Apple Iphone 3g In Thailand. What A Joke.

[skippybangkok]

Would you like the US payment plans that go with that low price ? People love to tell one side of the story. My brother in law got free HTC diamond with his contract in Singapore, and the contract is about 2500 baht / month for 2 years.

i bet you i can get it without a AT&T service plan, you just need to know where to look for it.

Ok.....find it....... would be interested motor mouth

People love to tell one side of the story

clueless people like you is the one that cough up 28kbaht for a phone, when you can get it for half the price.

Yeh, and you can buy my broken 11 month old xbox which has no warranty if u want....knock ur self out.

[Sir_Sanuk]

The real joke is that depsite all the fanfare, pretty girls and queues of deluded people at Siam Paragon, THERE IS STILL NO 3G SERVICE IN THAILAND!

Through my job I have experienced first-hand how greedy, corrupt and backwards the big telecommunications companies and government ministries are here. Had they managed to stop bickering, Thailand would have had 3G two years ago. Now even Laos has 3G, while Thailand still lags behind with no chance of 3G ever being implemented soon.

So tell me, what is the point of spending a fortune on a 3G phone that is tied a notoriously poor provider (True), when there isn't even a 3G service available?

Edited January 19, 2009 by Sir_Sanuk

[hhgz]

"the iphone in the US cost only $199 for 8g and $299 for 16g....."

ONLY, if you qualify for the low-cost upgrade. Otherwise, the prices are substantially higher. Too, you need to enter into a two-year service contract with AT+T.

[surayu]

How does the GPS option work on the new Iphones in Thailand?

I have a friend who bought a newer Samsung with GPS mapping (google) but it rarely shows the correct position of where he is. I was wondering how the Iphones compare and if they update real time and show the correct poition on the map.

Hi Tuffy, yes the GPS mapping works great and in real time too, the only problem might be that all the writing in the map is in thai language, if it can be of any interest i got a spare(boxed) 16gb for 25k, works with all sims.....

[thaibkk53]

The real joke is that depsite all the fanfare, pretty girls and queues of deluded people at Siam Paragon, THERE IS STILL NO 3G SERVICE IN THAILAND!

Through my job I have experienced first-hand how greedy, corrupt and backwards the big telecommunications companies and government ministries are here. Had they managed to stop bickering, Thailand would have had 3G two years ago. Now even Laos has 3G, while Thailand still lags behind with no chance of 3G ever being implemented soon.

So tell me, what is the point of spending a fortune on a 3G phone that is tied a notoriously poor provider (True), when there isn't even a 3G service available?

AIS saying now they have 3G and want us to sign up for it but only can work in two shopping center that is a Joke too. Now I see on Thai TV every night Advertise the Iphone 3G. What makes True Move think to and pay 28,000 Baht for 16GB Iphoen whne you can buy it same or cheaper at MBK unlock. I hear Indonesia now started offering Iphone 3G with same Deal. I do not udnerstand what Apple doing?

[nikster]

"the iphone in the US cost only $199 for 8g and $299 for 16g....."

ONLY, if you qualify for the low-cost upgrade. Otherwise, the prices are substantially higher. Too, you need to enter into a two-year service contract with AT+T.

Yep. The $199 is the down payment, not the cost. The 2 year contract will cost you well over $2000 and you won't know what percentage of that goes towards the phone price. My guess would be about $500 - 600

[ungcas]

"the iphone in the US cost only $199 for 8g and $299 for 16g....."

ONLY, if you qualify for the low-cost upgrade. Otherwise, the prices are substantially higher. Too, you need to enter into a two-year service contract with AT+T.

Yep. The $199 is the down payment, not the cost. The 2 year contract will cost you well over $2000 and you won't know what percentage of that goes towards the phone price. My guess would be about $500 - 600

Its like $400 for the phone + contract. With no contract it's another $400. I guess you could buy the phone sign up with a fake name and credit card and never pay the contract then move to Thailand. Otherwise it really isn't much cheaper(if at all) to buy the Iphone from USA anymore.

