One-2-Call Credit Sucked Up By Unwanted Data Charge?

[Sortapundit]

I grabbed a One-2-Call prepaid sim for my old Nokia brick when I arrived back in BKK last week. The phone itself is a relic with only WAP Internet connection capabilities, but the sim I was given at 7-11 seems had some reference to data on the package (the only writing on the card itself is AIS One-2-Call 3G).

Since I bought the sim I've been getting regular texts from AIS3G that read as follows:

"NetSIM 99Baht 90MB cannot be activated. The system will try again later."

I figured the sim was attempting to connect me to the 3G network, but since my phone is old and crappy it couldn't do it. It was a little annoying to get the texts every day, but whatever.

Last night I bought 100baht of credit, and since then I haven't made a call or sent a text. A couple of hours ago I got the following message from AIS3G:

"NetSIM 99Baht 90MB has been activated."

Shortly after it arrived I tried to make a call only to get the low credit warning, then the call connected for 20 seconds before it cut off. No credit left.

So, it seems obvious that I've been charged 99baht for some sort of data package I don't want or need. All I want to know now if whether this is gonna happen again, or will there be no additional charges since I presumably have 99baht credit for data? Also, is there anything I can do to stop this from happening?

Cheers for your help

[MilesofSmiles]

That sux.

Try setting your phone to GSM only, instead of Dual-mode.

IE, turning off 3G.

Have you tried calling support ? I've never called AIS myself, but true tech support speak great english, cared and are very very helpful.

Maybe give them a ring if you can't find the setting for it.

[Sortapundit]

That sux.

Try setting your phone to GSM only, instead of Dual-mode.

IE, turning off 3G.

Have you tried calling support ? I've never called AIS myself, but true tech support speak great english, cared and are very very helpful.

Maybe give them a ring if you can't find the setting for it.

Calling them might be the best option, if they speak English. I've looked through my phone but, since it's an old school stone age Nokia it doesn't have any kind of on/off setting for data, just a few weird menus with options for choosing 'access data points' from 1 to 6.

In any case, it seems the cost comes from something going on at AIS' end, since I've made no attempt to us data on my phone, so tech. support can hopefully help. Thanks for the advice

[MilesofSmiles]

Access data points is what you're after.

Turn off dual mode and nuke anything that's not GSM.

Worst comes to worse, they can send you an SMS with settings...

Call and say that you just got off the plane, or, 3g makes your phone go crazy and not work, need 2g.

[Rooo]

Tell them what happened , they might even give you extra credit back, they are good like that.

[chrisinth]

Turn off your data packaging when you are not using your phone for internet.

The last phone I bought (with new sim) ate the first credit I put into it. By default, data packaging was enabled meaning you are always connected @ something like 1-2 baht a minute.

If your phone is Wi-Fi capable, and you have access, use that. If outside Wi-Fi, enable data packaging only when used. Don't try to download movies on it.............

Edit: Of course there is the option of changing your package, ie, monthly charge.

Edited August 10, 2013 by chrisinth

[Suradit69]

Tell them what happened , they might even give you extra credit back, they are good like that.

I had some service I never heard of deducting Baht 20 every few days. Took the phone to an AIS service center and one of the clerks there sorted it out. She pulled up the records on her computer, called someone and it's not been a problem since.

[KhunBENQ]

Yes you will probably have money deducted every once a while.

Its kind of a subscription (packages per volume and/or per time).

It might well be that these "NetSIM" are always preconfigured with some package.

There are key codes to cancel or change (*xxx#).

But I can not find the website currently.

So best you go to a AIS service point as Suradit69 described.

[nahkit]

I had the same problem, until you find a way to turn it off it will deduct 99baht every month. I asked my Thai relatives how to turn it off but nobody knew. Happened to me one time when I topped up at the CAT desk in the airport after a long flight, I was about one second away from accusing the lady in the booth from nicking some of my credit before I twigged what had happened.

Whats even more annoying is I cant get the phone to connect to the internet anyway.

Edited August 11, 2013 by nahkit

[NoshowJones]

Turn off your data packaging when you are not using your phone for internet.

The last phone I bought (with new sim) ate the first credit I put into it. By default, data packaging was enabled meaning you are always connected @ something like 1-2 baht a minute.

If your phone is Wi-Fi capable, and you have access, use that. If outside Wi-Fi, enable data packaging only when used. Don't try to download movies on it.............

Edit: Of course there is the option of changing your package, ie, monthly charge.

Last week I lost all my money, about 200Baht, I got no warning from anywhere, just a text saying I had no more credit left, and I promise you the data package was off all the time. I cannot understand this and now I have topped up, I keep checking to see if my money is still there.

[lomatopo]

In hindsight, probably not the best SIM to buy? Just get a Freedom SIM.

http://www.ais.co.th/12call/en/simcard-one2call-netsim-3g.html

In case of the customers does not select main package after the accessing the service, the customers will get 99-Baht package for the default package and get 3G/EDGE+ for 75 MB.

With AIS:

- To disable EDGE/GPRS data connection: please press *129*1#

- To enable EDGE/GPRS data connection: please press *129*2#

- To check EDGE/GPRS data connection status: please press *129#

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/636794-how-could-my-thb200-credit-on-my-1-2-call-be-sucked-up-so-fast/page-2#entry6374006

Edited September 6, 2013 by lomatopo