Internet Via Laptop

[Tom Kagai]

Lots of tourists / business men are now getting internet access by putting a card into the side of their laptop (wireless access) and it seems to be of broadband quality too, speedwise.

How do they do that, what are the set up costs (assuming you've got the laptop) and how's your access time payed for?

Sorry if i'm fick and behind the times but it is pretty cool. Those chairs in the internet cafe give me jep-tort!

[Ken]

Lots of tourists / business men are now getting internet access by putting a card into the side of their laptop (wireless access) and it seems to be of broadband quality too, speedwise.   

How do they do that, what are the set up costs (assuming you've got the laptop) and how's your access time payed for?

Sorry if i'm fick and behind the times but it is pretty cool. Those chairs in the internet cafe give me jep-tort!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am using the "AIS Internet Solution" and been using if for 3 months now. Works pretty good in my small village 80 Km northwest of Korat. Best download speed achieved (to put it in perspective), was a 5 MB file in 10 minutes. It isn't always quite that fast, but still good. I do not have a landline in my village and now that I have this connection, I don't much care if I ever get one.

The cost for me is/was a one year contract with AIS at 1,200 Baht per month. They had a promotion going on that gave me the first six months of unlimited connection time and the last six months, 200 hours per month. At their recommendation I bought a 10,000 Baht "Solomon" modem which plugs into my USB port and holds the AIS Sim card. I do not have an infrared port on my laptop, but they told me that if I had the infrared port then I could use a GPRS mobile phone to connect thru that port rather than the "Solomon".

I believe Dtac also has a similar internet solution, but Dtac doesn't work well in the area that I live.

I just took a look at the AIS website and they have a different promotion than when I signed up. Says 999 Baht per month. I didn't read the details, but here is the website:

AIS GSM ADVANCE

[Tom Kagai]

AIS GSM ADVANCE

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the quick response Ken, and for the advice. The above website is definately one to watch, particularly if the price has fallen by almost 20% in 3 months. I guess there's a bit of a price war happening so maybe i'll leave them to fight it out for a few more months as i'm surrounded by internet cafe's.

[billd766]

Lots of tourists / business men are now getting internet access by putting a card into the side of their laptop (wireless access) and it seems to be of broadband quality too, speedwise.   

How do they do that, what are the set up costs (assuming you've got the laptop) and how's your access time payed for?

Sorry if i'm fick and behind the times but it is pretty cool. Those chairs in the internet cafe give me jep-tort!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am using the "AIS Internet Solution" and been using if for 3 months now. Works pretty good in my small village 80 Km northwest of Korat. Best download speed achieved (to put it in perspective), was a 5 MB file in 10 minutes. It isn't always quite that fast, but still good. I do not have a landline in my village and now that I have this connection, I don't much care if I ever get one.

The cost for me is/was a one year contract with AIS at 1,200 Baht per month. They had a promotion going on that gave me the first six months of unlimited connection time and the last six months, 200 hours per month. At their recommendation I bought a 10,000 Baht "Solomon" modem which plugs into my USB port and holds the AIS Sim card. I do not have an infrared port on my laptop, but they told me that if I had the infrared port then I could use a GPRS mobile phone to connect thru that port rather than the "Solomon".

I believe Dtac also has a similar internet solution, but Dtac doesn't work well in the area that I live.

I just took a look at the AIS website and they have a different promotion than when I signed up. Says 999 Baht per month. I didn't read the details, but here is the website:

AIS GSM ADVANCE

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also live near a small village about 50 km South West of Khampaeng Phet and my nearest telephone line is 4 1/2 km away.

I have had an AIS post paid mobile for about 3 years and in August I went to the AIS office in the Central Bang Na building and asked about GPRS.

All I needed was the (original) Nokia cable between my laptop and the mobile and they set up my system for me.

For 350 Baht per month I get 120 hours of GPRS connection per month and if I need more I can go up to the next package.

I have been on a promotion from AIS since 2001 and they have extended it for another 3 years. My total phone bill last month was 4,202 baht including the GPRS. After the promotion discount it came to 1,712 baht per month.

Sometimes at night the GPRS is not so good but once the connection is made, if the signal drops the GPRS stays up and comes back with the signal.

I am more than happy with this service.

As a small matter of side interest the local Thai Rak Thai agent came around yesterday and asked my wife what she (we) needed and all she asked for was a phone line and cleaner water.

We have only been waiting for a phone line for about 15 months.

Next life perhaps?

[astral]

internet cafe give me jep-tort!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you mean Jep Toot a sore bum,

what you said is a sore Fa-t!!

[jaidee36]

Hmmm I am risking going a little beyond my expertise here....

BUT both AIS and Advance have GPRS networks but maximum speeds are limited to about 35kps - slightly slower than a good dial-up connection but enough to get you a 5mb file in 10 minutes on a good day.

However, DTAC has just launched its EDGE network (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution) although I think it only works in Bangkok. You can buy a Sony Air Card for Bt14,500 and then the service is BT1,200/month unlimited usuage. Alternatively you can buy an EDGE capable mobile phone.

EDGE's theoretical maximum data is 247kps (I think) about 5 times faster than a dial up. Actual speeds might be a little lower.

[loong]

It's not clear from the above posts whether these monthly packages include the costs of the phone calls.

If you get 120 hours data trnsfer included do you still have to pay 3 Baht per minute for the phone call while you are connected?

[billd766]

Hmmm I am risking going a little beyond my expertise here....

BUT both AIS and Advance have GPRS networks but maximum speeds are limited to about 35kps - slightly slower than a good dial-up connection but enough to get you a 5mb file in 10 minutes on a good day.

However, DTAC has just launched its EDGE network (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution) although I think it only works in Bangkok. You can buy a Sony Air Card for Bt14,500 and then the service is BT1,200/month unlimited usuage. Alternatively you can buy an EDGE capable mobile phone.

EDGE's theoretical maximum data is 247kps (I think) about 5 times faster than a dial up. Actual speeds might be a little lower.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

jaidee36

As you say at this time EDGE is really only available in Bangkok and it seems to me that it is fine if you use DTAC, if you live in Bangkok and if you are a heavy user doing a lot of large downloads.

AIS tell me that I am connected at 115kbps but in real life it is about the same as a normal landline which I suspect is what many people have.

Both EDGE and GPRS are only useful if you travel a lot and use a laptop or you have no access to a landline other than Internet shops for example. When I used to go to the village I was not allowed to use my laptop on the shops Internet line but they did allow me to use their landline (and pay for it).

loong

It's not clear from the above posts whether these monthly packages include the costs of the phone calls.

If you get 120 hours data trnsfer included do you still have to pay 3 Baht per minute for the phone call while you are connected?

I have looked at my bill again and AIS have billed me 2,956 baht for my GPRS usage, HOWEVER, they have discounted me the same amount, so in effect I am only paying 350 baht per month. What I suggest is that you either check up on their website or depending on where you live, go to an AIS centre, not the small shops where you can pay your bill and talk to somebody there, or call their call centre on 1175 from an AIS phone. There is a very good large AIS shop on level 5 of the Central plaza at Bang Na.

I hope that this is of use to you.

billd766