Ais 3G ?

[ES1]

Hey guys,

Don't let the "incredible" speeds (as some have breathlessly claimed) fool you. It's safe to say 3g in Thailand will be like everywhere else. Fast at first....until significant numbers of people start using it. Couple that with TiT and well you get the drift.

That Chonburi map sure does look a lot like Pattaya. Railway is about right but Sukhumvit looks a bit off. I'll bet there is signal in Pattaya. AIS executives go there on the weekends too. Maybe just not not built out and tested enough to advertise it but I'm sure it will be up and running soon enough.

I can read Thai and I assure you it is not Pattaya.

Urrum yea, I get that. Perhaps you misunderstood. I was stating that is sure 'looks' like Pattaya. I get that it's not after reading several posts saying it's not.

[David006]

interesting...we are out in the boonies and just yesterday I had my AIS phone (Nokia) plugged in to my laptop to transfer some pics and decided to check the internet speed therefrom ( have no package or anything ..it just works?)instead of my DTAC edge modem (prepay 100hr) . Up in the 380s down and 90 odd up. Ah! I thought..better! So went back to the DTAC edge connection and checked again..same within a few kbs. Things are on the improve out here...who knows maybe be able to watch a youtube in one hit without 10 minutes of buffering soon...lol

[lomatopo]

interesting...we are out in the boonies and just yesterday I had my AIS phone (Nokia) plugged in to my laptop to transfer some pics and decided to check the internet speed therefrom ( have no package or anything ..it just works?)instead of my DTAC edge modem (prepay 100hr) . Up in the 380s down and 90 odd up. Ah! I thought..better! So went back to the DTAC edge connection and checked again..same within a few kbs. Things are on the improve out here...who knows maybe be able to watch a youtube in one hit without 10 minutes of buffering soon...lol

I suspect those data rates may not be accurate. They appear to be greater than the theoretical limits for the technology.

[kola]

OK so now I understand why I'm not succeding in getting the 3G signal in jomtien, it wasn't the good map.. OK fine, wonderful..

[kola]

They sure looked similar, but not quite right for pattaya.. Ah when you want to believe your mind plays tricks on you..

Edited August 15, 2011 by kola

[Phil Conners]

interesting...we are out in the boonies and just yesterday I had my AIS phone (Nokia) plugged in to my laptop to transfer some pics and decided to check the internet speed therefrom ( have no package or anything ..it just works?)instead of my DTAC edge modem (prepay 100hr) . Up in the 380s down and 90 odd up. Ah! I thought..better! So went back to the DTAC edge connection and checked again..same within a few kbs. Things are on the improve out here...who knows maybe be able to watch a youtube in one hit without 10 minutes of buffering soon...lol

Sure, it will work without a plan, but it will cost you 1B per minute. Leave it on overnight and your balance might be 500 baht less

[Airbus717]

Can anyone confirm that AIS 3G is availabe around Sukhumvit Soi 31, near Phrom Phong station and beyond? Because when i called to AIS call center they said "3G is everywhere in Bangkok" but my phone only can connect to Edge around this area, but in other areas like Rama 4 i can use 3G, also there is no 3G after On Nut station, only edge..Is it only me or AIS 3G is far from everywhere in Bangkok?

The coverage map for Bangkok shows the blue cloud ending ~ Phra Khanong. Sukhumvit Soi 31 looks 'covered'.

They announced 1,340 base stations in Bangkok. TOT and True have ~ 550-ish each and seem to have broader coverage. Maybe AIS has not turned up all 1,340 yet?

I called AIS customer service about 3G in this area and this is what they answer to me via sms: Regarding 3G problem in Soi 31 area our engineer has checked and inform that we haven't provided 3G through this area, but we're planing to provide it in the future"...

[hullupullo]

Both AIS and DTAC publicly state that they have nationwide EDGE coverage, i.e. on every single base-station. Have you contacted them to inform that you do not have EDGE? It could be a simple matter to sort out.

Newsflash, email from AIS after one week

We are sorry for a delay in response. According to your email about edge service, as we have checked, on the mentioned location the available service in GPRS only. EDGE is not available.

Same time on AIS webpage...

http://www.ais.co.th/mobileinternet/internet-package/

EDGE+

ครอบคลุม ทุกที่ ทั่วไทย

[David006]

interesting...we are out in the boonies and just yesterday I had my AIS phone (Nokia) plugged in to my laptop to transfer some pics and decided to check the internet speed therefrom ( have no package or anything ..it just works?)instead of my DTAC edge modem (prepay 100hr) . Up in the 380s down and 90 odd up. Ah! I thought..better! So went back to the DTAC edge connection and checked again..same within a few kbs. Things are on the improve out here...who knows maybe be able to watch a youtube in one hit without 10 minutes of buffering soon...lol

I suspect those data rates may not be accurate. They appear to be greater than the theoretical limits for the technology.

