3Bb Plans Upgraded

[Pib]

FFTH, Cable,, etc., is basically the "final mile" connection so to speak to your home; then that internet connection merges with everyone else's upstream where that merge may lead to a jammed-up expressway under construction or too many toll booths So, if most of a person's internet low speed connection/slowdown/problems were caused by the final leg, like the connection between your home and the local switching station (which often is the problem with DSL/phone lines), then you'll get a much more reliable and steady connection speed. When a person looks at the spaghetti of black phone/ADSL lines hanging on poles, trees, buildings, or laying on the ground which hookup to leaking junction boxes at ground level it's quite understandable many people experience internet problems here in Thailand; not to imply FFTH, Cable, etc., don't have their own wiring and other problems sometimes. But as mentioned, since your are just merging with everyone else you probably won't get much better international speed as that is primarily controlled at other potential speed choke-points like the ISP's international gateway. While your final mile is able to provide a smooth and fast final mile; the remaining 10,000 miles road trip in connecting to that Farangland server could be going over bumpy, dirt, and slow roads in many cases. I know, preaching to the choir for many.

[Stefanix]

While your final mile is able to provide a smooth and fast final mile; the remaining 10,000 miles road trip in connecting to that Farangland server could be going over bumpy, dirt, and slow roads in many cases.

I don't believe that the 10,000 mile road as such is the problem. It's more likely just that tiny toll booth and patch of narrow road at Thailand's border. And the reason is not stupidity or poor engineering, it's the lack of will to invest here and pay the fees. The majority of users generating the revenue is happy with high national bandwidth. All the popular international sites (e.g. youtube) have dedicated lines or are cached. So Farangs are just a minority with ridiculous demands.

[topt]

Purely for my under

I can't speak for 3BB... But re Naam's comment above:

Back to 3BB DSL which i "upgraded" to nominal 20mb by paying an additional 700 Baht a month. result = no change. i get rather stable 5-6mb most of the time, sometimes it drops to 3.5-4mb.

When I and other members here have done comparisons with True Online's international single stream speeds, there was little or no appreciable download speed improvement in upgrading from say their base 7 Mbps DSL plan or 10 Mbps cable plan to their supposedly higher speed/more expensive plans, in each respective category.

I'm sure there are benefits and speed increases for content that's being accessed inside Thailand and perhaps nearby. But for single stream connections to the U.S. or Europe, having one of True's "faster" DSL or cable plans didn't pay off at all.

On the other hand, I think there probably is some benefit to be had by those who are using their internet connection for multi-threaded streaming, since the higher speed/more expensive plans do seem to provide some benefit for that kind of use -- not so much in terms of speed, but in terms of permitting a greater number of simultaneous download threads before maxing out one's connection.

Purely for my understanding can you please explain what is meant by single stream and multi threaded streaming? Thanks.

[Stefanix]

Hi topt, if you fetch a single object from the web, e.g. a photo within web page, or watching a video, this is by default a single stream. The speed with which you get this is usually below your line speed (e.g. purchased and synchronized DSL speed). The reason is that there is one or more bottlenecks in the network. Multiple streams from all users taking the same route must go through this bottleneck and share the available bandwidth.

The speed of a single stream (or thread) is an indication for the quality of your end-to-end Internet connection.

To overcome this limitation, you can "cheat" a bit. For example there are download managers which use multiple streams and download multiple parts of your file in parallel, e.g. the begin, the middle and the end part. At the bottleneck you appear like three users doing single threaded downloads, and get three times the bandwidth.

While you can often get faster speeds using multiple streams (e.g. with multi-threaded download managers), up to your full line speed if you are lucky, this is not possible for all applications. E.g. for life video streams, or if the server does not support it. Therefore the maximum speed of a single stream is still important.

[Naam]

one hour of trying (including some bullsh... with speedtest.net which showed 20mbit) and the disappointing result of 3mb speed which is half the speed i am getting with 3BB DSL (1,5xx Baht) and the same speed i am getting with TOT DSL (590 Baht).

I would not expect to get better international performance, at least per single thread, but that it's just half of DSL is, well, interesting.

What I expect is better results using multiple threads, improved uplink speed and a stable last mile. But this report is disappointing.

I also would like to know if the subscriber always has to pay all the fiber installation, or if this is just for remote places, outside the official coverage area.

mine was cheap because a friend of mine who lives in the village next to mine paid 285,000 Baht for i don't know how many fibre optic kilometers. that's why my distance to tap in was only 800 meters. he's the one who pays 15,750 Baht a month but he's getting 22-25mbit speed.

we are not in a remote area but 1.5km east of Sukhumvit. installing my line was rather easy because the village i live in has storm drains left and right of the streets in which all connections are laid.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Naam

[Stefanix]

mine was cheap

Yeah, everything is relative... Let's hope you don't get any further visits from them. Probably they could insist to get paid, as the fine print usually says "up to x Mbps".

