SIM topup validity of 1 year now possible

[lomatopo]

Up to you. Your service will end next year so eventually you'll have to do something.

what I meant was, is the old Sim technically capable to work with the 2100 MHZ frequencies?

No, although the lack of interoperability is not related to frequency per se, but rather the new AWN subsidiary's requirements.

You should be able to transition (essentially a port out/port in/MNP) to AWN, get a new SIM, keep your existing plan/promotion, assuming your phone supports 2100 MHz 3G.

AIS's GSM 900 concession ends in 2015 (Sep. 16 I think), so still plenty of time.

[KittenKong]

My TrueMove H SIM/account/plan/promotion continues to give a 60 day maximum, rolling, non-cumulative validity based on usage (completed call) or a top-up of any value. Since I use my phone daily, and top it up every month or so, that works for me.

Strange that they should (apparently) have two entirely different top-up structures running simultaneously.

As far as I'm concerned life is just too short to waste any of it talking to call centres.

[KittenKong]

A second 10Baht (12Baht with fee) top-up done today via a machine has added another 30 days to my validity.

So anyone who wants 360 days validity can just do a dozen 10Baht (12B with fee) top-ups one after another via a top-up machine and they will end up with 360 days validity and 120B credit (for a total cost of 144B including fees). But be aware that one single top-up of 120B will only get you 30 days validity extension and a 120B credit.

Does this indicate mind-numbing stupidity on the part of TrueH? Yes, it does. What else is new?

Edited March 22, 2014 by KittenKong

[build6]

But be aware that one single top-up of 120B will only get you 30 days validity extension and a 120B credit.

Does this indicate mind-numbing stupidity on the part of TrueH? Yes, it does. What else is new?

Its not just True. I got bit by this with DTAC and AIS too. I'd thought it would be "value based" but no.

[MAJIC]

I think the minimum top-up amount is 10 baht, so for 120 you could accumulate 360 days. FWIW, they may still have some usage requirements?

My current TrueMove H pre-paid SIM has a 60 day rolling expiry based on activity (outgoing call, sent SMS, top-up).

I haven't seen any news (yet) from the NBTC or DTAC or AIS but maybe this is coming soon? The NBTC had wanted operators to totally eliminate expiration dates, but of course that is not feasible. Maybe this is some sort of compromise, reverting back to the way things were in the concession era?

Why is the total elimination of expiry dates not feasable? in the UK you can keep the same Sim as long as you want it. this way the company force you buy a new Sim at their wim! or an excuse to part you from some money,to buy a new Sim!

[Turkleton]

A second 10Baht (12Baht with fee) top-up done today via a machine has added another 30 days to my validity.

So anyone who wants 360 days validity can just do a dozen 10Baht (12B with fee) top-ups one after another via a top-up machine and they will end up with 360 days validity and 120B credit (for a total cost of 144B including fees). But be aware that one single top-up of 120B will only get you 30 days validity extension and a 120B credit.

Does this indicate mind-numbing stupidity on the part of TrueH? Yes, it does. What else is new?

It seems, that AIS has a similar, stupid scheme.

But where can one top up just 10 Baht?

What/where are these "ominous" top-up machines?

You should be able to transition (essentially a port out/port in/MNP) to AWN, get a new SIM, keep your existing plan/promotion, assuming your phone supports 2100 MHz 3G.

AIS's GSM 900 concession ends in 2015 (Sep. 16 I think), so still plenty of time

Ahh ok. thanks

Edited March 23, 2014 by Turkleton

[KittenKong]

But be aware that one single top-up of 120B will only get you 30 days validity extension and a 120B credit.

Does this indicate mind-numbing stupidity on the part of TrueH? Yes, it does. What else is new?

Its not just True. I got bit by this with DTAC and AIS too. I'd thought it would be "value based" but no.

Bizarrely with True validity does also vary according to the amount of the top-up but the maximum validity per top-up is 150 days for 1000B. But make a dozen 10B top-ups one after the other and you get 360 days.

[KittenKong]

But where can one top up just 10 Baht?

What/where are these "ominous" top-up machines?

In the end I used the nondescript orange/brown coloured machines that seem to be outside most 7/11s.

One is just visible in this picture:

They work from a touch screen and can be set to display in English. They seem to do various other things as well as mobile top-ups.

The minimum top-up is 12B (incl fee).

[KittenKong]

Why is the total elimination of expiry dates not feasable?