...agree..was tv pinging Singapore...tried to download a book yesterday..2.1 k...gave up...lol

[David006]

interesting...we are out in the boonies and just yesterday I had my AIS phone (Nokia) plugged in to my laptop to transfer some pics and decided to check the internet speed therefrom ( have no package or anything ..it just works?)instead of my DTAC edge modem (prepay 100hr) . Up in the 380s down and 90 odd up. Ah! I thought..better! So went back to the DTAC edge connection and checked again..same within a few kbs. Things are on the improve out here...who knows maybe be able to watch a youtube in one hit without 10 minutes of buffering soon...lol

Sure, it will work without a plan, but it will cost you 1B per minute. Leave it on overnight and your balance might be 500 baht less

yup I suspected that..still handy when my DTAC prepay contract period runs out because I forgot to top up for auto renewal and need to get online for a few minutes...

[lomatopo]

Both AIS and DTAC publicly state that they have nationwide EDGE coverage, i.e. on every single base-station. Have you contacted them to inform that you do not have EDGE? It could be a simple matter to sort out.

Newsflash, email from AIS after one week

We are sorry for a delay in response. According to your email about edge service, as we have checked, on the mentioned location the available service in GPRS only. EDGE is not available.

Same time on AIS webpage...

http://www.ais.co.th/mobileinternet/internet-package/

EDGE+

ครอบคลุม ทุกที่ ทั่วไทย

Apologies. I was merely parroting AIS's recent Q2 Investor Briefing which said:

Nationwide EDGE+

+30%  download speed

Simultaneous voice

&data

They may still be rolling this out? Or maybe not to every base-station.

I honestly assumed they had 100% coverage.

I know DTAC claim EDGE on every base-station ( ~ 8,000-ish).

And True, noticeably week in this area, have made a pretty big EDGE expansion in the Northeast, again according to Company released information.

[justsumhelp]

AIS 3g works albeit not well, as much as I despise True their 3g(ish) service covers more area's. Leaving Huamak (bangkapi) didnt recieve any 3g/g/H+ until I arrived around Emporium shopping complex, around that area it failed to keep g/3g for more than a few minutes, I was able to get a few speed test in between suk 33 and suk 4 but all were in the range of 25kb-45.

[HardenedSoul]

AIS 3g works albeit not well, as much as I despise True their 3g(ish) service covers more area's. Leaving Huamak (bangkapi) didnt recieve any 3g/g/H+ until I arrived around Emporium shopping complex, around that area it failed to keep g/3g for more than a few minutes, I was able to get a few speed test in between suk 33 and suk 4 but all were in the range of 25kb-45.

AIS 3G is non-existent. I live on Suk 23 next to Cowboy; not a dickie-bird out of AIS 3G. A call to custoemr services gets the usual response. "Yes sir, it is working in your area. Have you switched on 3G on your phone yet, sir? Ok will call technician and call you in 24 hrs, sir."

Haven't heard jack . . . it's been 5 days.

Why the fugg did I bother buying an advanced phone in this comedy sketch of a country ?

[Phil Conners]

AIS 3g works albeit not well, as much as I despise True their 3g(ish) service covers more area's. Leaving Huamak (bangkapi) didnt recieve any 3g/g/H+ until I arrived around Emporium shopping complex, around that area it failed to keep g/3g for more than a few minutes, I was able to get a few speed test in between suk 33 and suk 4 but all were in the range of 25kb-45.

AIS 3G is non-existent. I live on Suk 23 next to Cowboy; not a dickie-bird out of AIS 3G. A call to custoemr services gets the usual response. "Yes sir, it is working in your area. Have you switched on 3G on your phone yet, sir? Ok will call technician and call you in 24 hrs, sir."

Haven't heard jack . . . it's been 5 days.

Why the fugg did I bother buying an advanced phone in this comedy sketch of a country ?

AIS 3G is 900MHz only at this time. Not all phones support this band. Which phone do you have?

[HardenedSoul]

AIS 3g works albeit not well, as much as I despise True their 3g(ish) service covers more area's. Leaving Huamak (bangkapi) didnt recieve any 3g/g/H+ until I arrived around Emporium shopping complex, around that area it failed to keep g/3g for more than a few minutes, I was able to get a few speed test in between suk 33 and suk 4 but all were in the range of 25kb-45.

AIS 3G is non-existent. I live on Suk 23 next to Cowboy; not a dickie-bird out of AIS 3G. A call to custoemr services gets the usual response. "Yes sir, it is working in your area. Have you switched on 3G on your phone yet, sir? Ok will call technician and call you in 24 hrs, sir."

Haven't heard jack . . . it's been 5 days.

Why the fugg did I bother buying an advanced phone in this comedy sketch of a country ?

