Telephone Lines "full"

[earlofwindermere]

The organization that I work for is planning to move. After finding a suitable place in Sansai, we contacted TT&T about transferring our phone number. TT&T have told us that all lines are "full." Unless it's the same neighbourhood, they have told us that we cannot open a new telephone line because they have no more free lines available.

I remember hearing about this problem about 4 years ago. Are others still having difficulties getting a line connected? If so, what areas of the city are now "full?"

Note: I know that TOT is also a possibility but because our existing number is a TT&T number, we prefer to keep it. The hassle of changing to a new number can be quite costly when you factor in contacting everyone, changing letterhead, etc.

[ASHTONITE]

Hi,

Yes.... I had a friend of mine want to buy a SHOP HOUSE in the MAE HAE area.... TT&T also told the agent and the owner the same thing... lines are full. He did not buy as he needs Internet. It seems to be a big problem in CM.

[FarangCravings]

Me too could not take my line to new house

[annabel]

Me too could not take my line to new house

I live in Sarapee, Off Hang Dong Road near Sameong Intersection and also no lines available with TT&T as well as TOT...I know people who live near San Kampeng...same problem and worse is a friend of mine who just opened a restaurant across from Shangrila Hotel on Chang Klan Road and wow,,,,,also no line from either TT&T or TOT ....This is center Chiang Mai !!! Unbelievable....Isn't there a way to get a petition going to push these people to do something ....?? It's quite unbeliebable to not be able to get a telephone line in so many places in the 21st Century in this supposed developped city......

[earlofwindermere]

On the same note, what do most of you do for internet as well? If phone lines are not available, usually cable internet is not either. I agree that it's pretty crazy.

I am really curious how organization (business, foundation, etc) function like this. Inevitably, some will move. It's nuts to think that they have to start again with a new phone number (if they can get one at all)

[Bill97]

On the same note, what do most of you do for internet as well? If phone lines are not available, usually cable internet is not either.

Internet without a phone line or cable is available but there is an initial hardware cost to get the equipment to receive the signal from a cell tower. A friend is using it and said it costs about 11,000 B start up plus 850 B per month for unlimited use. CAT office on Super Highway across from Big C and a bit north.

[earlofwindermere]

Thanks Bill97. That options seems quite expensive - and not too practical for an office-type setting (esp since mobile internet seems to be rather slow from what I've seen so far in Chiang Mai).

[rishi]

I live in Sarapee, Off Hang Dong Road near Sameong Intersection and also no lines available with TT&T as well as TOT...I know people who live near San Kampeng...same problem and worse is a friend of mine who just opened a restaurant across from Shangrila Hotel on Chang Klan Road and wow,,,,,also no line from either TT&T or TOT ....This is center Chiang Mai !!!

No, it ain't !!!

[Pib]

The organization that I work for is planning to move. After finding a suitable place in Sansai, we contacted TT&T about transferring our phone number. TT&T have told us that all lines are "full." Unless it's the same neighbourhood, they have told us that we cannot open a new telephone line because they have no more free lines available.

I remember hearing about this problem about 4 years ago. Are others still having difficulties getting a line connected? If so, what areas of the city are now "full?"

Note: I know that TOT is also a possibility but because our existing number is a TT&T number, we prefer to keep it. The hassle of changing to a new number can be quite costly when you factor in contacting everyone, changing letterhead, etc.

Land lines in the Land of Cell Phones (Thailand) are a very limited commodity in many areas of Thailand (city or country area) as you have found out. Thailand was making slow progress in hanging more land/copper line capability on poles (or trees) and then cell phone technology came along which kept land/copper line expansion pretty much on it's slow expansion state. And if it wasn't for DSL internet helping to keep land/copper lines as a revenue growth area, I expect land line expansion would have slowed to almost a stop.

[annabel]

On the same note, what do most of you do for internet as well? If phone lines are not available, usually cable internet is not either.

Internet without a phone line or cable is available but there is an initial hardware cost to get the equipment to receive the signal from a cell tower. A friend is using it and said it costs about 11,000 B start up plus 850 B per month for unlimited use. CAT office on Super Highway across from Big C and a bit north.