It is, of course. They just dont want to do it here (presumably to get the unused numbers back for re-use, and/or to keep people topping up).

[lomatopo]

Why is the total elimination of expiry dates not feasable?

It is, of course. They just dont want to do it here (presumably to get the unused numbers back for re-use, and/or to keep people topping up).

Actually it's not, of course.

Each service provider has a fixed/limited pool of numbers so if they cannot force usage through expirations, and thus allow them to recycle numbers, then they'd quickly run out of numbers.

There is also a cost associated with maintaining billing, service, accounting for each SIM/number.

The market here is still ~90% pre-paid, with an ARPU of 100 baht.

Each service provider here has a wide variety of validities tied to SIM/plan/promotion/top-up value, usage. They also honor all previous top-up/validity schemes ad infinitum, and they also offer schemes to increase validity through straight-out fees. I still recommend contacting the service provider to determine what your current scheme is, and to see if there are other options.

By having so many schemes and honoring all previous schemes you do create a bit of confusion in the attempt to satisfy customers and regulators.

TrueMove H has added some changes to their SIM T's and C's about changes effective 18 March, some refer to maximum validities of 90 days (Tourist SIM), while the Comfortable SIM allows for a max. of 365 days.

Tourist Inter SIM (49 baht):

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/sim-truemoveh/prepaid/entry/2271?ln=en

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/sim-truemoveh/prepaid/entry/2552?ln=en

Every time a service like this.

4.1 Recharge with a value from 10 baht or more.

4.2 calls, send SMS, send MMS, use 3G/EDGE/GPRS/Wi-Fi. The previous day will be cut entirely. And users will receive a new use instead of 30 days.

effective from 18 March 2557 onwards only on TrueMove H Prepay only. Also get the minimum of 30 days and the number of days can be accumulated up to 90 days.

Comfortable SIM:

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/sim-truemoveh/prepaid/entry/2378

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/sim-truemoveh/prepaid/entry/2379

Every time a service like this.

4.1 Recharge with a value from 10 baht or more.

4.2 calls, send SMS, send MMS, use 3G/EDGE/GPRS/Wi-Fi.

daily use ever be cut entirely. And users will receive a new use instead of 60 days.

effective from 18 March 2557 onwards only on TrueMove H Prepay only. Also get a minimum of 30 days.

could accumulate the maximum number of days to 365 days.

I'm not certain that AIS/One-2-Call table represents cumulative validity, but you could ask?

Edited March 23, 2014 by lomatopo

[KittenKong]

Why is the total elimination of expiry dates not feasable?

It is, of course. They just dont want to do it here (presumably to get the unused numbers back for re-use, and/or to keep people topping up).

Actually it's not, of course.

Each service provider has a fixed/limited pool of numbers so if they cannot force usage through expirations, and thus allow them to recycle numbers, then they'd quickly run out of numbers.

There is also a cost associated with maintaining billing, service, accounting for each SIM/number.

If it can done elsewhere in the world it can be done here. They dont want to, that's all, as I mentioned. 30 day validity is patently ridiculous. If they are really that short of numbers then at worst they could just get the local regulating authority to add a digit to the phone number length, thus giving themselves 10 times as many to play with. Or add 2 digits and get 100 times as many numbers. Should keep them going for a while.

I've never had any sort of bill from any mobile phone provider anywhere in the world and surely never will. So the cost for this must be very close to zero and would surely be largely covered by any minimum top-up I would make during the year. Any number that has a credit attached to it should not expire, at least not within say a year of last use (incoming or outgoing).

[MAJIC]

Why is the total elimination of expiry dates not feasable?

It is, of course. They just dont want to do it here (presumably to get the unused numbers back for re-use, and/or to keep people topping up).

Actually it's not, of course.

Each service provider has a fixed/limited pool of numbers so if they cannot force usage through expirations, and thus allow them to recycle numbers, then they'd quickly run out of numbers.

There is also a cost associated with maintaining billing, service, accounting for each SIM/number.

If it can done elsewhere in the world it can be done here. They dont want to, that's all, as I mentioned. 30 day validity is patently ridiculous. If they are really that short of numbers then at worst they could just get the local regulating authority to add a digit to the phone number length, thus giving themselves 10 times as many to play with. Or add 2 digits and get 100 times as many numbers. Should keep them going for a while.

