Cat Cdma Service - Dongle Change

[samuijimmy]

I got an update on CAT CDMA's ceasing service today, on their OLD dongles, knowing there are a number of happy customers here...

Here is what I was told at the Nanthon office :

Ceasing service on old dongles, September 30th 2012.

New dongles will be available for about 1500 baht...but I am.not sure when....he did not know!

I gather would be 5 GB and use a sim card, I assume, but forgot to ask if 3g and what the new rates would be....

I just hope it will be as good as it has been !... ..... or may have to consider a true move!!!

[steelerian]

Thanks for the info Jimmy. Please keep us updated with anything that you hear.

I have used CAT CDMA for about 18 months. I have the MC760 USB/dongle. For the 1st 17 months it was great, even in power cuts the signal would stay strong for several hours and never cut out. However over the last few weeks its been terrible, constantly dropping out on me, several times an hour.

Is anyone else experiencing this? (I live just off the Ghost Road)

[parallaxtech]

I had the same problem until I replaced the usb wire (not the dongle). There is a shop across the street from Macro that sells them.

[samuijimmy]

I would say mine works well 99% of the time, it's the older MC 727 model..... it's even outlasted a mother board on PC!

The shop Parallaxtech mentions is JIB Computer Shop,.....I have noticed various dongles in there, last time I glanced they were over the 2000 baht range, but that was a while ago now, so they may have come down, if not, it may be worth waiting for CAT to sell them again @1500 baht...... I assumed from what he said yesterday, they would be.

I have always used a USB cord on the dongle and hang it in the window, I think it helps.... (finding the "lady lady" adapter connection (about 1 inch long) is not easy, they don't seem to make "lady / man" cables!!!!..... the computer shop across from Post Office in Maenam, some times has them or will bring in.... )...

[samuijimmy]

Sure jinked my self here, it slowed down so badly last night, I had to quit! ... but seems back to normal this morning!

[steelerian]

Jimmy, mine (MC760) isnt as much of a "dongle" as a USB stick, similar to a lot of the USB memory sticks, sort of same size as a cigarette light. Just plugs straight into the USB port.

The reason I bought it is because I was advised that its the most "secure", ie it doesnt drop out/disconnect often, if at all. In my line of work speed isnt important, but reliability is absolutely essential. Its driving me insane lately.

Do you think that using a USB cord on the dongle and hanging it in the window would help much?

[samuijimmy]

Jimmy, mine (MC760) isnt as much of a "dongle" as a USB stick, similar to a lot of the USB memory sticks, sort of same size as a cigarette light. Just plugs straight into the USB port.

The reason I bought it is because I was advised that its the most "secure", ie it doesnt drop out/disconnect often, if at all. In my line of work speed isnt important, but reliability is absolutely essential. Its driving me insane lately.

Do you think that using a USB cord on the dongle and hanging it in the window would help much?

Ian,

I call it a dongle cos that is what I thought the term is for these things, hard to keep up with techy speak!

But yours and mine are about the same size... 760 is the newer model ... but for a long time now I used an extra usb line to hang in the window, which is right behind my computer anyway, It seems to help

For 100 or 200 baht or so it's worth trying just harder to find the "lady lady" connection, as I said before the guy at the computer shop opposite Maenam post office can bring in. (or may have in stock now)

Rain does not seem to affect pickup signal, it's pouring here right now, but concrete walls do seem to hinder signal from my experience, anyway... location may make a difference, although I have uses mine in several areas of the south of Thailand, no problem.

[steelerian]

Cheers Jimmy

[samuijimmy]

When I was in JIB computer shop, yesterday, I noticed the usb internet thingies, I thought were called "Dongles" Had dropped significantly in price ..... (1100 baht range) which is cheaper than CAT said they would be selling theirs for when they come in... 1500 baht..... JIB is the only shop I ever notice these things, but not really looked hard elsewhere....

But I am not sure which ones are best.... does anyone know ? and whether they all take any of the different Sim cards from different provider companies, or even CAT's service, which seems to be the best.... for stability....

Hope that stays the same when their system changes.... .... perhaps with the 3 g now available, there could be more choice???

(I guess I am right in saying that CAT are now "in bed with True" ??? ) is that true?

[Tropicalevo]

When I was in JIB computer shop, yesterday, I noticed the usb internet thingies, I thought were called "Dongles" Had dropped significantly in price ..... (1100 baht range) which is cheaper than CAT said they would be selling theirs for when they come in... 1500 baht..... JIB is the only shop I ever notice these things, but not really looked hard elsewhere....

