DTAC customer decline: Covid-19 and lack of tourists blamed

[webfact]

DTAC customer decline: Covid-19 and lack of tourists blamed

 

Image: Droidsans

 

Thai media Droidsans reported that mobile phone provider DTAC - one of Thailand's largest operators - had seen its customer base reduced to 18.8 million people in the second quarter of this year. 

 

The company had 28.4 million users in in the first quarter of 2016 but has mostly seen a steady decline since then. 

 

A brief resurgence towards the end of last year was dealt a hammer blow with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

But the situation has been made much worse because of the complete lack of tourists coming to Thailand.

 

Marketing chief Lih Ren How told the media that DTAC is the most popular provider with tourists ahead of rivals True and AIS.

 

Consequently DTAC was worst hit in this regard. 

 

He said that indices pointed to the fact that the existing customer base were happy with the service provided by the company and even showed a slight improvement in this regard. 

 

Source: Droidsans

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-07-29

 

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[Katipo]

There spotty service in rural areas might have something to do with it. At least that's the reason I changed back to AIS. No regrets.

[ukrules]

Tourism very small percent of GDP, they've been telling us that for years, so no problem, all will be well.

[PJPom]

I use DTAC and have traveled between Krabi and Kalasin in the last few years without any problems. All I ask is that it works at a reasonable speed for data and it is reliable, so far it does.

[tomazbodner]

DTAC has the lowest data speeds and lousiest coverage. These are 2 things they need to work on. And if they addressed both, I'd be moving back to them, and possibly so would many others.

 

But as long as Wifi Calling over your own internet is needed to make any calls, and data speed is in figures not seen since 2G due to nearly non-existing signal, they'll be suffering from users fleeing to other networks.

 

Which is sad as their support, packages and self-service app are outstanding.

[Burma Bill]

3 hours ago, Katipo said:

There spotty service in rural areas might have something to do with it. At least that's the reason I changed back to AIS. No regrets.

Same for me, but many years ago when I lived among mountains in rural Lanna. I had AIS with no problems for internet connection via my laptop and mobile phone but the Thai family did. They insisted on DTAC simply because as part of the promotion trying to compete with AIS at that time was a free mobile phone BUT after you had signed a monthly contract for billing - farang to pay! The reception was poor or non-existent and the family were forever complaining so I took the free phone back to DTAC and cancelled the contract. I will not elaborate any further other than to say I kept getting monthly "service" bills which were ignored. At that time, DTAC's business practices were dubious and I told them so!!

[khunPer]

Decline could partly also have to do with service level – I'm also a former DTAC-customer, but changed my last service a few years ago – the Covid-19 pandemic didn't begin before 2020, and hardly hit before start of second quarter...????

[thequietman]

Nope, cause yer signal is weak ass, in the countryside and in the villages.

 

Spend some money, to make money.

[NCC1701A]

I like the color green so AIS for me. 

 

Also works good everywhere. 

[soi3eddie]

I've had same DTAC number since 2004. I agree their covergare is spotty on fringes or extreme rural areas is weak or non-existent. A second SIM from AIS solves this problem when needed. It would be helpful to see graphs from the other main operators (AIS & True) over the same period as comparison. One thing for sure is that phone use has not declined so other than blip of covid, where are all the users?

[UncleMhee]

7 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

One thing for sure is that phone use has not declined so other than blip of covid, where are all the users?

China allegedly had a loss of users in the millions,  through undeclared Covid deaths. 

[salsajapan]

Maybe they should stop offering special prices for 6 months only and just sell 200 thb/month  unlimited data forever

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1174821-dtac-unlimited-internet-data-plan-12callais-unlimited-internet-data-plan-true-mobile-unlimited-internet-data-plan/

 

How idiots and greedy they all are ? so they just deserve to die !

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, Katipo said:

There spotty service in rural areas might have something to do with it. At least that's the reason I changed back to AIS. No regrets.

I've just changed to AIS from T.O.T... DTAC wasn't even in the running.

[tomazbodner]

You guys are complaining about spotty signal up in the sticks. I'm in center of Bangkok, only a couple of km from their headquarters. And the office where signal was near non existent was just one MRT stop away from their HQ. It is not only about signal upcountry. AIS actually had similar problems around 2010 - their signal around Ratchaprasong area was pathetic. I remember having bought 3G router from AIS at Central World just to find out it had no signal - at Central World tower. Had to keep the number for a year as I got 100 baht off router... Anyway - that was then. But AIS invested heavily into their network so it's night and day difference in Bangkok now.

DTAC should do the same (plus upcountry, where AIS already excelled before). But they are in inferior position - voice calling is dropping in usage, so their TriNet makes less and less sense, yet at the same time they are the only one of big telecoms that doesn't own an internet provider. AIS, True, CAT and TOT all provide fixed line internet as well and have their own gateways. DTAC doesn't. So taking over 3BB or something like that could be their shortcut back into the game.

 

What they need is better coverage and higher internet speeds. Without that, in ever more streaming addicted Thailand their customer base will only be going down.

Edited July 30, 2020 by tomazbodner
Added: (plus upcountry, where AIS already excelled before).

[asiacurious]

On 7/29/2020 at 9:32 AM, UncleMhee said:

China allegedly had a loss of users in the millions,  through undeclared Covid deaths. 

The ocean allegedly had a loss of fish in the millions too, through undeclared monsters in the sea.

 

???? +???? =