Thai Sim Cards

[Super Hans]

See title. What's their shelf life? Will one be usable after 9 months?

[Oberkommando]

You can extend pre-pay D-Tac for 365 days for a small fee by dialling *1013

[Carmine6]

To get 9 months you'll have to add a lot at the start or a little bit at a time for the 9 months. It varies by SIM, so you'll not get a certain answer.

Just happened to run across this info a few days ago:

http://www.12call.ais.co.th/en/Content/Sim...mNetsim210.html

http://www.12call.ais.co.th/en/Content/Sim...NetsimE101.html

These are intended for data usage so aren't plain Jane SIMs. The Net Sim 210 looks about typical for AIS, 100 baht gets you 30 days. 800 baht gets you 260 days.

[Carmine6]

You can extend pre-pay D-Tac for 365 days for a small fee by dialling *1013

About how much is the fee?

[cloudbusting]

i was just about to ask this question myself but the replies reminded me that i changed my plan to DTAC simple which has a 1 year validity period

[LyceeIceCream]

There are able to work aslong as they are paid to work. You can buy prepaid sims really cheap and buy minutes at 7-eleven. But all the instructions will be Thai so depending on if you are Thai speaking or not someone(Thai speaking) will need to help you. This is much easier than signing up for a contract. Prepaid simcards are the way to go. You can get them anywhere with electronics or mobile shop.

[tangoll]

My Orange/True prepaid Sim card-- if purchase a 1,000 baht top-up card which you add onto your balance, the validity of card gets extended six months, and if 500 baht top-up validity is extended 3 months. Maximum validity is one year for card from date you add on the top-up. So it's best to check on your balance remaining and expiry date of sim card, and top-up when close to zero balance and/or expiry date.

[PattayaParent]

You can extend pre-pay D-Tac for 365 days for a small fee by dialling *1013

About how much is the fee?

A couple of years ago when I did it I think the fee was about 30 or 50 Baht.

Same for AIS also although recently a mate changed his new SIM from AIS to DTAC because he couldn't extend the AIS to 1 year.

[toybits]

One reason I have a DTAC SIM card is because they have the SIMPLE plan - you add 50 Baht and that's good for one year. Please check with your DTAC service center nearest you.

[Carmine6]

One reason I have a DTAC SIM card is because they have the SIMPLE plan - you add 50 Baht and that's good for one year. Please check with your DTAC service center nearest you.

Looks like the SIM has to be activated by March 31. But maybe they'll have an equivalent promotion starting April 1.

http://www.happy.co.th/en/low/09_simshop_simple.php

[Farma]

I bought a DTAC prepaid sim in early february. I added B200 at the same time and the life was extended by 1 year. It took a few hours from topping up before the sms came through notifying the life extension.

[Spee]

See title. What's their shelf life? Will one be usable after 9 months?

I could be mistaken but I think the SIM itself (i.e., the phone number) remains valid indefinitely? It's the minutes on the prepaid cards that have an expiration date.

[Carmine6]

See title. What's their shelf life? Will one be usable after 9 months?

I could be mistaken but I think the SIM itself (i.e., the phone number) remains valid indefinitely? It's the minutes on the prepaid cards that have an expiration date.

No, they expire. For a period you can add time and re-activate it, but at some point it goes dead.

[stelen123]

See title. What's their shelf life? Will one be usable after 9 months?

I could be mistaken but I think the SIM itself (i.e., the phone number) remains valid indefinitely? It's the minutes on the prepaid cards that have an expiration date.

No, they expire. For a period you can add time and re-activate it, but at some point it goes dead.

Hello all,

I have a question also, I bought a 1 2 Call Freedom Simm card on a 25 th of January 2009 and credit for 100 Bth, and had to use up the credit in 5 weeks, which sounds ok, then I top up at 7 11 for 100 bth 5 days ago and shows up that I have to use it up in 7 days. Called the customer service but it is very hard understand what they are talking about, so basically what I understand from her is that the credit expire in 7 days. It is strange because my mate have the same Simm and his expiration is 5 weeks. Anyone out could give me a suggestion or answer please?

