Edge? Hutch? Any Other Alternatives?

[raro]

I am looking for some mobile internet solution.

Looking at the webpages of the usual suspects DTAC, AIS and True there is a lot of blabla and packages and have you seen, but I don't really get a grip of the essentials: How much bang for the buck??

Further: Which aircard, Edge Stick or other gizmo is recommendable? I saw one at 990 Baht only but is it any good?

So what is the recommendation out there?

[nikster]

EDGE from DTAC or AIS works everywhere and is reasonably cheap. But it's very slow. Good for email, and not much more.

For fast speeds, you have to go with 3G or CDMA EVDO:

True has 3G in Bangkok only but not sure if/how they offer mobile data only. If you have a 3G phone and only want to use in BKK, it's 599/month unlimited which is pretty good.

AIS has 3G in Chiang Mai with volume based tariffs - not bad. But it's Chiang Mai only and doesn't work with most 3G phones.

CAT CDMA works everywhere outside BKK, sticks cost 7500 baht and unlimited internet 800/month. Have been using it for 2 years now, it's rock solid. But doesn't work in BKK and surrounding provinces, e.g. wherever Hutch is available, CAT CDMA is not. Genius licensing agreements there.

[raro]

EDGE from DTAC or AIS works everywhere and is reasonably cheap. But it's very slow. Good for email, and not much more.

That is also my experience. Especially in Bangkok it craps out all the time as too many people are using it. On the highway it works best, but there I am too busy with driving...

For fast speeds, you have to go with 3G or CDMA EVDO:

True has 3G in Bangkok

AIS has 3G in Chiang Mai

Will consider 3G once it is officially available. In Thailand, I mean...

CAT CDMA works everywhere outside BKK, sticks cost 7500 baht and unlimited internet 800/month. Have been using it for 2 years now, it's rock solid. But doesn't work in BKK and surrounding provinces, e.g. wherever Hutch is available, CAT CDMA is not. Genius licensing agreements there.

Now let me get that straight...wherever there is Hutch, there is no CAT and vice versa?

Which one is better/faster? Edge or Hutch?

Isn't EVDO CDMA the same as 3G? I am surprised it is available...

[billd766]

EDGE from DTAC or AIS works everywhere and is reasonably cheap. But it's very slow. Good for email, and not much more.

For fast speeds, you have to go with 3G or CDMA EVDO:

CAT CDMA works everywhere outside BKK, sticks cost 7500 baht and unlimited internet 800/month. Have been using it for 2 years now, it's rock solid. But doesn't work in BKK and surrounding provinces, e.g. wherever Hutch is available, CAT CDMA is not. Genius licensing agreements there.

Actually CAT CDMA is not always available outside BKK.

Correct it IS available on the main highways though not all the byways and while it is available in the cities and larger towns the coverage outside of that is nil.

I use AIS EDGE as there is no landline available.

Fortunately as AIS expands its coverage small sites that have been up graded tend to be used as filler sites elsewhere. My wife has one at the back of her shop 2 1/2km away and they recently put a small omni site into the village about 500 metres away from the house. I suspect that I am the only person in the village using it for an internet connection and so far (touch wood) it will stay that way so I can always get coverage.

I have been waiting 5 years for a landline and it probably never will make the 4km jump unless I pay for it.

According to the English language newspaper whose name is not permitted to be spoken 3G licencees must cover 50% of the population in a 2 year period and 80% in 4 years. Nothing appears to have been said about the remaining 20%.

CAT CDMA seems to have stopped expanding their coverage and stupidly you cannot roam between CAT and Hutch.

[nikster]

EDGE from DTAC or AIS works everywhere and is reasonably cheap. But it's very slow. Good for email, and not much more.

For fast speeds, you have to go with 3G or CDMA EVDO:

CAT CDMA works everywhere outside BKK, sticks cost 7500 baht and unlimited internet 800/month. Have been using it for 2 years now, it's rock solid. But doesn't work in BKK and surrounding provinces, e.g. wherever Hutch is available, CAT CDMA is not. Genius licensing agreements there.

Actually CAT CDMA is not always available outside BKK.

Correct it IS available on the main highways though not all the byways and while it is available in the cities and larger towns the coverage outside of that is nil.

I use AIS EDGE as there is no landline available.

Fortunately as AIS expands its coverage small sites that have been up graded tend to be used as filler sites elsewhere. My wife has one at the back of her shop 2 1/2km away and they recently put a small omni site into the village about 500 metres away from the house. I suspect that I am the only person in the village using it for an internet connection and so far (touch wood) it will stay that way so I can always get coverage.

I have been waiting 5 years for a landline and it probably never will make the 4km jump unless I pay for it.

According to the English language newspaper whose name is not permitted to be spoken 3G licencees must cover 50% of the population in a 2 year period and 80% in 4 years. Nothing appears to have been said about the remaining 20%.

CAT CDMA seems to have stopped expanding their coverage and stupidly you cannot roam between CAT and Hutch.

If you're only 3kms from a DLSAM, pay for the wire and get DSL! That's what I did, my house is about 3.5km from the DSLAM (one of those small DSL-spreading boxes). It costs a 7baht/meter, and the first 300m are free. In my case they already had a line going from the DLSAM to someone else so mine went off of that and I only paid for about 700m of wire. Installed in a day. DSL can safely go to 4km, and 5km and a bit more on a stretch. 3km are totally OK for a 3 or 4MB line.

This reminds me of a good friend of mine. TOT told him his house is too far, he can't have DSL. For 4 years. Then, they decided, hey, maybe it's not too far after all, and put it in!! They are not exactly sales geniuses.