[thaibkk53]

"the iphone in the US cost only $199 for 8g and $299 for 16g....."

ONLY, if you qualify for the low-cost upgrade. Otherwise, the prices are substantially higher. Too, you need to enter into a two-year service contract with AT+T.

Yep. The $199 is the down payment, not the cost. The 2 year contract will cost you well over $2000 and you won't know what percentage of that goes towards the phone price. My guess would be about $500 - 600

Its like $400 for the phone + contract. With no contract it's another $400. I guess you could buy the phone sign up with a fake name and credit card and never pay the contract then move to Thailand. Otherwise it really isn't much cheaper(if at all) to buy the Iphone from USA anymore.

Only nice thing about having Iphoen buy direct from AT&T is that anytime Upgrade coem can download through Itun no problem otherwise each time Upgrade coem have to take the phoen to MBK for upgrade and lsoe many data and applications too. That is problem. Otherwise there are alto more advantage of having Unlock Iphone compair to lock one.

[StateSix]

"the iphone in the US cost only $199 for 8g and $299 for 16g....."

ONLY, if you qualify for the low-cost upgrade. Otherwise, the prices are substantially higher. Too, you need to enter into a two-year service contract with AT+T.

Yep. The $199 is the down payment, not the cost. The 2 year contract will cost you well over $2000 and you won't know what percentage of that goes towards the phone price. My guess would be about $500 - 600

Its like $400 for the phone + contract. With no contract it's another $400. I guess you could buy the phone sign up with a fake name and credit card and never pay the contract then move to Thailand. Otherwise it really isn't much cheaper(if at all) to buy the Iphone from USA anymore.

Only nice thing about having Iphoen buy direct from AT&T is that anytime Upgrade coem can download through Itun no problem otherwise each time Upgrade coem have to take the phoen to MBK for upgrade and lsoe many data and applications too. That is problem. Otherwise there are alto more advantage of having Unlock Iphone compair to lock one.

You don't need to take to MBK, it's pretty straightforward to do yourself now. There are tutorials on the net. Upgraded mine to 2.2 unlocked and jailbroken at the weekend. Just make sure you back up and save 3rd party stuff. I lost some videos that I forgot to save.

[stanny]

Do you guys know how much I can sell my 1st generation silverback Iphone in BKK? It's badly scratched at the back and has 1 dead pixel on the screen. Should I just keep it and continue using it?

[sushi5734]

Anyone got any ideas of how much they buy the 16gb 3G iphone for in MBK? I'm going to sell mine as I get too worried about losing it when I'm out having a few beers

Mine is a UK model which I got just before I left the UK and I got it unlocked over here. Its on AIS jail broken and the have a little chip that goes over the sim card all seems to work fine with me although the sat nav is okayish, as the coverage isn't brilliant in some places but then again its not brilliant in the UK either.

I pay 119 baht a month for 30 hours internet which is pretty good I tried true mobile and they were a bit crap IMHO

[nikster]

You don't need to take to MBK, it's pretty straightforward to do yourself now. There are tutorials on the net. Upgraded mine to 2.2 unlocked and jailbroken at the weekend. Just make sure you back up and save 3rd party stuff. I lost some videos that I forgot to save.

You don't even need to do that if you buy an officially unlocked phone. E.g. a Hong Kong iPhone is unlocked and free, and updates through iTunes. It's not hacked, so there are no hacks that can break - it's officially unlocked. You leave everything on auto and never worry about upgrading or jailbreaking.

They aren't that expensive over there either, $550 or so. Best option by far, IMO.... I haven't been shopping for iPhones but I am sure a good percentage of the ones you can get at MBK and so on are now HK unlocked ones.

Edited January 22, 2009 by nikster

[bubba]

From: Three reasons not to RSVP an iPhone 3G (CNET Asia, Jesada Chandraprasert - click for full article)

Software limitations Despite all the progress that Apple seems to allow the iPhone's software to make, it is still limiting the usability of such a capable device in many ways.

