Best Bargain For Prepaid 3G?

[uhuh]

Good subject. AIS 3G totally sucks compared to TRUE and D-Tac, thats my personal experecne anyway.

AIS sucks all round actually in my opinion.

I am hearing more and more people unhappy about AIS.

It may be because they have 38 million customers for the same amount of frequency as DTAC or True with respectively 24 and 21 million customers. It must be hard to provide quality 3G in these conditions.

I am with TrueMove-H and love it, never got any issues and great 3G for now 2+ year. I have the Smart 399 package (http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/packages/ismart/entry/594) and their website is FINALLY mostly in English..... finally.

GJ

FWIW, TrueMove H have ~ 2.9 million customers on the CAT 3G network - TrueMove have 18 million customers on their 1800 MHz GSM network, which may be shuttered on Sep. 15, 2013. I think CAT themselves have fewer than 1 million customers, so this CAT network is by far the most under-subscribed network here, so one reason why it might be the obvious choice. CAT also claim 11,000 3G base-stations, although TrueMove H may be excluded from some of those as the "contract" is still under judicial and regulatory review, so maybe double the number that AIS and DTAC currently have. TrueMove H subscribers roam onto the TrueMove 1800 MHz network when they are outside of CAT coverage. It's not exactly clear how robust CAT's back-haul capacity is from all for these base-stations so YMMV. CAT, and thus TrueMove H, were running out of telephone numbers.

Last week GF was upcountry and her My by CAT had no 3G signal.

Her friend's TRUE Move H did have 3G.

They swapped SIM cards so its not a problem of the device.

How can that be?

Is CAT blocking their own customers in order to resell their brandwidth to TRUE?

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Seems that your little grey cells are fading.

Remember what I wrote?

If using the Net SIM and have used up your five hours and want another five hours for 39 baht(plus VAT), add some credit(at least 42 baht) and then *133*36*008615# Send

.

But you decided to pay 50 baht plus VAT and then complain.

Edited April 23, 2013 by Jiu-Jitsu

[Lannig]

Seems that your little grey cells are fading.

Remember what I wrote?

If using the Net SIM and have used up your five hours and want another five hours for 39 baht(plus VAT), add some credit(at least 42 baht) and then *133*36*008615# Send

.

But you decided to pay 50 baht plus VAT and then complain.

Oopsie. Indeed, I had overlooked this particular tidbit. My bad.

Not to get the last word or anything, but (unless I've missed it twice) this particular offer seems nowhere to be seen on the two AIS pages linked in one of your posts. Unfortunately they are the ones I had printed before leaving as a reference.

Which brings up the next question: where did you find this?

Mind you, I didn't really complain. Just wanted to tell my little story because it was some fun after all to realise all I had to go through for the bloody 5 hours of online time

I need to rethink all of this anyway until my next trip, and I've got good pieces of advice to help me think. Thanks.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Seems that your little grey cells are fading.

Remember what I wrote?

If using the Net SIM and have used up your five hours and want another five hours for 39 baht(plus VAT), add some credit(at least 42 baht) and then *133*36*008615# Send

.

But you decided to pay 50 baht plus VAT and then complain.

Oopsie. Indeed, I had overlooked this particular tidbit. My bad.

Not to get the last word or anything, but (unless I've missed it twice) this particular offer seems nowhere to be seen on the two AIS pages linked in one of your posts. Unfortunately they are the ones I had printed before leaving as a reference.

Which brings up the next question: where did you find this?

Mind you, I didn't really complain. Just wanted to tell my little story because it was some fun after all to realise all I had to go through for the bloody 5 hours of online time

I need to rethink all of this anyway until my next trip, and I've got good pieces of advice to help me think. Thanks.

I didn't link to any AIS pages, they were in lomatopo's post. I just gave you the code that you needed.

[khman]

Hello guys,

Maybe you can help me too
I need a permanent connexion. I took TRUE 3G for 5GB, I used it all in 10 days... After the 5GB spent, they say I am at 384kb/sec. I thought it could be enough, but it works very bad.

My DTAC 20hours for 99THB (but 128kb/sec) works much better.

So, what would you advise me to take for next time? Maybe the DTAC 5GB for 849THB, then the 384kb/s unlimited? Maybe it will be better than the True 384kb...?

Or aircard tablet offers. Seems 3gb (650thb), 5GB (790thb), and 7gb (999thb) are all offering 384kb after you go over the included Gigabits? (see http://www.dtac.co.th/en/postpaid/products/aircard-tablet-unlimited.html )

BTW are aircard tablet offers "shareable" with a Mifi router such as http://76.my/Malaysia/zte-mf65-21mbps-wireless-modem-mifi-router-huawei-e5331-e5332-mf60-junelaw-1305-29-junelaw@4.jpg (I bought one from True seems it is not simlocked). I ask this because aircard tablet offers are cheaper...