AIS 3G is 900MHz only at this time. Not all phones support this band. Which phone do you have?

HTC Desire S. Only works on 900/2100

[4evermaat]

I can confirm AIS 3G signal in Hat Yai (tested 20km from Malay border onwards to Hat Yai....did not test at the border) 3G continued at the bus station and onwards to bangkok for at least an hour (of a 12 hr trip)...then my battery died.

At the south bus station in bangkok, only edge. 3G was in Chonburi, but not in Pattaya. Only a very strong Edge signal in pattaya.

I can also confirm 3G signal at the Suvarnabhumi airport. Not very strong once you get on the plane and as you move out to the runway. Of course, we would all have airplane mode on anyway, right?

I saw the CAT office driving around in pattaya, so i figured maybe the CDMA wifi would work. Nope.

[tw25rw]

AIS 3g works albeit not well, as much as I despise True their 3g(ish) service covers more area's. Leaving Huamak (bangkapi) didnt recieve any 3g/g/H+ until I arrived around Emporium shopping complex, around that area it failed to keep g/3g for more than a few minutes, I was able to get a few speed test in between suk 33 and suk 4 but all were in the range of 25kb-45.

AIS 3G is non-existent. I live on Suk 23 next to Cowboy; not a dickie-bird out of AIS 3G. A call to custoemr services gets the usual response. "Yes sir, it is working in your area. Have you switched on 3G on your phone yet, sir? Ok will call technician and call you in 24 hrs, sir."

Haven't heard jack . . . it's been 5 days.

Why the fugg did I bother buying an advanced phone in this comedy sketch of a country ?

So why don't you take it to an AIS shop and let them set it up for you?

They're in Central World near Powerbuy.

[HardenedSoul]

So why don't you take it to an AIS shop and let them set it up for you?

They're in Central World near Powerbuy.

The phone's settings are not the issue.

My point is that the 3G service is unavailable in this pretty central area despite AIS's claims that they've rolled it out nationwide.

[Phil Conners]

Afaik they said they will roll it out - not that they have rolled it out ...

[HardenedSoul]

Afaik they said they will roll it out - not that they have rolled it out ...

I thought I read something on TV (from the Nation or whatever) which was worded as though AIS rolled it out in Phuket first then in major provinces in BKK. I didn't misread it. I'll dig it up when I can be arsed.

[QED]

I was up and down Sukhumvit and Silom last weekend and not a sniff of 3G.

Funny I will be working in Indonesia next week on a remote island, there we can get 3G in the middle of the jungle! I was on an oil rig in West Java last month about 50kms offshore and could get 3G there. Jakarta is 100% covered. Shame Thailand is so far behind its 'less developed' neighbours!

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I was up and down Sukhumvit and Silom last weekend and not a sniff of 3G.

Funny I will be working in Indonesia next week on a remote island, there we can get 3G in the middle of the jungle! I was on an oil rig in West Java last month about 50kms offshore and could get 3G there. Jakarta is 100% covered. Shame Thailand is so far behind its 'less developed' neighbours!

Which equipment and SIM were you using?

[QED]

I was up and down Sukhumvit and Silom last weekend and not a sniff of 3G.

Funny I will be working in Indonesia next week on a remote island, there we can get 3G in the middle of the jungle! I was on an oil rig in West Java last month about 50kms offshore and could get 3G there. Jakarta is 100% covered. Shame Thailand is so far behind its 'less developed' neighbours!

Which equipment and SIM were you using?

AIS (prepaid) Sim with Blackberry Torch. It picks up 3G everywhere else when available, but only EDGE in BKK last weekend.

[lomatopo]

No problems with AIS 3G in the locations HardenedSoul and QED experienced problems. I've been using a Samsung Cooper.

I suspect some sort of user error, configuration or data plan issue.

Assuming you have a 3G - 900 Mhz-capable phone (not sure about the BB Torch, some are 850 some are 900), and AIS SIM, have subscribed to a 3G data plan, have configured the APN, rebooted the device, then you should get AIS 3G.

[HardenedSoul]

No problems with AIS 3G in the locations HardenedSoul and QED experienced problems. I've been using a Samsung Cooper.

I suspect some sort of user error, configuration or data plan issue.

Assuming you have a 3G - 900 Mhz-capable phone (not sure about the BB Torch, some are 850 some are 900), and AIS SIM, have subscribed to a 3G data plan, have configured the APN, rebooted the device, then you should get AIS 3G.

I specifically asked the girl at AIS customer services if one had to subscribe to s 3G plan before being able to detect it (I figured that as TIT, that could easily have been the case). She said, "No, Khun HardenedSoul, we don't expect you to subscribe to a plan if you can't see "3G" on your device."

All the settings on my HTC Desire S (900MHz) are as required and the phone's been re-booted.

