Internet Options Up Country

[loong]

Sorry, but I'm pretty ignorant about all the background stuff re internet connections.

I am trying to sort out a telephone in a village near Phrae and realise my options for internet access will be more limited than in the big cities.

Can anyone let me know what is available to me and likely costs?

Also, what happens when power dips for a few seconds, will I lose connection, so should I get a continous power supply?

It is a bit of a drag going into town to use the slow tedious internet in town. Specially as got used to broadband in UK.

From what I have seen, can purchase packages with download limits. I notice, tho, that downloading carries on constantly with broadband, even when not using it. Whatis this, and is there anyway to reduce the volume?

Thanks if you can help me

[RamdomChances]

Hi mate, I've got Ipstar, which is ok and when it is working propally is quite quick, unfortunatly it does'nt work propally all the time, it get affected by cloud cover ect. Its also expensive 3000 bht a month.

If you can get a land line put in I'd go with that, slower but a LOT cheaper and reliable.

Cheers RC

[Thetyim]

Hey Loong

I live in Phrae, where abouts are you.?

I have a telephone line and number available in a village 7 klicks south of Phrae.

PM me.

[Dah fahrang]

Hi.

Like you, I have thought long & hard about options - Ipstar, GPRS etc simply because I can't get a fixed phone line put in.

Yesterday, signed up with DTAC for a one year GPRS account - using laptop computer and mobile phone via infrared link. The DTAC promotion is Baht 1000 per month, with UNLIMITED data transfer - minimum contract 12 months - voice calls via mobile @ Baht 4 per minute plus Baht 250 line rental. If you can get DTAC reception on a mobile in your area, GPRS will work too.

I thought it too good to miss - and am writing this to you on it now!

Good luck!

[loong]

Like you, I have thought long & hard about options - Ipstar, GPRS etc simply because I can't get a fixed phone line put in.

Yesterday, signed up with DTAC for a one year GPRS account - using laptop computer and mobile phone via infrared link. The DTAC promotion is Baht 1000 per month, with UNLIMITED data transfer - minimum contract 12 months - voice calls via mobile @ Baht 4 per minute plus Baht 250 line rental. If you can get DTAC reception on a mobile in your area, GPRS will work too.

Thanks for info

But as I said, I'm pretty ignorant, so don't know whatIpstar, GPRS is.

With DTAC and mobile phone, that costs 1000 per month and 4 Baht for every minute online - Do I understand correctly? or does 1000 Baht cover costs of data calls and you only pay 4 Baht per minute for voice calls?

[RamdomChances]

Dah Fahrang, that does sound good, have you aa link or phone number to get more info, I forget what speed is gprs?.

loong, i'm no expert but GPRS is a faster way of using a mobile to connect to the internet, usually with a lap top, but you can connect to a desk top with a data link cable. I think its comparable speed witha 56 k modem, mabye a bit quicker??.

Ipstar is a broard band satilite system , you can have one if you have a phone line which i think downloads at 128 bts and uploads using your phone line at 56(1500 bht/month).

The other is a pure satillite system, which if you can not get a land line (like me, it stops about 5 km from my house) is one of the few choices there are, its 3000 bht a month for 3000 mb usage ??. Its quick if you are downloading a lot of stufff, programs ect, but takes a while to find sites if you are browsing. I think its 218bts.

Both these are "internet on demand" ie they are always on you dont pay by the min but by the mega bite.

I hope that helps, do a search through the computer section here, there is a fair bit on Ipstar.

Cheers RC

[Dah fahrang]

Loong:

It works with your computer becoming effectively a terminal for your mobile phone. You connect through your mobile to DTAC GPRS (general packet radio service) and then from DTAC to the internet.

The contract I took is for 12 months, at Baht 1000 per month with unlimited internet access - ie; unlimited data transfer. I am using a laptop with a Sony ericcson T68i mobile phone, with an infrared link (wireless) between my laptop and mobile. I also want to be able to also use my mobile phone as a 'normal' phone to call in Thailand and overseas - the phone line rental for that is another Baht 250 per month, with all Thailand calls costing 4 baht per minute. Csalling overseas I use CAT Telecom 009 prefix, and pay 7 baht per minute.

I am using this link right now, and the speed is acceptable, across the infared link its 1152000 bps. When I logged on to DTAC at 10pm the speed was 38.4 kbps.

Chok dee.

[meadish_sweetball]

AIS have a GPRS promotion for 500 baht per month if you sign up with them. I also pay 250 baht per month as a basic fee, and 4 baht/minute for phone calls.

The speed for GPRS is a bit slower than a normal telephone line with 56K modem using CSLoxinfo internet refill (63 hours). Neither of these options are any good for big downloads, for that you need satellite or ADSL (Although the satellite speeds are affected by the weather). In other words, if you only surf around to forums and use Internet for email, you will be best off with a landline and CSLoxinfo 63 hours refill packages. For media intense internet use, try satellite or ADSL whenever that becomes available...

My 2 cents.

[cutethaigirl]

Neither of these options are any good for big downloads, for that you need satellite or ADSL

Why?

if you live on the internet and download "big" files ALL th etime then at the moment that would mean you HAVE to go live in a big city?

The original poster is going to Phrae.

That GRPS package is looking the best option.

I believe if you sign up for DTAC. ,aximise you pay a fixed price for the pack like say 1200 baht a month that includes 600 mins and then 2B after. themn pay the GRPS package on top. if you move around a lot this has to be good.

So what if the odd download takes an hour or so.

Tell me someone in Thailand that does not have more time than where they used to live

[meadish_sweetball]

1. Why would you want to choose DTAC GPRS for 1200 when you can get AIS GPRS for 500... except for the fact that ShinCorp own AIS?

