True Move Gprs Promotion Meltdown

[FrankFrink]

Hi all

I subscribe to True Move (cyberSIM) for my mobile number, GPRS unlimited, True Wi-Fi unlimited (hotspots). In the past week or so the GPRS service has come to a grinding halt and at most times of the day is unusable, hanging up, failing to connect and so on. Previously it was certainly quite adequate for basic web access and email via either POP3 or iGoogle (google mobile) via web.

Having spoken to a True shop representative yesterday I hear there is a huge promotion offering unlimited GPRS for only 10baht per day... As ever the increase in web traffic is not compensated by any development of infrastructure, or indeed further up the chain with Thailand's woeful connection to the Internet backbone. The current access is impossible, speeds a nightmare, email access taking way too long.

When will either large corporations or government make any of the needed investments? How can they possibly introduce 3G or equivalent services when the infrastructure is close to collapse? Where is all the revenue going from the huge increase in subscribers?

Some would say Thailand's Internet services are going forward, however faced with increasing subscribers and traffic how can Internet access go anywhere but backwards if there is no investment in core technologies, infrastructure and backbone? Kind of ridiculous..!

Meanwhile True GPRS email access is strangled to the point of useless.

FF.

[stumonster]

Having spoken to a True shop representative yesterday I hear there is a huge promotion offering unlimited GPRS for only 10baht per day... As ever the increase in web traffic is not compensated by any development of infrastructure, or indeed further up the chain with Thailand's woeful connection to the Internet backbone. The current access is impossible, speeds a nightmare, email access taking way too long.

I would have thought the vast majority of those who have signed up for the 10 baht per day promotion would have been Thai and probably accessing Thai websites hosted in Thailand.

[FrankFrink]

I would have thought the vast majority of those who have signed up for the 10 baht per day promotion would have been Thai and probably accessing Thai websites hosted in Thailand.

I think the majority of users will try and use their new GPRS time to access their email on Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail servers primarily and therefore access international bandwidth.

Eventually, I suppose they are forced to catch up with services and expand capabilities as the market grows - looks though that they wait for the system to break down before taking any measures to improve the system, instead of making sure the network/bandwidth is capable first.

FF

[skippybangkok]

Hi all

How can they possibly introduce 3G or equivalent services when the infrastructure is close to collapse?

Where is all the revenue going from the huge increase in subscribers?

FF.

Q1. I suspect the infra will be seperate from GPRS, and thus not related.

Q2. I suspect to reduce loss on the P&L ( see their P&L EOY 2007)

I think the issue in Thailand is that we have very cheap rates for communications thru agressive competition ( what would one pay in i.e. UK / USA / Oz for such services ?). Collecting peanuts in Baht, and buying expensive equipment in $USD i suspect allows little leeway for Capital investments.

As the old saying goes, YOU PAY PEANUTS, YOU GET MONKEYS. - at current telecoms rates, investment will be challenging.

[lomatopo]

Here's a link to the promotion:

http://www.truemove.com/thai/product/package/post_wifi.htm#

Both voice and data need to be balanced in the network, and voice services always have priority. So right from the get-go you're going to be dealing with a constantly changing service level for mobile data. As TrueMove's voice and data customer base expands you can expect data service levels to decrease. They can manage the WiFi access, currently to 64 kbpts for this promotion, but there is no way to offer degraded service to just the promotion GPRS users so everyone suffers from the "well, what do you expect for 10 baht per day" scenario.

If you rely on mobile data then maybe look to DTAC or AIS/One-2-Call.

[FrankFrink]

Here's a link to the promotion:

http://www.truemove.com/thai/product/package/post_wifi.htm#

Both voice and data need to be balanced in the network, and voice services always have priority. So right from the get-go you're going to be dealing with a constantly changing service level for mobile data. As TrueMove's voice and data customer base expands you can expect data service levels to decrease. They can manage the WiFi access, currently to 64 kbpts for this promotion, but there is no way to offer degraded service to just the promotion GPRS users so everyone suffers from the "well, what do you expect for 10 baht per day" scenario.

If you rely on mobile data then maybe look to DTAC or AIS/One-2-Call.

Hi - thanks all for the further insight into these issues, I agree overall we do pay very good rates compared to Europe or the USA, and the issue of equipment is a very valid point if it is high cost. I think though international bandwidth (in terms of GPRS and data) is a major issue, as it is with Internet in general here. Investment to the Internet backbone is not happening, other countries push ahead month by month, Thailand stagnates without any momentum. for a while it is bearable but as other countries move forward with 3G and high speed broadband it makes Thailand's situation further and further behind in comparison. the woeful 2MB Internet connection I have is worse than similar to using a dial-up modem when you compare the level of service and possibilities real high speed Internet offers (and in fact sometimes my home Internet speed is the SAME as dial-up...) - never mind the huge gulf when considering the lack of capabilities when running a business.

On a more positive note - True have changed my package from 800 baht per month for Wi-Fi (hotspots) and GPRS combined to 450 baht, the new rates/offers. Unfortunately, had I not complained i would never have been aware of the huge amount more I was paying compared to new customers - therefore if you currently use True move CyberSim please contact them for a 350 baht per month discount!

FF

[lomatopo]

Good news, AIS/One-2-Call have countered with their own promotion! I think it's called "FIT". Expect threads/posts titled, "One-2-Call Gives me Fits".

Glad to hear you're happy with your revised rates. 350 baht seems to have made you "whole"? But is the service is still "unusable"?

[frenchfarangjomtien]

Hi,

How much costs True move GPRS on a prepaid card ?

Any unlimited package now ?

How to subscribe ?

Thanks.

[lomatopo]

http://www.truemove.com/en/banner-wifi-edge-gprs-pre.html

No unlimited packages unless you have the bundled iPhone options; you can go 39 baht per day unlimited and then do that daily if you think you'll exceed the 100 hours or 1 GB packages.

[RedCardinal]

I think the majority of users will try and use their new GPRS time to access their email on Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail servers primarily and therefore access international bandwidth

Those 3 sites all peer directly into Thailand, so this traffic would actually be domestic.