not sure about HBO and can't check at the moment as I'm not at home in Thailand. But surely all or most movies are available to download for free from a torrent site. So I'm told ????. I'm no longer recommending the service I use to anyone after one person I contacted became abusive to me and the provider after i gave him the contact info. I don't need that, and nor does he. Sorry.

They do not have HBO and have not had it for years. Can check online   On their website have channel line up

[BestB]

10 minutes ago, Pib said:

If True was getting back HBO they would have publicly announced it already...would have been blasted all over new media.  When True and HBO parted ways several years ago, AIS almost immediately announced they had signed with HBO.  Plus, once True dropped HBO they announced they will now concentrate more of True-developed local/Thailand programming.     

 

And I just can't see paying approx Bt1500/month for a True gold/platinum TV package whose channel lineup quantity/quality wise is very similar to the new AISPlay Premium Plus TV package at Bt299/month....5 fold cheaper than True.

For existing customers, AIS is giving premium package free for 1 year , but if you want an upgrade to 1 movie channel and few more crappy channels , it’s extra 100 baht per month. 
 

personally. I have signed up with Netflix 

[Susco]

9 minutes ago, BestB said:

They do not have HBO and have not had it for years. Can check online   On their website have channel line up

Barry was talking about the IPTV service he uses, and for which I inquired, not True visions.

 

That said, I can understand his comment about the previous member he referred to being abusive, as i notice from his posts in this thread that that guy suffers from a serious mental condition.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Susco

[Pib]

16 minutes ago, BestB said:

For existing customers, AIS is giving premium package free for 1 year , but if you want an upgrade to 1 movie channel and few more crappy channels , it’s extra 100 baht per month. 
 

personally. I have signed up with Netflix 

Still 5 fold cheaper than True's crappy gold/platinum package.

http://www.ais.co.th/playpremium/

[DannyCarlton]

7 minutes ago, BestB said:

For existing customers, AIS is giving premium package free for 1 year , but if you want an upgrade to 1 movie channel and few more crappy channels , it’s extra 100 baht per month. 
 

personally. I have signed up with Netflix 

I changed from True to AIS around six months ago. With true I had cable internet wich was regularly dropping out, 1 premium box and one family box, 2300 baht. With AIS I have 3 premium boxes, all with Netflix, fast fibre internet which has only dropped out once all for 1600 baht + 400 baht Netflix. 300 baht saving and a much better service. Looking forward to the free premium package for one year.

[SooKee]

On 2/26/2020 at 11:04 AM, Pib said:

Still 5 fold cheaper than True's crappy gold/platinum package.

http://www.ais.co.th/playpremium/

I'm no fan of True for sure but the AIS channel line up now is pretty rubbish  Their so called Premium package is primarily the Thai channels.  They advertise 16 premium channels going including 2 news channels, National Geo, Cinemax and all the HBO content and announce a Premium Plus (seriously??) package with a couple of really crappy movie channels like HooQ (a really old catalogue of mostly junk Asian series and cartoons that hasn't been added to in a long time) and a couple of 3rd rate documentary channels.  For sure the True package is absolutely exorbitant at the prices they charge but the only benefit of the AIS package now is that it's cheaper.

 

As someone who merely wants to watch TV by picking up a remote and turning it on, without having mess around with torrents, boxes and IPTV services, I hope HBO have something planned to provide their channels here.  Their own app like Netflix would be ideal then you wouldn't be tied to any one provider, a fact that I'm sure isn't lost on them. No blazing announcements from True so it doesn't look like HBO is returning to them, about the only thing that MIGHT have tempted me to go back to them.

[arkom]

I emailed HBO Asia when AIS announce they were dropping HBO asking them to consider launching HBO GO in as a stand-alone service like Netflix.

 

They actually replied a couple days ago saying they would make surprise announcement for Thailand soon.

So my guess is that we’re getting HBO GO as a stand-alone without have to subscribe to True or AIS.