1. Still no cut-and-paste, need I say more?

2. No downloads over 10MB from the iTunes Store via 3G/EDGE, you have to use Wi-Fi.

3. Background tasks are still not available. What good is IM when you have to keep it in the foreground all the time?

4. No MMS. Not everyone in Thailand is always online. This market still heavily uses MMS.

5. Google Maps just doesn't cut it in Thailand, especially in the mountainous areas where there is no network coverage. We need a real GPS solution.

Assuming you have done a jailbreak on your phone, and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't as it's very easy and hugely expands what you can do with it:

1. Still no cut and paste, need I say more?: Maybe so. Install Clippy and you have it, including cut and paste between applications.

http://code.google.com/p/networkpx/wiki/Using_hClipboard

2. No downloads over 10MB from 3G/Edge. So there is no 3G in Thailand and would anyone seriously want to suffer through a 10MB download using the sluglike EDGE that is offered in Thailand. Would you want to do that on your laptop?

3. Backgrounding can be enabled by installing Backgrounder:

http://www.appleiphoneschool.com/2008/10/0...-in-background/

4. MMS is available by installing SwirlyMMS and it works wonderfully. Incoming MMS messages look very nice on the iPhone display:

http://www.swirlyspace.com/?page_id=57

5. GPS: Yes, True have abysmal coverage in the more remote areas, and that is a very good reason not to buy an iPhone or GPS service from them. However, AIS (and to an extent, DTAC) have expanded to the point where you can get a signal along nearly any highway or secondary road in Thailand. But even if you don't have a GPS connection, there are several solutions for using offline maps:

Offlinemaps:

http://code.google.com/p/iphoneofflinemap/

And here is a very nice solution that includes the map files. It's only available for the USA right now, but they are promising an Asia package for Q2 of this year:

http://www.xroadgps.com/Maps/GMapforiPhone...63/Default.aspx

And by the way, factory-unlocked, "legal" iPhones are still available from the Apple Store in Hong Kong for HKD5,400 (about 23,000 baht) if you find yourself passing through HKG.

One word of thanks to True: True are developing their own iPhone apps. The ThaiDict (English to Thai dictionary) is nice, and it's free. The TrueVisions program guide app is sort of useful as well.

[Fun2Fun]

Assuming you have done a jailbreak on your phone, and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't as it's very easy and hugely expands what you can do with it:

Because at the next Apple update all your jailbroken programs will not work anymore and you will have to have your phone jailbroken again (If possible at that point) and then get and install updated versions of the wanted programs (if available) for the new os version all over again.

Edited January 23, 2009 by Fun2Fun

[bubba]

Assuming you have done a jailbreak on your phone, and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't as it's very easy and hugely expands what you can do with it:

Because at the next Apple update all your jailbroken programs will not work anymore and you will have to have your phone jailbroken again (If possible at that point) and then get and install updated versions of the wanted programs (if available) for the new os version all over again.

It took about three days for developers to assemble a new jailbreak application for the last iPhone update (2.2). Then it was simply a matter of running the new jailbreak application, and the iPhone was updated to 2.2. The jailbreaking application produces a package includes all the applications that were present before jailbreaking, including the Apple appstore applications. That process took me about ten minutes. No applications were lost, and none had to be reinstalled.

[StateSix]

You don't need to take to MBK, it's pretty straightforward to do yourself now. There are tutorials on the net. Upgraded mine to 2.2 unlocked and jailbroken at the weekend. Just make sure you back up and save 3rd party stuff. I lost some videos that I forgot to save.

You don't even need to do that if you buy an officially unlocked phone. E.g. a Hong Kong iPhone is unlocked and free, and updates through iTunes. It's not hacked, so there are no hacks that can break - it's officially unlocked. You leave everything on auto and never worry about upgrading or jailbreaking.

They aren't that expensive over there either, $550 or so. Best option by far, IMO.... I haven't been shopping for iPhones but I am sure a good percentage of the ones you can get at MBK and so on are now HK unlocked ones.

