Getting internet into your condo

[Startmeup]

Im above what seems to be the reach for phone signal in my condo. Coverage is poor.

I want to get a provider into my room. 

I talked to Jurisitic office who gave me three brochures. AIS, True and 3BB.

None of which I can read but im guessing I could use any of these. The dates do seem to be outdated though.

What the best deals going around now or how can I check what suits me?

 

I dont need super fast speeds just fast enough for speed spread over streaming TV, Laptop and phone with a sizeable amount of data.

No lock in contract would be better but could do short term one.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Startmeup

[ezzra]

Both AIS and 3BB call center people can speak english well and you can always use a signal booster that are cheap to buy.

[Startmeup]

6 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Both AIS and 3BB call center people can speak english well and you can always use a signal booster that are cheap to buy.

I'll need more data if im using TV/YT streaming.
Just have laptop hotspot through my phone right now but TV streaming doesn't work through phone.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Startmeup

[cnx1204]

I would suggest going to Central Festival where all the ISPs have offices and talk to them in person.  They can check to see what service they can provide at your specific address; you can select which program you want. and make an appointment for a tech to come and install.

 

Customer service on the phone could only give you part of the story.

[phetphet]

I have 3BB 1Gbps down  / 500Mbps up 700baht / month. Pay one year up front and get 8% discount.

https://fiber.3bb.co.th/en/3bb-giga-fiber/

 

Or you can buy an AIS SIM card from Lazada, valid for one year that gives 100GB/month over 4G for 1590 baht.

 

But to be honest, 3BB has been great for me.

 

HTH

Edited March 3, 2023 by phetphet

[Startmeup]

10 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Or you can buy an AIS SIM card from Lazada, valid for one year that gives 100GB/month over 4G for 1590 baht.

This is what I have on my phone. Like I say im above the reach for phone signal on my floor, it seems to get worse the higher you go. Also dont seem to be able to hotspot from phone to TV

Edited March 3, 2023 by Startmeup

[Startmeup]

18 minutes ago, cnx1204 said:

Central Festival

Is this Lad Prao? I'll take a look online see the closest shops and pop in to see what they say and go from there.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Startmeup

[The Fugitive]

Many fibre internet special offers appear on my Facebook. Starting price 399 baht per month for 300/300 with free router and installation. I messaged True and received reply in excellent English.

[Startmeup]

3 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Many fibre internet special offers appear on my Facebook. Starting price 399 baht per month for 300/300 with free router and installation. I messaged True and received reply in excellent English.

This is the issue with going into the shop, I expect I won't get the best deals. Your sounds quite good. I'll keep it in mind when asking in the shops. Is this unlimited data? Is the offers usually unlimited data?

How does the 300/300 offer compare to actual speeds? From what I can gather that's more than fast enough for my needs.

 

Was there a lock in contract length? 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Startmeup

[OneMoreFarang]

34 minutes ago, Startmeup said:

gave me three brochures. AIS, True and 3BB

You have to take what's available in your office.

Call them and ask them. Normally they all have people who speak English.

What is "best" depends on your area/building. Ask the neighbors. 

[Celsius]

24 minutes ago, phetphet said:

I have 3BB 1Gbps down  / 500Mbps up 700baht / month. Pay one year up front and get 8% discount.

https://fiber.3bb.co.th/en/3bb-giga-fiber/

 

Or you can buy an AIS SIM card from Lazada, valid for one year that gives 100GB/month over 4G for 1590 baht.

 

But to be honest, 3BB has been great for me.

 

HTH

 

A lot of condos have 50Mbps speed limit.

[The Fugitive]

4 minutes ago, Startmeup said:

This is the issue with going into the shop, I expect I won't get the best deals. Your sounds quite good. I'll keep it in mind when asking in the shops. Is this unlimited data? Is the offers usually unlimited data?

How does the 300/300 offer compare to actual speeds? From what I can gather that's more than fast enough for my needs.

 

Was there a lock in contract length? 

Unlimited data, as is the norm for wired internet in Thailand. 12 month contract. Already have 300/300 at shop and speeds are always 'up there'. Can recommend!

[expat_4_life]

"My" condo, I'm an owner in Bangkok, has over the years had the ISPs come along and provide service to the building for fiber.  There is now fiber access on every floor from the utility cabinet. VDSL is also available over existing phone wires.

 

I currently have VDSL service in my unit.  My ISP, TRUE, will install fiber in my unit at no cost. They punch a few holes in the ceilings and run the fiber in.

This would be something to discuss with the owner if it is not "your" condo.

 

Meanwhile, a VDSL option is likely available over existing infrastructure.

 

 

[soi3eddie]

No need to go out to look and talk with sales agents. Simply go online to AIS Fibre or 3BB, look at their packages and prices. Give them a call (both have good English speaking staff) and arrange installation. I used AIS VDSL 76/20mbps for 8 years and it was good. Then I upgraded to 3BB fibre 1000/500mbps for the last 3 years. Both are very reliable and installation was done with a few days. No data limits.

  

[soi3eddie]

3 minutes ago, expat_4_life said:

I currently have VDSL service in my unit.  My ISP, TRUE, will install fiber in my unit at no cost. They punch a few holes in the ceilings and run the fiber in.

This would be something to discuss with the owner if it is not "your" condo.

Exactly same for me. They ran the fiber cable through the ceiling voids and then down the wall to where I wanted installation. Took about 3 hours in total and a really neat job.

 

[RayWright]

Just reconnected by fibre with ToT, now NT, 6994 THB at 1000/500 for the year (£168). New install would be an extra 2500 THB. 

Best BT deal in the UK is 900/100 at 28000 (£672) THB pa if you sign for 2 years.

