3Bb Premium Review

[TravelerEastWest]

It is early days but last week I switched from the True 16/1 premium plan (in Bangkok) to the 3BB premium 5/1 plan with a fixed IP.

My overall internet surfing is slightly better and my VOIP phone no longer is having dropped messages or heavy static - although a very light static is there and occasional echoes which seem to go away.

My speed tests in America are roughly 2.5/.5 or half what the plan is. Although strangely my west coast speeds (SF & LA) are close to 5/1.

I am considering calling up to ask for help getting my full 5/1 but perhaps that is a waste of time and more headache than it is worth.

[NHJ]

ig you use multi threaded download you'll get the full bandwith, that's the purpose of download accelerator.

[mightyharriss]

no point in calling them, their customer servicwe is one of the worst I have ever dealt with.

After over 30 calls(with them saying they would get an engineer to contact me), I am STILL waiting,

Bunch of cowboys, and to be honest if it is 5/1 I will eat my hat. The speeds arte attrocious, I have had to switch to Open DNS, as their DNS servers are slower than a 79 year old woman walking up the empire state building.

GOOD LUCK... you'll need it soon

[Pib]

The speeds advertised for regular and premier type internet plans (regardless of the company...3B, TOT, etc) are in-Thailand speeds; speeds to international web sites will generally be less...averaging in the 25 to 50% of in-Thailand speeds. On a premier plan they are suppose to give you more international bandwidth/have you on lower contention/user ratio which allows you to get higher speeds on the average...probably averaging around 50% of in-Thailand speeds. You'll probably get more than 50% to some international sites and less to others (US west coast speeds will usually be significantly higher than US east coast speeds...it's a distance, number of hops thing), depends on the location, time of day/night, etc.

Actually it sounds like you are getting pretty good speeds for browsing/emailing. You should easily get close to full speed in doing file downloads with a download manager.

[Thules]

I've come to expect, and usually 3BB deliver, 50% of what they promise.

I wish they would merely deliver upon an 'under promised and over delivered' strategy rather than the opposite. A far better marketing strategy, IMO.

[TravelerEastWest]

The speeds advertised for regular and premier type internet plans (regardless of the company...3B, TOT, etc) are in-Thailand speeds; speeds to international web sites will generally be less...averaging in the 25 to 50% of in-Thailand speeds. On a premier plan they are suppose to give you more international bandwidth/have you on lower contention/user ratio which allows you to get higher speeds on the average...probably averaging around 50% of in-Thailand speeds. You'll probably get more than 50% to some international sites and less to others (US west coast speeds will usually be significantly higher than US east coast speeds...it's a distance, number of hops thing), depends on the location, time of day/night, etc.

Actually it sounds like you are getting pretty good speeds for browsing/emailing. You should easily get close to full speed in doing file downloads with a download manager.

Interesting and what I suspected so at 50% of advertised speeds I am par for the course. My US West Coast speeds are good to see.

All is relative I suppose - now my web surfing is better than with Trues Premiere 16/1 plan I am not sure why. Perhaps having a dedicated internet line is part of it? (True used a TOT phone line which I then used a splitter on for VOIP.

Currently I am having clear VOIP calls worldwide with no dropped calls even during rain storms and early evening hours I am quite happy. Earlier I posted some static and echoes - after playing with the wiring a bit I no longer have static or echoes so not 3Bs fault.

As for 3B service I have found that they show up and reply but service quality is not always good. They seem to use lots of outside contractors who can be bad or quite good it is just the luck of the draw.

Next, I have to test uploading large photographs.

As for multi threading I am not sure what to do and also not clear about the pros and cons of download managers any more details will be most welcome...

[genobkk]

The speeds advertised for regular and premier type internet plans (regardless of the company...3B, TOT, etc) are in-Thailand speeds; speeds to international web sites will generally be less...averaging in the 25 to 50% of in-Thailand speeds. On a premier plan they are suppose to give you more international bandwidth/have you on lower contention/user ratio which allows you to get higher speeds on the average...probably averaging around 50% of in-Thailand speeds. You'll probably get more than 50% to some international sites and less to others (US west coast speeds will usually be significantly higher than US east coast speeds...it's a distance, number of hops thing), depends on the location, time of day/night, etc.

