mobile phone charges

[koerner65]

Hi

Can anyone help me to clarify something.

I will move to Thailand end of the year.

I am trying to find out how they charge the usage on a post paid plan and prepaid services for DTAC Happy.

Let's say, I am on a postpaid plan with 300 min. of calling. Does that mean I can have a total call time of 300 min for out going calls or is it including incoming calls.

I am currently in Singapore and here the incoming calls are free. I know it is handled differently in different countries.

The question applies also for the prepaid service from DTAC Happy.

Thanks for your help

cheers

Hannes

[lomatopo]

Here in Thailand we only pay for outgoing calls. Same same on every service provider, pre-paid or post paid.

So a 300 minute allotment would only count against calls you originate; and any pre-paid balance would only be reduced by the per minute charge (average is 1 baht/min, before 7% VAT) for calls which your originate.

That said, service providers round up aggressively, so a 61 second call may indeed be counted as 2 minutes.

And there are gazillions of options re: buffets, special number, time of day, pre-paid, psot-paid, on-net, off-net, ad nauseam. For example, TrueMove H have a plan which is free on-net calling all day for 1 baht!

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/sim-truemoveh/prepaid/entry/2378?ln=en

[koerner65]

Thanks for the fast reply. I saw that you really have tons of options in Thailand . I just couldn't find any info on my questions above, but should be clear now.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[lomatopo]

Don't over-think this prior to arrival - there is no right answer for any individual. Wait until you arrive, try one or more service providers, on a pre-paid basis to see which meet your requirements. Then if you think a post-paid plan is cost-effective for your requirements, and you can qualify for a post-paid plan - some service providers have a Residency requirement - then go for a post-paid plan. Often, post-paid plans have certain sweet-spots which, unless you just meet but do not exceed, may not be optimal vis-a-vis pre-paid, and you are locked into a provider for the term of your contract. There are certain hardware and discounted promotional post-paid bundles which can yield significant savings over their 18 - 24 month terms, if you are buying a new phone. If/when you have a feel for your usage, you should be able to make a choice between pre- and post-paid.

Note that there are also pre-paid bundles (voice and data).

[koerner65]

Thanks, I have a pretty good idea what my girls (wife and daughter) need since the usage on the bills here in Singapore is pretty detailed. For my self it is okay I have a company phone, so I don't really bother. As you said I will start with prepaid and explore a bit. I only have experience from recent holidays and must say I was pretty happy with dtac with the data speed. From Bangkok to Cha Am to Udon, it worked fine with surprising good speed. It is really a jungle of options with all the different possibilities the providers have. The daughter needs mostly data whereby the wife is the opposite way around mostly calls and only little data.

Let's see I have time to explore since there are plenty of options.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app