Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

HI;

Need just a little help understanding how to get my Samsung Infuse i997 up and running in Thailand when I visit in July 2013.

Currently in US I'm on AT&T. I just SIM unlocked the phone so it's ready for a SIM from any service in Thailand. What I'm aiming at is to purchase a SIM and a plan that will give me voice calls, texting, and internet access for 30 days without having to top it up. (Or is that too much to expect?)

What I need help with is what to buy when. I've been looking at the offerings on the DTAC website and have concluded the following:

1. I'll need a SIM

2. I'll need to top-up the SIM at time of purchase to enable voice and texting.

3. I'll have to add some sort of internet access package.

OR

If I purchase the DTAC Happy Internet SIM for 69 THB the promotion that is on now will give me 1,200 minutes of internet access and 720 minutes of voice / texting. ( http://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/products/newsimhappyinternet.html )

Am I reading this right? I mean would DTAC really give all this time for 69 THB? Or is there some catch?

Thaks in advance for helping me understand how ot get started and how these add-ons work.

Sincerely,

Dustyniche

Posted

How long will you be staying in Thailand?

How much data will you use? Over what time period?

Your 3-step program is generally recommended.

Your phone would work on DTAC/Happy and TrueMove H 850 MHz 3G networks. Both may have 2100 MHz 3G available for pre-paid customers in July.

This is a decent Happy (DTAC's pre-paid brand) SIM: http://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/products/simkongkapan.html

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

That Happy Internet SIM's associated promotions are enticing but I'd generally recommend staying away form time-based plans (300 internet minutes for four months); the 720 baht of free calls is great, for activations 1 - 31 May 2013 though, and:

.After a 200 Baht refill, you will get free call valued 60 Baht for 12 billing cycles which eligible 15 days per month and next billing cycle.

so maybe less than ideal for you?

Posted

lomatopo ---

Thanks for really valuable information. The SIM Kong Kra Pun sounds like the SIM / plan for me. With that SIM, a top-up and the Happy Internet package I should be good to go for a long time.

I'll be in Thailand just shy of 30 days. I anticipate my data usage will be light to moderate on the phone (what'sapp, email etc.), but I will have a notebook and a Zoom Air Card with me. The air card is for those times when I'm away from wifi at friend's home or hotel. The air card already got some use with both a DTAC and True 3G SIM a few years ago (before I had a smartphone) and it seemed to work fine.

Besides my Android phone - normal size SIM - easy to find, there are three others traveling with me. Two have iPhone 4 and one has iPhone 5. Obviously iPhone 4 SIMs are easy to come by, but how about the iPhone 5 SIM? Is it readily available? I can see on the DTAC online store that only a few SIMs are available in the micro-SIM size, but it does not specify if this size is for iPhone 4 or iPhone 5.

Thanks again for your help. At least now I feel confident about what to ask for when I get to the DTAC store.

Posted

What is the exact make/model/specs on the air-card? Unfortunately, assuming you still have a stock AT&T ROM, you may not be able to tether or hot-spot your i997. Otherwise that would obviate the need for an air-card and swapping a SIM back/forth.

Most SIMs sold these days are duo-cut so you can snap out the micro-SIM (4/4S). Nano-SIMs (5) can be a bit more challenging to find, but any DTAC shop - there is one at the airport (SBIA/BKK: level 2, ~ door 7, just outside Customs) - in any mall here will have them if you can't find one in a regular mobile phone shop or convenience store.

I assume the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 are un-locked?

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

What is the exact make/model/specs on the air-card? Unfortunately, assuming you still have a stock AT&T ROM, you may not be able to tether or hot-spot your i997. Otherwise that would obviate the need for an air-card and swapping a SIM back/forth.

Most SIMs sold these days are duo-cut so you can snap out the micro-SIM (4/4S). Nano-SIMs (5) can be a bit more challenging to find, but any DTAC shop - there is one at the airport (SBIA/BKK: level 2, ~ door 7, just outside Customs) - in any mall here will have them if you can't find one in a regular mobile phone shop or convenience store.

I assume the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 are un-locked?

I thought I had replied to this a few weeks ago, but I guess I forgot to click Post. (old age)

In any case the AirCard is a Zoom Model 4595 3G Mobile Broadband Modem (7.2 Mbps, Tri-band USB). It came UN-locked from the manufacturer.

It supports UTMS/HSDPA 850/1900/2100 MHz and

GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

It takes a standard size SIM and also has a slot for a 4Gb. micro SDD card. The memory can be used like a flash drive.

I got it from some place like Amazon.com for about $70.00 US. I just opened it and my TrueMove SIM is still in there. Expired of course, but tells me what I used for data a few years ago. It worked fine in Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Pranburi.

What you said about the duo-cut SIMs is really helpful. The web sites don't mention this feature and it's not something we normally see here. I just found a place here in Virginia that unlocked my wife's iPhone4 yesterday. She has to make an emergency trip to Bangkok this week so now all she has to do is pick up one of these SIM Kong Kra Pun starter SIMs at the airport or Central, top it up and I believe she'll have all of her voice, texting and data taken care of. I'm asking her to bring back SIMs for the other phones so we'll have them in the phones when the whole family goes back in July. Seems to me that all we'll need to do when we arrive is activate the SIM and top it up.

Posted

Since your USB aircard supports 850 MHz 3G then it would also work with DTAC/Happy or TrueMove H.

I use https://www.google.com/search?q=sim+adapter+images&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=G3uZUbKyI8rhrAe-1YG4Ag&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1920&bih=979'>a SIM adapter/carrier when I need to use a uSIM in a older device which might require the standard (actually mini- I think?) SIM.

In the U.S. I need a uSIM for my Google Nexus 4 for use with T-Mobile, but my USB aircard and Samsung Captivate takes a standard SIM.

If I were you I might be tempted to test out the 'unlocked' iPhone 4 with a PAYG SIM in the U.S. verify it is working properly. AT&T will unlock iPhones for customers who have completed their contracts.

I purchased an AIS/One-2-Call SIM here last week for a visitor, it has an activate by date of ~ 10+ months, but your wife should check the date to make sure any SIMs she brings back have the required shelf-life.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.


  • Topics

  • Latest posts...

    1. 3

      Best time of day for jomtien immigration?

    2. 14

      Chrome

    3. 41

      "Medical" device ordered outside Thailand being held by Import Export Inspection Division

    4. 3

      Best time of day for jomtien immigration?

    5. 9

      Rice cooker WITHOUT Aluminum ??

    6. 428

      Thailand's Expats Urged to Register with TRD for Tax, Says Expert

  • Popular in The Pub


×
×
  • Create New...