Edited March 8, 2020 by arkom

[SooKee]

25 minutes ago, arkom said:

I emailed HBO Asia when AIS announce they were dropping HBO asking them to consider launching HBO GO in as a stand-alone service like Netflix.

 

They actually replied a couple days ago saying they would make surprise announcement for Thailand soon.

So my guess is that we’re getting HBO GO as a stand-alone without have to subscribe to True or AIS.

After the 12th if we're lucky.  Need to wait for the contract to expire I guess.  Fingers crossed, a solution not tied to any one internet provider would be ideal.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, arkom said:

I emailed HBO Asia when AIS announce they were dropping HBO asking them to consider launching HBO GO in as a stand-alone service like Netflix.

 

They actually replied a couple days ago saying they would make surprise announcement for Thailand soon.

So my guess is that we’re getting HBO GO as a stand-alone without have to subscribe to True or AIS.

Could be, but that would go against their current business model where their service is only offered thru local cable operators....and they still only list AIS as the Thailand provider.  Below is from the HBO Asia website.

 

https://hboasia.com/HBO/en-th/about/faqs

[Pib]

On 2/5/2020 at 4:12 PM, worgeordie said:

Go to 123tvnow.com  or ustvgo.tv  and you can get most of

those channels for free ,and they work very well,for me anyway.

regards worgeordie

In addition to above Pluto TV is pretty good....TV shows and movies....it's free....streams in HD....much, much clearer picture (amazingly sharp...just like a local TV connection) than above TV webpages....but you need to use a VPN US IP address for Pluto TV.  Android TV also has a PlutoTV app on Google Play that works like a charm...that what I use on my Nvidia Shield box. 

https://pluto.tv/

 

I had reported earlier when first started using ustvgo.tv I could view it without a VPN US IP address/connection....that is, just a Thailand IP address.  But a couple weeks ago I no longer could on my Windows computer unless using a VPN US IP connection, but it still worked with a Thailand IP address on my Shield box for about another week and then a VPN US IP address was also needed.  

 

But the 123tvnow.com still works without a VPN connection.

 

I'm on an AIS Fibre internet plan.

 

Edit: With PlutoTV it also recommends you activate with them....they do it in a unobtrusive way...it doesn't affect you ability to view PlutoTV.  Apparently activation just allows you to use your smartphone as a remote and edit channel lineup. 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by Pib

[SooKee]

On 3/8/2020 at 7:17 PM, Pib said:

Could be, but that would go against their current business model where their service is only offered thru local cable operators....and they still only list AIS as the Thailand provider.  Below is from the HBO Asia website.

 

https://hboasia.com/HBO/en-th/about/faqs

Looks like it's 3BB then.  I'm thought you'd need to be a 3BB customer to get it.  Certainly wasn't planning to switch for just HBO though, next year they may change again.

 

https://www.hbo.3bb.co.th/?lang=en

 

However I also found this article suggesting HBO will have an app on the Play Store from where it can be downloaded and subscribed to for THB 149 pm.  That would be the ideal solution for me.  The change is set for 30 March so I'm guessing the app will be available after then, will keep a look out for it.

 

https://tbivision.com/2020/03/09/hbo-go-finds-new-home-with-3bb-in-thailand/

 

 

Edited March 10, 2020 by SooKee

[Pib]

True to AIS to 3BB.  HBO Go must be a hot potato for Thai ISPs. 

 

And also a standalone app.   Maybe the standalone app will include an Android "TV" version vs just a regular Android version.   And it would be nice if the standalone app would work on a AIS Playbox (Android box)....but unfortunately, AIS neutered their Playbox to only allow AIS-provided apps done via firmware update.

[SooKee]

6 hours ago, Pib said:

True to AIS to 3BB.  HBO Go must be a hot potato for Thai ISPs. 

