Wireless In Pattaya?

[Dirk_brijs]

Anyone has some info on a Wireless connection posible in Pattaya?? CAT or something??

Doesit work good is it even available??

Also anyone hearsomething about this internet service over the cable by Sophon? It seems they are operative now but only in the Soi Bokao area??

any news on those

Thanks

[JonnieB]

Not really sure of your question...As to the Sophon cable internet service, I believe they are still in the testing phase of the service. The last time I checked in at their office, the girls said something maybe next year for rolling out the service.

WiFi...service is available all around town...sometimes for pay but many places have it for free.

[monty]

Sophon cable has not rolled out their network, it seems the project is indefinitely postponed.

Banglamung TV have overtaken them and have the service up and running, however they, quite smartly I must say, have decided to only upgrade their cabling in area's where it is well known that internet is hard or impossible to get (mainly due to lack of phonelines and/or too big distances to phone exchange to allow for adsl to work).

Real wireless (like works everywhere) is available but is not fast. Best known is the gprs/Edge network, ran by both Dtac and AIS. This is however not broadband. Theoretical speed up to 230 something kbps, but real life speeds anywhere between 30 and 200kbps. It does however work all over Thailand, is cheap, and for Pattaya residents, the local networks are all capable of Edge, even on the outskirts of town.

Another competitor is Hutch. They are upgrading to the EV-DO system (cdma) with speeds between 400 and 600 kbps. Currently very few area's in Pattaya are upgraded, if you are not in one of these area's the system will fall back to their previous standard (cdma 1X) with a topspeed of 153 kbps (but more often then not hardly getting over 50 kbps).

Drawback is the need for an expensive aircard modem (12,900 Baht) plus the fact that Hutch refuses to subscribe foreigners without a workpermit (Thai name will do though).

If Hutch manages to upgrade their cells to allow for better high speed coverage, it might become a good option.

Also note that uploads tend to be very slow even when the download speed can be very fast. This makes these wireless connections worthless for VOIP. You can hear the other side, but to them your voice will be broken up a lot as a result of the slow upload speed...

CAT does not have a presence in the provinces where Hutch is active, so no luck there.

Wifi wireless is only available in very isolated places, where building/business owners decide to oiffer it to their residents/customers. Due to the very limited range you practically have to be in their place to be able to use it...