Whats this DTAC Trinet all about?

[Pib]

I dont know about you guys but trinet has completely F'ed me. I went 1 full day with full bars but cant do anything at all... even make emergency calls. I went to dtac and they fixed my apn... the phone then worked at the dtac store, full bars. I get home and no service at all. Cant do anything. Funny because my girlfriend and I have the same phone and the same plan. She was never upgraded. I noticed last night that I am on DTAC and shes on dtac. I switched to dtac... full bars but says im roaming and I cant do anything even with roaming enabled.

Long story short. A few days ago im almost always on full signal strength. Now im almost always on 2 bars or less and 50% of the time no reception at all. Not even roaming.

Is there a way to get out of the contract? I know in the civilized world if you have no reception at home they let you out for free...

Dreaming of switching to AIS....

Sent from my GT-I9500

When a person switches to TriNet the 2100Mhz becomes their "Home network" frequency and will be used whenever possible. When the 2100Mhz is too weak/absent then TriNet is suppose to automatically switch you to the 850Mhz (3G) or 1800Mhz (Edge) and you would see an R for Roaming appear...and it appears you may even have to have Mobile Data Roaming turned on (default is off) to ensure the proper switching. You are not charged anything additional for roaming off your Home 2100Mhz DTAC network as you are just being switched over to the DTAC 850/1800Mhz network.

Assuming you are connected to the 2100Mhz frequency and possibly in a weak reception area for 2100Mhz it may not take very much to make the 2100Mhz signal strength/number of bars vary up or down easily. Just in my two story home when on 2100Mhz walking from downstairs to upstairs can make a big signal strength difference, but on 850Mhz there is little change since 850Mhz has better building penetrating ability than 2100Mhz. And it won't matter if you are on DTAC, AIS, or whoever "2100Mhz" if the 2100Mhz signal in your area is weak then it may not take much in walking around your residence/immediate area to notice major signal strength changes. It all depends on the signal strength at your particular point on Earth....move to another point say a 100 meters away or put some more concrete walls/ceilings between your phone and the signal and you can experience big changes in signal strength on 2100Mhz...less so on 850Mhz. Since my home (my point on Earth) is in a weak signal strength area for DTAC 2100Mhz I've just set my phone to connect to the "dtac" network vs the "DTAC" network and my 850Mhz signal is strong and fast.

Edited August 25, 2013 by Pib

[ttnice30]

I dont know about you guys but trinet has completely F'ed me. I went 1 full day with full bars but cant do anything at all... even make emergency calls. I went to dtac and they fixed my apn... the phone then worked at the dtac store, full bars. I get home and no service at all. Cant do anything. Funny because my girlfriend and I have the same phone and the same plan. She was never upgraded. I noticed last night that I am on DTAC and shes on dtac. I switched to dtac... full bars but says im roaming and I cant do anything even with roaming enabled.

Long story short. A few days ago im almost always on full signal strength. Now im almost always on 2 bars or less and 50% of the time no reception at all. Not even roaming.

Is there a way to get out of the contract? I know in the civilized world if you have no reception at home they let you out for free...

Dreaming of switching to AIS....

Sent from my GT-I9500

When a person switches to TriNet the 2100Mhz becomes their "Home network" frequency and will be used whenever possible. When the 2100Mhz is too weak/absent then TriNet is suppose to automatically switch you to the 850Mhz (3G) or 1800Mhz (Edge) and you would see an R for Roaming appear...and it appears you may even have to have Mobile Data Roaming turned on (default is off) to ensure the proper switching. You are not charged anything additional for roaming off your Home 2100Mhz DTAC network as you are just being switched over to the DTAC 850/1800Mhz network.

Assuming you are connected to the 2100Mhz frequency and possibly in a weak reception area for 2100Mhz it may not take very much to make the 2100Mhz signal strength/number of bars vary up or down easily. Just in my two story home when on 2100Mhz walking from downstairs to upstairs can make a big signal strength difference, but on 850Mhz there is little change since 850Mhz has better building penetrating ability than 2100Mhz. And it won't matter if you are on DTAC, AIS, or whoever "2100Mhz" if the 2100Mhz signal in your area is weak then it may not take much in walking around your residence/immediate area to notice major signal strength changes. It all depends on the signal strength at your particular point on Earth....move to another point say a 100 meters away or put some more concrete walls/ceilings between your phone and the signal and you can experience big changes in signal strength on 2100Mhz...less so on 850Mhz. Since my home (my point on Earth) is in a weak signal strength area for DTAC 2100Mhz I've just set my phone to connect to the "dtac" network vs the "DTAC" network and my 850Mhz signal is strong and fast.

I agree with you there.

[Pib]

Just as additional FYI on DTAC 2100Mhz signal level in Bangkok, today around 1pm I drove from my home in Khet Talingchan/western Bangkok to central Bangkok. By central Bangkok I mean to the Sathorn Road area...in fact I drove the entire length of Sathorn Road due to my destination. The drive was 25 kilometers and approx. 30 minutes to that destination...no traffic jams today...traffic was moving good the whole way

Before leaving home I set my Samsung S4 to the "DTAC" 2100Mhz network which means its 3G would only connect to 2100Mhz and 1800Mhz if needing to switch to Edge....if would not change to 850Mhz. I use the app called Network Signal Info to monitor the signal strength since I can also see a signal graph while driving along. During the trip my signal level ranged from 0 bars (no signal...-113dbm ) to 4 bars (strong signal...stronger than -90dbm). The no signal situation where I got no 2100Mhz/3G or 1800Mhz/Edge was for about 100 meters stretch on Sathorn Rd. But I did find that the 2100Mhz signal was stronger in the highly populated/high rise central Bangkok area than less populated/low rise western Bangkok. When I got to my destination I looked at the "Average" signal level recorded over the trip as reflected by the Network Signal Info app. Like any average it consisted of many, many signal strength samples (at least hundreds, maybe thousands) taken over the 25Km/30min trip with the average being -92dbm, which is 3 bars on my S4...4 bars kick in at -90dbm. While this is good, keep in mind that this is signal along main roads where towers are usually located and as mentioned the signal lows and highs did vary quite a bit....I had plenty of 1 and 2 bar strength levels along the trip, a good amount of 4 bars mostly on parts of Sathorn Rd, but 3 bars showed the most frequently.