In short, which offers should give a real 384kb/sec, unlimited, after included gigabytes are done?

Thanks

[khman]

Edit : just hang up with True : they said after 5GB it is 384kb. But if you continue continue continue to use, it will be slower and slower. Unfair, written nowhere. Who does offer real 384kb unlimited...?

[Dario]

Edit : just hang up with True : they said after 5GB it is 384kb. But if you continue continue continue to use, it will be slower and slower. Unfair, written nowhere. Who does offer real 384kb unlimited...?

Hi, may I ask you how long ago did you make your 5GB True-H contract? I'm asking for the following reason:

I have the same package since about 2 years with True. I later read that the 384KB were throttled down to 128 KB for new contracts ( but maybe doesn't apply for the 5GB package) ... I'm using that SIM with an iPhone 4S.

I must add, there is no cable Internet in my area where I live in northern Surin province.

Now, next week I will have a new Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 N5100 model which is good for 3G. I would like to use it to connect to my broker for trading stock on the SET. With 128KB I don't think I will get enough power on fair usage, because, 128KB is what True writes in their brochures, but actual speed may be much lower.

If you can confirm that you bought that package recently, then I would go again with True for my tablet. Thanks for your help!

[khman]

Hi,

I just checked (as I use my 5GB in a few days unfortunately...)

I subscribed to this package less than 1 month ago, and I just checked, the internet sms tells me I am at 384.

So seems what you read is wrong or doesn't apply to 5GB package? Please keep us posted

PS 384 is quite slow even for standard browsing... but it works.. 5GB are so quickly used...!

[Dario]

Hi,

I just checked (as I use my 5GB in a few days unfortunately...)

I subscribed to this package less than 1 month ago, and I just checked, the internet sms tells me I am at 384.

So seems what you read is wrong or doesn't apply to 5GB package? Please keep us posted

PS 384 is quite slow even for standard browsing... but it works.. 5GB are so quickly used...!

Thanks for a quick answer! Good to know. Well, for me, 384 KB is enough. I want to use it to connect to my stock broker's app and trade shares when I'm underway. I do it now w ith CAT also on 384 KB and it works. I saw another package (prepaid) from TRUE-H called iNet and there you get 3 GB and 5 GB also with 384 KB. I attach a screenshot, there might be other TV readers interested. I will talk tomorrow with True to find out what's best. But good to know that with the current 5 GB postpaid package we get 384 KB. You have the postpaid 3 GB package, don't you khman? Stupid question of me ... the title mentions prepaid. Sorry!

Edited May 28, 2014 by Dario

[khman]

Hello,

Oh, I have True and Dtac 5GB, all pre paid.

Both work about the same, maybe True a bit better.

[Dario]

Hello,

Oh, I have True and Dtac 5GB, all pre paid.

Both work about the same, maybe True a bit better.

I have a stupid question: How do you prepay 699 Baht with True? I ask this question, because about 2 years ago I wanted to take a prepaid True package for an aircard and I was told I have to buy a 1'000 Baht top-up card. That's not a nice solution. AFAIK there's no more postpaid True-H package with 384 KB fair usage. Now since December 2011 when I bought my iPhone 4S I took a postpaid package and I pay online via my credit card, that's easy. pay exactly the amount I have to.

How one pays a prepaid package nowadays?

[khman]

Yes, I have a prepaid package with True.

I look for my package price then I top up the amount (with VAT), then I dial the "ussd" code.
Also I have many true shops around me. Being a falang I must insist, explain, repeat, but at the end I get what I want...!

If I struggle I come see them, give them my phone, the money, and they sub the package for me.

[Dario]

Yes, I have a prepaid package with True.

I look for my package price then I top up the amount (with VAT), then I dial the "ussd" code.

Also I have many true shops around me. Being a falang I must insist, explain, repeat, but at the end I get what I want...!

If I struggle I come see them, give them my phone, the money, and they sub the package for me.

And you pay exactly 699.00 + 48.93 VAT = 747.93?

[khman]

I am sorry I am not sure but I think I pay 899+VAT, not 699, for 5gb.

I think I use these packages :

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/packages/inet/entry/583

[build6]

Dario - you can top up at 7-11, where they will either give you scratch cards or print out vouchers with codes you can enter for credit. There are also machines that will take your money and apply it to your account/number.

You can top up multiple times with smaller denominations if you don't want to have too much credit "overhang" in your account. Four 200 baht scratch cards/vouchers will give you a 50-baht-ish remainder after the 699 baht (plus vat) package, for example. Or you can use 16 fifty-baht cards/vouchers. The only limit is your patience.

