Anyone Using 3g With Ais In Cm?

[Lorin]

Hi guys, anyone tried 3G from AIS already? Comments please.

[croftrobin]

Hardly likely as the Engineers are still probably driving up from Bangkok! And I think it very unlikely that anyone in CM has a phone - or more importantly a service agreement yet.

Perhaps in a few weeks (months) TIT!

http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache:IhzY_...lient=firefox-a

[nikster]

Headline from your link: "Advanced Info Service (AIS) will debut a third-generation (3G) service in Chiang Mai on May 6...."

Will start in CM before it starts in BKK.

Other bits from the article: "... will be available to prepaid only initially, and to postpaid in the 3rd quarter.." ".. targeting 70,000 subscribers for this year...".

Looks like AIS is in a great hurry to make this happen.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello

Of course, as this is Thailand, the international standard for 3G is ignored and everyone who, in anticipation of this new technology, has already bought a "3G" phone is screwed - their phones won't work on AIS's system.

World standard for UMTS = 2.100 MHz W-CDMA.

Thailand: 900 MHz.

'nuff said.

Best regards......

Thanh

[stumonster]

I thought AIS and DTAC were rolling out HSDPA which is GSM not CDMA

[monty]

Yep, AIS and Dtca will roll out HSDPA which piggybacks on the GSM standard.

Frequencies are irrelevant since most of these devices are multi band anyway.

I'm also pretty sure it is one of the most used standards today!

Check out following list of providers worldwide offering HSDPA here

For instance, 24 out of the 27 EU countries have one or more providers offering this standard.

[paveet]

Of course, as this is Thailand, the international standard for 3G is ignored and everyone who, in anticipation of this new technology, has already bought a "3G" phone is screwed - their phones won't work on AIS's system.

World standard for UMTS = 2.100 MHz W-CDMA.

Thailand: 900 MHz.

'nuff said.

Best regards......

Thanh

I don't mean to defend anyone here, but this is what I think/know from my understanding (correct me if I'm wrong):

- AIS is rolling out UMTS on 900Mhz and DTAC on 850Mhz because of existing concession agreements. I see this is a very good inititive, otherwise when will we ever get 3g?

- Most of the cost in rolling out a mobile network is not to do with the equipment, but building up a cell site, e.g. supply it power, digging up grounds, etc. Equipment and antennas can be easily changed cheaply.

- 2100 isn't the 'world standard' but it's what is deployed in quite a few places in the world. UMTS is designed to be operated on many different bands as defined by 3GPP.

- Many operators, including those in the west are beginning to roll out 850 Mhz and 900Mhz bands because of the less number of cell sites needed (lower frequencies can cover a larger area: due to many reasons such as diffraction, moisure, etc). Telstra in Australia and Finland are good examples. I also read somewhere O2 are doing a test with 850Mhz.

//edit to correct spellings.

Edited May 8, 2008 by paveet

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Hardly likely as the Engineers are still probably driving up from Bangkok! And I think it very unlikely that anyone in CM has a phone - or more importantly a service agreement yet.

Perhaps in a few weeks (months) TIT!

http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache:IhzY_...lient=firefox-a

it's still a major problem that the various networks and international bandwidth are so limited. Great I can connect to the network at a few MB's but then will just crawl when trying to download a page from outside SEA.

[nikster]

Hardly likely as the Engineers are still probably driving up from Bangkok! And I think it very unlikely that anyone in CM has a phone - or more importantly a service agreement yet.

Perhaps in a few weeks (months) TIT!

http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache:IhzY_...lient=firefox-a

it's still a major problem that the various networks and international bandwidth are so limited. Great I can connect to the network at a few MB's but then will just crawl when trying to download a page from outside SEA.

To quote Dick Cheney: So?

[monty]

I don't mean to defend anyone here, but this is what I think/know from my understanding (correct me if I'm wrong):

- AIS is rolling out UMTS on 900Mhz and DTAC on 850Mhz because of existing concession agreements. I see this is a very good inititive, otherwise when will we ever get 3g?

- Most of the cost in rolling out a mobile network is not to do with the equipment, but building up a cell site, e.g. supply it power, digging up grounds, etc. Equipment and antennas can be easily changed cheaply.

- 2100 isn't the 'world standard' but it's what is deployed in quite a few places in the world. UMTS is designed to be operated on many different bands as defined by 3GPP.

- Many operators, including those in the west are beginning to roll out 850 Mhz and 900Mhz bands because of the less number of cell sites needed (lower frequencies can cover a larger area: due to many reasons such as diffraction, moisure, etc). Telstra in Australia and Finland are good examples. I also read somewhere O2 are doing a test with 850Mhz.

It's definitely very confusing with all these bloody standards.

Following I think is pretty much how it is:

HSPDA is an evolution on the UMTS standard (also called W-CDMA), currently allowing either 3.6 mbps, 7.2 mbps or 14.4 mbps download speeds, with an upload speed of 384 kbps. This system is an evolution on the GSM standard.

