AIS rollout of 3G a success

george · August 9, 2011

AIS rollout of 3G a success

BEAR IN MIND: Just because your phone says it runs 3G doesn’t mean

that it will run on one of the “3G” networks now available.

Caveat emptor – let the buyer beware.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

PHUKET: -- The AIS rollout of its new wireless internet system has come and gone, and I’m duly impressed. We’re seeing good – sometimes great – international download speeds, reliable signals, extensive coverage and reasonably good support, all over Phuket. Amazing.

Don’t take my word for it. If you’re thinking about signing-up for AIS 3G, drop by http://www.phuketinternetspeed.com or http://speedtest.thaivisa.com and see what [real] speeds people are reporting.

At this moment, most people with AIS 3G are reporting 1.2 to 2.6 Mbps international downloads – faster than most of the landlines I discussed in Live Wire last week, and more than enough for streaming TV-quality video.

One enterprising tester reported he was getting more than 3.8 Mbps while sitting under an umbrella on Patong Beach.

AIS offers many packages, but the ones you’re most likely to want are these:

Voice + 3G (for your iPhone or Android) runs 899 baht/month and includes 500 minutes of voice calls, 300 SMSs, unlimited WiFi at AIS and 3BB hotspots (there aren’t many in Phuket yet), and up to 2 gigabytes (GB) of data at fast speeds. If you don’t want WiFi, get the 839 baht/month package.

3G, no Voice (for your iPad2 or Android tablet) costs 799 baht/month , including WiFi. AIS advertises this as "unlimited data" but it isn’t, really.

You can get up to 3 GB per month of data at fast 3G speeds. As soon as you go over 3 GB, you’re throttled back to 0.4 Mbps or less.

You can also get a prepaid SIM card, which runs 150 baht for 30 hours of voice or data, with no WiFi.

AIS also has "Pocket WiFi" (what many of us would call MyFi), a box about the size of a deck of cards, that taps into the AIS 3G network, and lets you access the network with a regular WiFi connection.

Heed the graphic on this page: if you have an iPhone 3 or one of the original iPads, it won’t pick up the AIS 3G signal.

(See why I hate the term "3G"? It’s all marketing – anybody can call anything "3G.") If you don’t know whether your phone or tablet will work with one of Phuket’s 3G networks, check the details at http://gsmarena.com.

The iPhone 3 and iPad 1 will work with True’s 3G network, but at this point True’s network is running about one-quarter as fast as AIS, and the coverage is still only on the extreme west coast of the island, plus Samkong in Phuket Town.

I bet True will strike back in short order, though. Let’s see what happens.

New Mac Clinic begins

“Mr. X” K. Sitthichai will have a Mac Clinic on Saturday, August 13, 10am, at the Sandwich Shoppe in Chalong.

As you all know, I’ve been trying to get a Mac Clinic going, to mirror our PC-centric Computer Clinics on Sunday morning. I’m hoping that we’ll finally, finally get enough interest to get it off the ground this time. The iClinic covers all things Apple: Mac, iPhone, iPad, iCloud, and all those other iThingies.

If any of you know any Apple dealers, this is an ideal chance for them to bring some demo machines, and (especially!) a technician who can answer all of the Mac questions that we seem to get. They’re selling a heck of a lot of equipment, and I seem to get all of the tech support questions!

Please, tell your friends. Let’s see if we can get this thing rolling….

Live Wire is Phuket Gazette columnist Woody Leonhard’s weekly snapshot of all things internet in Phuket. Follow him on Twitter: @PhuketPC or visit his free computer clinics at Woody’s Sandwich Shoppes.

To see what Woody’s up to in the international press, and to keep on top of the latest patches and problems with Windows and Office, drop by http://www.AskWoody.com.

Real speed tests

Thaivisa has a national forum where you can discuss these issues: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/146-mobile-internet-and-devices/

Independent speed tests can be done here: http://bangkok.speedtest.thaivisa.com for tests to Bangkok server, or to Singapore here: http://speedtest.thaivisa.com

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-08-09-

drdoom6996 · August 9, 2011

Now if I could just get my ais simmed phone to work at home.

woodyleonhard · August 9, 2011

Now if I could just get my ais simmed phone to work at home.

