*WARNING* AIS Roaming Charges while Overseas

[Mr Meeseeks]

I would like to share a rather unpleasant experience that has happened to me over the last few months. Hopefully it serves as a warning to others so they don't fall foul of what I consider to be a rather dishonest business practice by AIS.

 

I have a post-paid AIS package for which I pay 499thb per month. 

 

I travel regionally for business on a regular basis and like to remain contactable on my Thai number, so I have roaming enabled. When I travel to Malaysia, I use a Malay sim so no need to access the internet using the AIS sim card.

 

However, as the phone automatically connects to the internet it used 30mb or so of data on the AIS sim, for which I was charged a whopping 2,500thb. So for a couple of months I received these extortionate charges, and paid for them, because it was my fault for having the phone settings wrong when I disembarked the plane. Lesson learned though.

 

After the second bill for 3,000thb arrived in October, I immediately called AIS call centre and disabled international roaming, citing the extortionate data charges as the reason. The operator stated that data roaming was disabled. Problem solved, or so I thought. 

 

In November, I had to go back to the UK on business, so I bought a pre-paid data package on my sim from AIS app for 899thb. I had it set to activate at the day and time I arrived in the UK, and not before. 

 

I flew Qatar Airways, so when I arrived in Doha I turned my phone on and connected to the WIFI network in the airport.

 

Got back to Thailand and lo and behold, another extortionate bill from AIS had arrived. I called the call centre to query the amount. 

 

I was being charged another 2,500thb for 30mb of data charges in Doha, Qatar, when I switched flights! 

 

I argued that I had asked data roaming to be disabled, and that data roaming and the package should only have been activated about 8-9 hours later when I arrived in the UK.

 

The call centre staff acknowledged the time I activated the data package was correct but offered no explanation as to why data roaming was re-enabled beforehand when I landed in Qatar.  They reduced my bill, but I still ended up having to pay an additional 399thb for a roaming package for Qatar...

 

This to me is not acceptable business practice. 

 

Just a word of warning if you are using AIS data roaming!

 

 

[Photoguy21]

5 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I would like to share a rather unpleasant experience that has happened to me over the last few months. Hopefully it serves as a warning to others so they don't fall foul of what I consider to be a rather dishonest business practice by AIS.

 

I have a post-paid AIS package for which I pay 499thb per month. 

 

I travel regionally for business on a regular basis and like to remain contactable on my Thai number, so I have roaming enabled. When I travel to Malaysia, I use a Malay sim so no need to access the internet using the AIS sim card.

 

However, as the phone automatically connects to the internet it used 30mb or so of data on the AIS sim, for which I was charged a whopping 2,500thb. So for a couple of months I received these extortionate charges, and paid for them, because it was my fault for having the phone settings wrong when I disembarked the plane. Lesson learned though.

 

After the second bill for 3,000thb arrived in October, I immediately called AIS call centre and disabled international roaming, citing the extortionate data charges as the reason. The operator stated that data roaming was disabled. Problem solved, or so I thought. 

 

In November, I had to go back to the UK on business, so I bought a pre-paid data package on my sim from AIS app for 899thb. I had it set to activate at the day and time I arrived in the UK, and not before. 

 

I flew Qatar Airways, so when I arrived in Doha I turned my phone on and connected to the WIFI network in the airport.

 

Got back to Thailand and lo and behold, another extortionate bill from AIS had arrived. I called the call centre to query the amount. 

 

I was being charged another 2,500thb for 30mb of data charges in Doha, Qatar, when I switched flights! 

 

I argued that I had asked data roaming to be disabled, and that data roaming and the package should only have been activated about 8-9 hours later when I arrived in the UK.

 

The call centre staff acknowledged the time I activated the data package was correct but offered no explanation as to why data roaming was re-enabled beforehand when I landed in Qatar.  They reduced my bill, but I still ended up having to pay an additional 399thb for a roaming package for Qatar...

 

This to me is not acceptable business practice. 

 

Just a word of warning if you are using AIS data roaming!

 

 

Remove your AIS SIM when you go overseas.

[richard_smith237]

Its something we have to be very careful of and it can be easy to make a mistake. 

 

I travel frequently and am acutely aware of this risk. 

 

I have a e-SIM which and can enable / disable the line when I chose. 

I have international data roaming turned off / Wifi Calling enabled. 

I can receive bank OPT etc with this set up.

 

Im whichever country I am in I have a local SIM for Data and local calls etc.

 

Alternatively: 

To be sure - another option is to set the phone to plane mode and and have Wifi-calling enabled. 

You can still receive calls, but only over Wifi, you'll still receive OTP, again, only over Wifi. 