Actually it sounds like you are getting pretty good speeds for browsing/emailing. You should easily get close to full speed in doing file downloads with a download manager.

Interesting and what I suspected so at 50% of advertised speeds I am par for the course. My US West Coast speeds are good to see.

All is relative I suppose - now my web surfing is better than with Trues Premiere 16/1 plan I am not sure why. Perhaps having a dedicated internet line is part of it? (True used a TOT phone line which I then used a splitter on for VOIP.

Currently I am having clear VOIP calls worldwide with no dropped calls even during rain storms and early evening hours I am quite happy. Earlier I posted some static and echoes - after playing with the wiring a bit I no longer have static or echoes so not 3Bs fault.

As for 3B service I have found that they show up and reply but service quality is not always good. They seem to use lots of outside contractors who can be bad or quite good it is just the luck of the draw.

Next, I have to test uploading large photographs.

As for multi threading I am not sure what to do and also not clear about the pros and cons of download managers any more details will be most welcome...

I just did a test with TOT in Pattaya, my modem is only connecting at 1 mb in Pattaya on TOT. I tested on http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ my speed to San Francisco was 700 to 800 kps Now I am in Bangkok using 3BB Premiere download is only 400 kps!!! yes that is it. I have complain many many times. TOT is only 590 THB 4 mb premiere is 2,000 THB I will have to tell them to kiss my butt soon, I am sick of this!!!

[genobkk]

is their some place we can complain I feel I am getting ripped off. I am paying 2,00 THB for very very bad speed stay way from 3BB !!! it was fine 3 or 4 months ago, but now getting worse and worse!!!

[TravelerEastWest]

is their some place we can complain I feel I am getting ripped off. I am paying 2,00 THB for very very bad speed stay way from 3BB !!! it was fine 3 or 4 months ago, but now getting worse and worse!!!

Interesting that your service was fine and now is worse.

So far my service is good - I will update this thread down the road if there are problems.

[delboy]

I recently had a spell where I got continuous disconnections and when the technician called he said it was due to the bad telephone line from the local exchange. Instead of somebody repairing the line they adjusted my internet speeds fom 3Mb download to 4.25Mb download, and from 1Mb upload to 0.5Mb upload, and so far, my connection has stabilised.

Although, of course, my upload speed has been reduced by 50%.

It's easier for them to restrict my use of the internet than to repair the problem and let me have what I pay for.

Edited September 6, 2010 by delboy

[Thules]

My saintly 'better half' phones 3BB immediately my connection fails. She politely and incredibly patiently explains that when I don't have internet for an extended period, I transform into something that is only otherwise shown in horror movies. Out of pity, compassion, or whatever, our 3BB service is pretty good (but never at the speeds we pay for, of course).

[spacemunk]

Was using 3BB 10MB Pro. 3BB service stated that the "Pro" was a step abv Indy which is why i decided to get it.

After using abt 8mths with no problems, constant 10mb speed international. All of a sudden past 2 months was a nightmare. Getting speeds of 1mb international.

In 1 month their technicians came over 7 times to have a look. Same reply as always "it's ur line." So i got new lines installed and still the same speeds. Technicians came over again and checked the wires , the next thing they said is "3BB don't have the 3BB Pro anymore , so we upgrade you to INDY 12MB."

I told them i got the Pro because i didn't want the crappy Indy service. So they told me to get the Premier line.

So i went to get the Premier line. Service should start in the next few days. I wanna see what is their next excuse if the speed is not changed.

Talking to the technicians and CS , is like talking to a brick wall. Every answer is "don't know".

[TravelerEastWest]

I recently had a spell where I got continuous disconnections and when the technician called he said it was due to the bad telephone line from the local exchange.........

I wonder if the telephone line is your problem as my service is reasonably good and most of what they promised - but I do not use a telephone line. Instead I have a dedicated 3BB internet line, which is what everyone who uses 3BB has in my area of Bangkok

When i used True I had to rent a TOT phone line and my internet service was poor.

[delboy]

I wonder if the telephone line is your problem as my service is reasonably good and most of what they promised - but I do not use a telephone line. Instead I have a dedicated 3BB internet line, which is what everyone who uses 3BB has in my area of Bangkok

When i used True I had to rent a TOT phone line and my internet service was poor.