CAT CDMA has worked everywhere I tried it. Granted when I did try outside a city, it was near a highway. You can also hook up your CDMA modem to a dish and get better coverage.

raro: Yep, CDMA EV-DO Rev A. is proper 3G, you get about 1.4MB download and 512KB upload, real world. Theoretical max is somewhere at 3MB but CAT doesn't promise that, and doesn't deliver it either.

[nikster]

Two things should happen, and probably won't because TIT:

- CAT should take over Hutch and freakin' make their CDMA work everywhere. CAT wants to. Hutch wants to sell. But something is stopping it from happening.

- 3G should be introduced. I don't think it will happen, to be honest.

[MJo]

According to the English language newspaper whose name is not permitted to be spoken 3G licencees must cover 50% of the population in a 2 year period and 80% in 4 years. Nothing appears to have been said about the remaining 20%.

Just proposed licence terms, as of now there is no licencees as the 3G frequencies have not been auctioned off. Schedule to issue the licences is still "next year" same as it has been the past 5 years.

[monty]

When moving around, your only solution is GPRS/Edge as only that network has nationwide coverage.

If only Pattaya/Bangkok, Hutch might be a solution, especially as Hutch has the EV-DO network in Pattaya, offering speeds varying between 500 and 1500 kbps.

Move out of Pattaya and you are back to regular 1X service, of which I know you have lots of experience previously (generally slower then GPRS/EDGE).

[nikster]

According to the English language newspaper whose name is not permitted to be spoken 3G licencees must cover 50% of the population in a 2 year period and 80% in 4 years. Nothing appears to have been said about the remaining 20%.

Just proposed licence terms, as of now there is no licencees as the 3G frequencies have not been auctioned off. Schedule to issue the licences is still "next year" same as it has been the past 5 years.

Yeah if you have flollowed this sore topic over the years you will know that bold statements are easily made, and worth absolutely nothing. I remember 3G would be here "next year", "this year" or even "next month" many, many times, from politicians, operators and others. Nothing ever happened.

My guess as to what is going on from observation is that TOT and CAT are in a deadlock holding on to the only thing that keeps those companies afloat, truckloads of money from their mobile "concessions". The operators are wondering why on earth they're supposed to pay concessions for 3G. Money for what? And the TOT and CAT therefore block 3G because as long as everyone is using 2G networks they'll have to pay huge fees and TOT and CAT can survive.

I just read about the latest twist, an offer from AIS to pay concession fees for 3G to TOT! They are clearly offering some sweet carrots now..

[raro]

When moving around, your only solution is GPRS/Edge as only that network has nationwide coverage.

If only Pattaya/Bangkok, Hutch might be a solution, especially as Hutch has the EV-DO network in Pattaya, offering speeds varying between 500 and 1500 kbps.

Move out of Pattaya and you are back to regular 1X service, of which I know you have lots of experience previously (generally slower then GPRS/EDGE).

I am really tempted trying Hutch again...999 Baht a month and if Ev-Do is available it is really fast. I do not hold my breath for the 3G introduction....

Does anyone has experience with True Move? As to my understanding, the laptop would automatically switch from GPRS/Edge to WiFi once WiFi is detected. Is this right?

[Naam]

When moving around, your only solution is GPRS/Edge as only that network has nationwide coverage.

If only Pattaya/Bangkok, Hutch might be a solution, especially as Hutch has the EV-DO network in Pattaya, offering speeds varying between 500 and 1500 kbps.

Move out of Pattaya and you are back to regular 1X service, of which I know you have lots of experience previously (generally slower then GPRS/EDGE).

I am really tempted trying Hutch again...999 Baht a month and if Ev-Do is available it is really fast. I do not hold my breath for the 3G introduction....

Does anyone has experience with True Move? As to my understanding, the laptop would automatically switch from GPRS/Edge to WiFi once WiFi is detected. Is this right?

tried Hutch last week. friend of mine gave me his modem for a day. international connections were reasonable fast and as good or even better than my TOT and Maxnet (both 2mbit). big disadvantage is single PC only although i think there must be a possibility to feed the router from my PC and serve the home network.

[Gary A]

I use CAT EVDO upcountry. It is up and down like a yo yo but is the best option available where I live. The coverage is pretty good in the top and bottom third of the country. Unfortunately it will NOT work in the center third of the country and that includes Bangkok, Chonburi and southwest through Hua Hin.

[raro]

got a reply from a Hutch Vice President (whom I visited in his office when i had some trouble with them some years go.... ) that his EVDO coverage is not satisfying whatsoever and he recommended me AIS or DTAC. Probably the don't like demanding customers like me...

Again....any experience with True Move?

[monty]

Again....any experience with True Move?

Only experience I have with True move, is that at my place of work it doesn't even ave Edge, only regular GPRS so dead slow.

Most of Pattaya center does seems to have EDGE though.

And once I made the mistake of buying some True wifi hours (was sitting in delifrance in BigC). Wasted money as I had to revert to GPRS/EDGE (AIS) as much faster then the True wifi hotspot!

[raro]

Again....any experience with True Move?

Only experience I have with True move, is that at my place of work it doesn't even ave Edge, only regular GPRS so dead slow.

Most of Pattaya center does seems to have EDGE though.

And once I made the mistake of buying some True wifi hours (was sitting in delifrance in BigC). Wasted money as I had to revert to GPRS/EDGE (AIS) as much faster then the True wifi hotspot!

I think that was a clear verdict...Will sign up for DTAC then...too bad, in theory their concept seems to be quite good.

[raro]

just like to warm that one up...had to check e-mail on the road yesterday and went to a Tesco Lotus in Nakorn Pathom.

True launched a service BKK Green (or something simmilar). Gives you free internet access for an hour each time you log in. Was very fast as well!