Pretty much all of the HSDPA capable devices are tri-band and support 1900 and 2100 Mhz, and most of them also work on either 850 Mhz OR 900 Mhz.

Some of them are fully quad band supporting the 4 frequencies.

Then you have yet other devices supporting 1700 and 1800 Mhz!

It does seem that either on 850 Mhz (Dtac) or 900 Mhz (AIS) quite a bit of devices are available. Visitors already owning a HSDPA capable device will probably have a 70% chance (my guess) to capable to hook up to either AIS or Dtac, with Dtac being the winner on 850 Mhz (see below).

The biggest problem will probably be roaming for people who have a device locked to the provider in their home country.

Use this site to look for devices based on frequency. You'll also notice very few devices are actually 7.2 mbps capable, let alone 14.4 mbps! The majority can do 3.6 mbps.

http://hspa.gsmworld.com/devices/detail.asp

FYI, 850 Mhz yielded 41 devices from pretty much all the brands around, while 900 Mhz yielded only 24 devices, with half of them being HP laptops with the modem built in!

Based on that it will be easier for Dtac customers to find a device

[nikster]

I don't mean to defend anyone here, but this is what I think/know from my understanding (correct me if I'm wrong):

- AIS is rolling out UMTS on 900Mhz and DTAC on 850Mhz because of existing concession agreements. I see this is a very good inititive, otherwise when will we ever get 3g?

- Most of the cost in rolling out a mobile network is not to do with the equipment, but building up a cell site, e.g. supply it power, digging up grounds, etc. Equipment and antennas can be easily changed cheaply.

- 2100 isn't the 'world standard' but it's what is deployed in quite a few places in the world. UMTS is designed to be operated on many different bands as defined by 3GPP.

- Many operators, including those in the west are beginning to roll out 850 Mhz and 900Mhz bands because of the less number of cell sites needed (lower frequencies can cover a larger area: due to many reasons such as diffraction, moisure, etc). Telstra in Australia and Finland are good examples. I also read somewhere O2 are doing a test with 850Mhz.

//edit to correct spellings.

Quoted for truth. Exactly. AIS and DTAC have a choice with 3G: Either use the frequencies they already have concessions for. Or don't roll out 3G. I am happy they chose the former...

[LuckyFive8888]

CM was the first to launch commercial trial since the vendor there was fast to deliver and implement (chinese vendor, i won't mention names) and AIS also has lacking EDGE coverage in that area. Bangkok and Southern (phuket) is scheduled next month for commercial launch, 25 sites or something in bangkok. all these 3 areas with different vendors (again, I won't mention names).

Yes, AIS will go for 900Mhz and therefore the mobiles to be sold aren't in the market yet (maybe a few in the black market - 2 to 3 models of samsung and nokia) while DTAC will go for 2Ghz which is widely used in the world (waiting for NTC license). Anyway, if I were to buy a mobile I would prefer to buy the widely used ones. Needless to say, DTAC will be my choice of provider as I can easily roam to the world with my mobile. Another drawback is that, incoming roamers from another countries won't be able to roam in AIS 3G network using thier 3G phones that support only 2Ghz band (most of them). Big loss for AIS until mobile capable for both bands are available but not so soon.

By the way, HSDPA is not a GSM standard but EDGE is. HSDPA and HSUPA will be rolled out on both AIS and DTAC to speed up PS throughput of data hungry subscribers (TV forumers?).

[Plus]

I read a report about 3G launch in Chiang Mai in yesterday's Xpress. They sold quite a lot of phones for the first day and they mentioded success with couple who want to use video calls.

[LuckyFive8888]

I read a report about 3G launch in Chiang Mai in yesterday's Xpress. They sold quite a lot of phones for the first day and they mentioded success with couple who want to use video calls.

yes, but this craze will not last long as the network will saturate and the coverage will shrink as users increase. network expansion takes time after the intial launch.

[paveet]

By the way, HSDPA is not a GSM standard but EDGE is. HSDPA and HSUPA will be rolled out on both AIS and DTAC to speed up PS throughput of data hungry subscribers (TV forumers?).

HSDPA is like an 'extension' to the original UMTS specification designed to replace GSM. HSUPA is yet another, which users will see higher uploads, it was designed because of the way users interact on the internet these days: share videos, upload photos, extensively blog, etc.

I'd be very surprised if HSUPA gets rolled out straight away in Thailand though.

[Plus]

I read a report about 3G launch in Chiang Mai in yesterday's Xpress. They sold quite a lot of phones for the first day and they mentioded success with couple who want to use video calls.

yes, but this craze will not last long as the network will saturate and the coverage will shrink as users increase. network expansion takes time after the intial launch.

It should work ok as long as transfers are domestic, it's surfing the Internet and downloading that will get saturated pretty fast, though I doubt they'll let you use torrents or any other p2p kind of connections.

[edwardandtubs]

Word on the street is that AIG's 3G will be available only to postpaid users until Q4 2008 when we prepaid plebs can try it out.