Where is home?

silentnine · August 9, 2011

anyone know if and when 3g lands in pattaya.

used it in hua hin a few weeks ago and it gave my phone a new life

lucky2103 · August 9, 2011

I tried it and I like it....thumbs up.

JimSiam · August 9, 2011

Lots of Blackberry's only support 3G with 850Mhz, not 900Mhz, there are only a few special models that support 900Mhz.

spidermike007 · August 9, 2011

Imagine 3G in the forgotten land of Koh Samui? Now that would really be something. Considering that I am told there has been good 3G coverage throughout rural Africa for some time, that may not be too much to expect. Maybe the new government will consider infrastructure important enough to jail the goombas that are holding up the 3G concessions, while lining their pockets? Now that would be real progress. How is the 3G coverage in Bangkok? When I was there three months ago I could only get coverage in a couple of neighborhoods, and Siam Paragon.

george · August 9, 2011

I am currently in Hua Hin city center with a AIS post-paid subscription, and currently getting 3.2 Mbps down and 0.8 Mbps up.

Used an old 3G dongle from AIS, speedtest.net via notebook and the speedtest.net Android App via mobile.

sailor1x52 · August 9, 2011

Thankyou for info on connections.Attached my download and upload speeds in Nai Yang, Phuket with CAT dongle.

Jayman · August 9, 2011

Yes.. I too wonder if/when this will be avail in Pattaya as well as what the footprint will be. As of know I think only TRUE is offering 3G and only west of the highway to the beach.

theanimaster · August 9, 2011

Hah. Sound like something I would have written for TRUE's initial 3G deployment in Bangkok. It's good in the beginning...................

rice555 · August 9, 2011

Hello All, I have a DTAC and AIS EDGE accounts, I use an Option GI 0335

USB modem(USB stick) on a Mac running OS 10.6.8.

The modem is from IT-Plaza.

All most fell out of my seat with the first test, one time hit 240 kbps in

the past, but this is a real shocker.

Test were on: http://speedtest.thaivisa.com/

3 tests in a row to SQ and then BKK.

rice555 in very wet Korat

SQ

Download Speed: 366 kbps (45.8 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 444 kbps (55.5 KB/sec transfer rate)

Latency: 81 ms

August 10, 2011 2:13:54 AM GMT+07:00

Download Speed: 366 kbps (45.8 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 432 kbps (54 KB/sec transfer rate)

Latency: 103 ms

August 10, 2011 2:14:59 AM GMT+07:00

Download Speed: 365 kbps (45.6 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 513 kbps (64.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

Latency: 103 ms

August 10, 2011 2:15:50 AM GMT+07:00

BKK

Download Speed: 368 kbps (46 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 508 kbps (63.5 KB/sec transfer rate)

Latency: 101 ms

August 10, 2011 2:16:53 AM GMT+07:00

Download Speed: 370 kbps (46.3 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 349 kbps (43.6 KB/sec transfer rate)

Latency: 96 ms

August 10, 2011 2:17:53 AM GMT+07:00

Download Speed: 367 kbps (45.9 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 568 kbps (71 KB/sec transfer rate)

Latency: 101 ms

August 10, 2011 2:18:42 AM GMT+07:00

richsilver · August 9, 2011

Great summary of 3G! This is the first post I've seen which shows which devices support which services combined with the various plans available. Thank you Woody.

I'll save it for the time (hopefully soon) when we have 3G here in Pattaya.

parmo1 · August 10, 2011

I always wondered why 3G dongles have been in the Thailand shops for 2 years, must be the last country in S.E Asia to get 3G, even Laos has had it for long time now<br>

woodyleonhard · August 10, 2011

I am currently in Hua Hin city center with a AIS post-paid subscription, and currently getting 3.2 Mbps down and 0.8 Mbps up.

Used an old 3G dongle from AIS, speedtest.net via notebook and the speedtest.net Android App via mobile.

Hello All, I have a DTAC and AIS EDGE accounts, I use an Option GI 0335

USB modem(USB stick) on a Mac running OS 10.6.8.

The modem is from IT-Plaza.

All most fell out of my seat with the first test, one time hit 240 kbps in

the past, but this is a real shocker.

Test were on: http://speedtest.thaivisa.com/

3 tests in a row to SQ and then BKK.

rice555 in very wet Korat

Next time, can you try the speed test at www.PhuketInternetSpeed.com ? The test at speedtest.net is based on the OOKLA engine. The OOKLA engine is susceptible to caching, so the speeds you measure will probably not reflect international download speeds.

