New To Samrtphone

[pkspeaker]

my GF recently gave me an htc phone, it looks like an iphone and works similar.. prior to this I had a TrueMove sim card inside a dongle that would plug into the laptops usb port, to use the internet I would plug it in, wait for the software to load and then click connect to access the internet via 3G, when I was finished I would disconnect kinda like the old modems use to work.. i took the sim card out of the dongle, put it in the smartphone, the phone and sms worked; then i took it to true, the guy there changed a few settings and now I can get the internet from it wifi for the laptop or on its little screen..

my concern is, the internet seems to be always 'on' where as before i would connect and disconnect, am i being charged by the hour? my package is the one 349Baht a month 'EG 500MB'.. id hate to get a huge bill next month..

[Digitalbanana]

Assuming it is an HTC Android phone, (HTC also make Windows phones) there will be a status indicator on the top bar showing signal strength and data? The data will be either an E, 3G or H symbol for the speed. I don't think HTC sells any phones that work on True 3G - but I could be wrong lately, so most likely you'll only get E(dge) speeds. I have never used True Move but you must be able to check with them how much plan you have remaining through the phone or on their web site. If you want to turn data on/off manually, then the phone should offer that option as well. (On my Samsung it's a long press power on/off switch, my old HTC Windows hone had a similar button choice - you'd have to read the manual for your model).

[MJo]

Smartphones do connect to data all the time especially if you use the default settings.

First thing to do is to configure your phone to your liking. I.e. how often you want it to update email, facebook and so on. This makes a difference. You can also very easily enable / disable data connection manually if that is to your liking. Just read your manual.

From your post i assume you have 500 MB a month data package. I.e. it includes 500 megs data and in case you use more in a month you will be charged extra. But as such it is not time based but on actual amount of data you use.

Although 500 megs is not much especially if you use it with your laptop.

[innerspace]

If its android you can get apps to record your data usage. If you use a lot get an unlimited package. I pay 400 for unlimited with dtac but have used less than 200mb the last month.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[lomatopo]

Can you share any more details? I think we can find you a better data plan. Most plans are 350 baht/1 GB now.

What brand/model of USB air-card did you have?

Do you have a TrueMove SIM? Or a TrueMove H SIM? Was it pre-paid or post-paid? Do you know any more details about the plan? Do you make calls and send texts (now that you have the HTC phone)?

Creating a Mobile AP is a nice Android feature.

It sounds like you have a volume-based plan, so would pay 0.002 baht/Kb (TrueMove) if you go over. Unless you manually toggle data off then your phone will stay connected to the internet, but may not use much data as this would depend on on how things are set-up (automatically updating applications might cause a huge hit, for example; I do this manually when attached to WiFi).

Until you get up to a 2 GB or 3 GB plan you typically pay for data overages which come off your pre-pay balance, or added on to your post-paid bill.

DTAC/Happy have a 1 GB "Unlimited" plan for 399 baht, which drops speeds from 3G to 384 Kbps once you reach the cap, so all you pay is 399 (ok with VAT it's 428 baht). So far they are the only provider with an "unlimited" (fair-use) plan at the 1 GB level.

[pkspeaker]

thx for the replies I was reading thru them and trying to absorb the information, correct it's htc, no manula because GF got it from someone else so i'll just ahve to figure it out as i use it.. yep that's what true told me: no 3g and i should instead get an account from ais, i went to ais and they also said they could not get 3g to work with this phone and i'll have to just get by with edge, i think its ok about the minimal data per month because i don't need internet when i'm not at home that much but too bad about no 3g, i hope that changes in the future

[lomatopo]

Can you determine the model number and/or name of the unit? Maybe look inside under the battery.

I am kind of guessing here that it is an HTC Wildfire? http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_wildfire-pictures-3337.php

If so this unit is 900/2100 Mhz 3G so would work with AIS/One-2-Call and/or TOT/one of their resellers, assuming you are in an area with coverage, which seems likely.

[bangkokburning]

Root it!

ICS!

