NBTC Approves Trial Run Of 4G Cellular Broadband Service In Thailand

[thaimat]

The years long farce of 3g has been, and is such a comedy, can't wait for this new show.

[ralfhans]

I get great 3G speeds in Pattaya

Would like to know what part of Pattaya you live in?

I tried AIS and DTAC SIM with 2 USB-Airsticks in Soi Khao Talo, payed time-rate and volume-rate for 3G, but was never able to get more than EDGE-Speed, very frustrating the dealer in TukCom promised it should be running well in Soi Khao Talo.

Anybody of you having success getting 3G running in Khao Talo road?

[skippybangkok]

I'd give it a 50/50 chance of it working countrywide by 2020

And your chances of understanding it's deployment. Why would anyone deploy 4G nationwide?

Very good point! Of course the major cities would get 4G, but how about small areas where tourists frequent? How can a place like Ko Samet apply for 4G equipment to be installed?

To clarify, is the 3G rollout planned to be nationwide?

Thx. Yeh, they are experts in 3G and 4G from pub friends. 4G in most developing countries will be rolled out in area's of very high teledensity (i.e. Siam Square,busy shopping malls, and maybe if thailand specific, protest sites:) ) and there are issue with it with regards to available band width.

I am not an expert on it, but i believe there is another issue as 4G falls back to 2G for voice. (so you will need a parallel 2G or 3G network to handle voice ?? )

In addition , current evolution s of HSPA+ are as fast as 4G ( but LTE will have the upper hand eventually ). The famous "4G" promo in the USA early this year was actually HPSA+ ( 3G )

I get already 6 to 10 MB/s download on my True HSPA+ 3G+ connection in most places i go in Thailand, already very happy........ so why is LTE and one day having the possibility of 100MB/s or 400MB/s so important?

miffs me !

RALFHANS ....... see my thread about pattaya 3G . As an update, telecoms analysts mentioned they think pre-paid will be rolled out in Dec.

Pattaya 3G Speed - link

Edited December 8, 2011 by skippybangkok

[peterdk]

I get great 3G speeds in Pattaya in fact I rarely use my Wireless at home sticking to my AIS 3G as it's just as fast as my 20 Meg True ultra internet.

I'll happily trial 4G as my handset already supports it. You need to bear in mind most handsets aren't 4G compatible, and in that I mean any iCon from Apple.....

So imagine all those Poor Thai's scrimping to get the iCons overpriced crap. Not being able to get the full internet offered by their provider.

The first time I saw the HSPDA signal on my phone I was on Khao Yai it seems it was trialled on the quiet there first. That was Feb,March time this year.

I use an AIS aircard and don't even get 3G. The best i can get is HSPA, which give me about 1Mbs. why do companys promote 7.2Mbs and 3G when they don't even have the proper networks. I just got my AIS aircard in December and for you to say you have been using 3G since Feb/March, I think is a fluke. The only companys that I've seen on a 3G network are DTAC and TRUE. I dont belive AIS is truely on a 3G network yet.

AIS does indeed have 3G. They where the first operator in Phuket to flick on the switch. Since followed TRUE. DTAC have still yet to officially launch 3G in Phuket. However for those wanting to know, DTAC / TRUE 850mhz network AIS 1800mhz network in Phuket. DTAC does cover smaller areas of the island today, they claim coverage in Amphur Muang and Kathu.

How it works other places, I cant comment.

[JohnAllan]

Maybe it's my non-technological understanding . . . but I was under the impression Thailand was still struggling to come to grips with 3G . . .

[skippybangkok]

Maybe it's my non-technological understanding . . . but I was under the impression Thailand was still struggling to come to grips with 3G . . .

I think try it..... I have plenty of experience for a year now. I have tried TOT - sucks, have not tried AIS, I use True now and happy with it, and my friend complains of dropped calls and lack of coverage on DTAC 3G. I wud stick w True or AIS

[MJo]

Thx. Yeh, they are experts in 3G and 4G from pub friends. 4G in most developing countries will be rolled out in area's of very high teledensity (i.e. Siam Square,busy shopping malls, and maybe if thailand specific, protest sites:) ) and there are issue with it with regards to available band width.

I am not an expert on it, but i believe there is another issue as 4G falls back to 2G for voice. (so you will need a parallel 2G or 3G network to handle voice ?? )

In addition , current evolution s of HSPA+ are as fast as 4G ( but LTE will have the upper hand eventually ). The famous "4G" promo in the USA early this year was actually HPSA+ ( 3G )

I get already 6 to 10 MB/s download on my True HSPA+ 3G+ connection in most places i go in Thailand, already very happy........ so why is LTE and one day having the possibility of 100MB/s or 400MB/s so important?

miffs me !