But you will not receive any data or network charges.

 

(this doesn't work for eSIM + Local SIM option as you can't set one line in flight mode and the other line not in flight mode - its the phone which is set to flight mode not the line).

 

5 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Remove your AIS SIM when you go overseas.

 

While foolproof, this isn't really a good option for those wishing to receive OTP to their Thai number.

Turning off data-roaming is the option (and not answering calls).

 

[sirineou]

This is very  interesting since I have AIS and am traveling to the states Thursday.

When we went to Greece this summer , my wife had a roaming package deal , and had no problem, but I think she has a different cell phone company.

She said she got me  a roaming plan for  my phone

(going to the US by myself this time)

but I never asked her , who with and what.

She is out now, so I will ask her when she gets back

Thank you for the heads up. 

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by sirineou

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I flew Qatar Airways, so when I arrived in Doha I turned my phone on and connected to the WIFI network in the airport.

 

The other issue here is that Wifi networks in public area's get choked up and slow...

So, if your phone settings are not right, the phone will revert to Cell Data usage as thats the 'best available connectivity' (and you'll end up charged for this)..

 

Thus: IF relying on Airport WiFi while overseas - ONLY do so from Flight Mode to avoid the risk of roaming charges. 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

I have two phones and solve that problem using them both - I do what I need to do at each airport.

My main phone has the SIM inserted that I wish to use - and I turn on/off data roaming as required.

My second phone has the other SIM inserted, and it has everything turned off (but not airplane mode on). That way it still gets SMS messages for OTP - but no data/cellular.  Before I leave that SIM's country, I divert all phone calls to my already setup voice message which says this phone number not enabled and to call me on +xyz, or send an email etc.

Maybe that will work for some others. I was doing to SIM in and SIM out with one phone - and even tried a dual SIM too - but I often forgot to do it right. Two phones seems to work OK - and even an old guy like me remembers to do it. 

[sirineou]

25 minutes ago, sirineou said:

This is very  interesting since I have AIS and am traveling to the states Thursday.

When we went to Greece this summer , my wife had a roaming package deal , and had no problem, but I think she has a different cell phone company.

She said she got me  a roaming plan for  my phone

(going to the US by myself this time)

but I never asked her , who with and what.

She is out now, so I will ask her when she gets back

Thank you for the heads up. 

 

Ok so i asked the wife and she has DTAC which she used when we traveled to Greece and had no problem, but she said that after she left Thailand she turned her roaming off until we arrived  in Greece , And she said that as soon as I depart Thailand I should turn off my roaming until I arrive in the US. 

I am not very happy With AIS  because I have poor reception at our other property  where she has no problem, and will go with DTAC at my earliest opportunity anyway. .

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

If you have an iPhone you can turn off data roaming in the settings menu. I'm sure Android phones have similar. I've never had a data bill from AIS while overseas while my phone's data roaming was turned off. Just make sure you turn it off before you get on the plane.

 

[Denim]

1 hour ago, Photoguy21 said:

Remove your AIS SIM when you go overseas.

Yes, like the OP I got burned by AIS so now when out of the country I remove the SIM and only use it for WIFI.  This worked well. Went to the UK and used LINE to video call the wife every day without having to alter any settings. Too easy.

[NextG]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I would like to share a rather unpleasant experience that has happened to me over the last few months. Hopefully it serves as a warning to others so they don't fall foul of what I consider to be a rather dishonest business practice by AIS.

 

I have a post-paid AIS package for which I pay 499thb per month. 

 

I travel regionally for business on a regular basis and like to remain contactable on my Thai number, so I have roaming enabled. When I travel to Malaysia, I use a Malay sim so no need to access the internet using the AIS sim card.

 

However, as the phone automatically connects to the internet it used 30mb or so of data on the AIS sim, for which I was charged a whopping 2,500thb. So for a couple of months I received these extortionate charges, and paid for them, because it was my fault for having the phone settings wrong when I disembarked the plane. Lesson learned though.

 

After the second bill for 3,000thb arrived in October, I immediately called AIS call centre and disabled international roaming, citing the extortionate data charges as the reason. The operator stated that data roaming was disabled. Problem solved, or so I thought. 

 

In November, I had to go back to the UK on business, so I bought a pre-paid data package on my sim from AIS app for 899thb. I had it set to activate at the day and time I arrived in the UK, and not before. 

 

I flew Qatar Airways, so when I arrived in Doha I turned my phone on and connected to the WIFI network in the airport.

 

Got back to Thailand and lo and behold, another extortionate bill from AIS had arrived. I called the call centre to query the amount. 