Now it's time to return home using the exact same route. I reset my Network Signal Info app for new readings and switch my phone to the "dtac" network which is 850Mhz/3G and 1800Mhz/Edge...no 2100Mhz/3G. On the way back on Sathorn Rd I was downshifted to the Edge/1800Mhz frequency one time for about 10 seconds then it went back to 850Mhz...but the signal was still 4 bars strong. As I continued the drive back the 850Mhz was much stronger than the 2100Mhz drive over. In fact, I got 850Mhz signal as strong as a -58dbm in places...and it was common to see strength levels in the -60s and -70s dbm (very strong 4 bars) for the majority of the trip...but I did get some signal strength indications in the mid -80s dbm which is still 4 bars strong. When I got home I looked at the "Average" signal level and it was a -71dbm.

So, on this particular route I took between western Bangkok and central Bangkok the DTAC 850Mhz signal averaged 21 dbm stronger than the DTAC 2100Mhz signal (i.e., 92 minus 71 = 21). Since I was driving I couldn't take any speedtests along the way...just glancing at my phone periodically to look at the signal strength graph and signal strength bar indicator was dangerous enough in Bangkok traffic. Just FYI. Your signal strength results may (will) vary due to your location.

[RaysFan]

Ok so I have switched my phone to 'dtac' and left it there for a few days now... phone is working normally. My concern is that I am roaming... always... is this a problem? When I switch to DTAC roaming goes away. Ive probably pulled 700mb roaming over the last 3 or 4 days...

Sent from my GT-I9500

[lomatopo]

Ok so I have switched my phone to 'dtac' and left it there for a few days now... phone is working normally. My concern is that I am roaming... always... is this a problem? When I switch to DTAC roaming goes away. Ive probably pulled 700mb roaming over the last 3 or 4 days...

Sent from my GT-I9500

What is your concern? You do not pay extra for data roaming. This is probably viewed as a benefit?

[lomatopo]

Just as additional FYI on DTAC 2100Mhz signal level in Bangkok

Other than these differences in signal strengths, which sort of make sense given that DTAC, and AIS and TrueMove H, have likely co-located some of their new 2100 MHz radios where they have existing base-stations, have you observed any differences in voice, text and data performance? You know, those things most people use their phones for, when they aren’t measuring dBm of course.

I have had to help a few customers and colleagues this week as they transitioned toTriNet – I’ve chosen to stick with the “old” DTAC/850 network abiding by that maxim which advises that what isn’t broken may not require fixing, ‘old” DTAC/850 works really well for me, as it has for the past two years so I prefer to let others blaze the trail – so can share some experiences. A lot or problems seem to have come up with the OTA/auto-provisioning, which can of course be done manually, once DTAC has ported you out of DTAC and ported you into dtac TriNet co., ltd.

DTAC TriNet APN settings for data and MMS which have worked with ~ 5 or so colleagues/customers with Android phones:

(Menu structure is for Android 4.3/JWR66V)

Assumes you’ve been switched to dtac TriNet co., ltd..

Settings, Wireless & Networks, More, Mobile Networks, Access Point Names

Add, or make a new, APN

1.) Name: dtac internet

2.) APN: www.dtac.co.th

3.) Port: 8080

You should only have to configure items 1, 2 & 3 above. For reference:

MCC: 520 (should be your default)

MNC: 05 (should be your default)

Aunthentication type: None

APN type: Not set

Save this APN

Now add another, second APN for mms:

Settings, Wireless & Networks, More, Mobile Networks, Access Point Names

Add, or make a new, APN

1.) Name: dtac mms

2.) APN: mms

3.) MMSC: http://mms2.dtac.co.th:8002/

4.) MMS Proxy: 10.10.10.10

5.) MMS port: 8080

6.) APN type: mms

Save this APN

Activate the data APN: Settings, Wireless & Networks, More, Mobile Networks, Access Point Names

Select the dtac internet APN radio button

Enable Data and Data roaming: Settings, Wireless & Networks, More, Mobile Networks, Access Point Names

Tick: Data enabled, and Data roaming

In your SMS application choose Settings, and tick Roaming auto-retrieve; this allows you to receive SMSes when you are roaming on 850 or 1800. Not 100% sure this is necessary - haven't tested it - but no harm, no foul

Re-start the phone

For pre-paid customers it looks like DTAC re-set their data counter to zero, but any renewal date on the data plans remains the same.

Drop me a PM, and I can try to help.

I also have some experience with AIS/2100 so can try to help there as well.