The technician did say that 3BB are connecting their own lines, but we live out in the country and he said "maybe next year".

[ManInSurat]

I'll happily add my two penn'orth to this.

3BB are absolutely awful. In every sense of the word. The internet service they provide , their customer service, their technicians. They are a poorly formed, poorly managed, money-grabbing ISP who like to take your hard-earned baht and fail to offer you what you paid for in return.

I'm not making these statements without just reason. I first applied for their Premier service, the 5M one back in 2006, it was ok for Thailand when I first got it and from that point forward it slowly went downhill, until it went so far downhill, it ended up in the nether regions of hel_l. In late 2009 after the joke formation of their new "face" (they have had 3 separate names as a company in 4 years - <deleted>!

?) 3BB I decided to plump for their 16M service - mainly because TT&T 5M Premier had gotten so terribly bad I HAD to change - as I really can take advantage of the increased speeds within Thailand. You'd never get 16M to the outside world with Thailand's internet infrastructure, hence why all the shiny shiny marketing ploys for these high-end speeds are bunk for those looking for international traffic.

If you really need fast international speeds/bandwidth in Thailand you need to be in Krung Thep, with True and on their 50M up/3M down Ultra Hi-Speed service.

I'm still a customer of 3BB 16M - I've had them out numerous times to check the lines, and on more than one occasion they basically accused me of having a crap router and a crap unit - I have a LinkSys AG241 wired router - which is basically one of the best you can buy in Thailand and also a i7 950 CPU in conjunction with top of the range motherboard , 2TB of HDD space - again when I bought it all, the best money can buy. His intimation that I had poor hardware really, really offended me. I don't often get angry at Thais, but I had to walk away from that technician lest I do something I'd deeply regret.

In my second house, which I made sure I bought in an area that True can reach to (in Surat Thani) I have a True connection. It's the 16M Premier. I absolutely LOVE it. I had a few hiccups the day of installation. I called their customer service who speak FANTASTIC English, I do speak Thai, but when using internet based terminology I find it much better to converse in my own language - and a line technician was round to my house the next morning, when I was told he would arrive.

He was very dilligent, studiously looked at the job the line installation team had done, said it could be better and went about fixing it himself. After him having worked on it, we tested it together and since then I have completely uniterrupted service for a long time.

Upon noticing the router I had bought and the other hardware I had in my house, he actually complimented me on it and said that he wished True could offer LinkSys routers with their packages instead of the silver piece of flimsy Wi-Fi N-link rubbish they actually do offer - he didn't say it was rubbish I am saying it is, because it actually is!

I think the connection has broken or been down once in several months. I'll admit I get a slight reduction in speed on a Saturday/Sunday morning - as it to be expected with school children and casual users overloading the network - but nothing that ruins the service I get.

This level of customer service is definitely not available with Maxnet/TT&T/3BB - they are, in my opinion, the very worst ISP I have ever had the misfortune to have a contract with in 3 separate countries I have lived in permanently in my life.

I'm just riding out my contract with 3BB as I do get some sporadic use from it when I'm at the other house and my kids can use it if they need to.

What surprises me more is that you're in Krung Thep... I'd always had this assumption that in a internet hub as large as Bangkok you'd be getting excellent service as the lines/infrastructure is the best in the country. Maybe it was a fault on your line - or something that could have been fixed by them coming out to you in person, given personal experience with True housecall line technicians I would have definitely recommended that.

As far as speed testing is concerned, be aware that the Global Speedtest site speeds are easily faked by ISPs. When using their site with my 3BB I got ping speeds to west coast of America of 34ms, which is faster than the speed of light - it's rubbish. Try and find a better test if you haven't already. Google is your friend here.

In summary, sorry to add to the naysayers here, but I think you'll soon come to the realization that TT&T/Maxnet/3BB are a terrible ISP.

True on their other hand are the benchmark which all other ISPs in Thailand should try to aspire to. The very best company I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with in the Land of Smiles.

That's all I have to say and as already said - the best of luck with 3BB and your sanity!

