Ais 3G ?

[tolsti]

Some time over the past 2 days the service indicator on my BB has changed from EDGE to 3G with a small BB sign next to it.

Whats happened here? I am on Phuket.

thanks

[lomatopo]

Evidently AIS is turning up some of their 900 Mhz 3G base-stations; several reports from Phuket. Not sure if it's provisioned for users yet. Maybe add an APN and see what happens?

[bubba]

Evidently AIS is turning up some of their 900 Mhz 3G base-stations; several reports from Phuket. Not sure if it's provisioned for users yet. Maybe add an APN and see what happens?

I have all of a sudden begun seeing more and more 3G service in Bangkok with my iPhone. It seems that at least half the city has been 3G accessible over the last week. It works most of the time, but not all of the time. Connection speed really isn't that great. It's running at about 350K when I do a local server speediest, but it's still much better than the EDGE service.

I haven't seen any announcements from AIS either from the company or in the news. It just seems to be happening quietly.

[lomatopo]

Evidently AIS is turning up some of their 900 Mhz 3G base-stations; several reports from Phuket. Not sure if it's provisioned for users yet. Maybe add an APN and see what happens?

I have all of a sudden begun seeing more and more 3G service in Bangkok with my iPhone. It seems that at least half the city has been 3G accessible over the last week. It works most of the time, but not all of the time. Connection speed really isn't that great. It's running at about 350K when I do a local server speediest, but it's still much better than the EDGE service.

I haven't seen any announcements from AIS either from the company or in the news. It just seems to be happening quietly.

I assume you are an AIS customer? Prepaid? Post-paid? Do you have a data plan currently? If so, which one? Did you sign up for a 3G data plan. Configure a new APN? "350K", sounds like EDGE-ish speed (384 Kbps max.).

It's pretty typical to install equipment and turn it up over time, test it a bit, then start to promote it. I expect there will be a lot of public announcements and SMSes, when the service is launched more broadly?

[bubba]

Tolsti - just curious...have you been a heavy EDGE data user in the past? I'm wondering if maybe they are shifting the heavy data users from EDGE over to 3G to spread out bandwidth load.

[bubba]

Evidently AIS is turning up some of their 900 Mhz 3G base-stations; several reports from Phuket. Not sure if it's provisioned for users yet. Maybe add an APN and see what happens?

I have all of a sudden begun seeing more and more 3G service in Bangkok with my iPhone. It seems that at least half the city has been 3G accessible over the last week. It works most of the time, but not all of the time. Connection speed really isn't that great. It's running at about 350K when I do a local server speediest, but it's still much better than the EDGE service.

I haven't seen any announcements from AIS either from the company or in the news. It just seems to be happening quietly.

I assume you are an AIS customer? Prepaid? Post-paid? Do you have a data plan currently? If so, which one? Did you sign up for a 3G data plan. Configure a new APN? "350K", sounds like EDGE-ish speed (384 Kbps max.).

It's pretty typical to install equipment and turn it up over time, test it a bit, then start to promote it. I expect there will be a lot of public announcements and SMSes, when the service is launched more broadly?

I'm on AIS with one of the iPhone packages. I never signed up for 3G service, but I do have unlimited data as part of my package. No, I didn't configure a new APN. Yes, I am consistently getting 350K on all the 3G connections I have tried, but I never got even close to that with AIS EDGE. It looks to me like AIS have throttled 3G to something like 350K - 360K.

[petedk]

I am using AIS on Asoke at the moment and the indicator on my mobile is chaanging between 3G abd H+. The speed is fantastic. Much bettrr than my usual edge.

I will do a speedtest soon.

What is H+?

[petedk]

Just did a speed test.

362 k download and 208 upload!!! ???

did a retest

362 k down and 88 k upload.

Much faster than the usual Edge

[bubba]

Just did a speed test.

362 k download and 208 upload!!! ???

did a retest

362 k down and 88 k upload.

Much faster than the usual Edge

...but VERY slow for typical 3G service. I'm getting 350 - 365K down on all the 3G speed tests I have run.

[lomatopo]

Maybe they're giving freeloaders 384/128 to whet the appetite?

It's definitely a 3G free-for-all. True is expanding their network over the next 2 ~ 3 weeks, according to some insiders.

[bubba]

Maybe they're giving freeloaders 384/128 to whet the appetite?

It's definitely a 3G free-for-all. True is expanding their network over the next 2 ~ 3 weeks, according to some insiders.

"Freeloader"? I'm paying for a premium iPhone package on AIS with unlimited data. What part of that makes me a freeloader?

[lomatopo]

Maybe they're giving freeloaders 384/128 to whet the appetite?

It's definitely a 3G free-for-all. True is expanding their network over the next 2 ~ 3 weeks, according to some insiders.

"Freeloader"? I'm paying for a premium iPhone package on AIS with unlimited data. What part of that makes me a freeloader?

It seems like AIS have turned up 3G and made it available (open, accessible and free?) for the time being, even to those who do not currently have a 3G data plan. Your unlimited iPhone data plan only covers GPRS and EDGE, so in a way you are getting 3G for free. Perhaps the 'freeloader' term was a poor choice of a word? Apologies for any perceived insult.

[Crossy]

Nothing perceived at all about calling someone a freeloader! It's an insult plain and simple, implying taking something to which one is not entitled.

As an AIS EDGE customer who's also seeing a (slow) 3G connection at various locations around town I too was insulted.

Apology accepted!

[lomatopo]

Some (translated) related posts, from AIS CS on Thai forums...

"Currently under test AIS 3G signal in some areas and at certain times. Be sure to get a maximum speed of 384 Kbps on the same charge. If AIS 3G officially opened to public notice as well.