Tell you what, stand at the entrance to Soi Cowboy and tell me if you get 3G

[lomatopo]

Tell you what, stand at the entrance to Soi Cowboy and tell me if you get 3G

Will do, although maybe not a for a few days as I am out of town. A few days ago I did get AIS 3G transitioning from the MRT to the BTS at Asoke. Which is quite close to the entrance to Soi Cowboy.

Which "entrance"? Ratchadapisek/Asoke? Soi 23?

Is this the only place you cannot get AIS 3G? You can get AIS 3G in many other locations?

edited to add:

All the settings on my HTC Desire S (900MHz) are as required and the phone's been re-booted.

Note that HTC Desire S from HTC Thailand is 850/2100 Mhz 3G so would not work on AIS's 900 Mhz 3G network.

http://www.dtac.co.th/htc/spec_desire.php

Maybe you have an HTC Desire S from somewhere else? Are you sure it supports 900 Mhz 3G? (Note that the earlier version, HTC Desire was 900/2100 Mhz 3G.)

Sorry, re-read your post. It seems like you really are not trying use 3G? Rather you want to see if your phone can "sense" a nearby 3G network? And show that it in a display? I think you still have to set an APN? Sorry, you've got me totally confused.

Edited September 2, 2011 by lomatopo

[HardenedSoul]

Note that HTC Desire S from HTC Thailand is 850/2100 Mhz 3G so would not work on AIS's 900 Mhz 3G network.

http://www.dtac.co.th/htc/spec_desire.php

Maybe you have an HTC Desire S from somewhere else? Are you sure it supports 900 Mhz 3G? (Note that the earlier version, HTC Desire was 900/2100 Mhz 3G.)

I thought your suggestion a little audacious at first because the bird at the Truemove shop in Siam swore blind that the HTC Desire S only used 900MHz; I asked her if she was sure; she confirmed she was and since her English was excellent, she was more credible than your ordinary Thai CS Rep. I got home, checked it out myself and the HTC site confirmed the same. So I resigned myself to waiting for AIS to sort their lives out.

Imagine my surprise, then, when checking the Thai HTC site to disprove your theory, it was there in glorious f***ing black & white. "HSPA/WCDMA: Europe/Asia: 850/2100". You really can't trust any customer service operation in this country for reliable, factual information , can you ?

[lomatopo]

Note that HTC Desire S from HTC Thailand is 850/2100 Mhz 3G so would not work on AIS's 900 Mhz 3G network.

http://www.dtac.co.th/htc/spec_desire.php

Maybe you have an HTC Desire S from somewhere else? Are you sure it supports 900 Mhz 3G? (Note that the earlier version, HTC Desire was 900/2100 Mhz 3G.)

I thought your suggestion a little audacious at first because the bird at the Truemove shop in Siam swore blind that the HTC Desire S only used 900MHz; I asked her if she was sure; she confirmed she was and since her English was excellent, she was more credible than your ordinary Thai CS Rep. I got home, checked it out myself and the HTC site confirmed the same. So I resigned myself to waiting for AIS to sort their lives out.

Imagine my surprise, then, when checking the Thai HTC site to disprove your theory, it was there in glorious f***ing black & white. "HSPA/WCDMA: Europe/Asia: 850/2100". You really can't trust any customer service operation in this country for reliable, factual information , can you ?

Based on your initial post it seemed like yours was a self-inflicted problem; what is commonly referred to as "problem exists between screen and chair".

As your phone does not support 900 Mhz 3G it would seem unreasonable to expect AIS's 3G to work with your phone. You can use DTAC or True as both operate on 850 Mhz 3G.

[HardenedSoul]

Based on your initial post it seemed like yours was a self-inflicted problem; what is commonly referred to as "problem exists between screen and chair".

As your phone does not support 900 Mhz 3G it would seem unreasonable to expect AIS's 3G to work with your phone. You can use DTAC or True as both operate on 850 Mhz 3G.

Well the truth has, indeed, set me free. Although I didn't need the help, the CS girl at AIS took me through a 3G set-up procedure for the HTC Desire S. If that phone wasn't supported, surely her info should've told her that.

I'll head back to Truemove and ask that CS bird to give me back the 2 or 3 hours of my life I've spent pissing about with this . . .

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I was up and down Sukhumvit and Silom last weekend and not a sniff of 3G.

Funny I will be working in Indonesia next week on a remote island, there we can get 3G in the middle of the jungle! I was on an oil rig in West Java last month about 50kms offshore and could get 3G there. Jakarta is 100% covered. Shame Thailand is so far behind its 'less developed' neighbours!

Which equipment and SIM were you using?

AIS (prepaid) Sim with Blackberry Torch. It picks up 3G everywhere else when available, but only EDGE in BKK last weekend.

BlackBerry Torch doesn't appear to do AIS 3G. Only TRUE and/or TOT....unless it's the BlackBerry Torch 9860.