Any Good Deals On The Iphone About?

[Learned]

I am after a monthly subscription for a data package for my current phone, which seems to be about 800 baht a month (correct me if there are cheaper ones available).

What sort of prices do Iphone 4s go for these days with a monthly data package? Not bothered about calls or texts really.

If you've spotted any deals please post them up.

I will be in Bangkok mostly and wanting to connect to the net from my laptop, through the phone.

Thanks.

[Chicog]

There will be after tomorrow when the S4 comes out.

[lomatopo]

There aren't as many bundles as you might think, and they require 2 year committment.

An iPhone 4S/16 GB is 19,500 baht all in: on-line store or premium resellers like iStudio.

http://www.ais.co.th/iphone/en/main/

http://www.dtac.co.th/device/apple/iphone4s.html

http://www3.truecorp.co.th/iphone/tariff_package_iphone4.html

How much data do you use?

You may be better off with a pre-paid plan?

[keeniau96]

Supposed to be a big promotion by AIS in early April to flog off their new 3G service based on the buildout from the recent auction.

[USNret]

It sounds to me what you're really looking for is a mobile hotspot, not a phone. A mobile hotspot (aka, pocket wifi) can be had from major providers pretty cheap, i believe on a month-to-month plan. If you need to make an occasional call, just add a cheapo phone to the mix (with prepaid card), this might come out much faster & cheaper that trying to connect by iPhone 4s.

[lomatopo]

The OP's current phone could also be tethered (via USB or blue tooth) or used to create a Mobile AP.

Would need to know the exact details on the make/model.

Mobile data plans which offer unlimited internet usage range in price from 400 baht/1 GB up to 1,700 baht for 10 GB.

[bbradsby]

A new iPhone will still be limited by the network speed. 3G is a joke/scam to be played on Thailand subscribers.

I have an ol' warhorse iPhone circa 2008 model MB499LL brought in from the Colonies, hacked it for free on iOS4.0.2, and run USB cable-tethered data on DTAC on an unlimited cell-data plan. Am reasonably happy with the download speeds, compared to the over-subscribed BKK DSL "service."

Back to the 3G hype/scam: when over subscribed it will be as slow as "Edge" or whatever other BS names they dream up. In the US, 3G was a complete waste of time & money, it was so oversubscribed, 3G was what... 3xGlacial speed?! So, as usual, caveat emptor, be very wary of the hype for it here in LoS (Land o Snailspeed)

[bbradsby]

 

The OP's current phone could also be tethered (via USB or blue tooth) or used to create a Mobile AP.

Would need to know the exact details on the make/model.

Mobile data plans which offer unlimited internet usage range in price from 400 baht/1 GB up to 1,700 baht for 10 GB.

 

Possibly I'm thick, but yr post seems to make no sense - "unlimited ... up to... $$$/1GB... up to $$$/10GB." Please clarify what part of that is Unlimited?

[lomatopo]

Possibly I'm thick, but yr post seems to make no sense - "unlimited ... up to... $$$/1GB... up to $$$/10GB." Please clarify what part of that is Unlimited?

Don't sell yourself short, you're not thick.

Here in Thailand most service providers offer a few volume-based mobile data plans which offer unlimited internet usage. So you might get 3G up to your threshold ( the referenced 1 GB, or 2/3/5/7/10 GB) after which you are subject to a fair-use speed limit ranging from 64 to 384 Kbps.

[nikster]

A new iPhone will still be limited by the network speed. 3G is a joke/scam to be played on Thailand subscribers. I have an ol' warhorse iPhone circa 2008 model MB499LL brought in from the Colonies, hacked it for free on iOS4.0.2, and run USB cable-tethered data on DTAC on an unlimited cell-data plan. Am reasonably happy with the download speeds, compared to the over-subscribed BKK DSL "service." Back to the 3G hype/scam: when over subscribed it will be as slow as "Edge" or whatever other BS names they dream up. In the US, 3G was a complete waste of time & money, it was so oversubscribed, 3G was what... 3xGlacial speed?! So, as usual, caveat emptor, be very wary of the hype for it here in LoS (Land o Snailspeed)

What on earth are you talking about? I have used True 3G with a 3GS, an iPhone 4, and an iPhone 5. I am getting 2Mbit+ down and about 500k - 1Mbit up on average. In some place I've gotten 5Mbit down. Has been working for years. Now with True-H 3G is actually available all over Thailand. Has been for well over 1 year too. Even before that, True 3G was pretty wide-spread.

US 3G was a different story - the networks there were a total joke. This has been much improved with the introduction of 4G.

Thai 3G speeds are excellent.

