Iphone 3gs

[mnbcm]

I've read a lot of conflicting/confusing information about the iPhone in Thailand. Can someone help clear things up for me? I bought an iPod touch last year and absolutely love it, but it drives me nuts that it's everything EXCEPT a phone so I'm in the market for an iPhone.

1. I stopped in the Mac Zone Chiang Mai store yesterday and they said the new iPhone 3GS is 26,000b for 16GB and I think 31,400b for the 32GB. That's out of my budget so I stopped at a used phone store and asked about a 2nd hand iPhone 3G. The lowest he would go on a used, OLDER 8GB model was 22,000b. I thought that was ridiculous compared to what's selling brand new right now. So at the prices I was quoted at the Mac store, does that require you to buy some sort of "plan"? They told me they could put in my current SIM card for free.

2. What is the difference between True, AIS, GSM, 12Call. All I know is that I go into 7/11 and buy a 12Call card once in awhile, but I don't understand any of this terminology and what the difference is between network, service, plan, etc...

3. When people talk about an "unlocked" iPhone, does that just mean it's able to be used with any provider? Isn't that what all iPhones are that come into Thailand? The Mac store said they are selling the exact same thing at the same price as the True store.

Edited July 10, 2009 by mnbcm

[bubba]

Not sure, but I think Mac Zone is an authorised Apple reseller. if so, then they are allowed to sell "real" (not grey market) iPhones as some sort of extension of True. That being the case, if you buy an unlocked phone from them, it will be well and truly factory unlocked, and it will come with a valid Thailand warranty.

What do you mean about "older model" second-hand iPhone? The latest iPhone (iPhone 3gs) is not yet available in Thailand, so the 3G is already an "older model". Apparently the 3gs will be officially available in Thailand next month, so you might want to wait if you go that route.

Question #2: You need to do some reading up on pre-paid vs, post-paid and whether or not you will want to use GPRS data on your new phone. You can buy an iPhone with a post-paid plan, and the will be cheaper, but also probably locked to True. Or you can buy an unlocked phone and use it anyway you want, with any carrier, pre- or post-paid.

Question #3: Yes, if the phone is unlocked, it will work with any provider. Grey market phones coming into Thailand could be factory unlocked (usually more expensive) or they could be unlocked through a hack. if you buy the latter and later do a software upgrade, you will have to unlock it again. The Mac store is selling a factory unlocked version that will always be unlocked, even when you do software upgrades. If it's within your budget, go with a factory unlocked iPhone.

[Ruin]

Seems worth the wait for the 3gS. True have a nice package to go with the 3G. Well worth a look.

Another option is to buy an older iPhone, even the 1.1.1 firmware. Second hand, less than 8k in MBK and for 500 baht they will install the 3.0 firmware. You don't get the GPS though. It is fast enough.

[buzz]

Not avbl in thailand yet ?

Thats strange, because I just bought a 3GS 32GB in Pattaya a couple of days ago ... paid way overs at 31,500bht - but just couldn't wait any longer ... got it thru a thai guy who somehow got it thru Winner who wanted 35,900bht for a 32GB - 16GB 32,500bht software unlocked - (factory unlocked they were wanting something like 32GB 45,000bht and 16GB 39,500bht) .... can imagine you could get 'em in BKK as well now

[Abrak]

Not avbl in thailand yet ?

Thats strange, because I just bought a 3GS 32GB in Pattaya a couple of days ago ... paid way overs at 31,500bht - but just couldn't wait any longer ... got it thru a thai guy who somehow got it thru Winner who wanted 35,900bht for a 32GB - 16GB 32,500bht software unlocked - (factory unlocked they were wanting something like 32GB 45,000bht and 16GB 39,500bht) .... can imagine you could get 'em in BKK as well now

Winner are actually charging Bt42k for the 32GB factory unlocked - I bought one a couple of days ago off them (they may well have asked Bt45k). I usually buy through them, they are not the cheapest but the service is very good etc.. To be honest, i know it is a bit of a rip off but you cant buy much cheaper through Ebay. Factory unlocked are US$1200 including shipping, software unlocked US$800 and you have to go through customs. Then you dont get the back up or a decent trade in.

