I think I want to buy a 3G/GPRS data card for my notebook.

(More places seem to be moving over to pay for Wifi since the new law about recording users details.)

Does anyone have any suggestions for such a card and does 3G work yet here in BKK ?

Not looking for lightening speeds just reliable Internet connection when I am out and about and there are no Wifi/Internet cafes around.

Currently there is no HSDPA nor HSUPA being offered in Bangkok. HSPA is being offered in Chiang Mai; it is being offered by AIS. However, it appears that there is going to be no set standard for all the carriers to follow, so if you do buy a HSPA card now, make sure it's a quad band version.

Inside Bangkok you have the choice of either GPRS/EDGE or CDMA 1xRTT. GPRS is just as slow as dial-up, with EDGE increasing your speed from mid 80 kb-low 100 kb/s sustained. CDMA 1xRTT (offered by Hutch), is approximately the same speed as EDGE, but you don't get roaming outside of the middle provinces.

You can pick up an GPRS/EDGE card at pretty much any 'puter shop. Pop in either a pre-paid sim or your post paid. CDMA 1xRTT needs to be obtained from a Hutch shop.

Sierra Wireless has always offered good cards, that's what I would recommend although they're a bit more expensive.

for GPRS/EDGE you can also look to use your mobile via bluetooth or USB if your phone has GPRS/EDGE

I would just use a mobile with GPRS/EDGE rather than a card. The very serviceable Nokia 3110c is available for under 4000 THB, and data plans on a month basis for prepaid are reasonably priced.

Will using a BT enabled phone cause any speed loss worth considering ?

Will using a BT enabled phone cause any speed loss worth considering ?

I have never tried it with Bluetooth.

I figure, why? For my phone anyway, it also charges via USB. So I am getting a "better" (hard-wired vs RF) connection and keeping the battery on the phone up at the same time.

I frequently use both a data cable with my Nokia and Bluetooth with the Samsung because I have no data cable for the Samsung. There is NO difference in speed between Bluetooth and the cable. Dtac Edge is normally better than AIS Edge.

As GaryA stated, there should be no slowdown using Bluetooth. Version 1,2, the most common version, supports 1 Mbit/s. Top speed of EDGE is only 236.8 kbit/s. So technically you could have up to 4 EDGE connections on one Bluetooth connection before you see slow downs. Add in the fact that actual speeds in Thailand are only 1/2 theoretical limits and you have more than enough bandwidth on Bluetooth to worry about a slowdown.

Regarding Bluetooth + GPRS - Correct in theory, but I had the Bluetooth serial connection show up as a 9600 bps connection in Windows. I was subsequently able to change it to 720kbps or something like that - just be sure to check your connection settings.

This was clearly a bug in the driver, but just wanted to mention it...

Edited September 13, 200817 yr by nikster