[pkspeaker]

mines like the one you linked to but appears to be older, under battery it says ce0682, got it used so it might be pretty old considering how fast technology changes..

[4evermaat]

you can stick with your existing plan and monitor the usage with the codes. I do not know the code for true, but for AIS 1-2 call it is *139#. They also send sms when your MB is getting low, and another one when it is finished (I think).

[lomatopo]

mines like the one you linked to but appears to be older, under battery it says ce0682, got it used so it might be pretty old considering how fast technology changes..

Last try, can you go into Settings, About phone, and relay the Model number?

[wana]

you can stick with your existing plan and monitor the usage with the codes. I do not know the code for true, but for AIS 1-2 call it is *139#. They also send sms when your MB is getting low, and another one when it is finished (I think).

i lost several hundred baht with ais unlimited package ,its 799 per month + vat

whic works out around 900 ish per month and it auto -renews itself every month

if there isnt 900 ish in your phone credit (maybe only 800 thb etc) ,it doenst renew the package

(you get a sms to say credit is too low to apply the unlimited package )

but switches you onto a per minute rate without notification and then the next sms you

get can be your balance is too low,please buy a top up

this can all happen when ur asleep BTW ,nice little earner for them

[4evermaat]

......i lost several hundred baht with ais unlimited package ,its 799 per month + vat

whic works out around 900 ish per month and it auto -renews itself every month

if there isnt 900 ish in your phone credit (maybe only 800 thb etc) ,it doenst renew the package

(you get a sms to say credit is too low to apply the unlimited package )

but switches you onto a per minute rate without notification and then the next sms you

get can be your balance is too low,please buy a top up

this can all happen when ur asleep BTW ,nice little earner for them

If this is for their pre-paid package, very sneaky. I have used their smartphone package and always remember 199/mo deducted. Can someone else confirm that for these prepaid packages no additional vat is charged for the package itself?

I remember also using their 349 1gb package and it was exactly 349/mo renewed. When you prepay for a package, the only thing that vat gets added on is usually per-minute charges, like voice calls.

Are you sure you do not actually have their 899 package vs 799 package? I think they are identical, except you get some unlimited ringtone downloads or some other add-on that you could just do with your own internet anyway. Also, normally if funds are unavailable for prepaid package, they split the payment and give you proportionally less amount of credits. For example:

199 smartphone package: 100 sms, 200mb 3g+edge, 50 mms, good for 30 days

if i only have < 199 baht but >= 100 baht, I will be charged 100 baht: 50 sms, 100mb 3g+edge, 25 mms, good for 15 (or 14) days.

if I only have >100 but >=50 baht, I will be charged 50 baht: 25 sms, 50mb 3g+edge, 12 mms good for 7 days.

I found that very interesting. The first time it happened I called and they said that it was normal for them to "discount" the charge to keep the plan going. On each renewal, they always attempt to go back to the 199 bt charge. It is not "auto-cancelled" except after a while or if you cancel it. My gf had a ringtone add-on and she wanted to get rid of it, so she didn't add any money on the day of renewal (I told her to call and cancel ahead of time but she didn't). Nothing was charged. After she topped up she was immediately charged the 39 baht or whatever it was. Of course she called in and cancelled it. LOL

I guess they wouldn't be able to do this on an "unlimited" package, unless they gave you only 1/2,1/4 of your full speed volume amount for 14,7 days

[pkspeaker]

ok got it.. HTC Desire a8181

[lomatopo]

OK, the HTC Desire, purchased here in Thailand presumably, supports 900 Mhz and 2100 Mhz 3G, so you could get a One-2-Call SIM, layer a 3G data plan, if you want higher speeds.

Get a volume-based plan.

If you are happy with slower speeds just keep the True SIM.

Edited February 24, 2012 by lomatopo

[pkspeaker]

thx loma, your a pro!

[Digitalbanana]

i went to ais and they also said they could not get 3g to work with this phone and i'll have to just get by with edge,

Sounds like you were given the run around, because as already said, One-2-Call (which is AIS) is you only choice for 3G along with TOT. Reason I had to dump my HTC phone for a quad band 3G Samsung.