**Full disclosure: No, I do not now, nor have I ever, work(ed) for DTAC, AIS or CAT/TrueMove H.

Edited August 30, 2013 by lomatopo

[Pib]

As identified in my earlier posts and based on my signal level and speed tests when the DTAC 2100Mhz signal is in the one or two bar signal ballpark the download & upload speeds have been significantly lower than the 850Mhz in the 3 and 4 bar signal level ballpark. Also I have not seen any difference in Voice or sending/receiving SMSs. In fact, I turned my Mobile Data off to send a test SMS to my wife’s number…it showed up on her phone like a second later….also called her number with no problem with Mobile Data off no problem. So, I guess Voice and SMS continue to ride on the DTAC 1800Mhz frequency (always a strong signal anywhere I’ve went) and don’t ride on the DTAC 2100 or 850Mhz 3G frequencies.

Other than my mother-in-laws house out in the province/jungle where even the 850Mhz signal is very lower and I usually only get the 1800Mhz/Edge connection I haven’t really haven’t been able to do any “equal signal level 2100 and 850Mhz speedtesting” except that one time where I was driving around my immediate home area as talked in an earlier post doing signal level testing, found a spot/location close to a tower where the 2100 and 850Mhz signal levels were 4 bars strong and did a speed test on each frequency…the speeds were basically the same give or take a few percent. However, I expect many people will not be living close to a tower unless maybe living in a city central district or close to a main road which many towers seem to be concentrated. For me, as the crow flies I live a little less than 2 kilometers from two major roads here in western Bangkok, the #9/Outer Ring Road and Boramratchachonnee Road….towers everywhere along those roads….of course I don’t know which ones are DTAC towers.

At 11:45am this morning at my home I did a 2100Mhz signal level/speedtest: signal level was -104db/2 bars, 5.98Mb down speed, 0.84Mb up speed. I then switch to the 850Mhz network and got -81dbm/4 bars, 18.88Mb down speed, 3.51Mb up speed.

Earlier in the morning/10:30am while eating breakfast at FoodLand on Charansanitwong Rd in the Thonburi area of western Bangkok I did another set of signal level/speedtest: signal level on 2100Mhz was -110dbm/ 1 bar, 1.17Mb down speed, 0.02Mb up speed. I then switched to 850Mhz and got -85dbm/4bars, 7.73Mb down speed, 1.45Mb up speed.

As mentioned before signal levels are not the only thing that can affect speeds, but of course loading on a tower (i.e., number of people using that tower at any one time) you happen to be connected to has a major affect also…maybe more so than signal level…I couldn’t say. But one thing for sure based on my speed testing to date, when the 2100Mhz signal level is down in the one or two bars ballpark the speed is significantly lower than when quickly switching to 850Mhz where I get 3 or 4 bars (usually 4 bars) and doing a speed test. Just like the test I ran this morning at two different locations in western Bangkok which are 5.78Kilometers apart as the crow flies according to Google Earth. You results may (most probably) vary depending on your testing locations.

For the APN settings a person can get those sent to his phone in a configuration message which does not even require a person to have a Mobile Data connection. Just go to this DTAC link and follow the instructions. A few minutes ago "I turned off" my Mobile Data connection, went to the site using my laptop, entered my phone number so it could send me the APN configuration data, and within a second or two I got the Configuration Notice to my phone which shows you the configuration settings and you just need to press Install on the message to have them automatically installed on your phone. There may be a DTAC number you can dial from you phone and accomplish the same thing….I just don’t know what it is…or if there is even one…but I expect calling the DTAC Call Center at number 1678 a person could ask for them to retransmit the Configuration Message to your number. So, apparently even if you don't have a mobile data connection the configuration message can still be sent to your phone over the voice/SMS frequency.

Regarding the Roaming, when switched to Trinet, the 2100Mhz becomes the person's “home/primary”network…your phone will connect 2100Mhz before 850Mhz even if the 2100Mhz signal is very low, like one bar, and the 850Mhz is very strong, like 4 bars. Or if it does happen to connect to 850Mhz initially it will switch over to 2100Mhz within about 15 minutes based on testing with my phone and the wife’s phone. Based on my testing, the 2100Mhz will only switch to 850Mhz/3G or 1800Mhz/Edge if there is no 2100Mhz signal…and in order to connect to the 850/1800Mhz a person must have Data Roaming turned on. On the day you are switched to Trinet one or two Configuration Messages/SMSs are sent to you which basically tell you to be sure to have Data Roaming turned on. You will only be Roaming on the DTAC frequencies….that is, switching back and forth between DTAC 2100/850/1800Mhz so there is no additional charges…when I called the DTAC Call Center the day I was switched over I asked the question and they said no charge…Roaming turned on is just required in order for your phone to switch between all three TriNet frequencies which you may need to automatically switch to as you travel around….and when I say travel around I don’t mean like traveling to another city…I just mean anywhere the signal level of the frequency you happen to be connected to drops so low to lose connection….heck, for me I can make my 2100Mhz signal disappear by walking to certain areas of my house since the 2100Mhz signal is weak in my area.

So, to prevent Trinet from trying to keep me on the 2100Mhz frequency come hell or high water or very weak signal which gives me slower 3G speeds, I do not allow my phone to “Automatically Select” the network. I manually select the “DTAC” 850Mhz network which keeps me on the 850/1800Mhz frequencies and will not allow on 2100Mhz. If I was to manually select the “dtac” 2100Mhz network that would keep me on the 2100/1800Mhz frequencies and will not allow me on 850Mhz. Yeap, I’ll just stick with the 850Mhz 3G frequency until DTAC improves its 2100Mhz signal strength in places where I routinely travel.