BTW for those willing to splurge on a 3GS and not worry about a couple of thousand baht the Sybic Mobile Maps GPS App is very good despite the Bt2500 price tag. Not quite Tom Tom but very nearly and Tom Tom dont do Asia. Its the real thing.

[Abrak]

3. When people talk about an "unlocked" iPhone, does that just mean it's able to be used with any provider? Isn't that what all iPhones are that come into Thailand? The Mac store said they are selling the exact same thing at the same price as the True store.

An unlocked phone is one that can be used with any sim on any network.

I think I am right in saying that True has the sole rights to import Iphones into Thailand and all its iphones it sells are unlocked at the factory. You can buy them at a relatively low price and lock yourself into a True contract for a couple of years or you can buy them at a 'retail' price and use with any network. They are not selling the 3GS yet.

In the likes of MBK they basically sell 2 different types of 'unlocked' phones. One, the most expensive, is a factory unlocked phone from another country. This has the advantage like the True phone that it can be updated on Itunes and never relocked. Second is a software unlock which takes a locked phone that can be used exclusively on say the AT&T network and renders it usuable on any network. These locked phones can be bought 25% cheaper than factory unlocked for the 3GPS. The unlocking process takes less than 15 minutes. However, when software updates come out you must wait a couple of weeks for a fresh software unlock in order to upgrade your phone. There is no guarantee that Apple wont find a way to prevent you upgrading your software.

Software unlocking used to be a necessary hassle because it was done in conjunction with 'jailbreaking' the phone which enabled the installation of 3rd party Apps via Cydia. Most of these however have been rendered obsolete by upgrades to the phone itself such as video, MMS, landscape email and SMS while others have simply been replaced by iphone Apps. It isnt really worth jailbreaking an iphone anymore as far as I can see.

[Abrak]

Another option is to buy an older iPhone, even the 1.1.1 firmware. Second hand, less than 8k in MBK and for 500 baht they will install the 3.0 firmware. You don't get the GPS though. It is fast enough.

Actually the lack of GPS isnt too much of a bother because the software upgrades have incorporated GSM triangulation for positioning on the earlier iphones which is pretty good. I believe the bluetooth chip is different so you wont get stereo playback of music via bluetooth with the upgrade.

If you buy an iphone 1.x.x check the volume of the ringtone - many were pretty pathetic.

[edwardrake]

3. When people talk about an "unlocked" iPhone, does that just mean it's able to be used with any provider? Isn't that what all iPhones are that come into Thailand? The Mac store said they are selling the exact same thing at the same price as the True store.

An unlocked phone is one that can be used with any sim on any network.

I think I am right in saying that True has the sole rights to import Iphones into Thailand and all its iphones it sells are unlocked at the factory. You can buy them at a relatively low price and lock yourself into a True contract for a couple of years or you can buy them at a 'retail' price and use with any network. They are not selling the 3GS yet.

In the likes of MBK they basically sell 2 different types of 'unlocked' phones. One, the most expensive, is a factory unlocked phone from another country. This has the advantage like the True phone that it can be updated on Itunes and never relocked. Second is a software unlock which takes a locked phone that can be used exclusively on say the AT&T network and renders it usuable on any network. These locked phones can be bought 25% cheaper than factory unlocked for the 3GPS. The unlocking process takes less than 15 minutes. However, when software updates come out you must wait a couple of weeks for a fresh software unlock in order to upgrade your phone. There is no guarantee that Apple wont find a way to prevent you upgrading your software.