For those with existing AIS 3G will be available at 3G speeds when in the service area. For those who use the package GPRS / EDGE when the 3G will get a 384kbps speed connection automatically and at no cost to it ^ ^.

Calm down, it is currently under testing AIS 3G signal in some areas and some of my time. If the sensor can be used to speed up the charge for the same. If I open a formal public notice again."

So it looks like everyone with an AIS/One-2-Call SIM, some sort of 2G data plan and a configured APN, gets 384 Kbps for free, and if you have a 3G plan you may get higher speeds during this phase.

http://www.ais.co.th/mobileinternet/3G_package.html

Edited July 26, 2011 by lomatopo

[g00dgirl]

AIS 3G launched today, coverage maps:

http://www.ais.co.th/mobileinternet/3g/coverage/

Bangkok

Chiang Mai

Nakhon Ratchasima

Chonburi

Phuket

Songkhla

Prachuab Khirikhan

Phetchaburi

[infernalman7]

I talked to them. If you are not on 3G packages, you will only get EDGE+ speed (300k-ish) even if your device displays 3G.

[Phil Conners]

Even Nakhon Nowhere now has 3G. Pattaya as usual notably absent.

[lomatopo]

Even Nakhon Nowhere now has 3G. Pattaya as usual notably absent.

Huh? You did look at the Chonburi map?

[bkkjames]

I talked to them. If you are not on 3G packages, you will only get EDGE+ speed (300k-ish) even if your device displays 3G.

Guess I need to upgrade my old bb that only runs on Edge / wifi?

[Digitalbanana]

I talked to them. If you are not on 3G packages, you will only get EDGE+ speed (300k-ish) even if your device displays 3G.

And even if you are on the 799THB/month so called unlimited 3G package for One2Call the small print says it drops to 384kbps after 3GB downloaded!

[lomatopo]

I talked to them. If you are not on 3G packages, you will only get EDGE+ speed (300k-ish) even if your device displays 3G.

And even if you are on the 799THB/month so called unlimited 3G package for One2Call the small print says it drops to 384kbps after 3GB downloaded!

I believe that is aggregate, so 3 GB upload and download in total. This is good and smart thing to do; True wishes they had done this from the get-go, and have been reigning in their original unlimited customers with 5 GB, and 3 GB caps, dropping to 256 Kbps for the remainder.

[Phil Conners]

Even Nakhon Nowhere now has 3G. Pattaya as usual notably absent.

Huh? You did look at the Chonburi map?

Ehh.. yes, and I saw Chonburi city. Sorry, I don't get your point?

[MTH]

Even Nakhon Nowhere now has 3G. Pattaya as usual notably absent.

Huh? You did look at the Chonburi map?

Ehh.. yes, and I saw Chonburi city. Sorry, I don't get your point?

Think some might be confused by the Chonburi map, as it looks somewhat similar to Pattaya.

At least during a quick glance at the shoreline.

Then again, you probably concluded the same

[lomatopo]

Even Nakhon Nowhere now has 3G. Pattaya as usual notably absent.

Huh? You did look at the Chonburi map?

Ehh.. yes, and I saw Chonburi city. Sorry, I don't get your point?

Apologies. I could have sworn the original Thai forum posts listed Pattaya, and then confused the Chonburi map for the Pattaya area. Sorry.

I am not sure why Pattaya has not been part of the initial launch. I assume it will follow at some point unless there is some technical (capacity) or political issue.

[jfchandler]

The link above to the AIS web page for their 3G plans seems to be broken...

Here's a working link for their 3G packages page, all in Thai, but you can get the idea...

http://www.ais.co.th/mobileinternet/3g/package/

[Lite Beer]

[Redux7]

Nothing perceived at all about calling someone a freeloader! It's an insult plain and simple, implying taking something to which one is not entitled.

As an AIS EDGE customer who's also seeing a (slow) 3G connection at various locations around town I too was insulted.

Apology accepted!

Just spoke with AIS this morning and if you are an unlimited customer as I am. Then you automatically get the 3G. Except there are two types of unlimited packages as I understand.

There is the pre 3G and post 3G (made the terms up for explanation sake) in the post 3G package the speeds can sustain video calls. So I currently have the pre 3G which still works in this new 3G era. However if I want to video call on the current package the speed is not adequate. I will have to change to the post 3G which will sustain those types of speeds.

Nice.. Will do my upgrade on the 31st. 799 ++

Edited July 29, 2011 by Redux7

[infernalman7]

Be careful though. Not all unlimited data customers are transferred to 3G from what I read.

If you are using an iPhone plan, you are automatically upgraded to 3G.

If you are using a BlackBerry on AIS, you will have to call AIS to get the upgrade.

If you are using normal smartphone plan, you will not get 3G. If you are using an iPhone on this plan, call AIS to get upgraded.

Other smartphones users who want to be on 3G will have to subscribe an add-on 3G package. There is no "base plan" for 3G yet.

Unlimited data with 3G is available also as an add-on package. That means you will need another base plan for your minutes (i.e. 200 baht + 799 unlimtied 3G)

[negreanu]

iPhone plan 2gb then throttling. 3g plan 3gb then throttling.

[dominique355]

I used to have an unlimited package from AIS using the 2G technology. When I noticed the little "3G" on the display of my phone, I went to AIS service station at The Mall Bangkapi and amended my package to 3G. Same price, 799 THB/month.

Now I get a download speed of roughly 2.2 Mb/s and an amazing upload speed of 850 kb/s. OK, down is slow for 3G. Should be around 7 Mb/s for a real 3G. But the upload speed is amazing. That's almost double of what I got home from TOT's 10Mb/s package.