Truemove-H - Work Permit Required?

[pete66]

Just spent 2 hrs in Central Airport Plaza True Shop, because my iphone stopped being able to refill for some reason, even though it can still receive calls and msgs. Just can't refill via any method - slip or card or ATM or True machine. They couldn't solve that because apparently the engineer in BKK had gone home already

So I asked them about this:

http://www.truemove-h.com/en//prepay/prepay-topping.aspx

But they tell me that even though its pre-pay, I still need a work permit to get it?!? Just to use 3G+

Can that really be true?

So perhaps I should move to DTAC - or do they have same stupid work permit requirements to use 3G+?

The staff were actually very nice, just ...... its like banging your head against a beautiful brick wall .........

[naboo]

The staff in that store are quite clearly the result of a poor education. Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful. DTAC are delightful, or were until the day I had to leave them to get 3G from True. And the day I wanted the guy at the queue ticket dispenser to check whether my phone or charger was at fault for my phone not charging. True, yuck, yuck, minging.

No idea about the work permit regulations. My only experience was signing up to post pay with only a Thai driving licence.

[skippybangkok]

think incompetent staff, try the call center

[pete66]

think incompetent staff, try the call center

I tried the call center, but they had already stopped me refilling the phone, so I had no money to call from phone and didn't want to <deleted> around with phone boxes. why not free call?

anyway, found this on DTAC site:

http://www.dtac.co.t...h/postpaid.html

"No work permit required to register for dtac post-paid mobile service. With your passport and any credit card (VISA or Master Card), you can get your own post-paid mobile service with monthly invoice."

That sounds much more like it to be honest. Not even post-paid needing working permit. None of this pre-paid needing work permit bullshit with True. So sick of True tor be honest. They just stopped my phone from reflilling for 3 days, I tried every method under the sun to refill including slips, cards, ATM, online banking, True "automated machiness". Just error every time. And all their support say is call 1331 which of course they wouldn't allow because I had no credit in phone.

If DTAC deliver half what they say, I'll be a DTAC customers for life. True sucks big time. Absolutely no idea about customer support .... DTAC has many ways to contact them. True none unless u have credit in your phone ....

[pete66]

Just one question remains really - what is DTAC 3G coverage like in central CM? Experience anyone? Real testing via broadband test service i.e. ping, download, upload speed (and yeah I know it varies, but some idea would be useful)

[beachyman]

Just one question remains really - what is DTAC 3G coverage like in central CM? Experience anyone? Real testing via broadband test service i.e. ping, download, upload speed (and yeah I know it varies, but some idea would be useful)

Not sure about cm but I have a dtac 3g and a true in bangkok and true is uch more stable and fast. Dtac is OK for edge here and phujet but not much else.

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

[mcgriffith]

Just one question remains really - what is DTAC 3G coverage like in central CM? Experience anyone? Real testing via broadband test service i.e. ping, download, upload speed (and yeah I know it varies, but some idea would be useful)

Read this thread for your answer:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/537680-dtac-3g-just-connected-at-3g-speeds-in-chiang-mai/page__pid__5104394#entry5104394

[bobl]

If the number isn't important to you I'd suggest simply passing by any phone shop and getting a new True-H micro-sim (99 baht iirc) over the counter. NO work permit or docs of any kind required. Then go next door to a 7-11 and buy a xxx baht top-up voucher. At my nearest 711 they were unable to do the top-up directly to my number via the till (maybe their "true" software hasn't been upgraded yet to cover true-h) but if you just buy a xxx baht true top-up "pin" code (the 12 or 14 digit topup code) and enter it manually, it works.

Top up the new sim and then activate the 3g data package with *900*xx# (depending whether you want 1gb, 3gb, 5gb whatever).

True-H 3G coverage MUCH better than DTAC's currently, imho.

[HLover]

Isn't the OP asking about post-pay and the top off at 7-11, is pre-pay right?



[pete66]

If the number isn't important to you I'd suggest simply passing by any phone shop and getting a new True-H micro-sim (99 baht iirc) over the counter. NO work permit or docs of any kind required. Then go next door to a 7-11 and buy a xxx baht top-up voucher. At my nearest 711 they were unable to do the top-up directly to my number via the till (maybe their "true" software hasn't been upgraded yet to cover true-h) but if you just buy a xxx baht true top-up "pin" code (the 12 or 14 digit topup code) and enter it manually, it works.