Software unlocking used to be a necessary hassle because it was done in conjunction with 'jailbreaking' the phone which enabled the installation of 3rd party Apps via Cydia. Most of these however have been rendered obsolete by upgrades to the phone itself such as video, MMS, landscape email and SMS while others have simply been replaced by iphone Apps. It isnt really worth jailbreaking an iphone anymore as far as I can see.

only reason I jailbroke was to install SBSettings app to allow rapid access to WiFi, EDGE, Phone on/off toggles from virtually any screen.

It persistently logged onto EDGE even though the WiFi signal was present & burned the EDGE account down in a few days.

When the EDGE account got to zero it proceeded to the talk time account & ate that for desert. AIS Net Sim.

Toggling EDGE to OFF has prevented this silent rapist thus far.

[Abrak]

only reason I jailbroke was to install SBSettings app to allow rapid access to WiFi, EDGE, Phone on/off toggles from virtually any screen.

It persistently logged onto EDGE even though the WiFi signal was present & burned the EDGE account down in a few days.

When the EDGE account got to zero it proceeded to the talk time account & ate that for desert. AIS Net Sim.

Toggling EDGE to OFF has prevented this silent rapist thus far.

Yeah the Iphone's ability to 'rape' data is almost unlimited. I took the sledgehammer approach and subscribed to unlimited data pack from Dtac at Bt999/month. Afterall actually turning off edge does reduce the iphone's functionality.

In theory, you would have thought that Dtac Bt399 pack which gives 160 hours free data/month (4.5 hours a day) would be plenty but apparently it isnt!!

[sushi5734]

Having a normal jailbroken iphone 3G was a bit of a pain in the backside when the iphone was first released, as you had to get a little chip to put over your simcard called a turbo sim, however now its really easy it takes a few mins and just involves downloading some software, just checkout youtube for instructions. The only thing you have to be cautious about it not allowing itunes to update the software until you know that someone has hacked the update, otherwise you find yourself with an "un-jailbroken' iphone until some clever sod works out a way around apples software which is usually 1-2 weeks.

I would recommend getting a jailbroken iphone you can get pretty much all of the applications that are on itunes for free saving you lots of money, I have several hundred pounds worth of applications on my iphone 3G.

I really don't see the point in buying one from true it costs about the same as a sim free phone and you are locked into a 2 year contract, back home would you pay the same amount for a contract phone if you could get it sim free for the same price?

[nikster]

If you buy an iphone 1.x.x check the volume of the ringtone - many were pretty pathetic.

Yes! That is my main (only) problem with the iPhone 1G. The ringer volume is a joke. Forget about hearing your phone in any Thai shopping mall. Even if it's in my front pocket, I have missed many calls, the vibrate is pretty subtle also.

I sure hope the 3GS has super loud speakers kinda like any new Nokia.

[nikster]

I really don't see the point in buying one from true it costs about the same as a sim free phone and you are locked into a 2 year contract....

Except you are not locked into a contract. I don't know where you got this from. True phone is SIM free and no contract required, BHT 24,500 and 28,500 for 16/32 GB 3GS.

Advantages over your average hacked phone:

- Upgrades are painless. Phone doesn't re-lock. Since upgrades tend to happen every few months this is a pretty big deal. I don't like having to wait for the hack, then going through the whole manual hacking process. It's gotten a lot easier but it still takes a significant amount of time.

- 1 year warranty by Apple.

[Abrak]

Yes! That is my main (only) problem with the iPhone 1G. The ringer volume is a joke. Forget about hearing your phone in any Thai shopping mall. Even if it's in my front pocket, I have missed many calls, the vibrate is pretty subtle also.

I sure hope the 3GS has super loud speakers kinda like any new Nokia.

The iphone 1G sound was unacceptable, 3G ringer was better but not great. The 3GS sound and ringer is better still but I doubt it is as good as a Nokia. It is fine though.

I think but it is only from my experience that the GPS chip has been much improved although it might have been that I got a bumb one with my 3G.

[skippybangkok]

I really don't see the point in buying one from true it costs about the same as a sim free phone and you are locked into a 2 year contract....

