ToT and CAT merger - marriage made in heaven? I think not

[Disparate Dan]

Last month's merger of two Thai corporations may actually have made things worse for customers, impossible though it seems. Anyone else had trouble with this 'new' internet provider this month?

They cut me off for non-payment, though I paid in full - online through my (Bangkok) Bank.  "You have to send us a receipt." Gave them the bank's reference, time of payment etc; "you have to send receipt." It's the kind of dinosaur response even Thai companies have largely given up on.

They said this first to my wife, in Thai. Then in a separate call to my son, also in Thai. Finally I tried the English line. After around ten minutes talking to someone who insisted he spoke English though little of it was comprehensible, and still at the "need to send us receipt" stage, I lost it and started shouting, because experience has shown that - eventually - Thais respond to this sort of abuse.

10 minutes later, the line was restored. Lessons:

1. If you really get rude and loud, you get things done here. It has always been like this and I wish it was not so; they give in once you shout and swear, complying just to get rid of you. It's the opposite of customer service.

2. I need a new internet provider. Any (useful) recommendations for a better service than ToT (aka NT)?

 

[userabcd]

Could you not send them a copy of the payment detail and the reference used from your online payment?

 

As for other ISP's, there is True, 3BB or you could stay with TOT/CAT now that the payment confirmation issue may be solved.

[RemyDog]

5 hours ago, userabcd said:

Could you not send them a copy of the payment detail and the reference used from your online payment?

 

As for other ISP's, there is True, 3BB or you could stay with TOT/CAT now that the payment confirmation issue may be solved.

We used to be with 3BB who were very poor in service quality - drop outs, low signal and loss of service for hours on end several times a week in our home in Pattaya. Changed over to AIS à few years ago - very miss a beat, strong signal 24/7 and lower cost per month. Fully recommend but may be dependent on your location 

[GreasyFingers]

9 hours ago, Disparate Dan said:

1. If you really get rude and loud, you get things done here. It has always been like this and I wish it was not so; they give in once you shout and swear, complying just to get rid of you. It's the opposite of customer service.

Sad to say but this has been my experience as well. You try very hard not to treat them like the home country poor service but sometimes it is necessary.

as for service provider you have to make your decision yourself. The poster above complained about 3BB but up here in the country they give very good service. We have TrueVisions for the television but they are a backward organization. 3-5 days to fix a problem.

[connda]

A monopoly made in heaven perhaps. 

[lungbing]

It depends where you are.  I'm in Khon Kaen, just outside the ring road and am with 3BB.  No problrms these past 5 years at least.

[Stocky]

Just now, lungbing said:

It depends where you are.

Indeed.

We've had TOT in Hat Yai for 15 years, from dial-up through ASDL to Fibre. Dial-up generally worked, ADSL was actually pretty good, and fibre has been excellent. Local engineers have always been helpful and resolved any problems.

[Pumpuynarak]

29 minutes ago, Stocky said:

Indeed.

We've had TOT in Hat Yai for 15 years, from dial-up through ASDL to Fibre. Dial-up generally worked, ADSL was actually pretty good, and fibre has been excellent. Local engineers have always been helpful and resolved any problems.

 

Me same in Korat, can't speak highly enough of the service.

[Jeffrey346]

I am in Khon Kaen. I'm with 3BB for 13 years. I rarely have an issue. If a do, 3BB has been very responsive and usually has someone to my home the same day.

I have 10 devices connected and stream IPTV with little to NO buffering or interruptions.

[colinneil]

Here around Banphai 3BB first class, been with them just over 5 years, 1 time had a problem tech bloke here within the hour.

We used to be with AIS terrible, buffering all the time, rebooting every second day, called them out, took 2 days for them to get here.

[faraday]

When we were living in Iron & had 3BB, there were quite a few issues with it being slow.

 

Now living outside of meaung, 3BB ain't available, & have CAT, which apart from the router having to be replaced once, is ok.

 

Have to see how this merger pans out though.....

 

[RocketDog]

I had TOT in Chaam, and it was OK. 

When I moved to Huahin I got CAT, which was actually very good. 

 

Then they merged. 

 

Now dropouts are frequent but only for seconds, but enough to disrupt VOIP telephone calls. I don't typically get slowdowns, just quick drops. 

 

The merger only degraded my fiber service but the price and speed are acceptable. I do quite a bit of PTP file sharing 7/24 through a VPN and it's pretty stable. 

 

I can only hope it's growing pains for the new entity. 

[Sydebolle]

Customer service is not a department but an attitude ......... not understood anywhere in this country!