Top up the new sim and then activate the 3g data package with *900*xx# (depending whether you want 1gb, 3gb, 5gb whatever).

True-H 3G coverage MUCH better than DTAC's currently, imho.

If that works that would be brilliant. That is what I wanted in first place, but for whatever reason, True froze my iphone from from making refills..... at the shop yesterday they gave me a horrible "Inter SIM" as replacement, lol.

I'll try a few 7-11s .....

Just to be clear, the "slip" won't wont work with True-H, but the "scratch card" will ..... ? I wanted to try the 890B 3g data package but very hard to do with 0 baht in your phone

[pete66]

I'll probably have to find a shop that does it at Kaat Suan Kaew because I don't have that "device" u need on the iphone to get SIMs in and out ..... I doubt they have in any 7-11s either .....

[bobl]

"Device"? You mean a straightened out paperclip?

No, it doesn't have to be a scratch card, the one that the till prints is exactly the same as a scratch card without the "scratch" part, it just prints the voucher number. You could do it with scratch cards but not many people seem to keep them and only in low denominations, pita to scratch and input a dozen low denomination cards, better to just get a top up receipt from the till...

The 890b package is the one I use, and as long as I have credit on the phone it automatically renews itself every month. Coincidentally I just got an sms 5 minutes ago saying they're going to do exactly that on the 8th...

Don't forget you have to top up at least 899+7% vat (961.93) to activate 5Gb (*900*46#) so don't just put 900b...

[bobl]

Isn't the OP asking about post-pay and the top off at 7-11, is pre-pay right?



No I think he's looking for prepaid, but somehow his existing prepaid sim card got nuked at the billing server end and won't accept topups, for whatever reason...

I think the "postpaid" confusion came about because of the incompetence of the True shop staff (you probably do need a work permit to sign up for postpaid)...

So his easiest option is simply to ditch the prepaid sim and plug in a new one...

[pete66]

ah ok, I'll buy a paper clip at the 7-11I buy the SIM from

Yeah, I used "slips" all the time .... just scared of them now as that was when my nightmare started a few days ago because the slip refused to refill in my iphone.

I'll get the new SIM and just buy a 50b slip to start. Make sure it refills ok, don't wanna waste 1000B on a refill card my iphone won't accept.

Its all so bizarre. The phone is fine, it could take calls, SMSs, use apps, but just every time I tried to refill it refused. Slips, cards, ATM, online banking, True Machines. Just refused. I'd still love to know why but I guess I never will. Unless they've blacklisted my iphone for some reason on the True network.... but that can't be true because the replacement SIM True gave me yesterday refilled fine. Just a True f**** up I guess. Would have been solved last night but the engineer in BKK that could have apparently solved it had gone home already!

[pete66]

Isn't the OP asking about post-pay and the top off at 7-11, is pre-pay right?



No I think he's looking for prepaid, but somehow his existing prepaid sim card got nuked at the billing server end and won't accept topups, for whatever reason...

I think the "postpaid" confusion came about because of the incompetence of the True shop staff (you probably do need a work permit to sign up for postpaid)...

So his easiest option is simply to ditch the prepaid sim and plug in a new one...

Just while you are here, did you ever do any "speed test" with this True 3G+? I know it varies all the time but love to know some idea what ping/upload/download people can get out of it .....

[bobl]

There could be any number of reasons why you couldn't top up - probably just a glitch in their database where they keep the "profile" of every active SIM card... a minor corruption in the database and a flag set wrong, and "stuff happens" (or doesn't)... These things usually need someone at the switch, in the technical/software department to clear up. I had a similar situation with my Blackberry in Tanzania, worked for years then suddenly, it died and took them 4 days to figure out why "data" got blocked in my profile. Happened every month for 3 months before I gave up and put a new sim card.

If you can't find a shop with an iphone chip, I have a sim cutter that can turn a regular sim into a microsim...