 

I was being charged another 2,500thb for 30mb of data charges in Doha, Qatar, when I switched flights! 

 

I argued that I had asked data roaming to be disabled, and that data roaming and the package should only have been activated about 8-9 hours later when I arrived in the UK.

 

The call centre staff acknowledged the time I activated the data package was correct but offered no explanation as to why data roaming was re-enabled beforehand when I landed in Qatar.  They reduced my bill, but I still ended up having to pay an additional 399thb for a roaming package for Qatar...

 

This to me is not acceptable business practice. 

 

Just a word of warning if you are using AIS data roaming!

 

 

You can switch data OFF for the AIS SIM within your phone settings. You can switch DATA ROAMING off within your phone settings. 
You can activate and deactivate Data usage from AIS: *129*1# and then the Call key to turn Internet off; *129*2# to turn it back on again. 
 

None of this affects your ability to receive calls. 

Time you learned to use your phone properly. 
 

[frantick]

I just set my thai phone to airplane mode when traveling to the states, and my state-side phone to airplane mode when in Thailand. The non-airplane mode phone's Hotspot is enabled and shared with the other phone.

Never any data usage when in airplane mode. I still get SMS via Internet. Not sure about AIS local calls as I never get phone calls in Thailand other than deliveries. 

[novacova]

Never been charged for roaming,I always keep roaming disabled on both lines, and it’s not needed.

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, novacova said:

Never been charged for roaming,I always keep roaming disabled on both lines, and it’s not needed.

 

Thats the best way... and I try and do the same... But.. It depends where we are travelling too and that forces a change in practices...

 

i.e. Japan has decent 'roaming packages' so I used that and turn on roaming (but have to remember to turn if off again when return to Thailand and go elsewhere).

 

In other countries, I use a local SIM and have my Thai eSIM line with roaming turned off (so I can still receive OTP - or I just turn the line off completely). 

 

 

The Ops issue is that he applied for a UK Roaming package to start on xx date.

His mistake was that he logged into the Wifi in Doha Airport and did not turn off his data-roaming - Airport Wifi networks are usually overloaded (Doha is almost unusable at times), this resulted in his phone switching to 'cell data' for a better connection and he didn't have a roaming package for Doha...  Costly miststaka to maka... 

 

 

I am often switching SIMs, switching on an off Roaming, depending upon where I am etc.

For the uninitiated, mistakes can easily happen and the Ops warning is a very good one.

 

 

 

I got caught out years ago in HongKong... I had an iPad with a SIM card (for connectivity). 

Wife and I got to the hotel, the iPad remained in my hand-carry all weekend... I never used it. 

A few weeks later I received my phone bill and saw the data roaming charge which was about 10,000 baht. 

My mistake was - I'd never turned off the iPad, but just left it in sleep mode (standby or whatever its called) - the iPad was 'constantly' talking to the network. 

I argued with AIS that I never even used the iPad and questioned how the data usage could possibly be that high. 

To my surprised they dropped the charge (and kept a customer, at least for a few more years until they pi$$eed me off with another billing issue - different story).

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sheryl]

I somehow incurred an AIS  roaming charge of about 500 baht simply by selecting a local network operator for that SIM (which I did in order to be able to receive texts). . No phone calls made or received on that SIM, no messages either and certainly did not use data roaming.

 

But the money evaporated and when I called AIS to complain they said it was from connecting to that local network operator.

 

This was in UK.

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I somehow incurred an AIS  roaming charge of about 500 baht simply by selecting a local network operator for that SIM (which I did in order to be able to receive texts). . No phone calls made or received on that SIM, no messages either and certainly did not use data roaming.

 

But the money evaporated and when I called AIS to complain they said it was from connecting to that local network operator.

 

This was in UK.

 

It used to be a bit of a nightmare trying to receive an SMS to your Thai number while overseas (i.e. OPT from the bank etc) and having to turn on the 'cell network' connection for a very brief time just to receive the SMS.

 

Fortunately, this issue is now resolved and Thai carriers allow the SMS's (OTP's) to be sent over WiFi....  

 

 

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

I only have a PAYG function on my Australian and Thai SIM's. They only work in their country of origin.

There are several apps such as LINE, MEET, WhatsApp etc which only need a WiFi connection for voice and video calls.

IMO calls using global roaming should be as old-fashioned as button-up boots.

 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I only have a PAYG function on my Australian and Thai SIM's. They only work in their country of origin.

 

You may find that your Thai carrier permits receipt of SMS (OTP etc) over WiFi (Thai SIM still has to be in the phone).

