Phone Number Portability In Thailand

[nokbird]

How do you use Phone Number Portability in Thailand?

Like many on here, I ave received the ass end of AIS new 5/10/30 day expiry and and had enough of their BS. I would like to keep the same number and change to Dtac

[Riley'sLife]

So why don't you?

Visit Dtac office and speak to the lovely English speaking girl. Easy!

[wpcoe]

Before you visit DTAC, make sure your AIS account is properly registered in your name as it appears in your passport and that your passport data is up to date in the AIS system. First potential barrier you will hit with DTAC is if the info from the photocopy of your passport page doesn't match what AIS has on file.

Once you've got those ducks in order, the MNP process is pretty smooth and easy.

[nokbird]

You have to register with AIS even for a Pre paid sim ?

[Dancealot]

If you do not have 'customers' using the old number. Just get a new number.

[lomatopo]

http://www.dtac.co.t...rvices/mnp.html

(covers pre-paid)

FWIW, DTAC have similar top-up/validity ratios/durations. They do offer inexpensive options to extend validity, 2 baht/30 days, but you do need to be a customer for some period before you can do this. Also they do have a SIM/Plan, http://www.dtac.co.t...ongkapan.html , which never expires as long as you use it once every ~ 43 days (1,000 hours).

You have to register with AIS even for a Pre paid sim ?

Yes, assuming you want to avail yourself of the MNP process. They probably want to make sure your are the real owner of the SIM before processing the change order? Other services may also be available to registered users, including SIM replacement, on-line management, etc.

If you do not have 'customers' using the old number. Just get a new number.

Obviously there are many reasons for keeping the same number. For example, OTP's for on-line banking. It can be a pain to change these as it does require an in-branch visit, with the usual ton of paperwork.

Edited December 19, 2012 by lomatopo

[maturebrit]

can someone tell me if AIS have "roaming" in China? and possibly which provider just so I can get OTPs on my online banking

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect App

[lomatopo]

http://www.ais.co.th...ce/en/otc.shtml

Using the search box I see China Mobile and China Unicom as partners.

[monty]

To change from One2Call to another provider, you'll have to go to Telewiz/AIS shop first and register the number on your name.

Then go to the provider you want to change to and they will handle from there.

Done once One2call to truemove-H and took around 14 days.

You'll end up a little while without service as there are a few hours between when they cancel your old number and activate the number on the new provider.

[topt]

can someone tell me if AIS have "roaming" in China? and possibly which provider just so I can get OTPs on my online banking

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect App

yes - I can get OTPs in China

To change from One2Call to another provider, you'll have to go to Telewiz/AIS shop first and register the number on your name.

Then go to the provider you want to change to and they will handle from there.

Done once One2call to truemove-H and took around 14 days.

You'll end up a little while without service as there are a few hours between when they cancel your old number and activate the number on the new provider.

The OP should be aware that apparently it is only certain shops that will register your number - according to the AIS helpline when I asked them. So if you are in Pattaya the nearest is apparently SiRacha or somewhere else the opposite way but neither was close enough to make it an easy option. Still not sure if I believe it but it stopped me from doing it so from their perspective it achieved the desired result

Edited December 20, 2012 by topt

[monty]

Above is correct.

We indeed had to drive to Sri Racha's AIS office. Telewiz could not do it.

Remember getting a gazillion calls fron AIS as to why we wanted to chang

Back then only reason was 3G coverage...

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

[lomatopo]

I believe the OP can register their SIM with AIS at any location. I registered my new passport number/details at a TWZ (AIS affiliated) shop.

Then once that is done they can go to almost any DTAC service center: "You can request to switch your old number to dtac network at all dtac service offices (except Suvarnabhumi airport branch) and dtac centers nationwide." - to request the MNP.

I MNPed from One-2-Call (AIS pre-paid brand) to Happy (DTAC pre-paid brand) at the DTAC center in Paradise Park. I was told it would take 3 ~ 5 days but it was completed in ~ 36 hours.

All the service providers have detailed MNP web-pages.

You will lose any remaining pre-paid balance. You will have to pay 99 baht to the provider you are porting in to, DTAC in the OP's case.