With above long winded story, I wonder how AIS handles its 2100Mhz network in combination with its 900Mhz and its 1800Mhz frequency slots? When a person is switched to the AIS 2100Mhz, does it work like DTAC Trinet where it is suppose to automatically switch you between 2100/900/1800 or is it just a 2100/1800 frequency selection setup? If it just a two frequency setup and if a person switched to AIS 2100Mhz and then found out they lived in a weak AIS 2100 signal level area does that mean they would basically be using the slow 1800Mhz/Edge frequency….that would be a real bummer if the person had just switched“from” AIS 900/1800 where they had been getting good 900Mhz 3G signal strength and speed in hopes of the 2100Mhz giving them super 3G speed....but I expect they could also manually select their previous AIS 900/1800Mhz network and continue on until the 2100Mhz signal got better in their area. Location, location, location....luck of the draw sometimes.

[Pib]

A little earlier at 2:10pm I was at the Lotus in Bang Yai, Nanthaburi, at the junction of Nakhon-In Road and the #9/Outer Ring Road...a.k.a., another western Bangkok Metropolitan Area. While setting in the MK Restaurant watching the wife feed her face, I used her phone to check on the DTAC 2100Mhz and 850Mhz signal levels. Both frequencies were 4 bars strong...2100Mhz at -88dbm and 850Mhz at -69dbm...no doubt pretty close to tower along side the roads. OK, since I'm now at location where I'm getting 4 bars strong signal level on both frequencies let me run some speed tests.

For the 2100Mhz I got 16.91Mb down/2.54Mb up/41ms ping.

For the 850Mhz I got 12.99Mb down/3.08Mb up/43ms ping

Would have liked to run a speed test a couple of times on each frequency to see what variations I may have got, but didn't want to use up too much of the wife's monthly 3G high speed allotment.

[lomatopo]

While AIS has some 1800 MHz spectrum that is devoted to DPC customers, it is not used by AIS/One-2-Call customers, and the associated concession for that spectrum/bandwidth expires on Sep. 15, 2013, as does TrueMove's 1800 MHz concession. Well that's what is supposed to happen.

AIS/2100 MHz 3G customers can roam onto the legacy 900 MHz (GSM and/or 3G, location dependent), if they are outside of 2100 MHz coverage. I'm not sure how the AIS-TOT (2100) roaming tie-up is supposed to function going forward?

So, I guess Voice and SMS continue to ride on the DTAC 1800Mhz frequency (always a strong signal anywhere I’ve went) and don’t ride on the DTAC 2100 or 850Mhz 3G frequencies.

That would be a wrong guess.

All the DTAC customers I've helped this last week seem happy with the new network; I've had no complaints - and some of these folks complain about the slightest issue. As far as I can tell most stay on 2100 MHz but some have said they have seen "E", which means they're on GSM1800 for voice, text and data. None have reported seeing an "R" so my sense is that this may be phone dependent, and not all phones display "R" unless they are truly on a different provider?

Edited August 31, 2013 by lomatopo

[Pib]

R for Roaming won't appear when on the DTAC 2100 as that is their new home network. It will only appear when on 850Mhz and I think when on 1800/Edge after being switched to Trinet. Expect the customers are in an area, possibly central Bangkok, with good 2100 coverage & signal....or good enough...say "at least"1 bar of signal strength to keep them on 2100Mhz. Any of the customers do any checking of speed in comparison to 850Mhz "if they happen to be in low 2100Mhz signal level area.". Good they are happy...location, location, location.

Sent from my tablet

[lomatopo]

R for Roaming won't appear when on the DTAC 2100 as that is their new home network. It will only appear when on 850Mhz

It sounds as though you manually force your phone to use 850 MHz? So is there an "R" displayed, near/adjacent to your "bars"?

[SeaVisionBurma]

Flame removed. Please be civil or otherwise refrain from commenting

[Pib]

R for Roaming won't appear when on the DTAC 2100 as that is their new home network. It will only appear when on 850Mhz

 

 

It sounds as though you manually force your phone to use 850 MHz? So is there an "R" displayed, near/adjacent to your "bars"?

Correct as I've been saying in my other posts you "manually"select 850 by selecting "dtac" in the network selection menu and then you must also turn roaming on otherwise you won't make the connection to 850 since 2100 becomes your home network after switching to Trinet. When initially switching to Trinet the Trinet configuration message / SMS will basically say that.

Sent from my Samsung S4 (GT-I9500)

[Pib]

mataleo,

Where you asked are you on the AIS "2100Mhz" frequency? From some googling I was doing very recently on 3G info, Yes, you are on 2100Mhz although your S4 didn't specificially show the 2100Mhz like my S4 on DTAC Trinet shows either 2100Mhz (3G), 850Mhz (3G), or 1800Mhz (2G) depending on which frequency it happens to be on at any one time.

Although your S4 on AIS does not specifically display the 21000Mhz it does show "Band 1" on the first line in your image below which means 2100Mhz. If you were on AIS 900Mhz it should show Band 8. When my S4 running on DTAC switches to 850Mhz it shows the 850Mhz frequency but also says Band 5 right after it. The different 3G frequencies have different international 3G frequency "band" designations.

Look at this Wikipedia article on 3G/UMTS standardized band designations which I stumbled across...column one of the chart in the article shows the band number and what frequency its associated with.

Screenshot_2013-08-21-16-49-36.png

is it on it ?

Screenshot_2013-08-21-16-49-36.png

is it on it ?

I don't see any frequency indication on your display. Your S4 on AIS displays significantly different than my S4 on DTAC when dialing *#0011#

Below are two screen shots of mine while on 2100Mhz and 850MHz from here at my western Bangkok home. The frequency is displayed on the 3d line from the top....and on the 3d line from the bottom the signal strength level is displayed....notice the 2100Mhz signal level was at a -91dbm and showed 3 bars...but the 850Mhz was significantly stronger than a -90dbm (needed for 4 bars) with a -75dbm level and 4 bars displayed.