RALFHANS ....... see my thread about pattaya 3G . As an update, telecoms analysts mentioned they think pre-paid will be rolled out in Dec.

Pattaya 3G Speed - link

2G will be with us for a while still. It is just the most cost efficient way to provide voice and sms.

We might see 2G, 3G and 4G running parallel for a while but considering how much the base station and switching equipment has developed in recent years this should not be a problem. First multi radio equipment's are being deployed already meaning one box can handle all 3 technologies instead of three traditional boxes. Like everything also network equipment is smaller, smarter and consumes less power with each generation.

For speeds, present HSPA quite commonly does 21 megs nowadays. Some networks bit more sometimes less. But let's assume 21. With two users logged in to same base station that's your 10 megs with True. Use of mobile broadband has exploded world wide and keeps growing exponentially still several years. Now take that same base station with 100 meg speed and it's gone from two happy customers to 10 happy customers with 10 meg each. Upgrade it to 1 gig speed and you see where i'm heading.

In more mature markets for data i.e. Singapore, Philippines etc above is big issue. Too many users and not enough bandwidth results very bad user experience and customers leaving for better networks. Almost all operators are looking into wifi networks at the moment as they are cheaper to deploy than 3G expansions or new LTE deployments which is not yet in 4G speeds. The idea there is to offload heavy users to wifi to avoid network congestion. Almost all have data capped their "unlimited" plans for the same reason already.

Anyways, for those that are interested here's the definition of 4G from wikipedia.

In telecommunications, 4G is the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is a successor to the 3G and 2G families of standards. In 2009, the ITU-R organization specified theIMT-Advanced (International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced) requirements for 4G standards, setting peak speed requirements for 4G service at 100 Mbit/s for high mobility communication (such as from trains and cars) and 1 Gbit/s for low mobility communication (such as pedestrians and stationary users).^[1]A 4G system is expected to provide a comprehensive and secure all-IP based mobile broadband solution to laptop computer wireless modems, smartphones, and other mobile devices.Facilities such as ultra-broadband Internet access, IP telephony, gaming services, and streamed multimedia may be provided to users.

IMT-Advanced compliant versions of LTE and WiMAX are under development and called "LTE Advanced" and "WirelessMAN-Advanced" respectively. ITU has decided that LTE Advanced and WirelessMAN-Advanced should be accorded the official designation of IMT-Advanced. On December 6, 2010, ITU recognized that current versions of LTE, WiMax and other evolved 3G technologies that do not fulfill "IMT-Advanced" requirements could nevertheless be considered "4G", provided they represent forerunners to IMT-Advanced and "a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed."^[2]

[skippybangkok]

Thx. Yeh, they are experts in 3G and 4G from pub friends. 4G in most developing countries will be rolled out in area's of very high teledensity (i.e. Siam Square,busy shopping malls, and maybe if thailand specific, protest sites:) ) and there are issue with it with regards to available band width.

I am not an expert on it, but i believe there is another issue as 4G falls back to 2G for voice. (so you will need a parallel 2G or 3G network to handle voice ?? )

In addition , current evolution s of HSPA+ are as fast as 4G ( but LTE will have the upper hand eventually ). The famous "4G" promo in the USA early this year was actually HPSA+ ( 3G )

I get already 6 to 10 MB/s download on my True HSPA+ 3G+ connection in most places i go in Thailand, already very happy........ so why is LTE and one day having the possibility of 100MB/s or 400MB/s so important?

miffs me !

RALFHANS ....... see my thread about pattaya 3G . As an update, telecoms analysts mentioned they think pre-paid will be rolled out in Dec.

Pattaya 3G Speed - link

2G will be with us for a while still. It is just the most cost efficient way to provide voice and sms.

We might see 2G, 3G and 4G running parallel for a while but considering how much the base station and switching equipment has developed in recent years this should not be a problem. First multi radio equipment's are being deployed already meaning one box can handle all 3 technologies instead of three traditional boxes. Like everything also network equipment is smaller, smarter and consumes less power with each generation.

For speeds, present HSPA quite commonly does 21 megs nowadays. Some networks bit more sometimes less. But let's assume 21. With two users logged in to same base station that's your 10 megs with True. Use of mobile broadband has exploded world wide and keeps growing exponentially still several years. Now take that same base station with 100 meg speed and it's gone from two happy customers to 10 happy customers with 10 meg each. Upgrade it to 1 gig speed and you see where i'm heading.