One of the advantages of Thailand.

[spongeworthy]

3 hours ago, Startmeup said:

How does the 300/300 offer compare to actual speeds? From what I can gather that's more than fast enough for my needs.

 

Was there a lock in contract length? 

From my experience they don't offer less than a 1 year initial term in Bangkok, but that could vary by area.

 

I was in a tall condo in central Bangkok and got about 85 - 90% of the 1Gb/1Gb package I had. The limiting factor on your speed will likely come down the quality of the fiber risers in your building. In my case the installation tech had to spend a few hours working on the risers to get me to 90%. If you're only looking for 300Mb you should be fine.

 

I also had the same issue with being too high for usable/reliable cellular service. Using AIS wifi calling over True fiber was hit and miss. Random disconnections and inability to make or receive calls. I often had to disable the wifi calling and just stand near the window or on the balcony to make a call on the cell network. Had a guest over who had DTAC I believe, and while I was getting 1/5 bars of service they had 4/5. It might be worth trying sims from other carriers first before committing to a 1 year term for fiber.

Edited March 3, 2023 by spongeworthy

[Mac Mickmanus]

5 minutes ago, RayWright said:

Just reconnected by fibre with ToT, now NT, 6994 THB at 1000/500 for the year (£168). New install would be an extra 2500 THB. 

Best BT deal in the UK is 900/100 at 28000 (£672) THB pa if you sign for 2 years.

One of the advantages of Thailand.

You can get high speed fibre internet access in the U.K for £ 17 per month and that's with installation and equipment .

   B.T also has internet connection from £ 31 .99 per month

 

https://www.bt.com/products/broadband/deals

[The Fugitive]

5 minutes ago, RayWright said:

Just reconnected by fibre with ToT, now NT, 6994 THB at 1000/500 for the year (£168). New install would be an extra 2500 THB. 

Best BT deal in the UK is 900/100 at 28000 (£672) THB pa if you sign for 2 years.

One of the advantages of Thailand.

Agreed, internet really is tops in Thailand! Even out in the rice paddies it's fast, cheap and same day service if there's any problem.

[tomazbodner]

There is a company that specialises in fiber connection to room in older condos. You buy internet from them, but really they connect you to a random provider in that area, but that's for buildings that don't have any fiber connections inside the towers. New condos may already have fiber connected to room, like my place had. All they do in that case is connect the cable on the ground floor, then install modem in your room and you're done.

 

Alternatives, if only phone cables are available, is FTTH via VDSL, which is basically fiber to ground floor, then VDSL (phone line) to your room. Max speeds are low, though, 50-75 mbps up/down max. FTTH can go to 2500 mbps in both directions and doesn't cost much more for far higher speeds.

 

It's been a while since I've dealt with the company that installs fiber to condos, so I can't remember their website or name anymore. But they always advertised fiber for condos. If condo allows telecom to drag fiber cable up to your place, you better use that telecom instead.

 

Easiest to know is by telling them where you live (building, floor) and wait for maximum speed. If it's below 100 mbps, it's VDSL. If higher, it's fiber to your room. For stability of signal, fiber is better than any copper cables.

[RayWright]

2 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

You can get high speed fibre internet access in the U.K for £ 17 per month....

Point taken, should have said "similar". Point is you can get 1000 Mbs in Thailand but only upto 900 for residential in the UK. 

[Startmeup]

Ais seems to be the cheapest, even when signing up for 12 months compared to 6 months for True. No early contract closure options. 249 month with 50/20 speeds. Speed should be fine for me I dont need anything groundbreaking. 

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Startmeup

[NextG]

13 hours ago, RayWright said:

Point taken, should have said "similar". Point is you can get 1000 Mbs in Thailand but only upto 900 for residential in the UK. 

https://www.virginmedia.com/broadband/gigabit but one example…

[Yellowtail]

Just buy the cheapest one, they are usually all the same anyway. 

[Startmeup]

Just now, Yellowtail said:

Just buy the cheapest one, they are usually all the same anyway. 

Already bought and installed within 24 hours. 

[NextG]

10 minutes ago, Startmeup said:

Already bought and installed within 24 hours. 

Which area?

[Startmeup]

12 minutes ago, NextG said:

Which area?

Onnut, Bangkok

[bamnutsak]

On 3/3/2023 at 8:37 PM, Startmeup said:

Ais seems to be the cheapest, even when signing up for 12 months compared to 6 months for True. No early contract closure options. 249 month with 50/20 speeds. Speed should be fine for me I dont need anything groundbreaking. 

 

 

36 minutes ago, Startmeup said:

Already bought and installed within 24 hours. 

 

Yeah, some buildings have fiber to the curb (basement) and then they use exisitng copper in the riser to deliver lower-speed broadband via VDSL. So this serrvice (from AIS) can literally be turned on in one day. You just need the VDSL modem.

 

https://www.ais.th/fibre/nocontract/en/

[Startmeup]

1 minute ago, bamnutsak said:

 

 

Yeah, some buildings have fiber to the curb (basement) and then they use exisitng copper in the riser to deliver lower-speed broadband via VDSL. So this serrvice (from AIS) can literally be turned on in one day. You just need the VDSL modem.

 

https://www.ais.th/fibre/nocontract/en/

Fast enough for these streaming TV apps/services?

[bamnutsak]

Just now, Startmeup said:

Fast enough for these streaming TV apps/services?

Who knows? Certainly not 4K.

 

And it is a bit of a shared service. Everyone in the building is sharing the fiber link, which may or may not be robust enough for every application.

 

It should be good enough for all but the most demanding applications.

 

I'd recommend talking to neighbors, find out what they use, and what they like or don't like.