I've never had any sort of bill from any mobile phone provider anywhere in the world and surely never will. So the cost for this must be very close to zero and would surely be largely covered by any minimum top-up I would make during the year. Any number that has a credit attached to it should not expire, at least not within say a year of last use (incoming or outgoing).

It's hard to make excuses for this kind of rip off,but some people never give up trying,but as you say: "if it can be done anywhere in the world it can be done here"!

[lomatopo]

Most countries where prepaid GSM dominates have service providers who manage their customers' validity, usually to the 30 - 90 day windows, and require activity (outbound, completed calls. top-ups) to maintain their service.

Some service providers, including AIS, DTAC and TrueMove, have various methods for extending validity out to a maximum of 365 days. Most of these still have a usage requirement, which may or may not be rigorously enforced.

Most service providers limit pre-paid mobile data plans to 30 days - volume or time - which is not accumulated or rolled over, which can recur automatically. (Yes, there are some post-paid data plans in some countries which allow for unused volumes to roll over.)

It can be a simple process to contact your service provider in order to determine what your current scheme is for accruing and maintaining validity is, and what the options are for extending it to meet your individual requirements.

Some of the new TrueMove H Tourist Inter SIMs (free, 49 baht, 299 baht) seem to have maximum 90 day validity, which might make sense as these are targeted at "tourists"?

Some/many/most, but perhaps not all, other TrueMove H SIMs may have transitioned to a 30 day, cumulative top-up scheme, with a max. of 365 days, effective March 18, 2014, per the OP.

All the ideas about expanding the available number pool are just that, ideas. The reality is that it has always been a challenging process here for operators to get more numbers from regulators. During the concession period, operators had to pay for number tranches; I'm honestly not sure how this works in the auction world? TrueMove H nearly ran out of numbers recently. Modifying the numbering plan to add digits, as we did in 2006 adding the "8", is a very, very complex challenge which requires a significant investment.

Edited March 24, 2014 by lomatopo

[KittenKong]

Most countries where prepaid GSM dominates have service providers who manage their customers' validity, usually to the 30 - 90 day windows, and require activity (outbound, completed calls. top-ups) to maintain their service.

Some service providers, including AIS, DTAC and TrueMove, have various methods for extending validity out to a maximum of 365 days. Most of these still have a usage requirement, which may or may not be rigorously enforced.

It still seems like a bureaucratic fudge to me, and illogical to boot.

As I mentioned earlier the validity for one 1000B top-up with TrueH is 150 days but 12 consecutive 10B top-ups gets you 360 days with no usage requirement. And I suspect that this is just a lack of foresight on their part rather than a deliberate attempt to provide a way of extending validity to 360 days.

Pre-paid SIMs I have had in other countries did not expire as long as there was credit attached to them (which was indeed the main reason why I chose to buy those SIMs rather than others). They did mostly have a very small (by local standards) monthly or yearly charge that over time would reduce a credit balance to zero and hence allow the provider to discontinue service and recover the number, but none of them just cut the user and his credit off after 30 days. This seems a reasonable and sensible approach that the providers here could learn from, but I wont hold my breath.

[lomatopo]

FWIW, my TrueMove H pre-paid SIM has transitioned to the new top-up/validity scheme described in the OP. Previously, my valaidty was tied to usage (completed out-bound call, or a top-up of any value) out to a non-cumulative, maximum 60 day expiry.

This new scheme is much, much better for me, so kudos to TrueMove H for this change.

[thaicookingchef]

Still not possible with 12call ?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Came across this promotion lately for current or potential new True Online Home Internet customers that might be pertinent to this discussion.

Already, we have 15 Mbps True cable internet in our home, regular price, 699b per month.

Right now, for new or existing True Online customers, they're offering a package that includes the following, also for the same 699b per month:

--15 Mbps home internet (with router if desired)

--online or mobile access to TrueVisions Anywhere TV service that supposedly has 85 channels.

--AND, a True Move h SIM card that comes with 300 MB of mobile data for use in watching the TrueVisions Anywhere service via mobile data.

The reason I mention it here is, as best as I can tell (and I just finished signing up for this promotion), the True Move H SIM is bundled into your True Online internet package, which is monthly postpaid. The True Move H SIM that comes with the promotion doesn't have any calling minutes or regular data built in. AFAIK, using this True Move H SIM would add per minute and per MB data charges to my True Online monthly bill, to whatever extent I were to use the SIM for calling and regular data.