Edited September 7, 2010 by ManInSurat

[mightyharriss]

well bloody said the man above me. @GENOBKK join our facebook group. "gaming and internet problems in Thailand." you may rant to your hearts content there:annoyed:

[ManInSurat]

well bloody said the man above me. @GENOBKK join our facebook group. "gaming and internet problems in Thailand." you may rant to your hearts content there:annoyed:

Lmao, get him signed up 'Arris! Good man!

[TravelerEastWest]

Manin Surat,

You certainly have received bad service.

As for True being a good company we have not had the same experience I have found their staff rude and lacking in intelligence.

My latest story is a couple of weeks ago they did not show up to install a phone line nor did they call to apologize or reschedule. I went to the local true office and they said that they had accidently cancelled my new phone account and neglected to yell me after I had paid in advance of course.

Many other True horror stories with an emphasis on many....

I have had 3B in a past organization the name I forget now in the countryside and yes their staff was dizzy but not rude. and yes their internet speed was probably half what they advertised outside of Thailand but not too bad I was on an Indy account at first and then upgraded.

[genobkk]

I am so fed up, I have been in thailand 10 years and it is no better then when I first came here, they say the speeds are higher that is all!!! www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ San Francisco server 450 on a 4 MB Primiere account. what should I do? If I sold something to a thai that was that far from doing what it was supposed to be doing what do you think would happen?

[ManInSurat]

Manin Surat,

You certainly have received bad service.

As for True being a good company we have not had the same experience I have found their staff rude and lacking in intelligence.

My latest story is a couple of weeks ago they did not show up to install a phone line nor did they call to apologize or reschedule. I went to the local true office and they said that they had accidently cancelled my new phone account and neglected to yell me after I had paid in advance of course.

Many other True horror stories with an emphasis on many....

I have had 3B in a past organization the name I forget now in the countryside and yes their staff was dizzy but not rude. and yes their internet speed was probably half what they advertised outside of Thailand but not too bad I was on an Indy account at first and then upgraded.

You are quite right, my personal bad experience might not necessarily mean others have had such a torrid time with them. I just was really really let down by them as a company and in the UK I would have taken this up with an ombudsman if I could, but we're in LOS right!?

Someone once told me this gem of wisdom.... "A happy customer will generally tell 10 people of their good experience with a company. A p*ssed of customer will generally tell 100".

The way I was treated by 3BB/Maxnet/TT&T (or whatever permutation they have mutated into now!) - was absolutely unacceptable.

I personally think you're very fortunate and seem to me to be one voice out lots that have had a decent experience and/or level of service from 3BB.

I'll be sticking with True, mainly because I'm eyeing their 50M Ultra Hi-Speed in the hope that it filters down my way in relatively decent time, which I think with True and True alone this is a possibility.

Where are the other ISPs with regards to this kind of progressive attitude towards their service?

Also, the last time I checked, for the prospective foreign market (which must be quite large) 3BB has no online advertising in a language other than Thai. Which is utterly ridiculous.

Either they really just don't care or they don't want the hassle and bother of having to hire someone to do the work, it can't be a cultural thing as we're talking about the prospect of them earning fortunes after minimum outlay. Obviously 3BB just don't think like this, which is mental.

Maybe I'm wrong and maybe it's there somewhere, I've looked all over this (LINK) and can't see anything.

Where as True quite clearly have the change language feature at the top of the site. Alright I don't need it and most internet savvy people with common sense should be able to navigate to the products and prices page in Thai, but not everyone falls into this category. I would say the majority of potential foreign custom doesn't either.

More reasons why I think they're a shambles, but that is just personal opinion.

Edited September 7, 2010 by ManInSurat

[ManInSurat]

I am so fed up, I have been in thailand 10 years and it is no better then when I first came here, they say the speeds are higher that is all!!! www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ San Francisco server 450 on a 4 MB Primiere account. what should I do? If I sold something to a thai that was that far from doing what it was supposed to be doing what do you think would happen?

Yeah you'd get in trouble, or be rounded on!

Here as the customer you get nowhere. Thais would also get nowhere when complaining to 3BB IMO. I frequently had by daughter call them up who is leuk krung and she was palmed off just as much as I was!! Unless you're an incredibly high ranking Thai official you're stuck - even then that's debatable as it's like a cancer in the bad ISPs. They can't just sort it out in a day. It's much deeper than that.