So your friends pays for a high QoS service? I thought 3BB does not offer this any more. Obviously Sophon does. I first thought they are 3BB's subcontractor ("...in cooperation with 3BB"). But now I saw that they seem to have their own network.

I found only a premium package with 2M/1M for 1,690 here:

http://www.sophonbb.net/net/pad2.php

But there is a "Happy New Year 2011" on their web site. A bit outdated, as obviously their network is.

[Naam]

Probably they could insist to get paid, as the fine print usually says "up to x Mbps"

i didn't sign anything, no fine print no bold print. wife's driver submitted a passport copy which i signed. of course i expect more visits. that's why i told my dogs to look out for unwelcome visitors.

but there might be another dilemma waiting for me. suppose they tell me "now hab twenty mega too mutt and you pay prease" and they switch me for a day, give me really top speed and i am bound to pay. after they cashed in they switch me back to snail speed...

[Naam]

I found only a premium package with 2M/1M for 1,690 here

i change my underwear three times a day, they change their packages faster than i change my underwear

[Pib]

Waste of good underwear....turn one pair inside-out and get two days wear out of it. That's being economical....like how Thai ISP's are very economical (cheap) with how much international bandwidth they buy.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Hi topt, if you fetch a single object from the web, e.g. a photo within web page, or watching a video, this is by default a single stream. The speed with which you get this is usually below your line speed (e.g. purchased and synchronized DSL speed). The reason is that there is one or more bottlenecks in the network. Multiple streams from all users taking the same route must go through this bottleneck and share the available bandwidth.

The speed of a single stream (or thread) is an indication for the quality of your end-to-end Internet connection.

To overcome this limitation, you can "cheat" a bit. For example there are download managers which use multiple streams and download multiple parts of your file in parallel, e.g. the begin, the middle and the end part. At the bottleneck you appear like three users doing single threaded downloads, and get three times the bandwidth.

While you can often get faster speeds using multiple streams (e.g. with multi-threaded download managers), up to your full line speed if you are lucky, this is not possible for all applications. E.g. for live video streams, or if the server does not support it. Therefore the maximum speed of a single stream is still important.

Good explanation... And in more practical terms for expats living here, there are two basic ways of accessing video content over the internet... by downloading video files onto your local device, or by playing video streams that aren't saved to your local device.

While file downloads can be done in multiple, simultaneous threads using various file downloading managers, AFAIK, all of the major commercial video streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.) only provide single video streams that cannot be broken up into multiple threads. Thus that's where the importance of having a reasonably high speed, stable Internet connection comes into play.

I have a 10 Mbps True cable connection in BKK. For multiple threads, I usually can use 7 Mpbs or so of total downloading capacity at a time, broken up into 4 or 5 threads of 1.5 to 2 Mbps coming from the U.S. or Europe. But for video streaming, I'm lucky if I can get a stable 500 Kbps to 1 Mbps international connection during the prime evening hours here where all the local Internet capacity and connections are being heavily used.

[Notstupid30]

Just in the net cafe near my home they are using a 13M - 1M Line all i can say is dam this is good also happy the net cafe not too busy to get some test done ..

Speedtest ..

[Satcommlee]

Just in the net cafe near my home they are using a 13M - 1M Line all i can say is dam this is good also happy the net cafe not too busy to get some test done ..

Speedtest ..

Not one of the above speed tests are real, you are still testing only to 3BB's Caching server somewhere in Bangkok. Look at the Ping (Round Trip time) time, it's impossible.

[Notstupid30]

Just in the net cafe near my home they are using a 13M - 1M Line all i can say is dam this is good also happy the net cafe not too busy to get some test done ..

Speedtest ..

Not one of the above speed tests are real, you are still testing only to 3BB's Caching server somewhere in Bangkok. Look at the Ping (Round Trip time) time, it's impossible.

Very true also last night tested a torrent and omg wow my 5M - 1M was getting battered over a 1mb on speed normally my torrent's take for a 6gb file around 5 to 6 hours this was taking 2:30 mins from a 13M - 2M what cost less so eveybody on a rid off line change my advice really

[NewlyMintedThai]

Probably they could insist to get paid, as the fine print usually says "up to x Mbps"

i didn't sign anything, no fine print no bold print. wife's driver submitted a passport copy which i signed. of course i expect more visits. that's why i told my dogs to look out for unwelcome visitors.

but there might be another dilemma waiting for me. suppose they tell me "now hab twenty mega too mutt and you pay prease" and they switch me for a day, give me really top speed and i am bound to pay. after they cashed in they switch me back to snail speed...