But I am not sure which ones are best.... does anyone know ? and whether they all take any of the different Sim cards from different provider companies, or even CAT's service, which seems to be the best.... for stability....

Hope that stays the same when their system changes.... .... perhaps with the 3 g now available, there could be more choice???

(I guess I am right in saying that CAT are now "in bed with True" ??? ) is that true?

The CAT/True partnership seems to be up in the air. CAT as a government organisation cannot go into partnership with a private enterprise (or something like that). I think that it is still being investigated, but it does not look likely. True seem to be moving on their own.

When I was in Nathon PO on Monday they said that the CDMA service would finish in August and no mention of an alternative.

Whilst CAT has been the most reliable to date, it has been bad for the last week here in Plai Laem. TOT is down since last night and even 3BB was down for an hour this morning. True is still intermittent here, but True are build a new mast to cover the area better.

That's the update from the NE tip of the island

[churchill]

I use CAT CDMA and it works very well .. why stop a good service if nobody knows how it is going to be replaced ..

i have no idea which service to switch to ...???

[chiang mai]

CAT CDMA is being phased out , their current replacement is my3G which is a True product but sold by CAT, THB590 month for 40GB and crap performance, just as well since according to the press reports CAT is getting out pf 3G altogether.

[crazykopite]

Hi Guys's just to let you know that yesterday when paying my bill at the cat office in Nathon they informed me that the cdma had been extended until the end of the year I had to fill in a form to state that I still wanted to use my cat for the additional 2 months, they told me to come back in December and they would tell me what if any news they had and if there would be further extensions. I asked if the service was still unlimited usage and they said yes so at 845 bht per month I am very happy to have the 2 months extension !!!!!!!!!!!!

[robsamui]

I would say mine works well 99% of the time, it's the older MC 727 model..... it's even outlasted a mother board on PC!

The shop Parallaxtech mentions is JIB Computer Shop,.....I have noticed various dongles in there, last time I glanced they were over the 2000 baht range, but that was a while ago now, so they may have come down, if not, it may be worth waiting for CAT to sell them again @1500 baht...... I assumed from what he said yesterday, they would be.

I have always used a USB cord on the dongle and hang it in the window, I think it helps.... (finding the "lady lady" adapter connection (about 1 inch long) is not easy, they don't seem to make "lady / man" cables!!!!..... the computer shop across from Post Office in Maenam, some times has them or will bring in.... )...

I get all this kind of thing from Ebay - 50 baht free post. Mostly sent from HK or Sg.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-F-F-Female-to-Female-Adapter-Converter-/290535144481?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item43a53e7c21

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-Female-to-USB-Corners-Male-Angle-Adapter-Extension-Cable-Connecter-Cor-/300806612616?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item460978a688

R

[samuijimmy]

I would say mine works well 99% of the time, it's the older MC 727 model..... it's even outlasted a mother board on PC!

The shop Parallaxtech mentions is JIB Computer Shop,.....I have noticed various dongles in there, last time I glanced they were over the 2000 baht range, but that was a while ago now, so they may have come down, if not, it may be worth waiting for CAT to sell them again @1500 baht...... I assumed from what he said yesterday, they would be.

I have always used a USB cord on the dongle and hang it in the window, I think it helps.... (finding the "lady lady" adapter connection (about 1 inch long) is not easy, they don't seem to make "lady / man" cables!!!!..... the computer shop across from Post Office in Maenam, some times has them or will bring in.... )...

I get all this kind of thing from Ebay - 50 baht free post. Mostly sent from HK or Sg.

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item43a53e7c21

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item460978a688

R

Ummmm...... You can get these from the computer shop across from the Maenam post office , just ask for lady lady connection....

[robsamui]

When I was in JIB computer shop, yesterday, I noticed the usb internet thingies, I thought were called "Dongles" Had dropped significantly in price ..... (1100 baht range) which is cheaper than CAT said they would be selling theirs for when they come in... 1500 baht..... JIB is the only shop I ever notice these things, but not really looked hard elsewhere....But I am not sure which ones are best.... does anyone know ? and whether they all take any of the different Sim cards from different provider companies, or even CAT's service, which seems to be the best.... for stability....Hope that stays the same when their system changes.... .... perhaps with the 3 g now available, there could be more choice???(I guess I am right in saying that CAT are now "in bed with True" ??? ) is that true?