2100Mhz_Screenshot_2013-08-21-18-35-21.png 850Mhz_Screenshot_2013-08-21-18-33-32.png

Edited September 9, 2013 by Pib

[Pib]

Just wanted to provide an update on my continuing quest to get DTAC TriNet to shift smoothly between the 3 frequencies and what I would consider smartly between the different TriNet frequency bands of 2100Mhz and 850Mhz for 3G frequencies and the 1800Mhz for 2G/Edge. As you seen in this thread I made quite a few posts about how the DTAC network selection scans appeared before and after I switched to TriNet, how the 2100Mhz signal level was significantly lower in my moobaan/home, how I "had to have Roaming turned On" to get a TriNet 850Mhz connection (like apparently quite a few people have to based on various posts in ThaiVisa and other blogs), how after approx. 3 weeks my S4 suddenly didn't required Roaming to be Turned On anymore to connect to 850Mhz but my wife's S4's on DTAC TriNet still had to have Roaming turned On, etc.

Well, I never was sure why after approx. 3 weeks on TriNet my S4 all of a sudden it no longer required Roaming to be Turned On to make a 850Mhz connection when wanting to switch from 2100Mhz or 1800Mhz...I figure DTAC had just reviewed my connection/signal stats and changed something in my profile which basically made 850MHz by preferred network, followed by 2100Mhz....instead of the 2100Mhz that seemed to take priority even when the signal level was very low with slow speed, but a manual switch to 850Mhz would give me a strong signal/fast speed.

After doing dozens and dozens of network scans/manual & auto switches over the last few weeks and then either letting my S4 "Automatically Select" the DTAC network, or I would manually selected either the "DTAC" selection (apparently the 2100Mhz frequency)" or the "dtac" selection (apparently the 850Mhz frequency) forcing the specific frequency connection, I was just happy DTAC TriNet was smoothly and smartly switching between the 3 frequencies. But my wife's S4 was still acting like my S4 did initially after also doing numerous scans and network/frequency manual and auto selections....since she switched to TriNet 6 days after me I was hoping her S4 would magically start working like mine...that is, not require Roaming to be Turned On, properly/automatically switch between the 3 frequencies.

However two days ago while playing with her phone...had just finished doing a couple more network scans & selections with the same old results, I tried something different. Instead of manually selecting either DTAC or dtac I intentionally selected another carrier's network fully knowing it would not connect but I had begun to think that maybe the problem is a "configuration issue with our S4's...or more specifically some configuration/data files that are just not getting set properly." I thought maybe if I select another network it might make some changes to some configuration files and then if I allow a "Select Automatically" network which would select DTAC it may change configurations on the S4...I mean maybe overwrite/update some files where before maybe it didn't update the config files in just switching back and forth between DTAC and dtac. A long shot...give it try...would only take 30 seconds to give it a try...I just had a feeling that "maybe" this could be the issue.

Anyway, I manually selected AIS and within a few seconds got a no can connect message as expected, and then just did the same thing in trying to connect to True and TOT...once again getting the same expected no can connect message. Then I allowed the phone to do a "Select Automatically" and it connected to DTAC as it always had/is suppose to. From the number of bars displaying (4 bars) I knew I was on 850Mhz and confirmed that by dialing "*#0011#". I then turned Roaming off expecting to lose the 850Mhz connection--but I didn't!!!!!

Oh my gosh, had my gut feeling about configuration setting/files been correct....had trying to connect another network I knew I couldn't connect to overwrote some config file, cleared some old data settings, etc...etc...etc....I don't know. But now the wife's phone apparently seemed to be working like mine in not needing Roaming turned on anymore. And with additional testing over the last two days, I have confirmed it also smoothly and smartly switches between the 3 TriNet frequencies. And I also determined now even if manually selecting either DTAC (2100) or dtac (850) where before it would not then switch from the frequency apparently tied to those network selections/codes, the phones will indeed switch between the 3 frequencies just as if I had allowed the phone to "Select Automatically." It's like it don't make a difference whether I used "Select Automatically" or manual select, the phones will use all 3 frequencies smoothly/smartly. But for the final setting I did use "Select Automatically" since the purpose of that selection is to allow the phone to automatically switch frequencies/networks as needed/allowed.

And what's really good, as mentioned my moobaan/home has a low a 2100Mhz signal level but our phones now stay on 850Mhz while in the moobaan but once we drive out of the moobaan a short distance and get close to the main roads where the 2100Mhz signal is strong they will switch to 2100Mhz. In fact, when watching the frequencies and signal levels by putting the phone into service mode by dialing *#0011#, we can see the phones switching between 2100 and 850 as we drive along and it appears they almost always pick the frequency with the strongest signal level.

I say almost always because from watching the switches it does switch to 2100 sometimes when apparently the 850Mhz was maybe 10dbm stronger but it only does such a switch if the 2100Mhz signal level is still very good. That's good because as I mentioned in another post based on my signal level and speed testing whenever the 2100Mhz and 850Mhz signal levels were approx. the same, say each was 3 or 4 signal bars strong (our phones display 4 bars with max signal) the speeds were basically the same give or take a few percent; but if the 2100Mhz signal strength was in the 1 or 2 bars ballpark but the 850Mhz signal strength in the 3 or 4 bars ballpark the 850Mhz speed would be significantly faster...2 or 3 times faster usually.