Edited March 14, 2013 by nikster

[nikster]

About iPhone deals. When I wanted to sell my iPhone 4 a while ago - just after the 5 came out - the little dealer shops in the mall offered me 8k baht for it. They sold used iP4 for 9,500 or 10,000. I asked both prices at the time, actually, I always start with what they're selling it for, then I ask them what they'll give me...

So I thought in the months since then, the price must have gone down, and wanted to pick up a cheap second phone for development - unfortunately it's 12.5k baht now. I asked at multiple shops, in both malls in CM So the price of the iPhone 4 has gone up. Good for Apple, bad for bargains.

Edited March 14, 2013 by nikster

[bbradsby]

 

A new iPhone will still be limited by the network speed. 3G is a joke/scam to be played on Thailand subscribers. I have an ol' warhorse iPhone circa 2008 model MB499LL brought in from the Colonies, hacked it for free on iOS4.0.2, and run USB cable-tethered data on DTAC on an unlimited cell-data plan. Am reasonably happy with the download speeds, compared to the over-subscribed BKK DSL "service." Back to the 3G hype/scam: when over subscribed it will be as slow as "Edge" or whatever other BS names they dream up. In the US, 3G was a complete waste of time & money, it was so oversubscribed, 3G was what... 3xGlacial speed?! So, as usual, caveat emptor, be very wary of the hype for it here in LoS (Land o Snailspeed)

What on earth are you talking about? I have used True 3G with a 3GS, an iPhone 4, and an iPhone 5. I am getting 2Mbit+ down and about 500k - 1Mbit up on average. In some place I've gotten 5Mbit down. Has been working for years. Now with True-H 3G is actually available all over Thailand. Has been for well over 1 year too. Even before that, True 3G was pretty wide-spread.

US 3G was a different story - the networks there were a total joke. This has been much improved with the introduction of 4G.

Thai 3G speeds are excellent.

 

I'm talking about my experience, actually, with the much-vaunted 3G in a highly-saturated & over-subscribed urban market... just like Bangkok will be soon no doubt. If you ride BTS, you know half of all riders seem to be cruising bandwidth-intensive video & music video sites on their web-connected iPads & iPhones. So just line the Bangkok DSL, the actual speeds for 3G will likely SUCK in short order.

[honoluabay]

I am after a monthly subscription for a data package for my current phone, which seems to be about 800 baht a month (correct me if there are cheaper ones available).

What sort of prices do Iphone 4s go for these days with a monthly data package? Not bothered about calls or texts really.

If you've spotted any deals please post them up.

I will be in Bangkok mostly and wanting to connect to the net from my laptop, through the phone.

Thanks.

the iPhone has iPhone hot spot on 3g. Just plug your phone into laptop and go. Only deals I have seen are 800 bht unlimited per month. AIS

[bbradsby]

 

Possibly I'm thick, but yr post seems to make no sense - "unlimited ... up to... $$$/1GB... up to $$$/10GB." Please clarify what part of that is Unlimited?

Don't sell yourself short, you're not thick.

Here in Thailand most service providers offer a few volume-based mobile data plans which offer unlimited internet usage. So you might get 3G up to your threshold ( the referenced 1 GB, or 2/3/5/7/10 GB) after which you are subject to a fair-use speed limit ranging from 64 to 384 Kbps.

 

ok, thx for the clarification. Cellular data is still free above the quota, just not at 3G speed, whatever that ends up being after they over-subscribe the network.

[nikster]

I'm talking about my experience, actually, with the much-vaunted 3G in a highly-saturated & over-subscribed urban market... just like Bangkok will be soon no doubt. If you ride BTS, you know half of all riders seem to be cruising bandwidth-intensive video & music video sites on their web-connected iPads & iPhones. So just line the Bangkok DSL, the actual speeds for 3G will likely SUCK in short order.

"Will suck in short order" means exactly nothing.

Is it fast or isn't it? That's the only thing that matters. As of right now, I think it's pretty fast (in BKK at the moment).

Actually - just did a speed test, I am getting 1.8Mbit down and 380Kbbs up on True-H in Sukhumvit.

That's fine. It feels fast, and I am actually using my 3G tethered to my MacBook Pro in the Cafe right now as the Cafe WiFi is way slower than my phone (has some issues, it should be faster of course).

Speeds depend not only on how much usage there is but also on how many towers there are. The problem in places like San Francisco is that there are very strict regulations on cell towers, and getting a new one approved can take 5 years. Or it never happens. That's why 3G in SF is terrible - I have no love for AT&T, it's the worst operator I know - but for this one, they can't be blamed. They're not allowed to put in more towers, that's all. In Bangkok, I am pretty sure there are no such issues...