I had the opposite problem I had to try 4 shops to find one that had a regular sim not a microsim (mine's a Galaxy S2)

[bobl]

Never got round to a speed test for various reasons, mainly that I'm out in the sticks with a 1 or 2 bar signal so I wasn't expecting great speeds anyway...

What I can tell you, is that I used up 5Gb in 2 days and have been on 384kbps ever since (which actually isn't too bad, I can still get a tv episode in a couple or three hours...)

[pete66]

lol. try accessing truemove-h.com at the moment ... "Service Unavailable". Great. Inspires real confidence .....

[pete66]

There could be any number of reasons why you couldn't top up - probably just a glitch in their database where they keep the "profile" of every active SIM card... a minor corruption in the database and a flag set wrong, and "stuff happens" (or doesn't)... These things usually need someone at the switch, in the technical/software department to clear up. I had a similar situation with my Blackberry in Tanzania, worked for years then suddenly, it died and took them 4 days to figure out why "data" got blocked in my profile. Happened every month for 3 months before I gave up and put a new sim card.

If you can't find a shop with an iphone chip, I have a sim cutter that can turn a regular sim into a microsim...

I had the opposite problem I had to try 4 shops to find one that had a regular sim not a microsim (mine's a Galaxy S2)

Yeah, the girl called BKK like 4 times, but nobody available. Seems their tech department shuts at 5 or remaining staff just could be arsed to do anything in the evening .....

That's how I got my original microsim if I remember. A girl at Kaat Suan Kaew Shop started cutting up a normal SIM. I was amazed. Didn't realize this was how technology worked lol

[pete66]

So just to be clear before I got out SIM searching .... if I cannot find a True-H Micro SIM, I can buy a True-H SIM, and get it cut down, and that's just the same ???? Final question honest

[bobl]

lol. try accessing truemove-h.com at the moment ... "Service Unavailable". Great. Inspires real confidence .....

Lol yes, the English site has been up and down like a bargirl's panties, something fubar... But they're hosting the thing on Windows so I'm not surprised...

The Thai site was up though.

[pete66]

Just to say, bobl's solution worked perfectly. I bought the SIM from shop at Kaat Suan Kaew rather than 7-11, but apart from that, followed your instructions to the letter and now have the 899b package.

Only problem is I ran a 3G test and ping said 800ms and download speed near zero and upload speed about the same. Must be time of the day, lol.

Nothing perfect in this life!

But many thanks for help anyway. last time I waste 2 hrs in a True "Service" Centre ...............

[PoodMaiDai]

DTAC is expanding their 3G service quickly. I've always had issues with Truemove.

[bobl]

So just to be clear before I got out SIM searching .... if I cannot find a True-H Micro SIM, I can buy a True-H SIM, and get it cut down, and that's just the same ???? Final question honest

Basically yes. The only difference between a standard sim and a micro sim is the size.

I took a break to watch Amazing Race so it seems you've already found a microsim and/or found out that answer... Glad you got sorted out. Surprised about the speed are you sure you're getting 3G not edge?! I'm pinging google right now and getting (standard 32 byte ping)

Pinging www.l.google.com [209.85.175.104] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=32 time=111ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=32 time=111ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=32 time=319ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=32 time=99ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 209.85.175.104:

Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

Minimum = 99ms, Maximum = 319ms, Average = 160ms

And for a big ping:

Pinging www.l.google.com [209.85.175.104] with 1472 bytes of data:

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=64 (sent 1472) time=275ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=64 (sent 1472) time=272ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=64 (sent 1472) time=259ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=64 (sent 1472) time=458ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 209.85.175.104:

Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

Minimum = 259ms, Maximum = 458ms, Average = 316ms

The big ping's usually a killer if you have a dodgy connection... And the above is with a torrent running at ~40kB/s (best speed I could hope for until my next 5Gb kicks in on the 8th) in the background!

So, even though I'm throttled performance is still good. I'll try to remember to do a speed test once they switch off my throttle on the 8th...

Suspect you're in a *very* congested area or there's something else not quite right with your settings if you're not getting decent speeds...

Ummm... what model iPhone? Are you sure it supports 850MHz 3G?