Based on Shariq and Kenny's posts below they may want to give the "manually select a non-DTAC carrier" approach I described above and then do a "Select Automatically" to get back on the TriNet. You may get lucky. It apparently fixed my wife's S4 issue with TriNet roaming and properly switching between the 3 frequencies. And I may have done something similar during my S4's network switching that magically started to make it work smoothly on TriNet.

I'm now thinking it just had something to do with network selection/switching configuration files/data not getting written over/replaced properly....and I'm not talking the APN data...I talking some of those hidden system level data files. I don't really know...somewhat guessing....just know both our S4's are now working/frequency switching properly on TriNet without Roaming needing to be turned on. In fact, if you do turn roaming on the R still does not appear even when on the 850Mhz. So, on both of our phones the Roaming has been turned off just like our pre-Trinet days...no longer needed to make a connection on any of the TriNet frequencies. Just FYI....your results may vary.

Forgot to mention one more thing, before my trinet upgrade when I did a manual search of local carriers I always found DTac and 520005( which is dtac's new 2100mhz)signals along with other carrier such as true and ais but the strange thing is both of dtacs signals are not showing under my manual network search since I was upgraded to trinet. Any idea what's going on?

Also today morning I called the call center and the agent told me to switch roaming on permanently don't know what for

Ok so I have switched my phone to 'dtac' and left it there for a few days now... phone is working normally. My concern is that I am roaming... always... is this a problem? When I switch to DTAC roaming goes away. Ive probably pulled 700mb roaming over the last 3 or 4 days...

Sent from my GT-I9500

[Pib]

Forgot to mention one other way to determine what frequency you are on when looking at the "real time data" in the Service Menu if it don't specifically show the frequency in layman's terms, but it does displays the "MNC" (Mobile Network Code) like on the second line in matealeo's image below where it shows "03" after the MCC 520....the 520 is the mobile country code for Thailand. But the number following the 520 of "03" is the MNC which represents AIS 2100MHz. Go to this Wikipedia article on MMC and MNC and look under Thailand for the codes.

Now please note I pointed out above you need to look at the MNC reflected in the service menu as that shows what you are really connected to at the time, whereas if you look at the MNC displayed in other places on your device like the MNC displayed in the Access Point Names (APN) data or use a Network Signal Info app it may not display the actual MNC code currently in use. For example: when I was switched to Trinet the MNC of my phone as reflected in my APN switched from 520-"18" to 520-"05"....the -18 represents DTAC's 850Mhz frequency/business unit....the -05 represents DTAC's 2100Mhz frequency/business unit. So, I guess my number was officially transferred/ported to their 2100Mhz business unit although I can still connect to their 850Mhz and 1800Mhz frequencies under TriNet.

Like right now here at home I'm connected to the TriNet 850Mhz and my service menu readout reflects a 520-"18" connection (850Mhz) although if I look at my APN data which never changes it reflects 520-05 or if using the Network Signal Info app it reflect 520-05 since I guess the App its just reading SIM or APN info versus the actual frequency code carried in the signal and the APN data don't change.

Anyway, if dialing *#0011# works for you to pull up a Service Menu which then shows a much of technical acronyms like MNC and it don't specifically give you the frequency in layman's terms, just decode that MNC number given using the Wikipedia article. And as mentioned below you could also look at the "Band" number to determine your frequency. Fortunately for me my DTAC connection using my S4 shows both the layman's and technical acronyms for which frequency I'm connected to at any second in time...but for folks on other mobile carriers like AIS or using a different mobile device what info is displayed in their Service Menu and also what is displayed may vary.

Once again, just FYI in case you are wondering which frequency you are actually connecting to.

mataleo,

Where you asked are you on the AIS "2100Mhz" frequency? From some googling I was doing very recently on 3G info, Yes, you are on 2100Mhz although your S4 didn't specificially show the 2100Mhz like my S4 on DTAC Trinet shows either 2100Mhz (3G), 850Mhz (3G), or 1800Mhz (2G) depending on which frequency it happens to be on at any one time.

Although your S4 on AIS does not specifically display the 21000Mhz it does show "Band 1" on the first line in your image below which means 2100Mhz. If you were on AIS 900Mhz it should show Band 8. When my S4 running on DTAC switches to 850Mhz it shows the 850Mhz frequency but also says Band 5 right after it. The different 3G frequencies have different international 3G frequency "band" designations.

Look at this Wikipedia article on 3G/UMTS standardized band designations which I stumbled across...column one of the chart in the article shows the band number and what frequency its associated with.

Screenshot_2013-08-21-16-49-36.png

is it on it ?

Screenshot_2013-08-21-16-49-36.png

is it on it ?

I don't see any frequency indication on your display. Your S4 on AIS displays significantly different than my S4 on DTAC when dialing *#0011#

Below are two screen shots of mine while on 2100Mhz and 850MHz from here at my western Bangkok home. The frequency is displayed on the 3d line from the top....and on the 3d line from the bottom the signal strength level is displayed....notice the 2100Mhz signal level was at a -91dbm and showed 3 bars...but the 850Mhz was significantly stronger than a -90dbm (needed for 4 bars) with a -75dbm level and 4 bars displayed.

2100Mhz_Screenshot_2013-08-21-18-35-21.png 850Mhz_Screenshot_2013-08-21-18-33-32.png

[mortenaa]

Just a little information for people who are thinking of moving to DTAC Tri-net.

