3BB INternet

[Neeranam]

I just got 3BB internet installed. I wasn't home when it was installed and after doing a speedtest it was only 1.49 Mb/s Download and upload 0.1 Mb/s, PING 180.

Surely this is wrong? Shouldn't a 10Mb service have a download speed of 10 Mbs?

[Neeranam]

Slight improvement:

PING 43

Download 2.07 Mbs

Upload 0.10 Mbs

[ShopBoy]

this is what i got for Bangkok server

US LA Server

restart your router and test again if still the same call up the tech service line and they do a reset from their end and if it still fail ask them to send the tech down

[cacruden]

Since speedtest through 3bb is really only a local test, if that is slow then it is a line (most likely) or modem problem. Usually the techs do a test and write speed and line stats on the installation forms.

[Neeranam]

Well looks like I picked a crap service.

The guy said he'd come back yesterday to fix the wi-fi. He never came. Phoned the shop today and they said to take the router to the shop as the technician can't do it at my house.

[Neeranam]

Looks like I picked a dud service.

The technician said he'd come back yesterday to fix the wi fi, he never.

Phoned today and they said I must take the router to the 3BB shop as the tech. can't do it at my house.

[Neeranam]

Amazingly, considering the luddite I am, I managed to configure the wi fi router myself. Says a lot about the bloody tech that couldn't do it.

I'm now getting 4Mbs download which seems ok. Should I be happy with this or should I be getting the 10 Mbs I bought?

[ShopBoy]

was the router supplied by 3bb ?

call 3BB they definitely sent a tech down if you have issues

i never had a problem with their technical support

[Mobi]

I went for the 14Mb service a few months ago and I consistently get download speeds in excess of 14 Mb. It has been far and away the best and most reliable service I have ever had in Thailand... so far...

[bangkokrick]

I went for the 14Mb service a few months ago and I consistently get download speeds in excess of 14 Mb. It has been far and away the best and most reliable service I have ever had in Thailand... so far...

I concur Mobi as I get the same results. Pattaya.

[edwardandtubs]

I refuse to do business with 3BB after seeing their racist policies and obnoxious attitudes. I was a customer for 3 years and then moved house so cancelled. Two weeks later I wanted to make a new contract but in spite of never paying a bill late for 3 years they insisted that because I'm a foreigner I have to pay 12 months up front. There's no other justification than racism. Clearly I had proven myself to be a reliable customer but they just don't want foreign customers.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I refuse to do business with 3BB after seeing their racist policies and obnoxious attitudes. I was a customer for 3 years and then moved house so cancelled. Two weeks later I wanted to make a new contract but in spite of never paying a bill late for 3 years they insisted that because I'm a foreigner I have to pay 12 months up front. There's no other justification than racism. Clearly I had proven myself to be a reliable customer but they just don't want foreign customers.

Should have just moved your account to the new house.

[edwardandtubs]

I refuse to do business with 3BB after seeing their racist policies and obnoxious attitudes. I was a customer for 3 years and then moved house so cancelled. Two weeks later I wanted to make a new contract but in spite of never paying a bill late for 3 years they insisted that because I'm a foreigner I have to pay 12 months up front. There's no other justification than racism. Clearly I had proven myself to be a reliable customer but they just don't want foreign customers.

Should have just moved your account to the new house.

I'm glad to be rid of the racist fruitcakes and doing fine with True.

[Mobi]

I refuse to do business with 3BB after seeing their racist policies and obnoxious attitudes. I was a customer for 3 years and then moved house so cancelled. Two weeks later I wanted to make a new contract but in spite of never paying a bill late for 3 years they insisted that because I'm a foreigner I have to pay 12 months up front. There's no other justification than racism. Clearly I had proven myself to be a reliable customer but they just don't want foreign customers.

It has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with risk assessment.

99% of farangs living in Thailand are here on no more than a single year visa extension, and many are on one or three month visas – even many of those with work permits.

A foreigner can leave the country at any time and never return and if they have signed a year’s contract there is no way for the company to recover the outstanding contract payments.

Most Thais never leave the country and a vast majority are traceable through their ID cards and/or home papers, and therefore, in the wisdom of the company concerned, Thais are a better risk to collect any overdue payments from. This is why Thais can pay monthly and farangs are asked to pay one year in advance – it has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with the transient status of many farangs versus Thais who stay here all their lives.

There was a time when a farang couldn't sign any contract in Thailand be it a phone contract, a lease or whatever, without producing a work permit. This was because the companies considered foreigners without work permits to be too transient in nature to trust.

Even now it is very difficult to open a phone account with AIS without a work permit and even some banks still insist on work permits before allowing you to open an account.

There was a time when some internet companies refused point blank to let any farang – regardless of status - to sign a contract for internet usage. It had to be signed by a Thai. Fortunately things have moved on a bit since those days, and maybe one day it will be as easy for farangs as it is for Thai to sign these things. But if it isn't, I can understand the reasons and I do not consider it racism as they are simply business decisions.

I am not saying that I agree with their risk assessments in these matters, but it their business and their right to decide how they run it and how they assess the risks.

