Slow Connection On Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Ais

[achieng91]

Hi

I just came back from Singapore last week and bought a Galaxy Note 2 over there. It worked perfectly fine in Singapore. However, when I returned to Thailand and started using internet with my AIS sim card, I found the network to be really slow. I used to use an Apple iPhone 4s before this phone and the internet was much faster. The Note 2 shows my network connection as H+, but it feels more like Edge to me. I am currently living in Khlong Hok in Rangsit.

Oh ya and I went back home on Sun, (my house has no 3G connection, only EDGE is available) the EDGE speed is similar to the H+ speed I am getting right now. Because of the slow connection I am having some trouble talking with my boyfriend on Skype or Tango, as the video is really laggy and pixelised and the voice is laggy too and staggers all the time, worse still sometimes there's no connection at all.

So, I was wondering is it because my phone is bought in Singapore? I know Singapore uses 2100mhz 3G while AIS uses 900mhz.. Or could it be some of my apps that is causing the slow down? I have some security app on my phone such as Lookout and dropbox is constantly uploading some photos.

[lomatopo]

Assuming your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is in proper working order it should be able to operate on AIS's 900 MHZ 3G network and/or roam onto TOT's 2100 MHz 3G network.

Many, many AIS customers report issues with 3G performance as their network is extremely over-subscribed. However the fact that your iPhone 4S worked acceptably before, presumably in the same locations, is perplexing. Are you able to go back to the 4S?

Could you go to Settings, About phone and provide the model no., Android version and Baseband version?

Could you also got to Settings, Wireless & networks, Mobile networks settings, Access Point Names and tell us what APNs are configured?

Are you with AIS, post-paid? Or One-2-Call, pre-paid? Which mobile data plan do you have?

Can you do a speedtest and let us know what the download rate is?

Do you experience similar issues in other locations in metro Bangkok?

Lastly, can you install an Android app from the Play Store called Network Signal Info. and monitor the network signal for a few minutes?

https://play.google....id.telnet&hl=en

My best guesses would be that your phone is mis-configured or, you have a poor performing baseband or, you are in an area where AIS's signal/capacity is constrained or, you have a plan which is limited to 384 Kbps, either through fair-use or as it is a time-based plan.

Edited November 8, 2012 by lomatopo

[Pib]

I have DTAC 3G and use a Android phone. Here in Bangkok, driving along main roads, etc., it's good and fast....can easily pull 6-7Mb download speeds in many locations. However, when I visit the mother-in-law out in the province I'm get further and further away from the main highway which the cell towers normally run along and my 3G signal gets slower. Actually the in-law's house appears to be on the very outer edge of where the 3G signal will reach to...I mean I can watch the signal indication on my phone change from H (indicating up to a 7.2Mb connection), 3G (indicating up to 384Kb connection) and an E (Edge) connection (something less than 384Kb) every few minutes or even ever few seconds.

I've played around speedtest-wise while in my in-law's reception zone....this is not a high population area...it's just a good distance from the 3G cell tower. Whether my phone indicates a H, 3G, or E connection the speedtest results will be down around 100Kb to 150Kb. Now move away from the inlaw's area by a few hundred meters going towards the towers on the nearby main highway the phone connection indication is a steady H and I can pull 1 to 2Mb....and as I get closer back to the main highway my H speed approaches 6-7Mb.

So, in my experimenting even an H indication connection on your phone don't assure you are going to get a zippy/high speed connection as distance from the tower and of course how many users on the tower make a big difference in speed obtained.

[achieng91]

Ok I found out it should not be the phone issue. I ran speed test on my AIS sim and found download speed to be 200+kbps and upload speed at 100+kbps. Speed is really slow, but at this speed I should still be able to video call on skype or Tango. Apparently the odd thing is I can't. 2 days ago I just bought a new sim from true with 2 GB fast 3G speed. Now my skype and Tango works perfectly and internet speed was great. Ran speedtest and download and upload speed was both above 3000kbps(this is real 3G). However, after just using for 2 days, I used up my 2GB and now speed becomes really slow again. But the weird thing now is, I ran speed test again on my true card, the speed is only 27kbps(really really slow) for download and 144kbps for upload. Despite this slow speed, I can still run Tango, sound and video quality is not that good still workable. At a speed almost 10 times less than that of AIS, true works but AIS doesn't, thing I'm gonna stick to true for awhile lol.