DTAC seems to have advertized that with the new 2100MHz spectrum, they would now have the largest bandwidth in the country. The Tri-net basically is basically a combination of DTAC's old network: 2G on 1800MHz and 3G on 850MHz plus the recently auctioned 3G 2100MHz and possibly 4G. But there are caveats to this! What DTAC fails to describe to its customers is that the nature of a cellular connection doesn't work that way. A phone will treat each spectrum as if they are completely different networks running by different providers.

A phone can only connect to one spectrum at a time (with the exception of some weird AWS version of phones used in the US and Canada) and it will only connect to whichever spectrum that has the strongest reception in that area. Many will find that this turn out to be DTAC's oldest network: the 2G on 1800MHz. Although the phone can easily hop to DTAC's 3G networks on either 2100MHz or 850MHz, it simply won't do so because DTAC 2G networks have the largest coverage.

This is one of the reasons why many phone operators around the world, including AIS, do not actually turn this spectrum hopping feature ON by default. If you are an AIS customer there will be times where you are instead connected to this network called TH GSM 1800 and all of a sudden unable to access the internet.

As far as I can tell the implementation of DTAC Tri-net is probably the strangest in the mobile industry. The problem I describe here will probably stop at some point if DTAC has more 2100 3G base stations but currently it has so little. Much less than AIS or TRUE H.

TL;DR: Tri-net is a marketing ploy. Not usable in real world situation. DTAC 3G network is still far behind others.

Any mobile will always select 3G over 2G. Well, you can actually choose this in the service-menu on Android phones if you really LOVE 2G

[Pib]

Somewhere in one or more of my above posts about 2100Mhz signal level, I mentioned that I figured I wouldn't even be able to pickup a 2100Mhz signal at my mother-in-laws house in Nakhon Pathom province due west of Bangkok....she lives back in a little village several kilometers from Highway #4 running through the area. At her home I usually only got an Edge connection or a very slow/weak 850Mhz 3G connection...down around 0.5Mb down speed when on 3G.

So, today when the wife and I went to visit and since I'm now on TriNet I was interested in the 2100Mhz in the MIL's area....I figured I wouldn't get any since the 850Mhz has always been weak. Well, I was wrong, the 850Mhz signal was still weak down around -103 to -110dbm but the 2100Mhz generally stayed around a -97 to -103dbm, with it usually hanging around -98 to -99...good enough for a 3 bars signal level. I was shocked. The phone switched to Edge/1800Mhz once or twice when I had selected the 850Mhz network and the Edge/1800Mhz signal level was strong at a -72dbm...4 bars...but the typical slow Edge speed

I did a speedtest while on 2100Mhz and got a 15.61Mb down/2.62Mb up. But on the weaker signal level 850Mhz I got around 6Mb down (I didn't run the full test after I saw the download speed peak a little over 6Mb). On the way back we stopped well within the city limits of Nakhon Pathom to eat lunch and their 2100Mhz signal strength was weak...in the -105 to -110 ballpark but the 850Mhz was very strong at -67 to -70 dbm (4 bars)...I didn't run any speed tests at this location.

With the 2100Mhz focused towards high population/city areas and the 850/900Mhz toward rural area I would have bet the signal strength I would get at the MIL's house 5-7kilometers outside of the Nakhon Pathom city limits and several kilometers from the main highway would have been reversed...that is, weak/no 2100Mhz signal and good 850Mhz...but I was wrong.

Just goes to show again it comes down to Location, Location, Location and sometimes the locations where you think the signal strength/speed will be low on 2100Mhz, we'll it ain't...you get a nice surprise.

Was at the MIL's house out in the province (jungle) again today and decided to check the 2100Mhz signal strength and speed again. The signal was stronger and faster than in my 25 Aug post above. Still ain't no tower to be seen in any direction...I assuming the signal is coming for a signal tower on Highway #4 a couple kilometers away as the crow flies. Signal strength was around -87 dbm to -93 dbm (3 to 4 bars strength) and I did four speedtests since I still had plenty of 3G allotment left on my current billing month plus I almost couldn't believe the speed I was getting since for years at my MIL's house the best you could get was around 150Kb on Edge and/or a weak 850Mhz at around 300-500Kb. I didn't check the 850Mhz strength/speed today. My 2100MHz speed results this morning at around 10:45am were:

Download/Upload (Mb) / Ping (ms) on 2100Mhz to STS Group Server on Speedtest

19.22 / 2.63 / 42

14.78 / 3.06 / 42

17.88 / 3.26 / 41

18.36 / 3.02 / 42

And the 2100Mhz signal strength at my western Bangkok home has improved also...improved to 3 to 4 bar strength from the previous 1 or 2 bars...now I get 3 bars downstairs and 4 bars upstairs. Just ran a couple of speedtests at 7:30pm and got the following:

Download / Upload (Mb) / Ping (ms) on 2100Mhz to STS Group Server on Speedtest

21.11 / 2.67 / 39

17.52 / 3.50 / 38

Seems for my home area and MIL's home area the 2100Mhz signal strength/coverage/speed has improved over the last few weeks. Your results may (will) vary, but TriNet is working good for me now and it seems when I get the urge to do some speedtests the results are a little better than a few weeks ago. Guess it's just DTAC expanding and fine tuning its 2100Mhz coverage along with its 850Mhz and 1800Mhz coverage....or I just tested at lucky times.