I believe that AIS refer to them as "air cards" for some Siamese semantic reason of their own . . .You should keep your eyes out on the classifieds - I sold one of mine a month or so back.The "H" type (which is what AIS call the 3.5G) is now out and deffo the one to go for if you're not doing CAT.This is one step up from 3G and in theory runs up to 7 Megabits. I have one from 1-2-Call on a blackberry packageand it seems to run at a steady 2.5 to 3.5 megabits - which is fine by me as half of the time my TOT broadband runsat this kind of speed . . .R Edited November 4, 2012 by robsamui

[robsamui]

I would say mine works well 99% of the time, it's the older MC 727 model..... it's even outlasted a mother board on PC!

The shop Parallaxtech mentions is JIB Computer Shop,.....I have noticed various dongles in there, last time I glanced they were over the 2000 baht range, but that was a while ago now, so they may have come down, if not, it may be worth waiting for CAT to sell them again @1500 baht...... I assumed from what he said yesterday, they would be.

I have always used a USB cord on the dongle and hang it in the window, I think it helps.... (finding the "lady lady" adapter connection (about 1 inch long) is not easy, they don't seem to make "lady / man" cables!!!!..... the computer shop across from Post Office in Maenam, some times has them or will bring in.... )...

I get all this kind of thing from Ebay - 50 baht free post. Mostly sent from HK or Sg.

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item43a53e7c21

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item460978a688

R

Ummmm...... You can get these from the computer shop across from the Maenam post office , just ask for lady lady connection....

But I bet they don't have these or these - and I resent paying four or five times the cost, even when I can find them!

[samuijimmy]

I would say mine works well 99% of the time, it's the older MC 727 model..... it's even outlasted a mother board on PC!

The shop Parallaxtech mentions is JIB Computer Shop,.....I have noticed various dongles in there, last time I glanced they were over the 2000 baht range, but that was a while ago now, so they may have come down, if not, it may be worth waiting for CAT to sell them again @1500 baht...... I assumed from what he said yesterday, they would be.

I have always used a USB cord on the dongle and hang it in the window, I think it helps.... (finding the "lady lady" adapter connection (about 1 inch long) is not easy, they don't seem to make "lady / man" cables!!!!..... the computer shop across from Post Office in Maenam, some times has them or will bring in.... )...

I get all this kind of thing from Ebay - 50 baht free post. Mostly sent from HK or Sg.

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item43a53e7c21

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item460978a688

R

Ummmm...... You can get these from the computer shop across from the Maenam post office , just ask for lady lady connection....

But I bet they don't have these or these - and I resent paying four or five times the cost, even when I can find them!

No not seen those,

But seems to me the lady lady was about 100 baht for 2,,,,,,, that's not that bad now!

[robsamui]

When I was in JIB computer shop, yesterday, I noticed the usb internet thingies, I thought were called "Dongles" Had dropped significantly in price ..... (1100 baht range) which is cheaper than CAT said they would be selling theirs for when they come in... 1500 baht..... JIB is the only shop I ever notice these things, but not really looked hard elsewhere....

But I am not sure which ones are best.... does anyone know ? and whether they all take any of the different Sim cards from different provider companies, or even CAT's service, which seems to be the best.... for stability....

Hope that stays the same when their system changes.... .... perhaps with the 3 g now available, there could be more choice???

(I guess I am right in saying that CAT are now "in bed with True" ??? ) is that true?

Actually Jimbo, as you hang yours out of the window, I think they're more-precisely a dangle, in your case . . .

R

[samuijimmy]

When I was in JIB computer shop, yesterday, I noticed the usb internet thingies, I thought were called "Dongles" Had dropped significantly in price ..... (1100 baht range) which is cheaper than CAT said they would be selling theirs for when they come in... 1500 baht..... JIB is the only shop I ever notice these things, but not really looked hard elsewhere....

But I am not sure which ones are best.... does anyone know ? and whether they all take any of the different Sim cards from different provider companies, or even CAT's service, which seems to be the best.... for stability....

Hope that stays the same when their system changes.... .... perhaps with the 3 g now available, there could be more choice???

(I guess I am right in saying that CAT are now "in bed with True" ??? ) is that true?

Actually Jimbo, as you hang yours out of the window, I think they're more-precisely a dangle, in your case . . .

R

no I used to hang in the window, no longer use ..... cos I switched to 3 bb

Are you having a tediously slow day Robby.... it's only raining a little bit~ !!! This is old stuff now!!!!!