Edge (egprs) For Ais One-2-call (or Should I Switch To Another Provider?)

[jfxberns]

I am looking for information on how to (or if I can get) EDGE (EGPRS) service for my phone; I have AIS One-2Call.

Of course I looked at the AIS / One-2-Call websites and, as can be expected, the site is a Falsh monstrosity: pretty, noisy, blinky and totally useless for finding any information. (Why are there so many websites like that?) If somebody has a link to something in English--I would love to see it.

Also, any experience with EDGE services in Thailland?

Is AIS the way to go for EDGE--or is it worth getting another SIM for another mobile provider?

[nullx8]

best experiences with edge and speed AND Service i had so far with Dtac ..

they offering for prepaid 41 baht per day (24 hours) or 266 baht per week ...

or 999 baht monthly flat (requires contract)

i tested just today all providers ...

DTAC is still the best one (in BKK)

outside bkk is ais still better .. and abit cheaper as dtac ..

the highspeed provider True .. is totally out of range ..

EDGE Shows everywhere ... speed to compare with deliver data by floppy discs ;-)

Edited May 7, 2007 by altf4

[monty]

All your questions answered in the attached file!

GPRS_Tariffs.pdf

[nikster]

Forget DTAC outside of BKK. Even on the outskirts of BKK I was unable to get an EDGE connection.

In Chiang Mai, there's one (1) DTAC tower with EDGE.

AIS, on the other hand, has EDGE pretty much all over Thailand.

Not that EDGE is so great - but it does beat out GPRS by a fair margin...

[uk_falang]

DTAC edge pisses all over AIS. DTAC coverage is also pretty good these days. IF you want to use mainly from home you should first see if EDGE is avaiable at your house, most phones or air cards that support edge will have a different logo for edge to gprs.

you dont need a contract. Use a pre pay sim, call DTAC call centre and buy 7 days GPRS package for abot 260 baht. You just need enought credit on the sim to buy the package. Be careful through when the package runs out after 7 days it will start using your sim card balance at a very high rate. Try to remember when your package runs out (after 7 days) and dont leave much credit on your SIM. - actually it can run into a negative balance.

Be careful if you desicde to go with a dtac contract - they have reputation for charging you for things you didnt order and for calls you didnt make. Once i went home to the UK, DTAC sim on my pocket - while I was away I apparently spent 1400+ baht calling my friends (the numbers I usually call when in Thailand). DTAC said someone must have cloned my SIM, - so apparently someone with the same friends as me cloned my sim and called them all many times. Also i got billed for a load of MMS messages I never made.

[TopDogger]

AIS is up and down like a yoyo, sometimes it works real well... Other times, its impossible to use. Havn't tried DTAC yet.

[monty]

Same experience!

Edge coverage of AIS is pretty good, with Dtac in Pattaya, if moving around it's constantly switching from Edge to GPRS and back, so a lot of their towers are not Edge capable yet.

AIS is indeed like a yoyo, when it's working properly it's faster then Dtac by a big margin, but it can also grind to a complete halt.

Dtac is also expensive at over 1000 Baht/month. No problem if you use it a lot, but if using only 1 hour a day it would only cost 200 or so Baht/month on AIS! Even 4 hours/day would only set you back 350 Baht/month with AIS, and currently they are throwing an additional 40 hours/month in for free...

My solution is to have my AIS pre paid simcard as my main access, and a Dtac pre-paid sim as back-up.

If you check this thread you'll see the Dtac simcard will cost you absolutely nothing for a whole year, apart from the minutes you use it when AIS is not working properly (billed at 1 Baht/minute)

[jfxberns]

WOW!

A fantastic rundown. Great information. The PDF was brilliant.

This is just what I needed to know to get working on the road.

Thanks to all that contributed.

[lomatopo]

Pre-paid 1-2-Call customers, using their mobile phone's GPRS/EDGE modem, can access GPRS/EDGE on-the-fly for 1 baht/min., or can sign up for a monthly recurring package:

3 hrs 30 baht

6 hrs 50 baht

20 hrs 100 baht

100 hrs 350 baht

unlimited 999 baht

exclusive of 7% VAT

Call 1175, press 2 to speak with an English-language CSR or dial *138 to register for a monthly package.

Most of the information in the PDF seemed targeted at NetSIM users.

[Tywais]

Most of the information in the PDF seemed targeted at NetSIM users.

What's the difference between using 1-2-call and NetSIM cards for GPRS/EDGE?

[lomatopo]

Most of the information in the PDF seemed targeted at NetSIM users.

What's the difference between using 1-2-call and NetSIM cards for GPRS/EDGE?

I'm not 100% certain but I believe a NetSIM is a 1-2-Call/AIS-branded dedicated GPRS-only SIM card for use in a PC-Card/USB carrier.

