Dead Slow Speed On Dtac Aircard (Pattaya).

[Archdeacon]

According to the instruction book, when the blue light is constantly on (which it is quite often now) then it is connected to a 3G network. So why is the speed seldom more that 500 Kbps (ie 1/2 a Mbps) when the advertised speed should be around 30 Mbps, ie 60 times faster. Very often the green light is on, indicating EDGE, when one might just as well go and read a book!

Also, according to the DTAC book, a cyan light will indicate 3G+; but this has yet to appear.

[lomatopo]

Which data plan did you subscribe to? Perhaps you have reached your fair-use cap? Maybe there is no 3G in your immediate vicinity?

Edited October 14, 2012 by lomatopo

[Archdeacon]

As I said I am receiving 3G because the blue light is on. I am paying the regular fee for 70hrs per month and there is no data cap as far as I know; but even if there is, surely I should not be stuck at a 1/2 Mbps on day 1?

[lomatopo]

As I said I am receiving 3G because the blue light is on. I am paying the regular fee for 70hrs per month and there is no data cap as far as I know; but even if there is, surely I should not be stuck at a 1/2 Mbps on day 1?

OK, it always helps when people share as much detail as possible. So it seems like you have subscribed to a Happy Pre-paid time-based plan? 70 hours for 199 baht per month? Time-based plans are speed-capped from the get-go here, and you also pay, maybe 1 baht/min., when you exceed your monthly quota, 70 hours in your case. For most people, time-based plans are best avoided.Your plan is capped at 384 Kilo-bits per second. (Yes, this is still 3G.)Maybe best to switch to a volume-based plan?

http://www.happy.co.th/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=333&Itemid=368〈=en

Edited October 14, 2012 by lomatopo

[Pib]

Assuming the OP has a DTAC Speedy 42Mb Aircard (their high end aircard), to obtain 30Mb type speeds he would probably have to be the only user in the area and/or be in a test laboratory environment. Maybe getting 5-7Mb if all the stars are lined up....probably a couple of Mbs is more real world....unless having a 3G plan that caps the 3G speed to 384Kb as discussed by lomatopo.

[lomatopo]

I actually do pretty well with Happy (DTAC), not sure I need anything faster, certainly not LTE/4G.

(I have a really good Android 4.1.1/Jellybean baseband, I9100DXLPA, on my SGS2 - GPS lock in ~ 15 sec. great WiFi, awesome 3G.)

[Theboy]

Errrr that's Bangkok - check it from (say) New York

[lomatopo]

Errrr that's Bangkok - check it from (say) New York

This thread seems to be more about 3G, and the air interface, rather than international bandwidth.

I think most would acknowledge that international bandwidth can be somewhat constrained here.

Testing 3G speeds against local servers helps to verify the integrity of the mobile broadband connection, which is what we seem to be discussing in this thread.

[Pib]

Well, today I finally got a data plan for my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 Smartphone which has 3G capability speed up to 14.4Mb. I've been on a DTAC postpay Voice plan for approx 3 years and wanted to stay with DTAC since I haven't had any problems with them.

Went to the DTAC service center at Central Pinklao (western Bangkok area) and signed up for their postpay B699 Smartphone plan which comes with 350 voice minutes and Unlimited 1GB data (up to 42Mb speed) with 384Kb speed after I exceed the 1GB allotment. So, it's an unlimited data package; it's just after 1GB of 3G usage per month my 3G speed will get throttled to 384Kb until the start of my next bill month cycle. Also comes with unlimited DTAC Wifi (up to 8Mb speed I think)...but their Wifi coverage is pretty much focused at major department stores mostly in central Bangkok...I doubt I will ever get much use of the Wifi due to locations I frequent and this wasn't an issue for me.

Before I continue, I will have to say that I've seen a lot of True Wifi signals/locations on my phone over here in the western Bangkok area/stores/etc., (a lot more than DTAC Wifi signals/locations), but the True Wifi signals strengths were always identified as poor on my phone, but a couple were identified as fair, and only one identified as good. The DTAC Wifi signals I came across in some stores was also poor to fair. But I'm sure both DTAC and True do have strong Wifi signals in some locations...it's just I haven't run across those locations yet in my western Bangkok travels.

In order to get the new customer discount of B499/month for the first 6 months of the 12 month contract we switched the account/phone number name from my wife to me. Otherwise, it would have been B699/month. Oh, what people do sometimes to save a few baht..but better the baht is in my pocket versus DTAC's.

As FYI/crossfeed only, below are some Speedtest.net tests done from from my home in Khet Talingchan pretty close to the western portion of the OuterRing Road (#9)/Southern Bus Terminal. As you will see below my 3G speeds varied from 8.387Mb to 458Kb from the 2:37pm to 4:38pm period....no more mobile speedtests for while so I can conserve my 3G high speed 1GB allotment. Also attached one DTAC 3G signal strength reading from my home.

Edited October 15, 2012 by Pib

[lomatopo]

In order to get the new customer discount of B499/month for the first 6 months of the 12 month contract we switched the account/phone number name from my wife to me. Otherwise, it would have been B699/month. Oh, what people do sometimes to save a few baht..but better the baht is in my pocket versus DTAC's.

FYI, that promotion contract term is actually 18 months, the 200 baht discount is for months 1- 6, then you pay the standard fee for months 7 - 18. Service providers really want to reduce churn, move more customers from pre-paid to post-paid and lock them in. If you use the 350 minutes then it is a pretty good deal. You might do a bit better with a TrueMove H triple play?

[Pib]

In order to get the new customer discount of B499/month for the first 6 months of the 12 month contract we switched the account/phone number name from my wife to me. Otherwise, it would have been B699/month. Oh, what people do sometimes to save a few baht..but better the baht is in my pocket versus DTAC's.

FYI, that promotion contract term is actually 18 months, the 200 baht discount is for months 1- 6, then you pay the standard fee for months 7 - 18. Service providers really want to reduce churn, move more customers from pre-paid to post-paid and lock them in. If you use the 350 minutes then it is a pretty good deal. You might do a bit better with a TrueMove H triple play?

Yea, I kinda figure that out yesterday when I was looking at my DTAC online account as it showed the next 6 months at B499 and then 12 months after that for B699. But when I asked the DTAC CSR face to face she said it was a 12 month contract although I was prepared to say yes even to a 18 month contract since the DTAC ad kinda inferred that to me although I wasn't sure.

I'm still OK with that as I've been happy with DTAC for 3 years already...hopefully the 3G will be OK to although on Sathorn Road today it was acting up. Not quite sure what the TrueMove H triple play is unless you mean home internet, TV and landline service....if so I already have True Platinum with 3HD boxes (but 3d box is free) and wouldn't want the True Life + TV package which is basically just Thai language channels, TrueOnline DOCSIS 14Mb/1.4Mb (B699/mo), and I think the True landline number came with some restrictions as discussed in another thread.

So, many promotions it's hard to keep track....and of course as soon as you enter a contract on one promotion a few months later they come out with a better promotion.

Edited October 19, 2012 by Pib