Anyway, I was looking at TOT's 3G and it seems its the only service provider providing 3G at 2100mHz and no cap on data usage. How's the reception like? I checked my area on TOT iCOverage and seems it is between the green and yellow zone, will the speed be better then AIS and true? And how's the mobile plan like? Are there similar plan as AIS and true??

[GreenSnapper]

It,s not a phone issue, just the crappy 3G in Thailand. It's a hit and miss, sometimes works as it should, often slow or even no internet on a 5 bar 3G connection.

The only mobile internet which is reliable here is Edge. And it will probably stay like that for a few more years.

[skippybangkok]

It,s not a phone issue, just the crappy 3G in Thailand. It's a hit and miss, sometimes works as it should, often slow or even no internet on a 5 bar 3G connection.

The only mobile internet which is reliable here is Edge. And it will probably stay like that for a few more years.

They problem with phones is the bar only shows power, but another more important measure is EC/No ( noise ratio ). As such, you could have full power but can't call and use data. Main reason typically is bad optimization where two cell towers are shooting against each other and creating interference.

So the bars mean u may or may not have a good signal, not the same as 2G

@pib are you talking about DTAC or True move H ( going to and from H and 3G ). ?

If you see True-H 3G it's HSPDA+ with max speed of 42mb ( in perfect world / lab ) if its True3G it's the trial network based on UMTS which maxes out at 7mb.

Cheers

Edited November 12, 2012 by skippybangkok

[lomatopo]

I think you may have had a time-based plan from One-2-Call/AIS and those are speed-capped at 384 Kbps from the first kilo-byte.

I suspect Skype video calling requires a 3G connection and min ~ 300x300 Kbps.

The TrueMove H 599 baht/2 GB "unlimited" package has a fair-use speed limit of 128 Kbps.

AFAIK, TOT does not have any uncapped-unlimited packages, either directly of via one of their resellers/MVNOs.

My by CAT (same physical network as TrueMove H) does have a some decent post-paid plans up to 4 GB/384 Kbps FUP.

http://www.mybycat.com/products.php?id=14&sid=43

http://www.tot3g.net/PromotionInfo.aspx?pid=3

Edited November 12, 2012 by lomatopo

[achieng91]

I think you may have had a time-based plan from One-2-Call/AIS and those are speed-capped at 384 Kbps from the first kilo-byte.

I suspect Skype video calling requires a 3G connection and min ~ 300x300 Kbps.

The TrueMove H 599 baht/2 GB "unlimited" package has a fair-use speed limit of 128 Kbps.

AFAIK, TOT does not have any uncapped-unlimited packages, either directly of via one of their resellers/MVNOs.

My by CAT (same physical network as TrueMove H) does have a some decent post-paid plans up to 4 GB/384 Kbps FUP.

http://www.mybycat.com/products.php?id=14&sid=43

http://www.tot3g.net/PromotionInfo.aspx?pid=3

Just looked at the 2 websites. Seems tot3g does have limit of up to 2mbps, but that's better then the other service providers. Can I just get it for 1 month? And for the cat, does it mean after 4gb it's speed will drop to 384kbps?

Anyway how's this 2 as compared with ais and true?? They don't seem to be popular in Thailand.

[silentnine]

ok .. here is the answer to your question..

The note2 seems to have a slight issue changing from 2g to 3g.

as you drive around Thailand many areas of course only have edge.. however when you go from an edge signal area to a 3g area it does not seem to change by itself very well.. no ida if its a phone or android issue but i have the same problem.

the only workaround is go into your settings and when you know 100% you should be on 3g then change the setting on network mode from auto to WCDMS only .. this should get you on 3g ...

remember though to change back to auto or you will not get a signal when you go out of a 3g area even on phone calls.

i have tested this many times.. even now i have just switched on data on my note 2 and its has made a Edge connection .. changed to WCDMA and immediately a H++ signal

might go and make a thread over on xda as its a strange problem