(I think the machines allow for a wider range of denominations you should check those out. There're machines at every true store I've seen)

[lomatopo]

DTAC have a decent double up promo on pre-paid (and a ton of other incredible device and post-paid promotions) which gives 2X volume for six months, and they slather on an extra 4 GB of 4G (incremental) for free for four months.

http://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/products/Happy-internet-package.html

[khman]

Hi

I just took today the 6+6Gb for 799thb ext VAT

Good promotion..

[wpcoe]

Hello guys,

Maybe you can help me too

I need a permanent connexion. I took TRUE 3G for 5GB, I used it all in 10 days... After the 5GB spent, they say I am at 384kb/sec. I thought it could be enough, but it works very bad.

My DTAC 20hours for 99THB (but 128kb/sec) works much better.

So, what would you advise me to take for next time? Maybe the DTAC 5GB for 849THB, then the 384kb/s unlimited? Maybe it will be better than the True 384kb...?

Or aircard tablet offers. Seems 3gb (650thb), 5GB (790thb), and 7gb (999thb) are all offering 384kb after you go over the included Gigabits? (see http://www.dtac.co.th/en/postpaid/products/aircard-tablet-unlimited.html )

BTW are aircard tablet offers "shareable" with a Mifi router such as http://76.my/Malaysia/zte-mf65-21mbps-wireless-modem-mifi-router-huawei-e5331-e5332-mf60-junelaw-1305-29-junelaw@4.jpg (I bought one from True seems it is not simlocked). I ask this because aircard tablet offers are cheaper...

In short, which offers should give a real 384kb/sec, unlimited, after included gigabytes are done?

Thanks

Not sure this workaround is worth it, but thought I'd mention it anyway. I just mentioned in another thread about TOT's "Perfect Storm" 3G unlimited data plans for B790/B900 per month. The downside is the speed, either 1Mbps or 2Mbps download, but there is no data cap. I guess if you used a higher-speed (e.g. DTAC or True) data plan until it reached its limit, then swapped out the SIM for a TOT SIM with Perfect Storm, you could finish the month at either 1Mbps or 2Mbps speed.

[edited to add:]

Oops. Just noticed you are looking at prepaid plans. The TOT Perfect Storm is postpaid.

Edited June 18, 2014 by wpcoe

[khman]

Wow, wpcoe, thanks for this info, I was not aware.

Even if looking for prepaid, postpaid can be Ok...!

For now I have DTAC 2*6Go, it's OK... Always works and 1-2Mb... but volume capped so I must be careful!

But I would prefer much an unlimited offer, even if same/a bit slower but enough for me for sure.

So I will try to know more about this offer. Are you aware of similar offers from other operators?

Do you have some more links before I go to their shop? Do they sell packages with "Mifi" router, to sprite to Wifi? (I have one but it is simlocked from True...). Or maybe I could buy one not tied to operator...

Thanks!

[wpcoe]

Far as I know TOT's "Perfect Storm" is the only truly unlimited plan offered by any Thai carrier, but if that's not correct, I'm sure someone will jump in here to correct that statement. (BTW, I just noticed a typo in my post above, the plan prices are B790/B990, not B790/900.)

That's the only current link for the TOT service I have. In fact, I had to use Google to find it as I had bookmarked an old TOT web page dedicated to the plan (with more information) but that link is no longer active.

I also don't know if TOT sells MiFi devices or not, but I'm pretty sure you can buy a 3rd party MiFi device and use a TOT SIM as long as the frequencies supported by the device match TOT.

[khman]

Thanks for your answer,

If it can help :

Since a few days I am using it.

It is indeed unlimited (in terms of volumes), and capped to 2Mbits/sec for the 990thb offer (Perfect storm).

Sometimes it works OK, and you can download up to 2Mbits/sec

But unfortunately most of the time it works only "so-so", so the download speed is quite slow (10-20ko/sec so 80-160kb so 0.08-0.16Mbit...), and most importantly LATENCY (ping) is very bad (when you ping). This mean regularly when you ping something, the round turn takes 1, 5, 10 sec !!!

Also some packets lost, sometime...

Overall, it always works, but 70% of the time only so-so.

I think it is due to TOT infrastructure which is not very good.

FYI my DTAC 3G (not capped in speed, but capped in volume) works much better... but is not unlimited!

I may stop the service when the month is over, I will see if they can fix the slower/unreliability but I doubt.

[wpcoe]

Thanks for the report. I was curious how reliable it was, but don't know anybody who is using it.

[khman]

No problem. Still using it and still so so.... like an ADSL that is shared by 10-30 people.