You have to realise that Thailand is still an Economically Developing Country and as such it's countrywide internet infrastructure can't be compared to that of what you are more familiar with in your native country (US?).

It's rife with corruption and this affects the quality of the work done in putting the necessary infrastructure in place.

Moreover it's also a country where most media has to be checked before it is allowed in the public domain and this extends to the internet massively. Admittedly the MICT do a crappy job and it's easy to get past their filter, but I'm talking more from a point of the amount of hops your packets take to get to and from the server you're trying to connect to. I remember I had over 30 hops for Google.com with 3BB. I mean, <deleted>!?

Like I said before and I'll say again True Online seem to be the only ISP in Thailand that are trying to emulate good western business practices and I, for one, really applaud them for it. Singapore by comparison, which is much smaller and richer has only just introduced 100M lines - Thailand's 50M lines have been out for a while now, and Thailand is a much poorer country per capita. I don't think it'll be too long before 100M lines are available here, if only in BKK for the first few years. But that is real progression and it's going be True that is spearheading everything.

3BB just have an air of "really don't give a sh*t - now go away and suffer in silence" about them (others have had experience to the contraty as we see here, but I think that's a minority opinion.)

The attitude they gave me was very much like this and I hate them as a company as a result.

P.S. I've mentioned this elsewhere genoBKK, but be wary when checking your speeds, I know for a fact ISPs can fake data on the Global Speetest which is top of Google's searched. Speeds of 34ms to west coast USA? Faster than the speed of light? Physics says NO! I'm afraid.

I don't know if speakeasy do it, but just be forewarned. Try and find another test if you can. Glasnost (google it) are great if you want to know if an ISP is playing with your connection. Also the free trial with DUmeter is interesting too.

Edited September 7, 2010 by ManInSurat

[siamect]

I am so fed up, I have been in thailand 10 years and it is no better then when I first came here, they say the speeds are higher that is all!!! www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ San Francisco server 450 on a 4 MB Primiere account. what should I do? If I sold something to a thai that was that far from doing what it was supposed to be doing what do you think would happen?

Yeah you'd get in trouble, or be rounded on!

Here as the customer you get nowhere. Thais would also get nowhere when complaining to 3BB IMO. I frequently had by daughter call them up who is leuk krung and she was palmed off just as much as I was!! Unless you're an incredibly high ranking Thai official you're stuck - even then that's debatable as it's like a cancer in the bad ISPs. They can't just sort it out in a day. It's much deeper than that.

You have to realise that Thailand is still an Economically Developing Country and as such it's countrywide internet infrastructure can't be compared to that of what you are more familiar with in your native country (US?).

...

Just remember my cousin who at the time were in Sweden (supposed to be one of the high-speed internet paradises right?) where most people have 100Mbps internet...

When it didn't work and she called helpdesk they promised her that it will be fixed when there is a technician available... probably next week or the week after... great that they plan their future but...

...I prefer Thailand!

I have had some problems here in Thailand, but since I got ADSL and all of my problems have been fixed within 24 hours...

Martin

Edited September 7, 2010 by siamect

[ManInSurat]

I am so fed up, I have been in thailand 10 years and it is no better then when I first came here, they say the speeds are higher that is all!!! www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ San Francisco server 450 on a 4 MB Primiere account. what should I do? If I sold something to a thai that was that far from doing what it was supposed to be doing what do you think would happen?

Yeah you'd get in trouble, or be rounded on!

Here as the customer you get nowhere. Thais would also get nowhere when complaining to 3BB IMO. I frequently had by daughter call them up who is leuk krung and she was palmed off just as much as I was!! Unless you're an incredibly high ranking Thai official you're stuck - even then that's debatable as it's like a cancer in the bad ISPs. They can't just sort it out in a day. It's much deeper than that.

You have to realise that Thailand is still an Economically Developing Country and as such it's countrywide internet infrastructure can't be compared to that of what you are more familiar with in your native country (US?).

...

Just remember my cousin who at the time were in Sweden (supposed to be one of the high-speed internet paradises right?) where most people have 100Mbps internet...

When it didn't work and she called helpdesk they promised her that it will be fixed when there is a technician available... probably next week or the week after... great that they plan their future but...

