3G Mifi/portable Hotspots And Carriers - Recommendations?

[acemarke]

I'm currently planning a 15-day vacation to Pattaya. My US phone carrier is Verizon, so my Galaxy Nexus phone doesn't use SIM cards and doesn't use the same cell bands either. Obviously, that means my phone won't work on its own in Thailand.

I'm primarily interested in data usage during my trip, so it looks like a 3G "MiFi"-type portable hotspot device is my best bet. I've found a few companies online that rent them for international trips (XCom, TeleSquare US, etc), but it seems like it would be cheaper to purchase a MiFi and a SIM card myself.

I would appreciate recommendations and suggestions for the following questions:

1) What MiFi device should I purchase?

2) Should I purchase one before my trip, or would there be somewhere in Pattaya I could pick one up?

3) Which Thai 3G provider should I use?

4) How much would a 5GB or unlimited SIM card cost, and where would be the best place to get one?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Mark

[lomatopo]

Do you need a Mifi AP, or would a USB aircard suffice?

Whichever device you ultimately choose it should support, minimally, 850 MHz 3G for use on TrueMove H or DTAC/Happy; or 900 MHz 3G for use on AIS/One-2-Call.

http://www.totalairc...3G-Mobile-MiFi/

A 5 GB FUP will be ~ 950 baht all in with VAT (+ 7%).

http://www.dtac.co.t...et-package.html

http://www.ais.co.th...rnet-package/#2

http://truemoveh.tru...มเงิน

Edited January 13, 2013 by lomatopo

[iluvbeaches]

I'm currently planning a 15-day vacation to Pattaya. My US phone carrier is Verizon, so my Galaxy Nexus phone doesn't use SIM cards and doesn't use the same cell bands either. Obviously, that means my phone won't work on its own in Thailand.

I'm primarily interested in data usage during my trip, so it looks like a 3G "MiFi"-type portable hotspot device is my best bet. I've found a few companies online that rent them for international trips (XCom, TeleSquare US, etc), but it seems like it would be cheaper to purchase a MiFi and a SIM card myself.

I would appreciate recommendations and suggestions for the following questions:

1) What MiFi device should I purchase?

2) Should I purchase one before my trip, or would there be somewhere in Pattaya I could pick one up?

3) Which Thai 3G provider should I use?

4) How much would a 5GB or unlimited SIM card cost, and where would be the best place to get one?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Mark

If you are in the market for a tablet while in Los android and iPads can share Internet like a wifi hotspot as long as they are 3G sim compatible. Samsung 7 tab while traveling to share Internet running android 4.0.1 and also my iPhone does the same.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Have seen the HUAWEI E5331 in Pattaya, specifically in the BIG C centre. Think it is compatible with AIS (which doesn't deliver impressive 3G speeds in Pattaya . Currently showing 2 Mbps download on Speedtest, whilst in reality just over half that. Poor considering that my unit has a 21 Mbps rating).

Bought the 7GB 3GB and Unlimited EDGE package for 999 baht inc.

The 'staff' in the Telewiz shop in the Big C building in Pattaya Klang are suspect, to say the least.

Trying to sell a standard 3G NET SIM for 270 baht, claiming that it is that price because you get 50MB free is either stupidly criminal or utterly stupid. It is a 69 baht SIM. http://www.ais.co.th/12call/en/simcard-one2call-netsim-3g.html

Then claiming that the 7GB package is only for Postpaid and that there is no USSD code available for their 5GB package only serves to further illustrate their incompetence.