Cat Telecom Cutting Off Cdma Customers At The End Of 2012?

[wtk]

I went to close my last CDMA subscription today at Central festival in Phuket where I was informed that once I close the CDMA it can't be reopened anymore as CAT is "go to new system next month (july)".

I asked what would happen if I kept the CDMA open she answered I could use it until the end of the year (2012) and after that it would be cut off.

She said I would need to buy a new aircard and sim-card for the "new system". I assume it's just a standard 3G or...?

Anyone know more about this?

[lomatopo]

http://www.mybycat.com/area.php?id=25〈=_en

3G on 850 MHz.

This is the same physical network as TrueMove H.

[woodyleonhard]

Yep, the old CDMA network, along with EV-DO (the first "Air Card" in Phuket) are disappearing at the end of the year.

You have many choices, but CAT won't give you a refund or a break on a new line.

Right now, in Phuket, CAT has the best combination of a good network (HSPA+ same as TrueMove, as mentioned above) and a good price. Unfortunately, the "My 3G" network, as they call it, is subject to a lot of political footballing - so it isn't entirely clear how long it will last.

Details in my Live Wire column in today's Phuket Gazette.

[Guest]

I would be happy to move to the new system, but the problem is high speed data limitation so somewhere around 5GB with the largest package. After that the downlink speed is limited to 350kbps.

I'm using EVDO as my home and work connection. I guess there is a need to find alternatives, or simply buy 4 modems and switch to a new one when one is used it's quota for the month.

[DavidMavec]

It's a darn shame because the CAT CDMA is unlimited, extremely stable, fast enough (I typically get around 1 mbit) and has excellent coverage, even in small villages. I don't think the TRUE/CAT 3G will have as good coverage and it surely won't be unlimited...who cares if it's a bit faster, I would take the former two any day.

[chiang mai]

Except, CAT is going to get out of 3G also hence the future of the CAT "my" products is unclear, I'm guessing they will hand all their customers over to True who owns the "my" service anyway. BTW, I also had EVDO and made the switch to "my" 3G last month and have only just found out about the rest of it.

[Guest]

Except, CAT is going to get out of 3G also hence the future of the CAT "my" products is unclear, I'm guessing they will hand all their customers over to True who owns the "my" service anyway. BTW, I also had EVDO and made the switch to "my" 3G last month and have only just found out about the rest of it.

One of the reasons why I have been very happy with CAT is that they have had an excellent customer service. My last experience with True was 4 years ago and at least that time is was not so competent. If there would be such an switch, I'll have to find another provider. Or has True customer service improved in the past few years?

[tragickingdom]

It's a darn shame because the CAT CDMA is unlimited, extremely stable, fast enough (I typically get around 1 mbit) and has excellent coverage, even in small villages. I don't think the TRUE/CAT 3G will have as good coverage and it surely won't be unlimited...who cares if it's a bit faster, I would take the former two any day.

It is indeed a shame. Though the CDMA was never accessible in or around Bangkok and the Eastern provinces. CAT is actually a pretty lousy company and a sneaky company. Some people have become very rich on the illegal dealings of CAT with TRUE. And take my word for it, you do not want to be on the TRUE network. Just go to DTAC where 3G is working it is really good, even better than CDMA and I pay 1299 baht for TWO devices unlimited access. A one sim package is only slightly more expensive than the CAT unlimited package. Use it in your iPhone or other device and let it serve as a access point. Great value for the money

[chiang mai]

Except, CAT is going to get out of 3G also hence the future of the CAT "my" products is unclear, I'm guessing they will hand all their customers over to True who owns the "my" service anyway. BTW, I also had EVDO and made the switch to "my" 3G last month and have only just found out about the rest of it.

One of the reasons why I have been very happy with CAT is that they have had an excellent customer service. My last experience with True was 4 years ago and at least that time is was not so competent. If there would be such an switch, I'll have to find another provider. Or has True customer service improved in the past few years?

I don't know because I'm still with CAT on their "my" 3G product. I agree 100% with your remarks about CAT customer service, not only is it very good but their CM office has some seriously cute female employees!

[Gary A]

I have CDMA in the north of Thailand and it is quite good. The last few months have been very good. The country was split into three parts, the north, the middle and the south. CAT had the north and the south and Hutchinson had the middle. They never cooperated and the CAT modem wouldn't work in the middle of the country. When Hutchinson sold out, Cat was expected to buy it and CDMA would have coverage over the entire country. As if ended up, True bought Hutchinson. For whatever reason, Hutchinson never expanded the service to the equivalent of 3G. It was logical that CAT buy Hutchinson but it didn't happen. The entire deal reeks of corruption.