...I prefer Thailand!

I have had some problems here in Thailand, but since I got ADSL and all of my problems have been fixed within 24 hours...

Martin

Who are you with Martin? I bet it's True!!

I'll genuinely be shocked if you're with TOT or 3BB/Maxnet/TT&T/etc/etc/etc!

One thing I will agree with you on here, is that for me, with True, the come to you when they say they will. Again, my personal experience. 3BB on the other hand never came when they said they would and when they did, they thought there is no possible way I would have some understanding of how the internet works and be able to know when they're BS-ing me.

Amazed that the callout times are so long in Sweden, you're right they and South Korea are allegedly the best countries in the world if you need connectivity. Shame neither of them are as beautiful and comfortable as LOS (IMO!)

Edited September 7, 2010 by ManInSurat

[siamect]

Who are you with Martin? I bet it's True!!

I'll genuinely be shocked if you're with TOT or 3BB/Maxnet/TT&T/etc/etc/etc!

One thing I will agree with you on here, is that for me, with True, the come to you when they say they will. Again, my personal experience. 3BB on the other hand never came when they said they would and when they did, they thought there is no possible way I would have some understanding of how the internet works and be able to know when they're BS-ing me.

Amazed that the callout times are so long in Sweden, you're right they and South Korea are allegedly the best countries in the world if you need connectivity. Shame neither of them are as beautiful and comfortable as LOS (IMO!)

You are right... True is what I use... I have ok cabling in the house and in the moban. So the problems, those few times it has been problems is typically on their side...outside the moban. Routing (their routers) has been a problems a couple of times and cable, low speed connecting a few times...

I always test with two routers and two computers before I call...

They have always fixed the problems without coming to our house... my dog wouldn't let them in anyway...

Martin

[mightyharriss]

Join the 3BB face book page and complain there. I translated a few bits using google translate and it is not just us Farang that are unhappy. Interestingly this came up

"Dee Aud Tung Khen law has determined that In the agreement on telecommunications services shall not be bound together by all. Consumers can cancel at any time change. Only do five days advance notice, but in the case of service problems can be reversed immediately. And if consumers have money left on the operators. Will be refunded within 30 days if the delay will be paid with interest.

The case of telecommunications providers. Marketing strategies to get the trailers, such as installing telephone equipment connected to the Internet. By imposing conditions that require long-term service in a year, even though the service agreement specifies the conditions. But according to law. Consumers still have the right to terminate the service. Because the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has issued regulations regarding such. Summarized as follows.

"If the company offers phone. Or any other equipment. To consumers on the cheap. But the commitment to long-term contract. Users can cancel the contract without any penalty. But looking to send the equipment back to the company. If the damage occurs. Users are required to pay actual damages. "

We do not have to stick to specific contracts if there service is bad. the above is quoted from the NTC

this is their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/3BBfanpage?v=wall

Complain here along with everyone else

[TravelerEastWest]

So far so good no problems with 3B.

On rare occasions my Vonage VOIP will lose some sound but overall good.

I am really wondering if having a separate phone line (True) which is not connected in anyway to my 3BB line is a big part of my current good service. I also have a fixed IP which may or may not be helping.

I think some of our frustrations as posted in this thread are cultural. I am American and I am quite frustrated when local businesspeople of any type not just the Internet people do not show up do not call and when they do show up to work on the house why is it that theyt have no concept of cleaning up after themselves?

Yet my Thai wife thinks that I am too much sometimes when i expect people to do what they are paid for, in a timely manner and do it well. At the moment I am using a service provider who is well known on this site - with an American owner - I really thought that I would get American standard business service - no - not happening - and guess what most of the staff are Thai.... they are quite friendly and polite and very good at saying they are sorry.

Everyone feel free to laugh and nod your head now, because I am laughing at myself.

In the end you need to say this is what it is and accept it or get a big headache quite often. As an example when I signup for an internet plan I now know that 50% of what is advertised is all you can expect for international sites. What I do want is a quality connection so that I can use my phone to call home.

Edited September 9, 2010 by TravelerEastWest

[TravelerEastWest]

A further update after roughly 6 weeks no problems and I am happy with the service.

One strange problem - my Vonage phone works fine overseas but has some problems with calling phones in Thailand.