[pete66]

So just to be clear before I got out SIM searching .... if I cannot find a True-H Micro SIM, I can buy a True-H SIM, and get it cut down, and that's just the same ???? Final question honest

Basically yes. The only difference between a standard sim and a micro sim is the size.

I took a break to watch Amazing Race so it seems you've already found a microsim and/or found out that answer... Glad you got sorted out. Surprised about the speed are you sure you're getting 3G not edge?! I'm pinging google right now and getting (standard 32 byte ping)

Pinging www.l.google.com [209.85.175.104] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=32 time=111ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=32 time=111ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=32 time=319ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=32 time=99ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 209.85.175.104:

Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

Minimum = 99ms, Maximum = 319ms, Average = 160ms

And for a big ping:

Pinging www.l.google.com [209.85.175.104] with 1472 bytes of data:

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=64 (sent 1472) time=275ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=64 (sent 1472) time=272ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=64 (sent 1472) time=259ms TTL=50

Reply from 209.85.175.104: bytes=64 (sent 1472) time=458ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 209.85.175.104:

Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

Minimum = 259ms, Maximum = 458ms, Average = 316ms

The big ping's usually a killer if you have a dodgy connection... And the above is with a torrent running at ~40kB/s (best speed I could hope for until my next 5Gb kicks in on the 8th) in the background!

So, even though I'm throttled performance is still good. I'll try to remember to do a speed test once they switch off my throttle on the 8th...

Suspect you're in a *very* congested area or there's something else not quite right with your settings if you're not getting decent speeds...

Ummm... what model iPhone? Are you sure it supports 850MHz 3G?

what are you using to test ping speeds etc? I have iphone 4 .... does sound like I have a connection set wrong somewhere. But if you read thread, I am loathe to go to True Service Center for them to "sort" it out .......... lol

But definitely 3G not E ..... websites seem to load fine, so perhaps issue is just with testing tools, hence I'd like to know a good way to test with iphone4

I live in Santitham, Chang Phuek, but also tried from Kaat Suan Kaew, same kind of abysmal results .......

[pete66]

under the "Cellular Data" setting on the iPhone the APN is "internet", and then, that's it ..... nothing else is filled in at all .... that could well be the problem. Need the proper Cellular Data / APN settings from somewhere ..... any page of true website where I can find such settings?

[pete66]

I tried putting all the settings in from here:

http://www.truemove-h.com/helpsupport_apnsettings.aspx#info-product1

But ran "speedtest" again, and still the same ... oh well, try again tomorrow ..... maybe a reboot might help ....

[bobl]

I have my sgs2 set up as a wifi repeater and my laptops connect through it... So I just use a dos prompt for ping...

I'm pretty sure the iPhone 4 is a quad band "world phone" so it should work on 850... On the status bar on top of the phone does it say 3G anywhere?

Have you tried a soft reset or a hard reset? iPhone sometimes needs a re-boot just like any other computer... (hard reset - hold home button and sleep/wake button at the same time, keep them both held until the apple logo appears then let go). Wait for it to reboot and see how it behaves...

[pete66]

Yeah it says 3G. True-H 3G. 5 bars. All the time.

Just trying a hard reset now .... have to reset my MacBook all the time (too often these days) .....

And (sorry for non-french), shit yeah, that's much better, ping is 160ms, download 1.21mbps, upload 2.18mbps

Not amazing, but better than 1 second for a ping, and 0 for download

Thanks everyone ))

Ah .... but ... I think that was because I was hooked into my local Mac network which gets signal from external USB WLAN device ....

So results are false .....

Enough for today. Had as much as I can take of True and their so called 42Mbs 3G+ speeds, lol......

Start again tomororrow ....

[pete66]

Just to let everyone know because you've been so helpful. Everything is fine today. Its working like it should ...

Tethered it to my MacBook with USB and ran some tests using bangkok.speedtest.thaivisa.com and got:

3pm Wednesday - Ping 95ms, download 2094 kbps, upload 2056 kpbs

So ping was slow, but that tends to vary alot, but upload was surprisingly quick. I thought 3G upload was supposed to be quite slow?

Anyway, all is well .....

How do you find out how much of monthly 5GB limit you have used????