Smart Phone Advice/recommendation Please

[PhilsterBKK]

Hi All,

I have to travel the USA and my wife has to stay in Thailand and take care of the kids. I want to get her a economical smart phone for Christmas so we can talk. She does not need a large phone, just a phone that can do Skype.

Also, she will need a SIM card with internet access for Skype. We prefer the prepaid kinds you can fill up at 7-11.

Do you have any recommendations for a phone and SIM card ? There are so many out there I really could use some advice ...

Thanks,

PhilsterBKK

[lomatopo]

This is a fairly broad question but if you could provide more details it might narrow the scope and yield specific recommendations.

Do you have internet service at your home in Thailand? If so, do you have a WiFi router? Will you have it in the U.S.? Does your wife currently have a mobile phone/service? Would you have a mobile phone in the U.S.?

How long will you be in the U.S.? How often would you be talking? Do you want to be able to call each other, or could one party initiate each call? What kind if budget do you have for calling?

Probably the simplest approach would be for each to use standard mobile phones on each side and then use calling cards.

[roban]

Do you have any recommendations for a phone and SIM card ?

Imobile Q1 for the phone

one of the data packages from here

Skype from here

Edited December 24, 2012 by roban

[PhilsterBKK]

This is a fairly broad question but if you could provide more details it might narrow the scope and yield specific recommendations.

Do you have internet service at your home in Thailand? If so, do you have a WiFi router? Will you have it in the U.S.? Does your wife currently have a mobile phone/service? Would you have a mobile phone in the U.S.?

How long will you be in the U.S.? How often would you be talking? Do you want to be able to call each other, or could one party initiate each call? What kind if budget do you have for calling?

Probably the simplest approach would be for each to use standard mobile phones on each side and then use calling cards.

We don't have WiFi or internet at our house, so I am looking for a SIM card with internet access that is fast enough to do a simple Skype voice only call.

I purchased a Skype plan for my biz where I can call any number in the USA for free and I also have a dedicated USA Skype phone number. It only costs about 80 bucks a year and it allows me to maintain a USA presence where my customers call my local USA number and it rings on Skype in my Thai office.

All my wife needs to do to get a hold of me is to call my USA cell phone number with Skype. When I want to call her, I just call the local USA number and it rings her on Skype. I did this before and it works pretty good with computers, so I want to use it with a smartphone.

I know this sounds crazy, but I am an old fart. I am totally new to all this smartphone technology. What I am really looking for is advice from my fellow expats on what SIM service will get the job done. I can't get this advice from the Thai because when they see me they always try to up sell me. I need to do prepaid cards because the last time I signed something in Thai I was tricked by a greedy pig, and I will not sign anything again ...

[PhilsterBKK]

Do you have any recommendations for a phone and SIM card ?

Imobile Q1 for the phone

one of the data packages from here

Skype from here

Wow, That is a cheap phone! THANKS I noticed that they have Wifi. I have seen some hotspots on my laptop when I take it home. Do you remember the name of this "3G NETSIM" hotspot so I can check if it is available at our flat ?

[lomatopo]

I think potential issues with using Skype, for your wife is mobile broadband here in Thailand, with both the need for 3G, and the potential to quickly overrun her monthly data allotment. An "unlimited internet usage" plan with a fair-use speed limit of 384 Kbps may work.

I wouldn't necessarily rely on public WiFi hotspots to support Skype.

Do you happen to know if there is 3G available in the general area where your wife lives?

Ultimately it may be simplest, easiest, cheapest for you to call her, She can receive calls on a simple mobile phone with a SIM for no per minute cost, and you can originate calls from the U.S. to her using any number of low cost options: calling card, VoIP, Skype, etc. Prices are as low as 1 baht ($0.03) per minute. For your wife to originate calls via Skype a reasonable data plan might cost her ~ 650 baht per month. So you could use a calling card for 650 minutes (20 minutes per day) before it might cost more than equipping her with mobile data, and a new phone?

Edited December 24, 2012 by lomatopo

[PhilsterBKK]

I think potential issues with using Skype, for your wife is mobile broadband here in Thailand, with both the need for 3G, and the potential to quickly overrun her monthly data allotment. An "unlimited internet usage" plan with a fair-use speed limit of 384 Kbps may work.

I wouldn't necessarily rely on public WiFi hotspots to support Skype.

Do you happen to know if there is 3G available in the general area where your wife lives?

Ultimately it may be simplest, easiest, cheapest for you to call her, She can receive calls on a simple mobile phone with a SIM for no per minute cost, and you can originate calls from the U.S. to her using any number of low cost options: calling card, VoIP, Skype, etc. Prices are as low as 1 baht ($0.03) per minute. For your wife to originate calls via Skype a reasonable data plan might cost her ~ 650 baht per month. So you could use a calling card for 650 minutes (20 minutes per day) before it might cost more than equipping her with mobile data, and a new phone?

I went home for lunch and checked for WiFi. There is no AIS/3BB but there is a True WiFi hotspot. I use True DSL for my internet in my office (not house). I am wondering if I am a True customer, can I use the hotspots for free ?

[lomatopo]

There may be some tie-ins? http://trueonline.truecorp.co.th/packagedetail/45/Wi_Fi_by_TrueMove_H

But many public WiFi services block Skype.

[DickS]

I faced a similar problem and I have used the phone service listed below to call Thailand from the USA. I found it less expensive than to call the USA from Thailand. The connection was usually clear but I sometimes had to dial several times to get a connection through. It involves calling an access number in the USA and entering your pin number. I put this all on speed dial so it was all pretty painless. You cannot beat the rate for 1.5 cents a minute. Good luck!

http://www.callmuangthai.com/?_language=en

[thaicbr]

Do you have any recommendations for a phone and SIM card ?

Imobile Q1 for the phone

one of the data packages from here

Skype from here

if your wife wants a slightly smaller phone then the I-mobile Q4 (4" not 4.5") is the one to look for. Its 4995b But it comes in 2 versions 850/2100 3g (true,dtac, cat/tot) and 900/2100 3g ais, cat/tot)

i currently use True H 3g which most of the time is fast enough to do skype voice calls, can do video calls for a few seconds but gets a bit iffy if not full signal.

Oh and if you get a package that will include calls, mobile internet and in some cases True wifi.. worth considering.

Edited December 26, 2012 by thaicbr