I was referring to using a pre-paid 1-2-Call SIM in a GPRS/EDGE-capable mobile phone, connected to a PC (via IrDA, Bluetooth, USB/serial cable) which acts as a dial-up modem. With this solution I do not belive one can make/receive voice calls without terminating the GPRS session. So a second data-only SIM makes sense for some users.

[Tywais]

I'm not 100% certain but I believe a NetSIM is a 1-2-Call/AIS-branded dedicated GPRS-only SIM card for use in a PC-Card/USB carrier.

I was referring to using a pre-paid 1-2-Call SIM in a GPRS/EDGE-capable mobile phone, connected to a PC (via IrDA, Bluetooth, USB/serial cable) which acts as a dial-up modem. With this solution I do not belive one can make/receive voice calls without terminating the GPRS session. So a second data-only SIM makes sense for some users.

Thanks for the info. I'm upgrading shortly to a EDGE compliant mobile and not sure how well DTAC will work with edge in my area, so was considering an AIS card also. I just started using gprs with my k750i due to house phone problems and received a phone call while connected via gprs. When finished talking the gprs connection was still active, which surprised me (DTAC).

[lomatopo]

I just started using gprs with my k750i due to house phone problems and received a phone call while connected via gprs. When finished talking the gprs connection was still active, which surprised me (DTAC).

I believe this is varies by phone model. Some are capable of simultaneous GPRS and voice calls, some are not. For my current handset, the user's guide says that "it is not recommended". Some may put the GPRS call "on-hold" for the duration of the voice call. I know that when I call some friends and if they are on a GPRS session I get diverted (when busy) to their voicemail, or to their divert number. I haven't tried simultaneous data and voice calls with my set-up but may give a crack. I only use GPRS when traveling as my home DSL connection hasn't dropped in nearly two years. I seem to get EDGE coverage (using 1-2-Call) just about everywhere I go in Thailand, including using it in a car and overnight bus!

[Odinrex]

Most of the information in the PDF seemed targeted at NetSIM users.

What's the difference between using 1-2-call and NetSIM cards for GPRS/EDGE?

I'm not 100% certain but I believe a NetSIM is a 1-2-Call/AIS-branded dedicated GPRS-only SIM card for use in a PC-Card/USB carrier.

Anyone who can confirm that NetSIM can NOT be used for voice/SMS? That can't be the case, can it?

[monty]

nope, I have one, works perfectly ok for voice calls. (my sierra wireless aircard can be used as a phone by attaching a headset)

[intumult]

As for DTAC, I am not sure if this applies to their internet coverage also, but they have been selling their 'Happy Cards' out in the street / supermarkets/ buffet etc., in central Thailand for some months now. The cards work fine in town but once you get a few kilometres outside of town the phones usually cannot connect more often than not.

A few people have bought these cards only to find them useless beyond a few kilometres.

[patrickq]

AIS Edge service in the Pattaya area is appalling ... ok, sometimes it is tolerable :-)

I was trying to download some MP3 files (paid for!) about a month ago and was continually timed out, the estimated download time for each one ran into several hours, for approx 10Mb files, I have had times of DAYS showing, with download speeds measured in BYTES!!! I was back in UK and within minutes had downloaded a dozen or more of the MP3s, that is how bad the AIS service is.

So, I'm looking to get on the Hutch/CAT service in Pattaya, but not certain if it is going to be noticeably better, does anyone have direct experience of them both in Pattaya/Chonburi/Rayong area and the actual rather than quoted speeds/reliability?

[tinisan]

the only difference between a normal SIM and a NETSIM is that if you refill the NETSIM every month with a certain amount (which can be used for voice calls), you get 30 hours free internet.

[Digitalbanana]

Forget DTAC outside of BKK. Even on the outskirts of BKK I was unable to get an EDGE connection.

In Chiang Mai, there's one (1) DTAC tower with EDGE.

AIS, on the other hand, has EDGE pretty much all over Thailand.

Not that EDGE is so great - but it does beat out GPRS by a fair margin...

Like your mp3 fm player reply this is also pants. DTAC EDGE works over most of Thailand just like AIS. I'm using it now as my ADSL is down in the central plains.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Forget DTAC outside of BKK. Even on the outskirts of BKK I was unable to get an EDGE connection.

In Chiang Mai, there's one (1) DTAC tower with EDGE.

AIS, on the other hand, has EDGE pretty much all over Thailand.

Not that EDGE is so great - but it does beat out GPRS by a fair margin...

Like your mp3 fm player reply this is also pants. DTAC EDGE works over most of Thailand just like AIS. I'm using it now as my ADSL is down in the central plains.

To be fair, it was two years ago that he replied.