Do I Have An Alternative To Ipstar ?

[Monkeypants]

Currently use Ipstar, have done for a couple of years or so...

I am on the basic package 256/128 and it costs about 1600 baht per month, very expensive me thinks

This is a satellite connection, no phone lines where I am.

Are there any other real alternatives for me ?

[thaimite]

Check out CAT CDMA.

Many on this forum including myself without phone lines have changed from iPStar to CAT CDMA and got a much faster connection for half the price.

You do not say where you are but their coverage is very good in Issan. Give them a call on 1322 of call in to your local CAT office and they should be able to tell you.

If you do a search for CAT CDMA on Thai Visa you will find lots more information

[Gary A]

I would have guessed that Crapstar service would have gotten better since many of their customers canceled and have gone to GPRS EDGE or CAT EVDO. I have CAT EVDO but am certainly NOT recommending it. It was great when I first got it but has been going down hill since. I use EDGE a lot when EVDO is down which has been quite often lately.

Sorry, the Internet service here is pathetic.

[Monkeypants]

Thanks for that,

Having just read a lot of threads on Cat,

Have the recent reliability problems been solved,?

What are your recent experiences with Cat ?

[thaimite]

There have been some outages and downs recently but generally my service is constant and has been in the 10 months I have been using it.

I know however that others are not getting the same results.

In theory CDMA should be much faster than Edge and as you can see by these posts

With any mobile based system performance will decrease with more local users I suspect it is because I am in a very isolated area, but have a good signal strength using a small external aerial.

I was able toi pay the local installer to come and demonstrate the system for me, before handing over the money for the equipment and installation

[Totster]

Sorry, the Internet service here is pathetic.

I definitely agree with that.

However, I would rather pay 800bt for crap internet over 1600bt for crap internet. So now I do. On the whole I am happy with the CAT service since changing from Crapstar, Crapstar was unbelievably crap with no customer service/care. At least now I can actually surf the net, rather than just look at blank pages for 10 mins while the expensive Crapstar system loaded them at 5% of the speed I was paying for.

I'm not saying that there hasn't been some disappointment, but I'm used that when it comes to the internet service here, although I have not experienced the downtime that GaryA has reported, my connection seems quite stable here.

totster

[Gary A]

I sent three complaint forms. The first two were not answered. The third, I told them that their customer service needs serious improvements. I told them that if they didn't have the courtesy to reply that I would have to take further actions.

Here is part of their reply;

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We would like to inform you that your complaint(s) has been acknowledged that Your complaint(s) is/are already in CAT Telecom Problem Solving process, and cause(s) of the complaint(s) should be rectified (within 30days from the date submitting the complaint) (s). If in case the problem(s) persists after this due date, CAT Telecom will inform you the progress of rectifying the situation(s) every 10 days.

[Monkeypants]

You see,

overall, I can't really complain about the Ipstar service, it works, I get my 256, which I am paying for.

On the other hand If I could get a faster service, for half the price?

I cannot download bit torrents much over 10 kpbs.

I would like to do it a lot faster.

I cannot view youtube,

I would like to be able too.

I have to open many tabs, and let them load, before viewing.

It is not a business, but faster browsing is really convenient too

[thaimite]

For me, Torrents download at full speed (150kB/s) regularly (Private trackers)

You Tiube is OK most of the time especially early morning and evening.

Skype works even with video which it never did with CrapStar.

The main downside as far as I am concerned is because you are not assigned a proper IP address but get a natted 10.x.x.x opening ports for torrents is impossible.

Because it is a USB dongle and not a proper network modem, sharing my connection with other users in the house means leaving my PC on full time with Internet Connection sharing enabled.

Other services which I would like to use for myself such as FTP server and remote access from abroad to my system require signing up for a 3rd party solution, but overall I am very pleased I made the change

[Totster]

I get my 256, which I am paying for.

Really ? Do you ?

totster

[thaimite]

I get my 256, which I am paying for.

Really ? Do you ?

totster

Of course, He's the only one left using it!

[Monkeypants]

Well thanks for the info chaps, looks like Cat Cdma here I come,

I have just driven from the nearest Cat post thingy, too my home total distance 8.5 km

I guess, as the crow flies, it would be nearer 5 kms.

No mountains in between or any real obsatcles that I see.

Do you guys think that I will be ok on the distance ?

And really I do get my 256 download (Thai Visa speedtest) If I didn't I would not have stuck it for 2 long years.