TrueMove, TrueMove H and AIS may have restrictions re: which service centers can process port-ins.

[wpcoe]

Done once One2call to truemove-H and took around 14 days.

You'll end up a little while without service as there are a few hours between when they cancel your old number and activate the number on the new provider.

Wow, they took their sweet old time with you.

I've done MNP twice: once from DTAC to TrueMove, and later from TrueMove to TrueMove-H. The first one took about 3 or 4 days, as I recall. The True to True change was 3 days.

To the OP: Not to worry, though. Even if it takes ten days, you still can keep using your old AIS account until the cutover, then as Monty said it's a few hours without service. Just keep an eye on the provider/signal-strength icon on your phone. When it says "No Service," remove the AIS SIM and put in the DTAC SIM and wait for the phone to show service again. When it does, you'll no longer be on AIS. You'll be on DTAC.

It's a pretty painless process. Once you are registered with current passport info at AIS, just go to the nearest DTAC office. They will walk you through the process. Several forms to sign, but at True, the counter staff filled them all in for me.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

My experience has been a nightmare. It is now 5 weeks and five failed attempts to port my True Move H number to AIS here in Pattaya.

I will just summarize by saying:

Make sure the information in the providers' systems is identical, paying strict attention to how your name is displayed (initial caps; all caps; first name, last name)

My failures went like this:

1. Address anomaly. True had soi name in address, AIS's did not. Failed. Of course, when I originally registered with True, I had no inkling I'd be leaving True.

2. Another address anomaly: one had room number, the other didn't. Failure, my fault.

3. True had my first name as last, and last name as first. Failed. Fixed (Not! See below)

4. AIS had my name, as in my passport, with all letters upper case. It is their policy. True had name spelled with initial caps. Failed.

5. True had my first name as last, and last name as first. Again even though I fixed this. Failed. This was tonight.

Frankly, I'm not even sure these are the complete and accurate reasons because they don't understand their billing systems and I could never really find out what was wrong from the AIS Help Centre every time I was forced to talk to them. One girl did suggest there were name problems.

For all the reasons above, I still want to keep my True number because it's in restricted important use in several countries.

[BB1950]

My experience has been a nightmare. It is now 5 weeks and five failed attempts to port my True Move H number to AIS here in Pattaya.

I will just summarize by saying:

Make sure the information in the providers' systems is identical, paying strict attention to how your name is displayed (initial caps; all caps; first name, last name)

My failures went like this:

1. Address anomaly. True had soi name in address, AIS's did not. Failed. Of course, when I originally registered with True, I had no inkling I'd be leaving True.

2. Another address anomaly: one had room number, the other didn't. Failure, my fault.

3. True had my first name as last, and last name as first. Failed. Fixed (Not! See below)

4. AIS had my name, as in my passport, with all letters upper case. It is their policy. True had name spelled with initial caps. Failed.

5. True had my first name as last, and last name as first. Again even though I fixed this. Failed. This was tonight.

Frankly, I'm not even sure these are the complete and accurate reasons because they don't understand their billing systems and I could never really find out what was wrong from the AIS Help Centre every time I was forced to talk to them. One girl did suggest there were name problems.

For all the reasons above, I still want to keep my True number because it's in restricted important use in several countries.

Went through similar problems porting to True from AIS. Each time AIS made a change I had to wait another week. The attempt that was finally approved, I finally had AIS print out what was on their record and took it to True.

Each time it failed, I would get a call from AIS trying to convince me to keep my number with AIS. It was almost like AIS was making changes to keep me with AIS by giving up with frustration.

Edited January 10, 2013 by BB1950

[monty]

When my wife went from AIS to True move it went smooth, apart from several calls by AIS trying to keep her to stay with them.

But that was a Thai national, where it is much harder to muck up the details. Name in Thai as on ID and address as printed in the Tabien Bahn. Went through first time round!

It would be good to have guidelines as to how ones particulars are expected to be registered, could save a lot of hassle for foreigners! And then get the details as they are in the system with your old provider, and use those to initiate the MNP with your new provider!

