Net Access With Samsung Galaxy Mini Android Smartphone

[Jingthing]

OK, first of all, I am very behind the curve on mobile interernet devices so assume I know nothing and you wouldn't be far off, but the price point and size of the Samsung Galaxy Mini has me interested.

Currently I have an older Samsung Quad phone with a small screen. I use AIS GPRS for net connectivity. In there is a 1-2 call Sim card with some kind of plan I couldn't tell you what it is. It's a top off basis, not contract.

I use the net part when out and about for looking at some mobile enabled websites, google search, newspapers, etc. I don't use it for emails.

Anyway, if I change to the Galaxy Mini can I just take out the old SIM card and put it in and access the net the same way? Are there better options? I would use the Mini more using the screen keyboard, email function and I assume more robust web usage.

http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/mobile-devices/smartphones/android/GT-S5570EGAXEU

[chmod777]

I bought a Galaxy Mini a couple months ago and (mostly) have no regrets, hard to beat the price and size as you mention. It should do what you are expecting, I use my old top off 1-2 Call SIM in mine. A few thoughts:

1. Watch out for carrier versions. There is an AIS version and a Dtac/True/TOT version of the Mini, a sticker on the box identifies them. This matters for 3G more than for GPRS, but you will want 3G if it is available in your area. Not knowing this, I bought the Dtac version and didn't notice till it was too late. It works ok on AIS GPRS, and even though there is no 3G where I live, it sure would be nice to have the right version.

2. Newer phones like this can eat up your GPRS minutes in the background, so you will want to use a volume based monthly plan, not the default minute based plan. 1-2 Call has 150 MB for 150 baht per month, 1 GB for 350 baht per month, etc. detailed here:

http://www.ais.co.th...s/en/index.html

Easy to sign up for one and change it later if you need to, the 1GB might be a good one to start with and go up or down from there. These work on both GPRS and 3G.

3. My Mini was locking up in sleep mode, a shop told me that my nine year old 1-2 Call SIM should be replaced by a new copy, which Telewiz did for free. That might have been BS, since the problem did not go away completely until a new software upgrade, which is easily done for free via Samsung software on your PC.

4. The Mini works pretty well for web browsing, and you can zoom on pages fairly easily, but the screen size is on the small side. I found it a great improvement over my old phone, but there are times I wish I had a little more screen - it's a trade off. There may be Android apps available for news, email or other sites you are interested in that work better than the web browser. Some of these are pretty awesome and free.

5. You will want a google account to make best use of the phone, even if you don't use gmail.

6. The camera is not very good, and the CPU speed, memory size, etc are all on the cheesy side, but that's what you expect at the price. Everything works fine though, including GPS which is pretty sweet to have in such a small package.

If I were to do it all over again, I would take a hard look at the Samsung Galaxy Cooper. It costs almost twice as much and is a little bigger, but if I thought I could handle carrying it in my pocket (and if I could hide the receipt from my wife), the better screen, camera, CPU, etc would be nice. I would also make darn sure I bought the AIS version.

All that being said, I enjoy using the Mini and it can do a lot of cool things that I never expected (like watching live NFL football via Gamepass). I have no problem recommending it.

[Jingthing]

Thank you very much for that excellent and extensive information which will take me time to digest though.

[chmod777]

Hope it helps, least I could do. I have learned plenty from your posts over the years, including confirmation of my tastes and biases regarding Mexican food.

Forgot to mention WIFI works fine on the Mini, and can be handy when you are out and about at a place where it's free...

[bino]

Good post CHMOD... it is word for word exactly what I would say about my Galaxy Mini. I did it the wrong way around too, in that I'm a true customer, and bought the AIS phone. The 850 version seemed to come out right from TRUE in big promotion right after I bought mine.

My complaint, which you covered "the CPU speed, memory size, etc are all on the cheesy side" is the limitations of 600 processor can't handle certain flash applications and sites / flash stream video.

Also- battery life. I was distinctly unimpressed when I bought it - not squeezing a day out of it. However the battery seems to have "broken in" - actually improved after a month or so. (Or - my usage habits changed as the novelty wore off.)

Anyway, it is what it is for the price, and it does everything it says on the box. Recommend highly.

But gotta say that I agree that the Cooper is probably waaay better in a lot of ways. There is a model in the 8000 THB range named "Gio" - which is the same size as Cooper, but lacking camera flash and some other stuff.

Another phone for the OP to look at... LG does one in essentially the same spec (and price), as the "baby" of their Optimus series. Optimus One I think it is.