I have a satellite dish provided by TOT (IP Star) and it cost about 2,500 for them to come and set it up along with the required modem ...thereafter, if it's for home use they charge about 1,500 Baht / month, if for business up to 5 users then it's 2,675 Baht per month .. and so on ......it's expensive but not much other choice when you don't have a phone line ....there are other companies that offer the same set up ..not only TOT but they are pretty much the same price and in any case they are all using IP Star system

[julie_f]

Not sure if this will help but when we moved in Bangkok we were told by TOT that the lines were full and there was a waiting list.

We were advised to go to True who was able to give us phone and internet lines.

Not sure if they are up in ChaingMai though.

[whatsupdoc]

Moved to a new moo baan in Nong Hoy recently. No telephone numbers available for this area but I could get internet (have TT&T premier package now). Internet was for the normal price and I am very happy with it. Actually I do not really miss a telephone land line... the only thing I cannot do is send faxes from home but I can live without that.

[FatherF]

Moved to a new moo baan in Nong Hoy recently. No telephone numbers available for this area but I could get internet (have TT&T premier package now). Internet was for the normal price and I am very happy with it. Actually I do not really miss a telephone land line... the only thing I cannot do is send faxes from home but I can live without that.

get skype, low cost calls to land lines & mobiles, free skype to skype calls & you can send faxes/files etc.

FF

[whatsupdoc]

I am aware (and a regular user) of Skype, thank you. However, from Skype's website FAQ's it says: Skype does not have a function to allow you to send or receive a fax.

But that was not the point. I just wanted to point out that in my case it is possible to have ADSL at the normal price without having a landline telephone number.

Cannot tell whether this would be the case for others as well though....

[FatherF]

I am aware (and a regular user) of Skype, thank you. However, from Skype's website FAQ's it says: Skype does not have a function to allow you to send or receive a fax.

But that was not the point. I just wanted to point out that in my case it is possible to have ADSL at the normal price without having a landline telephone number.

Cannot tell whether this would be the case for others as well though....

Skype it's self does not provide a fax utility, but there are several "add-on's" about.

http://labnol.blogspot.com/2007/08/use-sky...e-send-fax.html

FF

[earlofwindermere]

Thanks Whatsupdoc for the info. I wasn't aware that you could get ADSL without the actual phone line.

As far a skype, it doesn't solve anything. A local organization needs a local phone/fax number which skype doesn't provide in Thailand (to the best of my knowledge). In any case, my issue is getting connected first.

[whatsupdoc]

You do need the infrastructure (the phone line) of course, but not necessarily a number.

In my case, TT&T provided an internet node for our Moo Baan but TOT and TT&T do not have telephone numbers available.

Actually I was very surprised as well to get ADSL without a telephone number.

[hansnl]

You do need the infrastructure (the phone line) of course, but not necessarily a number.

In my case, TT&T provided an internet node for our Moo Baan but TOT and TT&T do not have telephone numbers available.

Actually I was very surprised as well to get ADSL without a telephone number.

I suppose the availability of landline phone numbers is "regulated" by some organisation.

As far as I know, there is a shortage of landline phone numbers.

The solution would be to change all telephone numbers in Thailand to 10 numbers (same as mobile numbers).

Done in many countries around the world.

But is is of course, very disturbing for business, need to change everything.

And that, cost money!

But there is no shortage of (oversubscribed) ADSL, and no number needed.

[wpbr]

You may want to look at http://en.net2max.com/One_Click_Contact_Me...Existing_Number

This is a really difficult site to understand, but I have used their VoIP service for the last five years and it is generally very good. I have not used te 1CC service because I am not totally clear how it works. It seems to be free apart from call costs, and these are much cheaper than Skype.

The way I read it, it's a way to change your mobile phone number to a VoIP number. To quote: "One Click Contact (1CC) turns any phone number it into a worldwide toll-free multimedia number that is easily accessible by anyone (the public)."

I think that the 1CC service uses that number to ring both on your ADSL line and your mobile phone. If you use a VoIP box plugged into your DSL line (in paralell with your computer if you wish), you can plug an ordinary phone into the box.

[bloody tiger]

this is standard TT&T, they only ever install a few extra lines at a time....BUT...they are laways installing more...i'd be surprised if it took more than 6-8 weeks to get a landline