Except you are not locked into a contract. I don't know where you got this from. True phone is SIM free and no contract required, BHT 24,500 and 28,500 for 16/32 GB 3GS.

Advantages over your average hacked phone:

- Upgrades are painless. Phone doesn't re-lock. Since upgrades tend to happen every few months this is a pretty big deal. I don't like having to wait for the hack, then going through the whole manual hacking process. It's gotten a lot easier but it still takes a significant amount of time.

- 1 year warranty by Apple.

Wife want to take over my newly aquired 3G, was in Fortune last week, and they had a cracked 3GS. Asked the price for 16MB, he said 28,000 baht. Told him better to get teh Original one at 24k baht ( but u will have to wait 2 weeks was his come back ).

If cracked is more risky ( hard to update new patches, hardware risk if fails ), why would someone by a cracked for more expensive than an original one?

[Abrak]

Wife want to take over my newly aquired 3G, was in Fortune last week, and they had a cracked 3GS. Asked the price for 16MB, he said 28,000 baht. Told him better to get teh Original one at 24k baht ( but u will have to wait 2 weeks was his come back ).

If cracked is more risky ( hard to update new patches, hardware risk if fails ), why would someone by a cracked for more expensive than an original one?

There are two types of cracks hardware unlocked and software unlocked.

The hardware unlocked would be the same as True and the Bt3500 premium would reflect immediate delivery plus he would stack it software,Apps, films etc. If it is simply software unlocked wait for the True phone.

[ChiangMaiThai]

Okay, I just went through the True Reservation process online. Your ID card number better be 13 digits - my Thai Driver's license is 12 and you should know your birth date in Thai years. Anyway, I added an extra 0 to the ID card number. Hopefully it works. Paid 2,000 baht and true assured me that I can stick any SIM card in it.

This isn't even for me. A present for the GF. Anyway, she's with AIS. I suppose I should upgrade her to some kind of unlimited data and edge plan now?

[skippybangkok]

Okay, I just went through the True Reservation process online. Your ID card number better be 13 digits - my Thai Driver's license is 12 and you should know your birth date in Thai years. Anyway, I added an extra 0 to the ID card number. Hopefully it works. Paid 2,000 baht and true assured me that I can stick any SIM card in it.

This isn't even for me. A present for the GF. Anyway, she's with AIS. I suppose I should upgrade her to some kind of unlimited data and edge plan now?

Saw u can use you passport....... would be worried about giving wierd #. I used Wife's Id, since its for her

[nikster]

Okay, I just went through the True Reservation process online. Your ID card number better be 13 digits - my Thai Driver's license is 12 and you should know your birth date in Thai years. Anyway, I added an extra 0 to the ID card number. Hopefully it works. Paid 2,000 baht and true assured me that I can stick any SIM card in it.

This isn't even for me. A present for the GF. Anyway, she's with AIS. I suppose I should upgrade her to some kind of unlimited data and edge plan now?

Don't need unlimited. I am using the internet way more than your GF ever will and 20h/month package for 100 baht is good enough for me. Unlimited is 1000/month or 750 with the crackberry plan, would be a huge waste in my case.

Just turn off automatic email checking in the settings. Then it will only check email when you open the email application.

[bubba]

Does anyone know whether ALL iPhones sold by True are factory unlocked? Even the ones with contracts?

[nikster]

Does anyone know whether ALL iPhones sold by True are factory unlocked? Even the ones with contracts?

They're all unlocked. I am not sure but I believe that they got rid of the special iPhone contracts - instead you get a regular True contract, and the option of financing the phone. Which is something I've always wanted to see from western carriers - the separation of financing and access.

[Abrak]

Does anyone know whether ALL iPhones sold by True are factory unlocked? Even the ones with contracts?

As far as I now it is illegal to sell a locked phone in Thailand. You can therefore buy a relatively cheap phone on an expensive contract or a more expensive phone contract free. From the little I know which isnt much, the True contract is pretty good.