[chmod777]

Oh yeah, the battery is a disappointment after having a phone that could last 3 - 4 days between charges. It does get better like you said, and even more so after upgrading to 2.3.4 Gingerbread - charging is much faster after the upgrade.

Also forgot: Skype audio works via WIFI on the Mini better than I would ever have expected. The list of what this phone can do is a lot longer than what it can't.

[sabanook]

.

Edited November 6, 2011 by sabanook

[Jingthing]

Update on this!

Well, my old technology phone died and I needed a new phone pronto so I rushed out to buy a Mini. Well, that model is out apparently, and I ended buying a Samsung Galaxy Y for young, meaning it is designed for small children! That's hilarious. I like the phone well enough and the small size is convenient.

Anyway, I am getting raped for AIS 1-2 call money! I keep signing up for the packages they offer me and the phone usage is still costing me a fortune. HELP!!!!

First of all, a few questions.

Is there an Ais number to find out:

1. Current plan or plans in effect

2. To turn on notifications when money is getting low

3. Any tips on what plan I need to stop the bleeding?

If I can't fix this soon, this new phone is going into the ocean!

[PattayaParent]

maybe turn off the data until you can figure out how to solve the other problems?

[PattayaParent]

2. Newer phones like this can eat up your GPRS minutes in the background, so you will want to use a volume based monthly plan, not the default minute based plan. 1-2 Call has 150 MB for 150 baht per month, 1 GB for 350 baht per month, etc. detailed here:

http://www.ais.co.th...s/en/index.html

Any one got that link in English?

(clicking the Eng in the top corner does nothing)

[Orac]

Update on this!

Well, my old technology phone died and I needed a new phone pronto so I rushed out to buy a Mini. Well, that model is out apparently, and I ended buying a Samsung Galaxy Y for young, meaning it is designed for small children! That's hilarious. I like the phone well enough and the small size is convenient.

Anyway, I am getting raped for AIS 1-2 call money! I keep signing up for the packages they offer me and the phone usage is still costing me a fortune. HELP!!!!

First of all, a few questions.

Is there an Ais number to find out:

1. Current plan or plans in effect

2. To turn on notifications when money is getting low

3. Any tips on what plan I need to stop the bleeding?

If I can't fix this soon, this new phone is going into the ocean!

You might be able to find more info on what you are on now on the AIS eservice website:

https://12calleservice.ais.co.th/EPPWeb/index.html

[lomatopo]

I keep signing up for the packages they offer me

Therein lies your problem.

Seriously if you can list your usage patterns and data requirements I am sure we can come up with some recommendations.

Off the top of my head I'd say you have not subscribed to a data plan and are paying 1 baht/min.

You can review calling plan promotions here: http://www.ais.co.th/12call/en/promotion_main.html

Or dial *777

You can check balance and expiry with *121# SEND

Once you find a calling plan that suits your needs we can hone in on a data plan, but generally you should bet a volume-based plan rather than a time-based plan.

Did you get a Galaxy Y (Android)? Did you pay ~ 4,800 baht? Just trying to get the exact model (S5360).

[Jingthing]

Thanks for the replies so far.

I am still bleeding money on this. Shocking amounts doing almost nothing on the phone.

Of course I know how to check the balance already, but thanks for that.

What I was looking for was a code to see a list of my current plan(s). When you sign up for a new plan, does it cancel all the other plans automatically?

I would at least like to start clean. I have no idea now what's going on. The last I checked there was a plan charging 50 baht a day for what sounded like enough data. I don't remember how much. This was on top of other plans I tried that they kindly suggested. I have no idea if the all the plans add up. Today I agrees to another 9 baht a day for a 50 percent discount on the my current plan. This is getting infernal! I call their help line and have not been able to key into the English part as yet. At this rate I could be eating 1000 baht a day plus doing almost nothing. I am not joking.

Is it the wrong SIM card? It is an old Sim card.

I would like to actually visit with a human being in Pattaya that represents this infernal company. Does such a place exist?

Short of that, what happens if I sign up for this plan? Will it cancel all my other plans? Is this the type of plan that would work? I am at my wits end.

http://www.ais.co.th...SmartPhone.html

Do you need a Freedom Sim for that?

You asked what I want to do?

Simple:

web browsing

phone calls

gmail

perhaps google talk

Sounds pretty basic, yes? Should not be costing me 30K baht a month.

I even created a new clean gmail account just for the phone as my actual one had so much data.