So how's your accent in Thai, then?

[Notstupid30]

here a sample

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

It really depends on WHERE one is downloading from, and what time of day you're doing it, in terms of judging any particular download speed result. Content originating internationally is going to be much slower than locally stored or cached content. Without that kind of detail, speed postings are pretty meaningless.

I can get 1+ Mbps download speeds from the U.S. on my True Online 10 Mbps cable connection in the mornings or very late nights Thai time. But try the same thing between say 8 pm and 11 pm Thai time, and I'm lucky to get 400 to 600 Kbps direct, and 300 to 400 Kbps via VPN or proxy.

[Notstupid30]

It really depends on WHERE one is downloading from, and what time of day you're doing it, in terms of judging any particular download speed result. Content originating internationally is going to be much slower than locally stored or cached content. Without that kind of detail, speed postings are pretty meaningless.

I can get 1+ Mbps download speeds from the U.S. on my True Online 10 Mbps cable connection in the mornings or very late nights Thai time. But try the same thing between say 8 pm and 11 pm Thai time, and I'm lucky to get 400 to 600 Kbps direct, and 300 to 400 Kbps via VPN or proxy.

Yea i'c i was testing last night around 6 pm in the evening when net cafe's are busy also today kids are off school and they are playing game and the speed been good in this net cafe has 11 pc's unsure about true never really use them due to where i i'm also doing more testing as we speak i hope the speed good all the time don't wanna find out later on they start to cap it also everybody sorry about some type o's in early on msg's you know what it's like when you have big hand's and these net cafes use bloody small keyboards what cost something like 150THB ... As for me i'm from the uk and miss supper fast internet but you have to make some kind of sacrifices when moving aboard still not bad the quality of internet for Thailand ...

Edited October 3, 2012 by Notstupid30

[sammycic]

3BB 13/1mb

[Notstupid30]

This is how i get good speed's these days works well on all utorrent systems ..

Edited October 3, 2012 by Notstupid30

[Naam]

Probably they could insist to get paid, as the fine print usually says "up to x Mbps"

i didn't sign anything, no fine print no bold print. wife's driver submitted a passport copy which i signed. of course i expect more visits. that's why i told my dogs to look out for unwelcome visitors.

but there might be another dilemma waiting for me. suppose they tell me "now hab twenty mega too mutt and you pay prease" and they switch me for a day, give me really top speed and i am bound to pay. after they cashed in they switch me back to snail speed...

So how's your accent in Thai, then?

my Thai is free of any accent because i don't speak Thai.

[NewlyMintedThai]

Probably they could insist to get paid, as the fine print usually says "up to x Mbps"

i didn't sign anything, no fine print no bold print. wife's driver submitted a passport copy which i signed. of course i expect more visits. that's why i told my dogs to look out for unwelcome visitors.

but there might be another dilemma waiting for me. suppose they tell me "now hab twenty mega too mutt and you pay prease" and they switch me for a day, give me really top speed and i am bound to pay. after they cashed in they switch me back to snail speed...

So how's your accent in Thai, then?

my Thai is free of any accent because i don't speak Thai.

As suspected.

Pretty uncool to poke fun at the expense of someone who is doing their best to accomodate your language deficiencies in their country...don't you think?

[Notstupid30]

becoming a nightmare to change package's for us as this states on there website http://support.3bb.co.th/en/manual/changespeed.php i have no outstanding bill's what's so ever they have now said has to be the 1st of the month but next month ...

Change of Service Packages and Speed offers a customer an opportunity to change its current service package, i.e. from Indy to Premiere package; or its current internet broadband speed of the existing service package, for instance, changing from a 3MB to 5MB Indy Package.

Required Form: General Request Form

Supporting Documents

For Individuals : All documents must be verified by the authorized person

1. A copy of ID card of the authorized person

For Juristic Persons : All documents must be stamped with the Juristic person’s seal and verified by the authorized representative (s)

1. A copy of the Company Affidavit (Within the past 3 months)

2. A copy of passport or ID card of the Authorized Director(s)

Service Fee: None

Service Points: Customers can have their packages and speed changed at Maxnet Shops, Store Kiosks, and Service Centers throughout Thailand

[NormanW]

I have to agree with that. Been with them for about 8 years now, and they have actually been very good. Relative to what I hear from others that is, not relative to an ISP in a EU/US metro area of course.

Same same for me too.

[Naam]

So how's your accent in Thai, then?

my Thai is free of any accent because i don't speak Thai.

As suspected.