[DavidMavec]

It's a darn shame because the CAT CDMA is unlimited, extremely stable, fast enough (I typically get around 1 mbit) and has excellent coverage, even in small villages. I don't think the TRUE/CAT 3G will have as good coverage and it surely won't be unlimited...who cares if it's a bit faster, I would take the former two any day.

It is indeed a shame. Though the CDMA was never accessible in or around Bangkok and the Eastern provinces. CAT is actually a pretty lousy company and a sneaky company. Some people have become very rich on the illegal dealings of CAT with TRUE. And take my word for it, you do not want to be on the TRUE network. Just go to DTAC where 3G is working it is really good, even better than CDMA and I pay 1299 baht for TWO devices unlimited access. A one sim package is only slightly more expensive than the CAT unlimited package. Use it in your iPhone or other device and let it serve as a access point. Great value for the money

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but this post is slightly misleading. When you state that you pay 1299 baht for two devices with unlimited access, this may be technically true but there is a data cap at high speed and then it goes very slow. In contrast, the CDMA device was truly unlimited, with no slowdowns after a certain point, and I would typically get 800 kbps - 1.5 mbps, good enough to do most things. I used it as my primary internet source for several months while on Koh Panghan and I remember one month I transfered over 75 GB of data... I am pretty sure that would be hard or extremely expensive with the 3G True/CAT deal...

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, I'd sure like to be!!

[lomatopo]

The plan was to enable all CAT/Hutch CDMA towers with 3G, and many have been so equipped. However that build-out appears to be on hold owing to various investigations into the True/Hutch - CAT - Real - BKKFT "joint venture". There have been reports that equipment import licenses have been revoked.

CAT is also under some pressure to show that it can operate the service profitably, either directly to consumers (unlikely) or through partnerships, like MVNOs.

It is unclear what will happen to this spectrum/service once 2100 MHZ has been auctioned. It could be re-farmed to an auction winner.

The existing CAT service could possible continue beyond "the end of the year", at least in those locations where it still exists.

Using mobile broadband for fixed-line replacement can be challenging. Any replacement 3G services, either from TrueMove H or CAT My have fair-use limits. The largest capacity plans available are: TrueMove H have a 10 GB/1699 baht/128 Kbps fair-use speed limit, while CAT My with 4 GB/590 baht/384 Kbps fair-use speed limit.

I think the days of unlimited/uncapped CAT CDMA usage will eventually end.

Edited June 9, 2012 by lomatopo

[Tropicalevo]

One of the reasons why I have been very happy with CAT is that they have had an excellent customer service. My last experience with True was 4 years ago and at least that time is was not so competent. If there would be such an switch, I'll have to find another provider. Or has True customer service improved in the past few years?

I have CAT CDMA, Truemove3G and DTAC devices.

You are correct in your analysis oilinki. CAT service is pretty good. DTAC is good as well - but they are waiting to roll out a faster service where I am. (Slow but reliable at the moment.)

Truemove - service - what service? Great at signing you up and promising a surfing heaven. Reality - mine connects sometimes (less than 50%). Very fast when it manages to talk to me.

So all in all. CAT CDMA. Good product - good service, solid and reliable.

[samuijimmy]

I stopped by the Samui CAT office today to get an update on what is going on, told they are ceasing service with the old dongles on September 30 2012....

Apparently they will be selling new dongles closer to the cut off date for about 1500 baht, and will have a Sim card... so they are from what I understood carrying on, but with a new system..... I just hope it is as good a better as before.

I forgot to ask what the new monthly fee for service was going to be~ ! or whether 3G service!!!.... I assume it will be?????

Edited June 29, 2012 by samuijimmy

[stoutfella]

I've recently tried to re-open my Cat EV-DO service as I find that the HSPA+ service is capped at 4GBper month but was told "not possible", bugger.

This month, July, I have been capped at 2.65GB!

[lomatopo]

I've recently tried to re-open my Cat EV-DO service as I find that the HSPA+ service is capped at 4GBper month but was told "not possible", bugger.

This month, July, I have been capped at 2.65GB!

Note that fair0use speed-limit caps include both download and upload amounts. So if the 2.65 GB figure comes from some measurement tool it may just represent your downloaded amount.

[stoutfella]

Thanks for that info lomatopa. If that's the case it makes the service barely useable.

In the developed world people would be laughing at those limits.

[russ1]

@stoutfella It's very good as long as you don't watch any videos or download anything, and use it for 30mins a day.