In more mature markets for data i.e. Singapore, Philippines etc above is big issue. Too many users and not enough bandwidth results very bad user experience and customers leaving for better networks. Almost all operators are looking into wifi networks at the moment as they are cheaper to deploy than 3G expansions or new LTE deployments which is not yet in 4G speeds. The idea there is to offload heavy users to wifi to avoid network congestion. Almost all have data capped their "unlimited" plans for the same reason already.

Anyways, for those that are interested here's the definition of 4G from wikipedia.

In telecommunications, 4G is the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is a successor to the 3G and 2G families of standards. In 2009, the ITU-R organization specified theIMT-Advanced (International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced) requirements for 4G standards, setting peak speed requirements for 4G service at 100 Mbit/s for high mobility communication (such as from trains and cars) and 1 Gbit/s for low mobility communication (such as pedestrians and stationary users).^[1]A 4G system is expected to provide a comprehensive and secure all-IP based mobile broadband solution to laptop computer wireless modems, smartphones, and other mobile devices.Facilities such as ultra-broadband Internet access, IP telephony, gaming services, and streamed multimedia may be provided to users.

IMT-Advanced compliant versions of LTE and WiMAX are under development and called "LTE Advanced" and "WirelessMAN-Advanced" respectively. ITU has decided that LTE Advanced and WirelessMAN-Advanced should be accorded the official designation of IMT-Advanced. On December 6, 2010, ITU recognized that current versions of LTE, WiMax and other evolved 3G technologies that do not fulfill "IMT-Advanced" requirements could nevertheless be considered "4G", provided they represent forerunners to IMT-Advanced and "a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed."^[2]

Yup, expect it in dense use area's, not " Thailand 50/50 nationwide" by 2020 as the one OP was moaning about

[MJo]

Yup, expect it in dense use area's, not " Thailand 50/50 nationwide" by 2020 as the one OP was moaning about

Correct, operators won't provide 1 gig speeds in jungle where there is no one using it thus no revenue. It costs money to build and money to run so fairly simple equation. Except in some cases where there is requirements from the regulator to provide service also in remote areas. This is done in Nordic countries and cheaper to use mobile broadband than pull ASDL. But in Thailand this is not the case.

In media they like "nationwide" in their marketing. Internally it's all about % of population and % of target market.

Expect only in populated areas and "hot spot" coverage in main roads service stations etc. You'll get a good idea by looking you phone in any country when moving around. Even in developing nations 3G coverage is not 100% land area.

[skippybangkok]

LOL..... "4G is all over the world", France is just rolling out an LTE trial. Just heard today

[xthAi76s]

Why do I see a new round of law suits and fights over who gets the money.

Especially since DTAC main shareholder, Telenor, has the most know-how on 4G of all local companies. I am frankly amazed that this is starting so soon.

IIRC, Norway had the first commercially operational 4G network in the world.

Sorry, the "G"s don't really mean all that much. They are relative to what came before them. Japan and South Korea have been having the fastest and most reliable networks with the highest traffic for years now. Most people in Japan and South Korea have faster access to their mobile phones than people in the West have to their homes. I know the Scandinavian countries are also typically pretty high up there as well, but in terms of subscribers and speed, nothing approaches the technology in Japan and South Korea that can handle similar load. Scandinavian countries have high broadband adoption but have pretty tiny populations.

http://www.cnngo.com...hristmas-954915 (2010, 75 Mbps max to phones)

http://micgadget.com...work-for-japan/ (2011, in the works a 110 Mbps max to phones, with the world's highest number of network subscribers)

The most interesting thing is that the Chinese star companies Huawei and ZTE are helping build this new state of the art network.

Where would Thailand be without the Chinese? Who knows.

EDIT: check out the attached graphic from 2009, I believe. Nothing compares to Japan with a speed -- price/performance/subscriber load consideration.

Edited December 18, 2011 by ThailandMan

[skippybangkok]

Where would Thailand be without the Chinese? Who knows.

Where would the world be without them. Its basically Huwei with ZTE dominating the world now.

[xthAi76s]

Where would Thailand be without the Chinese? Who knows.

Where would the world be without them. Its basically Huwei with ZTE dominating the world now.

Hmmm... Well, I meant my comment more broadly (sort of off-topic) with respect to Thailand. Like, "where would the Thais and Thailand be without the historical Chinese dominance in industry?". But, yes, the Chinese are doing a wonderful job on the tech scene at present. Cisco is probably still reigning champion but their growth has slowed in recent times, and, of course, the Chinese market has essentially been off-limits for a number of years as they've grown their own industries. But, those are other topics altogether.

Thailand, and its technology landscape -- hardly interesting at all.