Short Term Internet Bangkok

[Macnick]

I have recently moved to Bangkok, staying in a condo near to Saphan Kwai BTS and am having problems getting internet.

The condo where I stay doesn't have any communal internet and the signal isn't strong enough from any friends condos to share with them.

I have a 3G dongle/air card which I have tried with AIS, DTAC and True sims all of which are useless.

I have a direct telephone line in my condo which I believe is from True

Any ideas where I can get internet from without having to sign a 1 year contract?

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Mac

[MaxLee]

Well Internet in Thailand sucks at the moment,... I don't know if it was just me, or was the Internet in both of my places a mess,... It would go on and off and on and off line all day. I don't know whether it was the weather, the rain or anything else, or too many people staying home and causing serious online traffic that causes those off and online tick tacks which really pissed the hell off of me...

Anybody with the same problem this weekend, thtis Saturday??? Yesterday was such a horrible day.... anybody with the same problem?

[lomatopo]

In situations like this 3G is often the best solution.

You should be able to get pre-paid 3G from AIS (900 Mhz) or True (850 Mhz) and TOT/MVNOs on 2100 Mhz.

Can you share the exact brand and model number of your air-card? Its provenance, i.e. is it perhaps locked to a carrier in your home country?

Do you have a mobile phone? If so, make/model.

[Macnick]

I have an AIS 3G dongle (3.6 mbps), model no. MP100. I have tried with DTAC (current), AIS and True sims, True was the best but still not really useable and inconsistent.

I also have a Blackberry Torch with AIS sim.

Looking through the link you sent I think the WIFI repeater may be good, are these expensive?

[lomatopo]

That AIS MF100 3G air-card will work with AIS 3G, just launched last week. It would also work TOT/MVNOs 3G network. It would not work on True's 3G network. It would work on every 2G, low-speed EDGE/GPRS networks.

I suspect you were just using 2G.

Maybe add some money to the AIS/One-2-Call prepaid SIM and apply for 3G? Then off you go, no need for another device.

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

[Macnick]

Thanks Lomatopo, this is very helpful.

I can do the 799 plan with AIS and the aircard, but would it work the same if I upped the package on my Blackberry Torch to include 3G and then use the phone as WIFI.

I also bought a USB WIFI enhancer today so this would strengthen the signal

[lomatopo]

I can do the 799 plan with AIS and the aircard, but would it work the same if I upped the package on my Blackberry Torch to include 3G and then use the phone as WIFI.

Perhaps, I am completely unfamiliar with the Blackberry products. But if it supports 900 Mhz 3G and can be turned in to a hotspot, then yes. But I'm not sure what advantages that offers. Do you have multiple WiFi end-points? In any event you can of course try it, or just use the air-card.

[Macnick]

All done, have upped my BB package to unlimited on AIS and now use it as a modem, very quick connection from 3G.

This way I only pay for 1 package,

Thanks

Mac

[lomatopo]

Good to hear you found a solution.

FYI, that "unlimited" Blackberry plan looks to have a 2 GB 3G 'Fair Use' limit, after which you drop to 384 Kbps, in case that might present any issues. Some of the other options appear to have 3 GB 'Fair Use' limits.