I have a series of articles on the subject in the Phuket Gazette. Start with the June 8 Live Wire.

JAFO · August 10, 2011

How is the overall AIS service in BKK area using the HTC Sensation or Incredible?

I currently have an AT&T Blackberry Bold 9700 using AIS and it works exceptionally good but I want to move onto the Android platform.

dsj · August 10, 2011

You will get the fast speed now since there isn't to many subscribers yet, but I wonder what the speeds will be with thousands of customers

woodyleonhard · August 10, 2011

Hah. Sound like something I would have written for TRUE's initial 3G deployment in Bangkok. It's good in the beginning...................

Point VERY well taken. I've been watching the posted speeds, expecting them to taper off. True's speeds have gone to the dogs. So far AIS is doing well - but it's anybody's guess if they'll get swamped.

woodyleonhard · August 10, 2011

How is the overall AIS service in BKK area using the HTC Sensation or Incredible?

I currently have an AT&T Blackberry Bold 9700 using AIS and it works exceptionally good but I want to move onto the Android platform.

You shouldn't see any change in international download speeds, switching from RIM to Android to iOS to WP7 to Windows to OS/x.

Somtamnication · August 10, 2011

Woody, will try speed test through phuketinternetspeed later on today. It switched from 3g to H+ on an off. I am in Phuket Town, near Dowroong school and village.

I just did the OOKLA engine test.

SEOUL

PHUKET

PERTH

lomatopo · August 10, 2011

How is the overall AIS service in BKK area using the HTC Sensation or Incredible?

I currently have an AT&T Blackberry Bold 9700 using AIS and it works exceptionally good but I want to move onto the Android platform.

I believe the locally available version of the HTC Sensation supports 3G 850 Mhz so that version would only get 2G service with AIS. DTAC was/is the local launch partner for the HTC Sensation and that model/version would work on DTAC's 850 Mhz 3G network (to be launched in Bangkok on Aug. 15). It would also work on True's 850 Mhz 3G network.

There are versions of the HTC Sensation with a 900 Mhz 3G; not sure if those are available here outside of a grey-market import?

Just make sure your desired phone works on your preferred network.

edited to add: The new HTC Incredible S, as available here does support 3G 900 Mhz so that would work on AIS 3G.

bombis · August 10, 2011

In the original post it says:

"Voice + 3G (for your iPhone or Android) runs 899 baht/month and includes 500 minutes of voice calls, 300 SMSs, unlimited WiFi at AIS and 3BB hotspots (there aren’t many in Phuket yet), and up to 2 gigabytes (GB) of data at fast speeds. If you don’t want WiFi, get the 839 baht/month package."

Can somebody point me to the site where I can find the 899 Baht offer? I cant seem to find it. All I'm seeing on AIS website are smartphone packages with 1GB and no 3G for 1000 Baht already (http://www.ais.co.th/gsmadvance/en/Smartphone_Packages.aspx) but where is the 3G + voice plan for 899.

lomatopo · August 10, 2011

In the original post it says:

"Voice + 3G (for your iPhone or Android) runs 899 baht/month and includes 500 minutes of voice calls, 300 SMSs, unlimited WiFi at AIS and 3BB hotspots (there aren’t many in Phuket yet), and up to 2 gigabytes (GB) of data at fast speeds. If you don’t want WiFi, get the 839 baht/month package."

Can somebody point me to the site where I can find the 899 Baht offer? I cant seem to find it. All I'm seeing on AIS website are smartphone packages with 1GB and no 3G for 1000 Baht already (http://www.ais.co.th/gsmadvance/en/Smartphone_Packages.aspx) but where is the 3G + voice plan for 899.

I have not yet seen a package of minutes, SMSes, MMSes with 3G for a device other than an iPhone. You use the "Mix & Match" option to build a package on your own for any device.

http://www.ais.co.th/gsm2010/th/mix-and-match.aspx

Sign In

AIS rollout of 3G a success

Recommended Posts

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Posted Images

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Recently Browsing 0 members

Topics

Popular Contributors

Latest posts...

Popular in The Pub

ASEANNOW

MORE INFO

POPULAR AREAS

CONTACT US