Ais 3G In Phuket On/off

[Sydneycraig]

Is anyone else experiencing 3G problems on ais phone data plans recently???

My phone is rarely picking up 3G and showing the "E" instead which means painfully slow intermet ...

[fstarbkk]

YES! And I thought it was me or my mobile. Even called AIS to ask if they're aware of any system problem and they denied it.

But as you said, at least for the last couple of weeks, the 3G rarely shows up in many of my usual locations, including my home.

[monty]

Have you tried putting your phone on "wcdma only"?

I've had AIS go to Edge even when sufficiently strong 3G signal was available.

Only problem with the "wcdma only" setting is that when really no 3G signal availabe, all connectivity is lost including phone!

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Sydneycraig]

Not sure I have that option in iPhone ? I'd rather ais just sorted ther network out!!

[Pomthai]

An iPhone won't be able to do that unfortunately, that'd be like giving the customer a choice. Apple would never allow that, you just rent your phone from them anyways - most just don't realize.

As for anyone else with an Android proper smart phone yes wcdma only will force a 3g connection.

[lomatopo]

I'd rather ais just sorted ther network out!!

I'm not sure it is reasonable for you to expect this anytime soon. AIS's network is, for a variety of reasons, over-subscribed. Obviously, the additional frequency/spectrum as a result of this weeks's 3G auction will ameliorate the problem, but that may take upwards of six months or more?

Assuming you do not want to wait, maybe best to experiment with TrueMove H and DTAC/Happy pre-paid SIM - these cost ~ 50 - 99 baht, and subscribe to a daily, weekly, monthly data plan. If you are satisfied switch or port in to one of those providers.

[Pib]

Have you tried putting your phone on "wcdma only"?

I've had AIS go to Edge even when sufficiently strong 3G signal was available.

Only problem with the "wcdma only" setting is that when really no 3G signal availabe, all connectivity is lost including phone!

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

Well, I'm not with AIS nor in Phuket but with DTAC in Bangkok and today from approx 11:30am to 12:30pm (a.k.a., lunchtime) I drove the entire length of Sathorn in Bangkok going both directions with a 30 minute stop/lunch on one end of Sathorn and I could only get the H or 3G indication on my display if forcing it into "WCDMA Only"; otherwise I only got the E indication. The problem occurred as soon as I crossed the river/bridge from western Bangkok to Sathorn/central Bangkok. I changed the setting to WCDMA Only while at the lunch location, but when I got in the car and started driving back down Sathorn I lost the mobile connection all together and had to change it back to WCDMA/GSM Auto to get an E indication/mobile conneciton. So, as I continue to drive down Sathorn, over the river to the western side of Bangkok the H indication came back and stayed solid all the way home to Khet Talingchan.

Now, maybe DTAC was having problems and got them fixed when my H speed came back and it had nothing to do with the Sathorn location...I wasn't going to turn around and drive back to Sathorn/central Bangkok to see if the problem reappeared.

[lomatopo]

^ Probably related to the phone, hardware, firmware, baseband, power settings. Some phones will cycle all the way down to E when not using data. "Forcing" 3G/WCDMA over-rides these firmware/baseband settings. Completely different issue from the OP.

[Pib]

Could be....it's a Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 running Android 2.3.6...the phone is only a few months old as the Ace 2 has been in Thailand stores that long.

[GreenSnapper]

Same with DTAC in Bangkok. It was good the first few months, now up and down.

I sometimes just switch it to Edge and use Opera Mobile for browsing which is faster than their crappy 3G. Sad, but TIT.

[2008bangkok]

As for anyone else with an Android proper smart phone yes wcdma only will force a 3g connection.

Most smartphones are GSM phones so there will be no option to force CDMA only and even if there was the option the only network that is CDMA is Hutch network and I dont know anybody who is on that network

[lomatopo]

As for anyone else with an Android proper smart phone yes wcdma only will force a 3g connection.

Most smartphones are GSM phones so there will be no option to force CDMA only and even if there was the option the only network that is CDMA is Hutch network and I dont know anybody who is on that network

WCDMA is another, perhaps somewhat inaccurate, term many of us use to describe GSM 3G, rather than CDMA.In some/many/all phones one can access the service menu and manipulate various characteristics, including "forcing" a 3G only connection. And we can force certain bands (frequencies).

[Pib]

I guess my Samsung Ace 2 fits in a no-can-do category regarding changing the firmware UE State Control setting. I went to the UE State Control Service Mode and it says "Not Active" and does not offer selections like in the image above. Just the words Not Active under Service Mode

But under the Android 2.3.6 operating system basic Mobile Network Settings I can set the Network Mode to GSM/WCDMA (Auto), GSM Only, or WCDMA Only. I have it set to the Auto mode.

Even since I got back to the western side of Bangkok, I've had the "H" speed indication (7.2Mb), but I sure didn't get that on Sathorn at lunch time...all I could get was the "E" speed indication unless I changed the Mobile Network Settings to WCDMA Only. Before I left the Sathorn area I set my phone back to GSM/WCDMA (Auto) and got the E indication again until I got over into western Bangkok and the H came on and been steady since.

[Pib]

Me thinks DTAC was just messing up today. Around 4pm I tried to use both GrooVeIP and NetTalk VOIP Apps over mobile data/3G and they wouldn't work...I mean they would start up OK but when dialing a number you just heard silence...no ringing like the call is being put through. I had already tried both Apps the other day on mobile data/3G and both Apps worked for calls. But not today,

So I try the Apps through my home Wifi connection and they worked fine...calls went right through. Switched backed to mobile data and they wouldn't work even after turning off and on the phone, and restarting the Apps. OK, I give up since it's time to walk the dogs and run...I leave the phone on and go do the dog walk/run things....get all of this done at 6:15pm and decide to give the two Apps another try on mobile data....both work fine...calls went through fine. So, was DTAC having issues or it was another problem? I don't know.

[Sydneycraig]

Even when it's showing 3G now it is painfully slow... Thinking I'm going to ditch ais if this doesn't improve ...

[Sydneycraig]

No improvement and probably worse. Any advise on other (better) companies to use?? And can I take my number with me to another company?

[wpcoe]

Even when it's showing 3G now it is painfully slow... Thinking I'm going to ditch ais if this doesn't improve ...

Just a stab in the dark: By any chance are you on a monthly package with unlimited internet access but only a limited amount at 3G speed? e.g. Are you on a monthly package with 1GB 3G access, with all activity after reaching the 1GB limit "shaped" to a lower speed until the next month's allocation starts?

I only ask, because you might still show a 3G symbol for a 3G connection, but AIS is simply restricting the speed because you already reached your monthly quota of high-speed access.

[Sydneycraig]

Yes but that's not the cause...

*139# and you can see the balance

I suspect it's just because Phuket is getting busy now and so more people on the network?!