Just remind me what the internet is for again

[bobl]

Thanks for that info lomatopa. If that's the case it makes the service barely useable.

In the developed world people would be laughing at those limits.

I'd suggest if you got cut off (speed limited) at 2.65Gb it's your counters not theirs, that are wrong. Loma's suggestion that your total consumption including uploads is probably 4GB would seem to fit.

If you're doing torrents I'd suggest you go into "leech" mode for a while, and throttle your uplink. Netiquette-wise it's a bit selfish but leave the seeding to those on hardlines...

If you've been clamped at 384k, you're not doing too badly. Youtube is still sort of useable, surfing isn't too painful, and even at 384k you can nab a few tv shows overnight if you're so inclined...

When you'll really feel the pain is when/if you switch to 3G and end up limited to 128k. That's what I'm on right now and believe me, that's barely useable...

Don't even get me started on the stupidity of their plans to switch CDMA off altogether - which is (was) the only alternative in many places where there's no hardline. Their decision to go 3G instead of rather than as well as CDMA is beyond comprehension. Providing "last mile" access in areas where a hardline is an impossibility, is a completely separate market from 3G - a market which will now go untapped.

[lomatopo]

Thanks for that info lomatopa. If that's the case it makes the service barely useable.

In the developed world people would be laughing at those limits.

AT&T's 'unlimited' data plan in the U.S. is capped at 3 GB, with a fair-use speed-limit of 256 Kbps, so I suspect people in the developed world would look on some of the mobile broadband offers here in Thailand with a tinge of jealousy.

Mobile broadband has limitations, and without caps and speed limits the service would quickly become saturated an unusable for all. Further mobile broadband is not a fixed line replacement, even though CAT/Hutch may have previously positioned as such.

Maybe look at the TOT Wi-Net (WiFi) offer or move somewhere with fixed line broadband.

[4evermaat]

It's a darn shame because the CAT CDMA is unlimited, extremely stable, fast enough (I typically get around 1 mbit) and has excellent coverage, even in small villages. I don't think the TRUE/CAT 3G will have as good coverage and it surely won't be unlimited...who cares if it's a bit faster, I would take the former two any day.

Thanks for that info lomatopa. If that's the case it makes the service barely useable.

In the developed world people would be laughing at those limits.

I'd suggest if you got cut off (speed limited) at 2.65Gb it's your counters not theirs, that are wrong. Loma's suggestion that your total consumption including uploads is probably 4GB would seem to fit.

If you're doing torrents I'd suggest you go into "leech" mode for a while, and throttle your uplink. Netiquette-wise it's a bit selfish but leave the seeding to those on hardlines...

If you've been clamped at 384k, you're not doing too badly. Youtube is still sort of useable, surfing isn't too painful, and even at 384k you can nab a few tv shows overnight if you're so inclined...

When you'll really feel the pain is when/if you switch to 3G and end up limited to 128k. That's what I'm on right now and believe me, that's barely useable...

Don't even get me started on the stupidity of their plans to switch CDMA off altogether - which is (was) the only alternative in many places where there's no hardline. Their decision to go 3G instead of rather than as well as CDMA is beyond comprehension. Providing "last mile" access in areas where a hardline is an impossibility, is a completely separate market from 3G - a market which will now go untapped.

I'm thinking that CDMA will still be offered. That's a lot of customers and revenue to cutoff. I use CDMA and MyCat 3g together and it is refreshing to have a real unlimited internet package available. When you combine with a seedbox and an internet download manager (and perhaps a spare laptop), you can download quite a bit on autopilot. Plus if one service is acting up (usually the HSPA+ first), you can switch to the other service and continue working.

I also have reason to believe that the MyCat cannot be left on continuously. After 3 hours or so it will sometimes soft-block certain ports, although the modem will still show 'connected', there is no internet access. A restart or disconnect/reconnect and everything is fine. Knock on wood, my CDMA mifi device will live forever without any mechanical problems. It runs 24/7.

For those people who really want CDMA, you may have to go to a different/willing office (province) and open up CDMA service while you can. Then you 'transfer' service to your province (pay a bill at the local CAT office in your province). The actual service is available wherever you get a signal, but when you try to pay out of province, that office may have to import your account into their system in order for you to get a printed payment receipt.

The price went up. It used to be 799 for unlimited CDMA. But a new contract now will be 999, at least according to their website. Maybe the local offices still have the 799 offer.

Edited July 10, 2012 by 4evermaat

[george]

This topic continues here:

CAT telecom to dismantle its entire CDMA EV-DO network

http://www.thaivisa....-ev-do-network/