Agreed, but you really need to jailbreak it to get all the decent 3rd party apps on it.

[StateSix]

Assuming you have done a jailbreak on your phone, and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't as it's very easy and hugely expands what you can do with it:

Because at the next Apple update all your jailbroken programs will not work anymore and you will have to have your phone jailbroken again (If possible at that point) and then get and install updated versions of the wanted programs (if available) for the new os version all over again.

It took about three days for developers to assemble a new jailbreak application for the last iPhone update (2.2). Then it was simply a matter of running the new jailbreak application, and the iPhone was updated to 2.2. The jailbreaking application produces a package includes all the applications that were present before jailbreaking, including the Apple appstore applications. That process took me about ten minutes. No applications were lost, and none had to be reinstalled.

Was that jailbreaking an offically unlocked phone on 2.2? Mine is unoffically unlocked using pwnage, and I lost all 3rd party apps and had to re-install via Cydia. All App Store apps were re-installed automatically.

[rogerdee123]

I was waiting for this iPhone release ... But now

......... I'm forgetting about the True iPhone package in Thailand.

I think I'm going to buy an iPod Touch which will do everything the iPhone will do ... except phone. I have a decent Nokia phone.

The iPod Touch is an iPhone without the phone but has wireless internet and all the apps etc.

...............

The other option is to buy the legal (so no need to worry about Apple's continuous firmware updates) iPhone in Hong Kong (cheaper than True's price) and use it with any carrier's sim card in Thailand.

[bubba]

Assuming you have done a jailbreak on your phone, and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't as it's very easy and hugely expands what you can do with it:

Because at the next Apple update all your jailbroken programs will not work anymore and you will have to have your phone jailbroken again (If possible at that point) and then get and install updated versions of the wanted programs (if available) for the new os version all over again.

It took about three days for developers to assemble a new jailbreak application for the last iPhone update (2.2). Then it was simply a matter of running the new jailbreak application, and the iPhone was updated to 2.2. The jailbreaking application produces a package includes all the applications that were present before jailbreaking, including the Apple appstore applications. That process took me about ten minutes. No applications were lost, and none had to be reinstalled.

Was that jailbreaking an offically unlocked phone on 2.2? Mine is unoffically unlocked using pwnage, and I lost all 3rd party apps and had to re-install via Cydia. All App Store apps were re-installed automatically.

Yes, mine is an officially unlocked on from HKG. But to be honest, I'm not sure why that would make a difference with jailbreaking and preserving pregviously installed Cydia packages. Hmmm..

[bubba]

I was waiting for this iPhone release ... But now

.........

I think I'm going to buy an iPod Touch which will do everything the iPhone will do ... except phone. I have a decent Nokia phone.

The iPod Touch is an iPhone without the phone but has wireless internet and all the apps etc.

Well, not exactly. The iPod Touch does not have GPS or a camera, but iPhone does. Also, Touch has no GPRS/EDGE/3G connectivity for a data connection when you are away from a WiFi connection. And importantly, the iPhone integrates everything into one package, and they all work together and interact.

[dex]

Just to let everyone know, the iPhone is NOT LOCKED to True. It never has been, and they never said it would be. In fact, you can buy the phone for 28k and use Dtac if you like.

Also, if you go with the loan option with Kasikorn, you can settle the outstanding amount at any time (it is an interest free loan of the 28k), and your true contract can be cancelled at any time WITHOUT PENALTY.

I made sure of all of these things before going through with it. Let me just say, that it is a comparatively good deal.

In the states, you put down $199 dollars, and are tied to a $69/month fee. Over 2 years, that means you end up paying $1,855 over the two years. That is 64,925 THB!!

In Thailand there is no downpayment, and monthly instalments go for at least 1399 a month. That is 33,576THB over 2 years. That is nearly HALF what you will pay in the states.

To you guys who believe you can get a better deal in the states, you are sorely mistaken. Thailand, along with a few other countries, offer a much better deal, with UNLOCKED phones.