Edited May 9, 2008 by edwardandtubs

[Cal]

Anyone in Chiang Mai who has tested "AIS 3G" yet?

[Digitalbanana]

- 2100 isn't the 'world standard' but it's what is deployed in quite a few places in the world. UMTS is designed to be operated on many different bands as defined by 3GPP.

If one looks at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Deployed_UMTS_networks the 2100 frequency seems to be pretty common. It's the only option on my phone (and O2) and will be next to useless in Thailand but ok everywhere else? Bought in Thailand as well!

[nikster]

Called AIS to figure out details. Telewiz shops and AIS main office in Chiang Mai have packages with phone+sim or data card + sim. The latter is 5990 BHT.

I was pretty confused about the plans on offer but the lady told me very clearly there were no unlimited plans, and the 990 BHT plan included an unknown data transfer and additional was 1BHT/5MB.

Without unlimited plan it's pretty useless for me

Edit - hold on a sec, 1BHT/5MB works out to BHT 2000 for 10GB. That might work for me after all

Edited May 13, 2008 by nikster

[monty]

This article lists the prices, which indeed are quite reasonable!

http://203.150.230.125/ais/MediaCenter/en/...mp;stryear=2008

Data service, 100 Baht with 500 Mb included and 10 Baht/50 Mb extra.

Niksters 10 GB would cost indeed exact 2000 Baht (100 Baht for the first 0.5 GB and 1900 for the additional 9.5 Gb)

One thing I'm sure will not be hit, is the video call at a whopping 3 Baht/second (180 Baht/minute)!!!

[nikster]

monty, thx a lot for the link.

I think they have the pricing right for data. While I want unlimited, in reality unlimited mobile services will just cancel your account if you end up downloading excessive amounts. With the AIS plan, you can download as excessive as you want, you just have to pay for it. Pricing like this also just might prevent the spectrum from getting too crowded.

Video calling, as has been amply demonstrated, is not going to catch on at any price, but making it expensive is a sure way to bury it from the start - very funny

[monty]

Called AIS to figure out details. Telewiz shops and AIS main office in Chiang Mai have packages with phone+sim or data card + sim. The latter is 5990 BHT.

I was pretty confused about the plans on offer but the lady told me very clearly there were no unlimited plans, and the 990 BHT plan included an unknown data transfer and additional was 1BHT/5MB.

Without unlimited plan it's pretty useless for me

Edit - hold on a sec, 1BHT/5MB works out to BHT 2000 for 10GB. That might work for me after all

Nikster, the data card I assume is an aircard, much like we have available on the Edge/gprs network?

If so, is it PCMCIA or the new express card standard?

Anyways, 6000 Baht for such a card is very reasonable, I paid way more for my Sierra Wireless 775 (Edge), 13,000 Baht, and even today you still pay around 10,000 for them

[george]

3G launched in Chiang Mai

AIS chief hails high-speed 'revolution'

AIS staff promote 3G handsets and SIM cards at a mobile shop in Chiang Mai yesterday.

CHIANG MAI: -- Advanced Info Service (AIS) yesterday staged the commercial launch of third-generation (3G) mobile broadband services in Chiang Mai under a 600-million-baht plan. The country's largest mobile operator has a head start in 3G and plans start offering service in Bangkok in mid-June.

President Wichian Mektrakarn said the move was a ''revolution'' for the country's wireless industry.

He said the service under the new 3GSM Advance brand, on top of the company's existing 900 Megahertz frequency with high-speed packet access (HSPA) technology, would focus on providing mobile data through high-speed internet access.

AIS has only 30 cell sites in Chiang Mai as allowed by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

The service includes video calling, video streaming and full song and music video downloads. It provides a speed of 7.2 megabits per second, about 45 times faster than GPRS and Edge systems.

AIS charges three baht per minute for a video call and one baht for five megabits of download services.

Users need new SIM cards but can keep their old mobile numbers. They also need to have compatible handsets.

AIS is offering two handset models from Nokia and Phone One, priced at 8,990 and 6,990 baht, respectively. Nokia plans to introduce an additional nine 3G models this year.

Mr Wichian said the company also planned to introduce the 3GSM service in Hua Hin, Chon Buri and Phuket if the Chiang Mai launch was well received.

He said a 3G nationwide service would be available in the future with a possible 10 billion baht budget.

The commercial launch came after AIS signed an agreement with TOT Plc for the right to upgrade the 900 MHz network to HSPA. The NTC, meanwhile, has allowed TOT to upgrade its 900 MHz network to HSPA.

Mr Wichian said AIS needed to act now on HSPA as it could not wait for new 3G licences from the NTC.

AIS shares (ADVANC) closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 91.50 baht, down 1.50, in trade worth 362.47 million baht.

-- Bangkok Post 2008-05-08

[monty]

Dtac better get moving now!

They will have the advantage of using the 850 MHz band, which has loads of compatible devices on the market!