Looked at my phone today to see that DTAC has 3G now in Chiang Mai, wonders do happen!!!

Noticed this myself yesterday. The nice lady in the DTAC office did tell me last week that 3G would be in Chiang Mai before 2012.

why you say "wonders do happen" ?

It is certainly not the fault of DTAC, which I consider the best of all Thai IT-providers, that it took such a long time to finally get the 3G running (whereas in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia or the Philippines, 3.5G is standard since long time and 4G started already)

why you say "wonders do happen" ?

It is certainly not the fault of DTAC, which I consider the best of all Thai IT-providers, that it took such a long time to finally get the 3G running (whereas in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia or the Philippines, 3.5G is standard since long time and 4G started already)

Maybe because AIS & True have already had it for a while now. DTAC are still lagging behind with their phone & mobile data options.

why you say "wonders do happen" ?

It is certainly not the fault of DTAC, which I consider the best of all Thai IT-providers, that it took such a long time to finally get the 3G running (whereas in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia or the Philippines, 3.5G is standard since long time and 4G started already)

Maybe because AIS & True have already had it for a while now. DTAC are still lagging behind with their phone & mobile data options.

Fault? Everyone knows that the timing of the arrivals of these services are related to permits and permissions issued by a web of government agencies that are determining (in effect) who gets what. The political battleground is related to public policy, as defined by gov't agencies. AIS was here first because they got an experimental 3G OK for three areas of the nation (not Bangkok). Implementation is related to governmental determinations more than investment decisions alone.

Incidentally, this competition may lead to better pricing, but AIS recently cut my 3g service, for the same 800+ baht, down from 5 to 3 gig per month - before it lapses into Edge, no bargain.

Be careful what you wish for. It's great to have the speed of 3G, but at what cost. I don't know of a mobile operator anywhere in the world that offers uncapped data over 3G whilst in Thailand at least, it was possible to get uncapped data over EDGE. Let us hope the expansion of 3G does not lead to an erosion/price hike of 2G services.

For the "average" user there's nothing to worry about. Chances are you won't exceed your bundle limits and you'll enjoy 3G speeds at a reasonable price. But beware - where before it was so painfully slow to be browsing through friends' photo albums, using Youtube, downloading movies or tv series, all become relatively painless at 3G speeds. That's when you will begin to realise how little 1Gb of data really is...

Where in CNX are you? I'm near the airport, don't see 3G on my phone. What are your APN settings?

While we're on the subject, are there any telecom engineers reading this? I have a quick question...

I'm in a communications "black hole" here - in a valley surrounded by hills and trees. If I go 500M in practically any direction I can get a decent signal (at least -75/80dB). At home - I have to jump through hoops to find a sweet spot where can get better than -100dB...

The solution is simple and obvious - build byself a pico cell - to which end I had a tri-band booster, donor antenna and indoor antenna all ready to order from a buddy in China before I realised I wasn't 100% sure of the frequencies. All the data I can find suggests that Th mainly uses 900/1800/2100. But I think DTAC 3G is using 850MHz(??) So now I'm not sure whether to put an 850/1900 or a 900/1800/2100 repeater. Or both... My aim is to have a choice of AIS, True & DTAC (if and when any of them upgrade the nearest BTS to handle 3G) in the long term and be able to more easily make phone calls & use EDGE in the short term.

I know a cheaper option would be to buy a 3G router that can take an external antenna but that only fixes the data problem, I'd still have to stand on one leg in a bucket of water to make a phone call...

Sorry to hijack the thread but the DTAC/3G/850MHz question's vaguely relevant...

<br />Sorry to hijack the thread but the DTAC/3G/850MHz question's vaguely relevant...<br />

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DTAC 3G should be on 850MHz, as is True. AIS and TOT are on 900MHz.

DTAC 3G should be on 850MHz, as is True. AIS and TOT are on 900MHz.

Really? I thought AIS were 1800... Back to the drawing board...

Maybe I should consider a 900/1800/2100 repeater for voice and 2.5G, then see if I can't pick up a CAT CDMA link for data - stop trying to kill too many birds with one stone... Although I heard that CAT CDMA BTSs were being replaced by True(?) in a JV to "upgrade" to 3G <sigh>

DTAC 3G should be on 850MHz, as is True. AIS and TOT are on 900MHz.

Really? I thought AIS were 1800... Back to the drawing board...

Actually TOT was supposed to launch 3G on the 1900 band on November 28 but floods have postponed it.

Wife will be glad this has happened, as last time we were in Chiang Mai we had problems.

I do not have problem with my basic Thai phone still on GSM.