 

And also a standalone app.   Maybe the standalone app will include an Android "TV" version vs just a regular Android version.   And it would be nice if the standalone app would work on a AIS Playbox (Android box)....but unfortunately, AIS neutered their Playbox to only allow AIS-provided apps done via firmware update.

Hoping there will be an Android TV version too but even if there isn't it won't be a big problem to side load it though I find you often need an air-mouse for side loaded versions since they aren't optimised for left/ right / up / down / select operation.

[Pib]

In my opening post I included below snapshot from the AIS website identifying the channels that would replaced the channels they are dropping.  The two I circled below are separate movie/TV add-ons or apps which would be provided for free as part of compensation...both of which would normally cost a little over Bt100/month.  HOOQ is integrated right into the AIS Playbox menu but the VIU (Korean movies and TV shows) is a separate website and/or app you must use. 

 

One the first day of the switchover I got a SMS from AIS saying to use the link in the SMS to register for VIU.   Basically you go to the link, enter your AIS internet number, you are suppose to get a security code sent to the phone number you have on file with your AIS acct, and then you complete the registration.  Wouldn't work for me....always said my AIS internet number was invalid.  Contacted AIS via online trouble report four times over the next three weeks...got several calls from them....each time was they could not fine any problem or problem referred to their AIS VIU team or it should work for you.  Blah, blah, blah.   Then approx 3 weeks into my current billing month I get another AIS SMS with weblink to accomplish VIU registration....this time I was able to complete verification....they finally got it fixed after all the blah...blah...blah.  Now have VIU but it took them three weeks to get it fixed for my acct.

 

Now in my first trouble report to AIS it was actually a report saying HOOQ didn't work properly either....most movies/shows within HOOQ was asking me to register/pay a monthly fee...but I was already suppose to be automatically registered by AIS in order to watch HOOQ for free on the AIS Playbox.   I had this problem a couple years ago also when HOOQ was being provided free as part of the package I was on....before it took them around two weeks to fix the problem.  But this time, they were able to fix the HOOQ problem in approx 3 days....but then took weeks and weeks more to get the VIU problem fixed.   

 

But on 6 Apr I get an AIS SMS announcing  HOOQ will go away...it says: "Please be informed that HOOQ provider is closing down its service.  You can enjoy movies, series, cartoons via AIS Playbox until about 13 Apr 2020. You can still enjoy entertainment content via AIS Playbox normally.  Thank you for using the service."

 

So, above reads as HOOQ is closing down...and some googling confirms HOOQ is going out of business.  

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2020 by Pib

[SooKee]

HooQ was pretty <deleted> anyway IMO, most of what they had that wasn't cartoons or just plain junk was really dated.  I stick with AIS (and their laughably described) Premium Plus merely for the Fox Movie channels in addition to the Thai channels and Fox Thai etc. and took out a subscription to HBO for their movie channels and HBO Go via the Android app which I just 'cast' to the TV.  Ended up being cheaper overall. Far easier to see the programme schedule with the HBO app too vs the garbage Playbox schedule.

[fondue zoo]

Is it possible to replace the AIS Playbox with another third-party box and then add their App/Service?  I miss having access to third party apps ever since they neutered the Playbox.

[BestB]

On 4/10/2020 at 7:39 AM, SooKee said:

HooQ was pretty <deleted> anyway IMO, most of what they had that wasn't cartoons or just plain junk was really dated.  I stick with AIS (and their laughably described) Premium Plus merely for the Fox Movie channels in addition to the Thai channels and Fox Thai etc. and took out a subscription to HBO for their movie channels and HBO Go via the Android app which I just 'cast' to the TV.  Ended up being cheaper overall. Far easier to see the programme schedule with the HBO app too vs the garbage Playbox schedule.

What I do not understand is why AIS has not added HBO go app to their box where people could purchase it , they could easily run it through their system by adding 20 baht charge on top and not be in any breach 

 

just an app downloaded through their box and charged to your account