Thanks,

Stefan

[samgrowth]

Depending on your promotion.

http://www.truemove.com/eng/product/package/tm_sim_inter.htm

http://www.truemove.com/eng/product/packag...m_inter_con.htm

This SIM cost 49 baht (or free if you spend 300 baht at Swampy airport). It is valid will extend by 1 year each time you top up (minimun top up is 10 Baht), non cumulative.

eg. Top on on 1st March 2009, validity until 1st March 2010. Top up again on 7th March 2009, validity move to 7th march 2010.

Whe you 1st use the card, there will be some credit there already, but the validity is only like 30 days (can't remember exactly). Just go to 7-11 or any true shop to top up 10 Baht, and you will get your 1 year.

[Carmine6]

See title. What's their shelf life? Will one be usable after 9 months?

I could be mistaken but I think the SIM itself (i.e., the phone number) remains valid indefinitely? It's the minutes on the prepaid cards that have an expiration date.

No, they expire. For a period you can add time and re-activate it, but at some point it goes dead.

Hello all,

I have a question also, I bought a 1 2 Call Freedom Simm card on a 25 th of January 2009 and credit for 100 Bth, and had to use up the credit in 5 weeks, which sounds ok, then I top up at 7 11 for 100 bth 5 days ago and shows up that I have to use it up in 7 days. Called the customer service but it is very hard understand what they are talking about, so basically what I understand from her is that the credit expire in 7 days. It is strange because my mate have the same Simm and his expiration is 5 weeks. Anyone out could give me a suggestion or answer please?

Thanks,

Stefan

This seems to explain why:

"300 baht top up credit will extend validity by another 30 days."

From here:

http://www.12call.ais.co.th/en/Content/Sim...simFreedom.html

See if there's some promotion you can switch to or something. If your friend's SIM is old it might be under different terms.

[Travel2003]

I bought my son a 1-2-call sim card 6-7 months ago, when he was on a visit here.

He left with 2-300 on the card, and returned after 4-5 months.

The card did not work when he recently returned.

We called the call center and they told us the number was sold to another person now.

Strange.

My daughters card had not been used for 7-8 months, so that number was also sold.

Obviosuly they need to keep the card/number alive.

I also have a regular 1-2-call card, but I guess I keep it alive by sending a message (from abroad) once in a while.

My mobile was stolen a few days ago. I went to the service shop (after 2 days) and got myself a new sim card, with the same number.

Kind of weird, as I easily could have then "blocked" someone elses card/number.

The number is not registered to me.

[jacknorman]

I have a question also, I bought a 1 2 Call Freedom Simm card on a 25 th of January 2009 and credit for 100 Bth, and had to use up the credit in 5 weeks, which sounds ok, then I top up at 7 11 for 100 bth 5 days ago and shows up that I have to use it up in 7 days. Called the customer service but it is very hard understand what they are talking about, so basically what I understand from her is that the credit expire in 7 days. It is strange because my mate have the same Simm and his expiration is 5 weeks. Anyone out could give me a suggestion or answer please?

Thanks,

Stefan

This seems to explain why:

"300 baht top up credit will extend validity by another 30 days."

From here:

See if there's some promotion you can switch to or something. If your friend's SIM is old it might be under different terms.

The cheaper promotion or free sim wich they give out, the more promotion sms you get and shorter validity, why not buy a decent sim card around 200 from dtac and it will last for a year from the date you put in money

[Beachbunny]

You can extend pre-pay D-Tac for 365 days for a small fee by dialling *1013

About how much is the fee?

A couple of years ago when I did it I think the fee was about 30 or 50 Baht.

Same for AIS also although recently a mate changed his new SIM from AIS to DTAC because he couldn't extend the AIS to 1 year.

Last year my husband changed his AIS plan/sim to a one year for 30 baht at Telewiz Carrefour center, Pattaya. Same for my friend with DTAC. Both kept the same sim, same number but good for one year, which never expires if you add time. days added depends on how much money you put in.

Beachbunny

[barrybike]

3 months if you leave the country for longer they be useless when you get back

[billp]

I have a 1-2-Call card which seems to give me one year validity everytime I top up. It's now good until March 2010. That's the way it came, about 2 years ago. I don't understand why, but I'm not arguing.