[Morakot]

Is it possibles to have pay-as-you-go mobile numbers ported?

[monty]

Is it possibles to have pay-as-you-go mobile numbers ported?

Yes it is. But you have to register your pre-paid number first. For Thais copy ID card required, Foreigners need their passport.

The above mentioned headaches stems from the fact that the registered information at both providers (old and new) has to be exactly the same, so spelling mistakes in address or name, even all capital versus only first letter capital seems to be able to stall the process.

[Dork]

After having 5 (previously AIS) numbers hijacked by TRUE, getting the numbers released again after realising that TRUE H doesn't actually work properly was like pulling teeth. Took months.

TRUE H as a mobile provider? Never, ever again. Never!

[Morakot]

TRUE H as a mobile provider? Never, ever again. Never!

Plus ten to 15 spam sms per day. Not good!

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Since others have gotten into it, True has been a disaster for me here in Pattaya. Been ongoing for six months of my True H service. The exception in general is True's Aircard and internet service. Works all right for personal use but I wouldn't recommend it for vital business use.

Here are/were my problems, almost entirely cross-network calls within Thailand:

1. Losing the signal immediately upon dialing.

2. Getting ungodly line noise.

3. Having calls drop frequently. Almost guaranteed on 1 out of every two calls.

4. MMS files (small) not arriving for days.

5. SMSs from friends arriving hours and days later.

6. SMSs sent not going through at all.

7. SMSs arriving with no content.

8. Recent experience in Kamphaeng Phet showed how difficult it was to get a signal at all, never mind 3G. Simultaneous attempts via DTAC and AIS showed signals strong and consistent.

As others pointed out about providers throwing up roadblocks, I think True is being particularly sticky in releasing my number and therefore blame them for the long process, e.g., rejecting the porting of my number because the requester shows my name in all upper case versus True records with my name in initial caps.

[GarryP]

Is it possibles to have pay-as-you-go mobile numbers ported?

Yes it is. But you have to register your pre-paid number first. For Thais copy ID card required, Foreigners need their passport.

The above mentioned headaches stems from the fact that the registered information at both providers (old and new) has to be exactly the same, so spelling mistakes in address or name, even all capital versus only first letter capital seems to be able to stall the process.

I have a pre-paid True sim which I bought over the counter at 7-11. No ID was used to purchase the sim. I would like to keep this number but change over to a post paid AIS account. Is this possible? FYI I already have another post paid AIS account in my name, which my wife uses.

[lomatopo]

Is it possibles to have pay-as-you-go mobile numbers ported?

Yes it is. But you have to register your pre-paid number first. For Thais copy ID card required, Foreigners need their passport.

The above mentioned headaches stems from the fact that the registered information at both providers (old and new) has to be exactly the same, so spelling mistakes in address or name, even all capital versus only first letter capital seems to be able to stall the process.

I have a pre-paid True sim which I bought over the counter at 7-11. No ID was used to purchase the sim. I would like to keep this number but change over to a post paid AIS account. Is this possible? FYI I already have another post paid AIS account in my name, which my wife uses.

You will need to register someone, you or your wife, with this number before you can initiate the MNP process.

I'd get started ASAP as there is a huge queue for MNP.

FWIW, the MNP fee was reduced from 99 baht to 29 baht.

[GarryP]

Is it possibles to have pay-as-you-go mobile numbers ported?

Yes it is. But you have to register your pre-paid number first. For Thais copy ID card required, Foreigners need their passport.

The above mentioned headaches stems from the fact that the registered information at both providers (old and new) has to be exactly the same, so spelling mistakes in address or name, even all capital versus only first letter capital seems to be able to stall the process.

I have a pre-paid True sim which I bought over the counter at 7-11. No ID was used to purchase the sim. I would like to keep this number but change over to a post paid AIS account. Is this possible? FYI I already have another post paid AIS account in my name, which my wife uses.

You will need to register someone, you or your wife, with this number before you can initiate the MNP process.

I'd get started ASAP as there is a huge queue for MNP.

FWIW, the MNP fee was reduced from 99 baht to 29 baht.

Thanks. I assume I can do this at the nearest True outlet.