[Pib]

Speaking of another location that has seen a big improvement in DTAC "2100Mhz" coverage very recently is the area around Foodland on Charansantiwong Road in the Thonburi area of western Bangkok. I go to this Foodland once or twice a week to get some groceries and usually eat at the restaurant there also...and starting in August I would check the 2100Mhz signal strength/speed each time I went. The signal strength was always weak, like only 1 signal bar, and the download speed only around 2Mb. The 850Mhz signal strength/speed would always be much better. But today, the 2100Mhz signal strength was 4 bars strong and fast. At 12:05pm/lunch time I ran a speedtest and got 16.96Mb down/2.77Mb up on 2100Mhz.

Guess DTAC recently added additional 2100Mhz coverage/radios in that area like they have apparently down in my MIL's area out in Nakhorn Pathom province. Good to see the coverage improving. Your results may (will) vary.

[jerome2]

trinet is a way they found to say they cannot terminate your contract or,give your number to an other company like they are legaly suposed to do

and charge you for the SMS they send you ....good luck with Dtac

if you are stuck there they ultimately tell you that for 300b they let you out to a non monthly payment sim card

[lomatopo]

FYI, DTAC launched a pretty spiffy, new e-Service Android app. on 1 Nov.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=th.co.crie.tron2.android&hl=en

They also launched a new web-based e-Services platform which is greatly improved over their already industry-leading platform. (Although AIS now have nearly equivalent Android/mobile and web-based platforms.)

You may have to re-register for this new e-Servies platform - I did, and had to create a new password.

[Pib]

FYI, DTAC launched a pretty spiffy, new e-Service Android app. on 1 Nov.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=th.co.crie.tron2.android&hl=en

They also launched a new web-based e-Services platform which is greatly improved over their already industry-leading platform. (Although AIS now have nearly equivalent Android/mobile and web-based platforms.)

You may have to re-register for this new e-Servies platform - I did, and had to create a new password.

It's not really a new App as I've been using it for maybe a year or so, but they have radically changed its interface/scheme/menu structure when firing up the App a few minutes ago on my phone...it had already done the automatic google play update thing. Before when opening the App my number was already loaded and I just entered my established password; now it seems you have to enter your number, press get password, and then enter the OTP they send you. Maybe there is a way to setup it up like before to where you don't need a OTP every time which you wouldn't get if outside of Thailand unless during the roaming thing.

Now I guess I need to log onto my e-services account to see what surprises/changes, good or bad, are there. Thanks for the crossfeed.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Pib

[lomatopo]

As near as I could determine, DTAC shuttered their previous version of their Android app. a few months ago, and then rolled out this new version on 1 Nov.

To me it seems like a completely new app., definitely better, faster, slicker, more informative, but then I hadn't used the old version in a few months - it always hung/FCed and there was not a version in the Play Store. I think it is a WiP as there are screens for inbox (SMS?) and notifications (USSD?). My current version is 3.1.11.020

Also, you have to be on 3G, rather than WiFi, and no need for a password. Assume verification is done OTA via SIM/IMSI/IMEI etc.

I just wish TrueMove H had something similar.

Here is a link to the AIS Aindroid app.: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ais.mimo.eservice&hl=en

[Pib]

The old App was definitely working just a few weeks ago because I remember using it. New App just seems mostly like a theme/menu change thing to me...but the new theme/layout is probably better than the old one.

Yes, I must have been on Wifi when logging on an hour or so ago because when I switched to 3G and started the App I just went right into the App...didn't ask for password or nothing...I was just into my account info. Completely closed the App...fired it up again and once again straight into my account info when on 3G. But when switching back to Wifi I had to enter my phone number and get a OTP. The earlier App version would first open up to a screen which had you phone number already entered and you just needed to enter your "established" password....not a OTP...as best I can remember it worked the same way whether on Wifi or 3G. Was using that earlier version App quite a bit after the wife and I bought new phones and switched to a new DTAC 3G plan around 6 months ago...wanted to make sure I wasn't getting any surprises on the new plan...wanted to know before the bill showed up in the mail.

[Pib]

Logged onto DTAC eservices and it forced me to the new site and to select a new password. Easy enough. I like the looks of the new eservices.

[lomatopo]

I just wish TrueMove H had something similar.

FYI, TrueMove/H have just rolled-out an updated version of their Android app., iService (which actually can be used to manage all your True accounts).

It is very, very nice. Great job. I only discovered this today when configuring a MiFi device for a customer.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.truelife.mobile.android.trueiservice&hl=en

[skippybangkok]

I agree I like true iservice, but it's been around for quite some time in this format . Loaded it on wife's samsung a while back

Web version is better too now

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[fletchsmile]

I've had a pre-paid DTAC for years. Like OP I wasn't sure what Tri-net was all about. Something to do with signal from 3 locations etc, and getting you the best signal. I tried to register for it online but couldn't.

So I just took my phone into the nearest DTAC shop, said I wanted to sign up for Tri-net. They asked for the phone and did all the registering set up for me. Only took a few mins, and it was free.

BTW I like their smartphone package of 199 baht a month with 500 MB 3G and 100 mins of free calls. After the 500MB it goes back to 2G unlimited use but still free.

Cheers

Fletch

[mataleo]

Try ais ismart pay as u go 499bath 1.5gb unlimited net and 300min

Wysłane z mojego GT-I9505 przy użyciu Tapatalka

Edited November 21, 2013 by mataleo

[thailandbeachisland]

Try ais ismart pay as u go 499bath 1.5gb unlimited net and 300min Wysłane z mojego GT-I9505 przy użyciu Tapatalka

Lately I feel like Dtac signal is a lot better than AIS 12calll, maybe they were too sure to be leader forever, wish them the worst.

you have 3GB 3G and unlimited net for 399 thb with Dtac now.. so how can you advise AIS to anyone ?