Who knows? Maybe sometime in the past 3bb had a rash of farangs breaking contracts and disappearing.

When I went to sign up for 3bb they explained that I would have to pay one year in advance but that if my GF signed we could pay month by month and that is what I did. I didn't think they were racist - I just accepted that it is part and parcel of living here and I was grateful that they very politely suggested that I use my gf’s name, and avoid the large upfront fee.

Of course the customer has the right to go wherever he feels he gets the best deal, but for God’s sake don’t describe business decisions and racism – it simply isn’t true and it is making unfair aspersions without good justification.

I wonder how a Thai – or any foreigner for that matter – would get along in the UK if he was an alien - non-resident - and tried to sign up for an internet or a phone contract, open an bank account or sign lease a house, etc? You know the answers as well as I do.

Does that make British companies racist too????

[cacruden]

I was requested to pay 12 months upfront in the UK -- 12 years ago when I live there. Luckily I just had the company I was working for take care of it for me.

[WitawatWatawit]

Curious. Had 3BB installed 18 months ago in my Jomtien house - which is in my daughter's name. Was not asked for my work permit nor for 12 months in advance nor a co-sign from a Thai. I wonder if this like the Thai bureaucracy - each office gives it's own interpretation of the rules.

[edwardandtubs]

The policy is racist if it is applied to all on the basis of being a 'foreigner' without reference to customer history or current employment. There's no way someone on a valid work visa in the UK with stable employment who had been a customer for three years would be asked to pay 12 months up front for internet on account of being a foreigner.

As for different interpretations of the rule, my case was referred to a manager who refused to be flexible. The woman in the shop was obnoxious, in spite of my best efforts to speak in Thai, which is unsurprising because the racist attitudes of the company is going to rub off on the staff.

Edited August 18, 2013 by edwardandtubs

[transam]

Phone 1530, press nine for English, talk nice, tell them the problem and it will be sorted.

[edwardandtubs]

No it won't. I was a customer for three years, do you imagine I didn't think of that?

[transam]

No it won't. I was a customer for three years, do you imagine I didn't think of that?

You forgot to talk nice eh. ............................ ..................

[edwardandtubs]

I talked very nice. As I said, the case was sent to a manager (do you really think those 1530 staff have any powers?) who thought shafting a foreigner would make better business sense than keeping a long-standing customer.

[cacruden]

Would this be fibre for 1200 baht per month?

[FiftyTwo]

I refuse to do business with 3BB after seeing their racist policies and obnoxious attitudes. I was a customer for 3 years and then moved house so cancelled. Two weeks later I wanted to make a new contract but in spite of never paying a bill late for 3 years they insisted that because I'm a foreigner I have to pay 12 months up front. There's no other justification than racism. Clearly I had proven myself to be a reliable customer but they just don't want foreign customers.

I am just moving house.

Cost for transfer from one location to another 100BHT.

Same account number, no effort at all, two visits to their office, photocopy of my Thai DL, point to my new house on Google earth.

Don't cancel your account, transfer your account to the new address.

Edited September 22, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[chris2004]

I have the 3bb service and in the main it is fine. The speed to the BKK server is usually 10mbps which is what i signed up for but the link to Europe is often less than this. I am using the (cheap) modem they gave me as part of the deal. I often wonder if it is worth buying myself a better quality modem. Would that give me more consistent, faster results or is it a waste of money?

[genobkk]

No it won't. I was a customer for three years, do you imagine I didn't think of that?

I was never ask to pay a year up front,I would not if asked, quality of service is a big issue here and can change from good to very bad in just a few months. I have been using 3BB, for nearly 5 years, never paid anything upfront besides the normal hookup fees. 3BB is way better then true, at least in my area.

Edited September 26, 2013 by genobkk

[monkeyme]

Can anyone tell me what to expect from 3bb if I take out a contract for 10 Mbs they are about to install a cable to my village which is about 40 km from Pattaya will they give me the the 10,I notice the blurb says up . My main requirement is good quality downloads films and the like . At the moment I have a TOT disk I'm supposed to get 1Mbs but only ever get half of this if I'm lucky and all for 2700.00 baht a month so you can see why I would like to find an alternative . In respect of other providers, DTACT no service at all,

AIS may be if the wind is in the right direction. , True sometimes but very intermittent . Also anyone out there had the 3bb 20 Mbs package . Advice most appreciated , all I've had on the past are comments like "if you want a decent internet connection in Thailand , don't live in the country "

Thanks in advance.

[JetsetBkk]

I refuse to do business with 3BB after seeing their racist policies and obnoxious attitudes. I was a customer for 3 years and then moved house so cancelled. Two weeks later I wanted to make a new contract but in spite of never paying a bill late for 3 years they insisted that because I'm a foreigner I have to pay 12 months up front. There's no other justification than racism. Clearly I had proven myself to be a reliable customer but they just don't want foreign customers.

I am just moving house.

Cost for transfer from one location to another 100BHT.

Same account number, no effort at all, two visits to their office, photocopy of my Thai DL, point to my new house on Google earth.

Don't cancel your account, transfer your account to the new address.

Thanks for the details.

A bit late for Mr Edward and Tubs, though.