Seems to defeat the idea of these phones, but as you can see, this has been a totally ridiculous experience for me so far.

The phone is a Samsung Galaxy Y GT-55360B

Again, any help appreciated very much. Even just tell me about another plan to sign up for, but of course I need to know whether the OLD plans are canceled by default. Is there really no menu to see the current plans you are signed up for?

BTW, yes you can assume I am total idiot about this (I don't mind), but just so you know, yes, I do know how to check running applications and I have been religiously closing them.

I've never had problems like this before with AIS in Thailand but I guess this should be a warning to newbies switching phone classes to bone up on the service issues before you make the leap. Also my balance has run out completely three times already; that never happened to me before, not even close.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Jingthing

[lomatopo]

What part of "1 baht/min" do you have trouble understanding? Are you able to read/comprehend English? You'd probably be better off with a simple telephone. AIS/One-2-Call must just love customers like you.

Call 1175, they should be able to help you.

[Jingthing]

What part of "1 baht/min" do you have trouble understanding? Are you able to read/comprehend English? You'd probably be better off with a simple telephone. AIS/One-2-Call must just love customers like you.

Call 1175, they should be able to help you.

Yeah, I was expecting the insults. Please be clear, I signed up for the volume data usage plans that they suggested! They weren't about time per minute. They were about data. Of course they love customers like me but of course not for so long. Again, I really want help, not insults.

[Jingthing]

OK, making a little progress. Still no success in getting 1175, network down and/or failure to switch to English.

I logged onto their eservice site and found my current plans. It seems there was some overriding but not always.

Not that I understand this yet but this is clearly not working for me (putting it mildly):

PLANS

Thai writing (no paste)- AIS 1.5/ .025 OTH1 Top up 100B, 30 day

Mao Mao 8 baht, Discount 50 percent, expires midnight

Value added

Freedom Planet

EDGE/gprs

It seems (maybe ??) that the volume data plans I thought I was signing up for were only for one day and/or canceled by later actions.

Still don't know how to fix this, but this is a start.

So there isn't an actual AIS human being agent I can visit in Pattaya physically?

[doggie888888]

There is a small AIS shop in Tesco/Lotus North Pattaya...the girls are helpful enough when they are not busy (weekdays early morning). Good luck.

[Jingthing]

Thanks for the kind word.

Anyway, I think I am getting there!

I see a way to change plans on the the eservice --

The two logical choices for my limited needs seem to be:

3G Netsim 550 Baht (per month, what a bargain!) 3G/Edge/GPRS 2 GB/ and unlimited wifi

3G Netsim 799 Baht Unlimited 3G/Edge/GPRS/WIFI

899 same but with Wifi 10 emag (huh?)

Anyway, can I assume the unlimited WIFI covers web browsing?

I would like to use my massive gmail account, what service pays for that?

With the limited 3G, how is the overage charged?

So I'm not clear if the 550 plan is safe for me considering my burning first days experience.

Any thoughts?

To somehow lesson how idiotic this seems, I had some personal stuff going on which involved not having time or computer access from the time I got the new phone till now (that I do). Frankly, using the AIS site on that tiny screen was a non-starter.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

OK, here's another stupid question.

Say your gmail uses 800 MB of storage space and you check your email.

So that isn't seen as data transfer of 800 MB, right? Only the headings which would be small right?

Of course I am trying to figure if 2 gb limited is good enough. So you open a big website, is that data transfer counted in the 2 gb or are they only talking about actual DOWNLOADING files?

I also noticed the thing I wanted, a detailed tracking of activities is only available to Thai citizens or if you go up and sign up for that in person with I.D.

[PattayaParent]

AIS shops are named Telewiz.

There's one in Big C X and one on 3rd Rd. just along from the entrance of Big C X heading towards Klang.

Suggest you turn off data until you can get to a human for help.

[Gary A]

If you want your phone to be smart, plan on paying a lot more for service. I prefer to control my phone myself. If you install just two applications, you can control everything and have all the many smart phone features available on demand.

The first is Apndroid. This toggles the Internet on and off. The phone still works normally for calls and sms messages. The second is Battery Dr. This toggles on and off all the battery eating applications. My battery life is very good and I get by with a 100 baht 20 hour per month Internet package.

You can download both applications here;

https://market.android.com/apps?feature=top-nav

Both of these applications are free.

[Jingthing]

Anyway, I decided to try out a plan. I went for the 550 baht

3G Netsim 550 Baht (per month, what a bargain!) 3G/Edge/GPRS 2 GB/ and unlimited wifi

Managed to sign up on the eservice website.