2. I don't understand your point here. If he has a landline and buys 63 hour packs with Loxinfo for 650-700 baht (the price says 750 but you can get them cheaper at most stores if you buy five of them at a time), which give you a steady connection twice as fast as the GPRS one... why is GPRS a better alternative?

[loong]

Appreciate all the info so far.

At the moment, looks extremely doubtful that I will be able to get a landline telephone.

A package that offers unlimited access for a fixed rate would probably suit me and if avalilable with a good connection via mobile phone may well do me. Download speed is not the most important consideration for me. If I need to do the occasional large download, can always go and make a cup of coffee. Just would be frustrating if lose the connection half way thru.

My mobile is with one2call at the moment, This I understand is part of the AIS network, and I have no real idea what calls are per minute. I am sure they are at least 6 Baht and seem to be as high as 15 Bpm to some landlines. The only way I can check is by doing a balance check b4 and After a call. With current mobile minimum 300 Baht pm including phone time.

From what I read here for coice calls 250 Bt rental then 4 Bpm on top. That sounds good. Is it same cost for calls to other mobile networks?

Meadish Sweet ball

Not sure if I can get landline so Satellite or mobile may be only options

How long have you been with AIS GPRS? Is it reliable?

What do you get for your 500 Baht per month?

Dah Farang

1000 Baht for unlimited access! That sounds good. Was this recommended to you?

Obviously as you have not had this service for long, you don't know how reliable it is.

How do you subscribe to these services?

Thanks again everyone for being so helpful

[cutethaigirl]

if you are near Chiangmai AIS have super place on Thapae Road. Very helpful.

There is DTAC big office on the road leading west from Thapae Gate. So in astraight line from the other.

Check their websites?

They have promotions often.

[loong]

Tried to check Dtac website, couldn't find it by searching as yet.

AIS website, I found confusing as seems to say 900 Baht gives unlimited access for month 1 to 3 and then 400 hours month 4 to 12. Then 1 Baht per second if go over maximum. Not clear if this means 400 hours per month or 400 hours spread over the 9 months.

Other AIS promotion 1500 Baht for 50 Mb upload/download

[cutethaigirl]

if you are near Chiangmai AIS have super place on Thapae Road. Very helpful.

There is DTAC big office on the road leading west from Thapae Gate. So in astraight line from the other.

[meadish_sweetball]

The 500 baht GPRS deal was recommended to me from a friend, and the customer service girl at AIS accepted it when we said we had a friend who got it. She did however start out by trying to sell us other more expensive packages first.

I have experienced no problems with AIS' GPRS service so far, but I do not use it 24 hours per day to connect to the Internet. I do have it set up to check my email every 15 minutes, and that works brilliantly. Those four or five times I have used it to connect my laptop, the service is alright but a bit slow compared to dialup. Still ok though if you are mainly using the internet for email and info searching. I maintain that if you use it for down/uploading music, pics and movies, you should consider using satellite instead.

[cutethaigirl]

I have experienced no problems with AIS' GPRS service so far, but I do not use it 24 hours per day to connect to the Internet. I do have it set up to check my email every 15 minutes, and that works brilliantly. Those four or five times I have used it to connect my laptop, the service is alright but a bit slow compared to dialup. Still ok though if you are mainly using the internet for email and info searching. I maintain that if you use it for down/uploading music, pics and movies, you should consider using satellite instead.

Absolutely agree:-)

Have you tried accessing the net with a laptop and mobile from the top of Doi Suthep or on a bus yet?

[Dah fahrang]

Weekend house painting - not logged on to this forum.

Catching up -:

1. I live up country - only 80 km out of Bangkok, but I have absolutely no chance of a landline - if I did, I would be looking into broadband.

2. DTAC promotion is a new one - I think it only started early Sept, so probably isn't on their web site - yet. I simply went into the DTAC shop (big one in Pinklao) and enquired. They showed me a list of GPRS contracts , and the 1000 baht one was on the list. They had a technician in the shop, so having signed the contract, and put the SIM into my mobile phone, I walked out with internet up and running.

3. It is unlimited. There is no time limit, restriction on hours per day or time of day - or on volume of download. So, who cares if a download takes an hour? Cutethaigirl makes the point clearly - make a cup of coffee, go and buy some noodles, and come back to a completed download.

4. So far, no problems. It's worked first time everytime. Will keep forum posted if problems occur.

5. I switched to DTAC because AIS - Telewiz and phone seemed totally incapable of telling me what needed to be done to set up, and seem more concerned with entertainment through their 'Mobile Life' internet than with business or serious user. And, yes, it's owned by Shin Corp, like much of Thailand!

Chok dee.

[loong]

Thanks Dah Farang

Hope the house is looking good now.

If I am unable to sort out a landline, could well be what I will opt for.

Are you absolutely sure that is unlimited access? seems a really good deal. There is nothing hidden such as unlimited for the first 3 months and the charge applies above a certain data limit?

Unlimited access coupled with all voice calls at 4Bht per min would suit me perfectly.

I haven't decided whether to buy laptop in UK or opt for buying desktop in Thailand. Prefer the desktop option, but would be able to use laptop while travelling. I understand that I would get a better deal on a laptop in UK and no problem with Thai customs. I think that desktop deals are similar in both countries.

[cutethaigirl]

I think that desktop deals are similar in both countries.

Correct

always better to buy from a face near you than mail order far away.

UK is good at mail order. Some place called Tiny?? was famous even here

Go with alaptop if you move. Especially with the DTAC promo. The call rate is less than 4B i think.

As said go ask DTAC. It is their deal not ours

[loong]

Thanks again

think I will look into buying laptop in Uk b4 returning Los.

Can always buy mouse and keyboard in Thailand as don't particularly like ball mouse in laptops.