Pretty uncool to poke fun at the expense of someone who is doing their best to accomodate your language deficiencies in their country...don't you think?

i stated facts, your assumption is "uncool" because the whole story is not funny at all.

[Jayman]

one hour of trying (including some bullsh... with speedtest.net which showed 20mbit) and the disappointing result of 3mb speed which is half the speed i am getting with 3BB DSL (1,5xx Baht) and the same speed i am getting with TOT DSL (590 Baht).

I would not expect to get better international performance, at least per single thread, but that it's just half of DSL is, well, interesting.

What I expect is better results using multiple threads, improved uplink speed and a stable last mile. But this report is disappointing.

I also would like to know if the subscriber always has to pay all the fiber installation, or if this is just for remote places, outside the official coverage area.

I had TRUE fiber installed to my house on the darkside just last week and paid nothing for the install.

900thb a month gets me 15/1.5 (is actually 16/1.6) and that comes with 72 channels of true tv for the missus.

I was just testing speeds via a torrent download of ubuntu and even without any Thai based seeds was getting from 1MBps to 1.9 MBps the whole time. That is between 8Mbps and 15.2 Mbps. I have no complaints. Of course those lame web based speed tests show a different picture but the reality is that I can get downloads of my entire subscribed bandwidth and that is not using domestic seeds.

In case anyone wants to test for themselves, here is the magnet link for the ubuntu torrent and it's always well seeded by fast, full bandwidth seedboxes.

magnet:?xt=urn:btih:BCF2E587AFD4D3B1BDD8ECE5150D9FB4D2958AF4&dn=ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso&tr=http%3a//torrent.ubuntu.com%3a6969/announce

Edited October 7, 2012 by Jayman

[Pib]

I had TRUE fiber installed to my house on the darkside just last week and paid nothing for the install.900thb a month gets me 15/1.5 (is actually 16/1.6) and that comes with 72 channels of true tv for the missus.

Actually, its coaxial cable that also carries TrueVisions TV frequencies; not fiber optics.

Edit...add image: the coaxial cable trunk line used to run the signal around the area/soi's looks like the cable pictured on the far right. And from that trunk line to a residence cable modem/router they run common coaxial RG6/11 just like screwed onto a TV or settop box.

Edited October 7, 2012 by Pib

[Jayman]

I had TRUE fiber installed to my house on the darkside just last week and paid nothing for the install.900thb a month gets me 15/1.5 (is actually 16/1.6) and that comes with 72 channels of true tv for the missus.

Actually, its coaxial cable that also carries TrueVisions TV frequencies; not fiber optics.

Edit...add image: the coaxial cable trunk line used to run the signal around the area/soi's looks like the cable pictured on the far right. And from that trunk line to a residence cable modem/router they run common coaxial RG6/11 just like screwed onto a TV or settop box.

Yes.. the line to the house is coax.. but it's their fiber connection at the hub.. Or so they advertise it as such. They are calling it a fiber connection.

[Jayman]

So, now I'm a bit confused on this. http://www.thaivisa....optic-internet/

I assume that is a coax cable brought to your house as well. Why do they call it fiber optic? Must be fiber optic somewhere along the transmission Line.

Regarding the fiber service that Naam has installed (then pulled), was that coax cable brought to his house or is that a fiber optic line coming into his house?

The True techs are all calling that coax cable connection fiber. It's obviously coax cable but I was assuming (maybe wrongly) that there was a fiber based hub somewhere close to my location that the coax plugs into.

edit: so I think what we are talking about is explained here

http://en.wikipedia....ection_to_homes

Is a Hybrid fibre-coax (HFC).. coax to the house and fibre from the nodes.

Edited October 7, 2012 by Jayman

[Tywais]

It is unlikely that a fiber is actually on the 'last kilometer' run. A fiber media converter or a fiber modem would be required on each premise and those are quite expensive items and the cost for the subscriber would be prohibitive. I suspect that the fiber goes to the DSLAM and from there copper to the subscriber point.

This is for the general user and I'm sure direct fiber to subscriber can be done, such as Naam's, but at a high install price. But that would be the exception and not the rule. IMHO.

[Jayman]

It is unlikely that a fiber is actually on the 'last kilometer' run. A fiber media converter or a fiber modem would be required on each premise and those are quite expensive items and the cost for the subscriber would be prohibitive. I suspect that the fiber goes to the DSLAM and from there copper to the subscriber point.

This is for the general user and I'm sure direct fiber to subscriber can be done, such as Naam's, but at a high install price. But that would be the exception and not the rule. IMHO.

Can we confirm that Naam had a fiber line brought into his house or could it have just been the HFC that is commonly being used around the dark side already.