Of course, you can just go to MBK, but those phone have no guarantee. True iPhones come with a 1 year guarantee.

[nikster]

Just to let everyone know, the iPhone is NOT LOCKED to True. It never has been, and they never said it would be. In fact, you can buy the phone for 28k and use Dtac if you like.

Also, if you go with the loan option with Kasikorn, you can settle the outstanding amount at any time (it is an interest free loan of the 28k), and your true contract can be cancelled at any time WITHOUT PENALTY.

I made sure of all of these things before going through with it. Let me just say, that it is a comparatively good deal.

In the states, you put down $199 dollars, and are tied to a $69/month fee. Over 2 years, that means you end up paying $1,855 over the two years. That is 64,925 THB!!

In Thailand there is no downpayment, and monthly instalments go for at least 1399 a month. That is 33,576THB over 2 years. That is nearly HALF what you will pay in the states.

To you guys who believe you can get a better deal in the states, you are sorely mistaken. Thailand, along with a few other countries, offer a much better deal, with UNLOCKED phones.

Of course, you can just go to MBK, but those phone have no guarantee. True iPhones come with a 1 year guarantee.

Do you already have the iPhone and did you actually try it on DTAC? Because honestly that makes all the difference in the world to me. 28K baht is still more than in HK - but if it's unlocked it's not such a bad deal.

Agree about the USA, people either don't understand how phone subsidies work, or they confuse this with the 1st gen iPhone which you could actually get for $300 without contract and then unlock yourself. Not anymore. You can unlock the iPhone 3G yourself - and even that's a pretty recent development - but you can't get it without AT&T contract. What you could do is get it, then pay contract termination fees and get out, then unlock it - but that's a lot of hassle for a phone.

[thaibkk53]

Just to let everyone know, the iPhone is NOT LOCKED to True. It never has been, and they never said it would be. In fact, you can buy the phone for 28k and use Dtac if you like.

Also, if you go with the loan option with Kasikorn, you can settle the outstanding amount at any time (it is an interest free loan of the 28k), and your true contract can be cancelled at any time WITHOUT PENALTY.

I made sure of all of these things before going through with it. Let me just say, that it is a comparatively good deal.

In the states, you put down $199 dollars, and are tied to a $69/month fee. Over 2 years, that means you end up paying $1,855 over the two years. That is 64,925 THB!!

In Thailand there is no downpayment, and monthly instalments go for at least 1399 a month. That is 33,576THB over 2 years. That is nearly HALF what you will pay in the states.

To you guys who believe you can get a better deal in the states, you are sorely mistaken. Thailand, along with a few other countries, offer a much better deal, with UNLOCKED phones.

Of course, you can just go to MBK, but those phone have no guarantee. True iPhones come with a 1 year guarantee.

I had past 2 days True call me to why no come pick up my 3G Iphone. I told them why you call me when I coem to Paragon and stand there for over 4 hours and then tell me I can not get one and too busy to get a loan approval.

In respond to our Friend If True phone is unlock then how can use the Itun to upgrade the Iphone program without getting locked? The MBK phone unlock after try to upgrade on Itun then it will get lock again.

[CDNinKS]

you can settle the outstanding amount at any time (it is an interest free loan of the 28k),

and monthly instalments go for at least 1399 a month. That is 33,576THB over 2 years.

Sounds like the math equals interest on the loan to me, which is not surprising, banks don't make money with interest free loans.

Edited January 25, 2009 by CDNinKS

[bubba]

Just to let everyone know, the iPhone is NOT LOCKED to True. It never has been, and they never said it would be. In fact, you can buy the phone for 28k and use Dtac if you like.

Also, if you go with the loan option with Kasikorn, you can settle the outstanding amount at any time (it is an interest free loan of the 28k), and your true contract can be cancelled at any time WITHOUT PENALTY.

I made sure of all of these things before going through with it. Let me just say, that it is a comparatively good deal.

In the states, you put down $199 dollars, and are tied to a $69/month fee. Over 2 years, that means you end up paying $1,855 over the two years. That is 64,925 THB!!

