True 3G In Hua Hin

[nikster]

Is True 3G service available in Hua Hin?

I am considering going there in April but would need to secure an internet connection. If True 3G works it's a no brainer I can just tether off the iPhone.

I know CAT CDMA doesn't work there...

[Digitalbanana]

Last time I looked AIS had the claim to the 3G rule of Amphur Huahin with a 21mbps 3G service. No one else allowed in there. Doubt much has changed? TIT.

[nikster]

Last time I looked AIS had the claim to the 3G rule of Amphur Huahin with a 21mbps 3G service. No one else allowed in there. Doubt much has changed? TIT.

21Mbps? Whoa, what sort of 3G standard is that?

True is a bit shy about its 3G coverage, so I was hoping... but I guess not. The thing is I got True 3G in Samui, even though that's not mentioned anywhere on the True move website...

[lomatopo]

No first-hand experiences but did find these...

http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=35662

Wednesday, 29 December 2010

CAT allows DTAC, True to expand 3G trials; DTAC to be given commercial nod

The board of state-owned CAT Telecom has approved plans for private sector mobile operators Digital Total Access Communication (DTAC) and True Move to expand their number of cell sites for 3G operations in the 850MHz frequency band. Both DTAC and True currently provide wireless services under build-transfer-operate (BTO) concessions granted by CAT, and are required to pay a percentage of their revenues to the government-owned telco. CAT's board has said that True Move may construct 1,400 additional cell sites and DTAC 1,220 more sites to expand trial 3G mobile services. The new announcement comes after DATC petitioned the government last month to intervene in what it described as unfair treatment by CAT. DATC chief executive, Tore Johnsen, said that CAT had only allowed DATC 36 sites for its HSPA trial service while True Move had over 600 sites.

TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database shows that True Move has piloted 3G using the 850MHz band via cooperation with CAT, which has allowed access to 5MHz of frequencies in return for infrastructure-sharing privileges. A limited ‘pre-commercial’ 3G service was launched in the beach resort city of Hua Hin in December 2009, offering maximum (theoretical) downstream speeds of 7.2Mbps, and by the end of that year UMTS-850 cell sites had been rolled out to cover main business districts of Bangkok and some additional provincial locations. Meanwhile, in September 2009, DTAC launched its first trial 3G 850MHz service, initially offering mobile broadband access for 2,000 laptop users in Bangkok.

In additional news, CAT has also said that next month it will propose to the panel which grants telecoms concessions that DTAC be allowed to offer 3G services commercially.

http://www.thaithinkpad.com/forum/index.php?topic=6992.0

[Digitalbanana]

Last time I looked AIS had the claim to the 3G rule of Amphur Huahin with a 21mbps 3G service. No one else allowed in there. Doubt much has changed? TIT.

21Mbps? Whoa, what sort of 3G standard is that?

True is a bit shy about its 3G coverage, so I was hoping... but I guess not. The thing is I got True 3G in Samui, even though that's not mentioned anywhere on the True move website...

When I was in Huahin last month I notice all the AIS 3G adverts up. They advertise 21mbps it on their web site, haven't tried it myself.

http://www.ais.co.th/mobileinternet/3G_coverage-speed.html

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Last time I looked AIS had the claim to the 3G rule of Amphur Huahin with a 21mbps 3G service. No one else allowed in there. Doubt much has changed? TIT.

21Mbps? Whoa, what sort of 3G standard is that?

True is a bit shy about its 3G coverage, so I was hoping... but I guess not. The thing is I got True 3G in Samui, even though that's not mentioned anywhere on the True move website...

When were you on Samui? They did have it on their website but removed it.

[nikster]

When were you on Samui? They did have it on their website but removed it.

Last year March 2010... maybe CAT made them turn it off again, who knows... it worked very well around the Big C area.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

When were you on Samui? They did have it on their website but removed it.

Last year March 2010... maybe CAT made them turn it off again, who knows... it worked very well around the Big C area.

Yes, perhaps that has occurred: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/04/28/business/NTC-to-probe-CAT-charge-against-True-Move-30128107.html

Will check.

[nikster]

When were you on Samui? They did have it on their website but removed it.

Last year March 2010... maybe CAT made them turn it off again, who knows... it worked very well around the Big C area.

Yes, perhaps that has occurred: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/04/28/business/NTC-to-probe-CAT-charge-against-True-Move-30128107.html

Will check.

I see ^^^

Thanks so much CAT, so kind to look out for the needs of the Thai people. Of course it should come to no one's surprise as CAT is owned by the Thai government and it's its mandate to make absolutely sure True does NOT offer 3G outside of the few areas it's permitted. Protecting the people of Samui from 3G.

Edited January 25, 2011 by nikster

[Lorin]

I'm not sure about True having 3g service in Hua Hin, but I am using AIS 3g when i'm in town and its pretty crap, the speed is like 250 kbt max, so its like an EDGE speed instead of 3g.

[nikster]

I am in Hua Hin now, thought I'd share the good news:

Yes, True has 3G service in Hua Hin!

As fast as in Chiang Mai, about 1Mbit. Perfectly usable. Good thing too because the internet at the apartment I am renting is just an AIS 3G USB stick. So far haven't gotten it to work. Not sure I should even bother if it's EDGE-like speeds. True 3G is considerably faster than EDGE, it's pretty much as good as a DSL line, as long as you don't do large downloads or torrents.

[wpcoe]

nikster, we were in Hua Hin at the same time.

On my way from Jomtien to Hua Hin, I stopped in Bangkok to squeeze in a visit to a True office to complete the paperwork to switch my mobile phone number from DTAC to True.

The change went into effect on Wednesday morning, and I, too, can confirm that True 3G is alive and well in Hua Hin. On one speed test I got almost 2Mbps result on a speedtest.net test to Bangkok.

This is True's 3G coverage map for Hua Hin/Cha Am: http://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108046981738605644753.00047048ea2d0f84fad0a