It seems probably worth it to bother to sign up for ID login to track activity. Foreigners need to do this in person to get an access number.

Seeing unlimited wifi, I assumed, probably incorrectly again that meant I could use the web all I want on the phone. I fear now I have misunderstood this. Now it sends me a way to get a uid and password for the wifi access. Not sure what I am supposed to do with that as I don't see where to do that login on the phone. Is this service for something else? Do I need to login on the phone to take advantage of the package? If so, how? Did I buy the wrong package for my ridiculously basic needs:

web browsing on the phone

gmail

calls

sms occasionally

[ludditeman]

I bought a SIM from AIS for about 219bht, includes 69bht for the SIM, 150bht for 150MB of data, 10bht of free phone credit.

If I need phone credit for calls I just top it up as normal.

Bought from the lady at the AIS shop, she set it all up, I turn packet Data off when I am not using it.

Had it 1 month, used 5MB of data so far.

[BookMan]

Anyway, I decided to try out a plan. I went for the 550 baht

3G Netsim 550 Baht (per month, what a bargain!) 3G/Edge/GPRS 2 GB/ and unlimited wifi

Managed to sign up on the eservice website.

It seems probably worth it to bother to sign up for ID login to track activity. Foreigners need to do this in person to get an access number.

Seeing unlimited wifi, I assumed, probably incorrectly again that meant I could use the web all I want on the phone. I fear now I have misunderstood this. Now it sends me a way to get a uid and password for the wifi access. Not sure what I am supposed to do with that as I don't see where to do that login on the phone. Is this service for something else? Do I need to login on the phone to take advantage of the package? If so, how? Did I buy the wrong package for my ridiculously basic needs:

web browsing on the phone

gmail

calls

sms occasionally

You are not alone in your bewilderment of these packages and needs and usage needs and download limits and data limits and how much you need for mobile devices and what plan to get and what company to get it with.

With this in mind, thanks for doing the groundwork and posting the results. makes it much easier for me.

[Jingthing]

OK, playing with the phone I see the wifi menu. I turned it on and found some open ones. So I'm guessing I should use those "unlimited" wifi connections when I can, yes?

OK, now I see the login screen for wifi when I connected to an open wifi connection. So far so good.

Turning packet data off? Can you give me a clue where that menu item is to toggle that?

Thanks

Edited March 3, 2012 by Jingthing

[ludditeman]

Turning packet data off? Can you give me a clue where that menu item is to toggle that?

Thanks

Assuming your Galaxy menu is similar to my Galaxy Tab menu

Settings .... wireless and network .... mobile networks .... UNTICK use packet data.

[Jingthing]

Thanks. Yes, its the same.

[Jingthing]

Hmmm. Well the wireless connection I was able to locate isn't really working for me. Of course I will try other points when I can. Anyway, using the regular 2 gb limit, just for normal web browsing, that's a massive amount, isn't it?

[Jayman]

JT-

I have the AIS with the 2GB 3G/unlimited wifi package.

Here are a few things to know..

*139# will show you how much of your 3G/data plan you have left.

The unlimited wifi is for connecting via wifi on 3BB wifi hotspots.

To get your password and start your unlimited usage you need to register by dialing *388#

You will then get a username (your phone number) and a password.

When you turn on wifi and see a 3bb hotspot then you connect and open your web browser and you will prompted for your username and password. As long as you don't log out then you won't have to enter the info into your browser again. You can just connect to any 3BB wifif hotspot you come across and you will be ready to surf.

On a side note, I have a galaxy S2 and use the network quite a bit. I have never used all my 2GB a in a month. I also tend to monitor my usage and if I am downloading large video files then I use my wifi connection from home usually. I tend not to use the free wifi hotspots that are included in the package as I find them very slow compared to 3G. I suppose if no 3G was available then I'd use them.

Good luck and enjoy. There are tons of free android apps out there to make things more enjoyable.

Edited March 3, 2012 by Jayman

[Jingthing]

Thanks for that. Very helpful. I did manage to login with my uid and pwd but for some reason I could never get past the login page on the wireless point I connected to. Maybe user error, but I have no problem using pages with the metered connection.

I guess I should mention for those reading this horror show learning curve, that given the overhead, etc., I reckon now I should have gone for a higher end phone (larger screen).

BTW: that *139# is very helpful considering my recent experience.

Edited March 3, 2012 by Jingthing