I'm not sure about the other way around (Aus carrier in Thailand).

 

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

There are several apps such as LINE, MEET, WhatsApp etc which only need a WiFi connection for voice and video calls.

IMO calls using global roaming should be as old-fashioned as button-up boots.

 

Agreed - even within Thailand... 90% of my phone calls are over VoIP connectivity (WhatsApp / Line calls etc).

 

 

[Sheryl]

13 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

 

Fortunately, this issue is now resolved and Thai carriers allow the SMS's (OTP's) to be sent over WiFi....  

 

 

 

 

 

I did not realize this. Good to know.

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

You may find that your Thai carrier permits receipt of SMS (OTP etc) over WiFi (Thai SIM still has to be in the phone).

I'm not sure about the other way around (Aus carrier in Thailand).

 

 

Agreed - even within Thailand... 90% of my phone calls are over VoIP connectivity (WhatsApp / Line calls etc).

 

 

I do get SMS codes from two of my Australian investments, so I assume you are correct.

The phone is a dual SIM, so I don't have bother with removal or installation. Tricky little b#ggers to fiddle with.

[freeman01]

Just in case I used an AIS pre-paid plan with internet unlimited only for 300bath a month and i receive sms everywhere in SEA.  It's a bit annoying to have to top up every month but i avoid the nonsense bills at least.

 

Also the AIS app is pretty good, you can set everything inside including roaming and can register your phone number with an email address so you can login without sms afterward.

[sometimewoodworker]

One of the things you can do is ask AIS to restrict the possible data charges out side a roaming data plan. I did that and my data cap for roaming out side a plan is zero, this means that I can not be blindsided by charges I did not plan for.

[Furioso]

AIS has those cheap yearly data plans, my 12 month plan is 2500 baht unlimited data. Then I pay another 500 for local phone calls so 3,000 baht is all they're getting from me. 

 

If I fly overseas I turn the data roaming off but yeah, I can see how someone can easily get gouged by a simple mistake. 

[NextG]

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

It used to be a bit of a nightmare trying to receive an SMS to your Thai number while overseas (i.e. OPT from the bank etc) and having to turn on the 'cell network' connection for a very brief time just to receive the SMS.

 

Fortunately, this issue is now resolved and Thai carriers allow the SMS's (OTP's) to be sent over WiFi....  

 

 

 

 

 

Erm… no need to worry about turning iff and on the ‘cell network’ connection. Just turn Data Roaming off or all Data off. SMS aren’t delivered using a data package but over the GSM network. Just turn Data off if you don’t need it. Calls and SMS will work as normal. 

[NextG]

42 minutes ago, Furioso said:

AIS has those cheap yearly data plans, my 12 month plan is 2500 baht unlimited data. Then I pay another 500 for local phone calls so 3,000 baht is all they're getting from me. 

 

If I fly overseas I turn the data roaming off but yeah, I can see how someone can easily get gouged by a simple mistake. 

That’s for 4 Mbps. They had an unlimited 4 Mbps with unlimited free calls pack for 150 baht per month. 
Also unlimited 10 Mbps with unlimited free calls, for 200 baht per month. 
Unlimited 20 Mbps with ….

[NextG]

2 hours ago, freeman01 said:

Just in case I used an AIS pre-paid plan with internet unlimited only for 300bath a month and i receive sms everywhere in SEA.  It's a bit annoying to have to top up every month but i avoid the nonsense bills at least.

 

Also the AIS app is pretty good, you can set everything inside including roaming and can register your phone number with an email address so you can login without sms afterward.

You don’t have to top every month. If you are using it every month, you can do a bigger top up to cover a few months. If you only use it occasionally, you can space out the top ups. Doesn’t have to be every month and in some cases doesn’t need to be for a full month. 

[bamnutsak]

AIS customers can easily turn on and off the internet from the SIM card by themselves.

Just press *129*1# and call to turn it off. internet work
Select to enable internet use, press *129*2# and call.

 

Can also be done via the MyAIS app

[ballpoint]

I have a post paid AIS contract, and buy a data roaming package using the MyAIS app prior to traveling.  You select the country you're traveling to, pick the best plan for you, tell it when you want it switched on, and away you go. The charge appears on your next phone bill.  The ability to use messaging apps, and make free calls, including video ones, through them, plus receive emails wherever I go, makes the cost well worth it.  On a recent overseas family trip, I bought packages for my wife and myself, and just kept my grandson's, who travelled with us, phone on flight mode, but with wifi enabled so he could do his internet thing whenever we had a hotel wifi connection.  No extra charges at all on his bill, while knowing exactly what my wife and I would be charged on ours.