In Thailand there is no downpayment, and monthly instalments go for at least 1399 a month. That is 33,576THB over 2 years. That is nearly HALF what you will pay in the states.

To you guys who believe you can get a better deal in the states, you are sorely mistaken. Thailand, along with a few other countries, offer a much better deal, with UNLOCKED phones.

Of course, you can just go to MBK, but those phone have no guarantee. True iPhones come with a 1 year guarantee.

I had past 2 days True call me to why no come pick up my 3G Iphone. I told them why you call me when I coem to Paragon and stand there for over 4 hours and then tell me I can not get one and too busy to get a loan approval.

In respond to our Friend If True phone is unlock then how can use the Itun to upgrade the Iphone program without getting locked? The MBK phone unlock after try to upgrade on Itun then it will get lock again.

If the iPhone sold by True is True-ly a factory unlocked phone (as is the one sold in Hong Kong), then upgrading the software via iTunes will not lock the phone. Some of the iPhones sold at MBK are locked phones that have been hacked. Even these can be unlocked after upgrading the system software, although the unlocking hack is sometimes not released immediately following the Apple software updates. For example, with the most recent Apple 2.2 software update, the unlocking hack was not released until about two months following the availability of the software upgrade via iTunes.

[dex]

I have the phone, and can confirm it is indeed unlocked. I have used my old DTAC sim in it with no problems.

CDNinKS, the extra 5,500THB is your monthly True subscriber fees.

I agree though, I can't see how a bank can offer interest free loans, but this is what I was told by True staff.

thaibkk53, the phone is factory unlocked. That means that it is legally sold like that, and the firmware of the phone is legal, allowing the upgrading of software.

[thaibkk53]

I have the phone, and can confirm it is indeed unlocked. I have used my old DTAC sim in it with no problems.

CDNinKS, the extra 5,500THB is your monthly True subscriber fees.

I agree though, I can't see how a bank can offer interest free loans, but this is what I was told by True staff.

thaibkk53, the phone is factory unlocked. That means that it is legally sold like that, and the firmware of the phone is legal, allowing the upgrading of software.

Thanks for the info.

[thaibkk53]

I have the phone, and can confirm it is indeed unlocked. I have used my old DTAC sim in it with no problems.

CDNinKS, the extra 5,500THB is your monthly True subscriber fees.

I agree though, I can't see how a bank can offer interest free loans, but this is what I was told by True staff.

thaibkk53, the phone is factory unlocked. That means that it is legally sold like that, and the firmware of the phone is legal, allowing the upgrading of software.

Thanks for the info.

[thaibkk53]

I have the phone, and can confirm it is indeed unlocked. I have used my old DTAC sim in it with no problems.

CDNinKS, the extra 5,500THB is your monthly True subscriber fees.

I agree though, I can't see how a bank can offer interest free loans, but this is what I was told by True staff.

thaibkk53, the phone is factory unlocked. That means that it is legally sold like that, and the firmware of the phone is legal, allowing the upgrading of software.

Based on what you say tonight I go to Paragon True and first thing they tell me they do not have white Iphone no more. The go to MBK True and after talking to total nonexperiance counter people. They keep pushing you to what they like to sell and what I like to do. After say I like the 16GB and 599 Baht per month then still ask for Credit card K-Bank even you are willing to buy the phone. Any how after show my K-Nank Visa and copy of passport then I was ask for working permit which I do not have it with me. Then I got frostated as usual and left and told them i take my business else where. I finally bought a Hong Kong version of 3G Iphone with no problem at 30,000 Baht better deal than True Move Garbage deal. True for sure do not know how to service customers and losing business. Based what I hear from Shops in MBK True will lsoe their contract from Apple soon this year.

[dgarmaise]

I read that the iPhone True is selling has no Thai keyboard. I find it difficult to understand how a Thai company can sell the iPhone in Thailand with no Thai keyboard, and how Apple would sign a contract with such a company.