Just need an alternative and quicker connection, thanks guys

[thaimite]

I am 11KM from my transmitter which is line of site with no major obsticals.

However I do have a small external aerial (like a TV aerial) and have a full strength signal.

You should be OK at only 5KM

[Totster]

I am 11KM from my transmitter which is line of site with no major obsticals.

However I do have a small external aerial (like a TV aerial) and have a full strength signal.

You should be OK at only 5KM

I'm about 13km from the nearest tower, with a signal strength of -103 normally.. i get about 1300 down, and 600 up to BKK. I have an antenna, and before I had this I got about 300/300

totster

[Monkeypants]

Thanks Fellas.

Off to Cat then.

[thaimite]

Thanks Fellas.

Off to Cat then.

Good luck, look forward to seeing your speed test results

[Monkeypants]

Called into the office whilst in Town today and the guy said,

I was too far away from the mast, at 8.5 kms,

I asked about an antenna to boost signal strength,

He had never heard of it !!!!!!!! TIT!!

Gonna give cat a call and see if I can get any joy that way

[thaimite]

The CAT office in Ubon recomended an installer in Si Saket for me, that could supply the antenna and all the kit, so they should be able to help you.

Good luck

[Monkeypants]

Well Called Cat, I presume in BKK, using the number 1322.

Again I am hitting a brick wall they say I am too far from the mast, The mast is 8.5 kms away and on the mast it says Cat cdma. So I have established that it is the correct mast.

I have thought of an alternative though, a friend of mine has a CAT air card of some description not sure of the name of the modem, but If he brings his usb modem/ card here, and plugs it into my Desktop, will it need drivers for it to work, or will it be plug and play ?

Thanks guys

Edited December 30, 2009 by Monkeypants

[thaimite]

As stated before I am 11KM from the mast. Originally CAT would not guarantee service but I got the installer to bring the kit down, on the understanding I would only pay him for his time and mileage if it did not work.

You will need drivers for your friends CAT Aircard. he should have them but if not they can probably be downloaded.

Mine is a Novatel/Merlin X720, and I can point you to the site for thar driver if his unit is the same

Edited December 30, 2009 by thaimite

[Monkeypants]

ok thanks then I shall try that route for now.

And report back.

[Monkeypants]

ok it is a ccu 680 , any idea where to download the driver ?

[ThaiLife]

ok it is a ccu 680 , any idea where to download the driver ?

Hi MP, may be have a look here .....

Website - Link

also have a look here .. Website - Link

and here..... Website - Link

I am using a MC727 and this is my nearest CAT Tower....

This is the external roof Antenna CAT supplied ...

CAT at the top and Dtac below

With the external roof antenna connected I get a full signal ..

and what to expect - The great CAT Roller Coaster Ride

TL

[Monkeypants]

<!--quoteo(post=3240876:date=2010-01-03 11:03:55:name=Monkeypants)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypants @ 2010-01-03 11:03:55) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=3240876"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->ok it is a ccu 680 , any idea where to download the driver ?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Hi MP, may be have a look here .....

<img src="http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq232/Filesaver1/Screenshot2010-01-03at12953PM.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<a href="http://www.catcdma.com/download/driver_manual.htm" target="_blank">Website - Link</a>

also have a look here .. <a href="http://www.fklt.com/support.php" target="_blank"> Website - Link</a>

and here..... <a href="http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/2106/63/" target="_blank"> Website - Link</a>

I am using a MC727 and this is my nearest CAT Tower....

<img src="http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq232/Filesaver1/skitched-483.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

This is the external roof Antenna CAT supplied ...

<img src="http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq232/Filesaver1/Picture7-2.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />

CAT at the top and Dtac below

<img src="http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq232/Filesaver1/skitched-494.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

With the external roof antenna connected I get a full signal ..

<img src="http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq232/Filesaver1/DSC05321.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

and what to expect - The great CAT Roller Coaster Ride <img src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

<img src="http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq232/Filesaver1/skitched-20090723-093258.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

TL <img src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wai.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wai.gif" />

Still no Joy I am afraid, Cat still refuse to sell me their services, my friends brought his internet card thingy and it worked, he has a laptop, so we just used his stuff, the signal did fade in and out until he moved the laptop to a more suitable location, so I guess a bosster arial is what I need, but still I cannot get anywhere with CAT.