However, re this thread, AFAI can tell, neither does the SIM have any expiration date, and no validity to expire since it's attached to the True Online monthly postpaid Internet account. So, since the package costs no more than their regular 15 Mbps cable internet service alone, it hopefully will be a convenient way to access True Visions Anywhere AND keep an active True Move H SIM and mobile number, without having to pay for it monthly, top up, or other hassles.

You wouldn't want to use that SIM and service/plan for heavy use calling or data, since their per minute and per MB prices are somewhat higher than their typical plan or pre-paid prices. But for a low-use, long life context, I'm hoping it will be a good solution.

Here's the link to the True Online promotion, called Sook X (Times) 2 Plus:

http://trueonline.truecorp.co.th/product-service/product-sook/entry/3066

Edited May 6, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[KittenKong]

Isn't it simpler to make 12 consecutive top-ups of 10+2 Baht once a year? Can be done in just a couple of minutes from the machines at 7/11.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

To each his/her own...

For me, I like getting free (no added cost) access to TrueVisions Anywhere AND (as best as I can tell) a no expiration, no top-up True Move H SIM to keep as a backup that doesn't require me to engage in inane, Pavlovian topping up monkey business just to keep the service alive.

I'm already an ongoing True Online home internet customer. If they want to offer me free TrueVisions Anywhere AND a free True Move H SIM as a backup phone number into the bargain, why not???

[lomatopo]

Still not possible with 12call ?

Noodle reported here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/723305-a-good-prepaid-card-that-lasts-longer-than-30-days/#entry7777780

that they were able to use some sort of machine in an AIS shop, and make ten consecutive 10 baht top-ups...

[Emilp]

Only news from truemove.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Still not possible with 12call ?

Noodle reported here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/723305-a-good-prepaid-card-that-lasts-longer-than-30-days/#entry7777780

that they were able to use some sort of machine in an AIS shop, and make ten consecutive 10 baht top-ups...

My local AIS shop on the top floor of the Terminal 21 mall has one of those machines. Think of it as a kind of ATM for mobile phone services.

Used it one time to pay my post-pay AIS account. Does have an English language interface available, and seemed relatively simple to use. Much better/more farang friendly than the comparable True machines out there.

[lomatopo]

The free-standing top-up machines outside most convenience stores here offer an English-language option, are quite simple to use and offer the ability to top-up AIS, DTAC and TrueMove H. There is a 2 baht fee, so a 10 baht top-up costs 12 baht. I keep a colleague's TrueMove H SIM at 365 days for him, and get rid of those 1 baht coins.

I am not sure if this method will satisfy any/all new AWN (AIS 2100 MHz) pre-paid top-ups with cumulative validity as Noodle described. My most recent experiences, ~ 1 year ago, with an AWN SIM, only gave a maximum of 60 days, rolling, but non-cumulative validity. It sounds like AWN may have modified the options on some/many/all SIMs, as TrueMove H did(and as One-2-Call did in the past), making multiple, subsequent top-ups cumulative?

[KhunBENQ]

Just confirming:

I have an AIS (1-2-call) prepaid SiM (converted to 3G).

I went to one of the top-up machines in front of (maybe every?) 7/11.

I topped up 10 Baht (12 Baht incl. fee) for three times (ran out of coins ).

So I earned 30 more Baht on my balance and 3 (!) months added to the validity period (now I have about 350 Baht valid until October, extended from July).

Quick and easy. Start with tapping the Union Jack for English. The rest is well explained.

Can not find, which member first posted this info.

So big thanks to anonymous!

Next time in Khon Kaen I will look for the top-up machine at AIS shop.

Edited June 9, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[4evermaat]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

But where can one top up just 10 Baht?
What/where are these "ominous" top-up machines?

In the end I used the nondescript orange/brown coloured machines that seem to be outside most 7/11s.

One is just visible in this picture:

They work from a touch screen and can be set to display in English. They seem to do various other things as well as mobile top-ups.

The minimum top-up is 12B (incl fee).

Noodle reported here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/723305-a-good-prepaid-card-that-lasts-longer-than-30-days/#entry7777780

that they were able to use some sort of machine in an AIS shop, and make ten consecutive 10 baht top-ups...

My local AIS shop on the top floor of the Terminal 21 mall has one of those machines. Think of it as a kind of ATM for mobile phone services.

Used it one time to pay my post-pay AIS account. Does have an English language interface available, and seemed relatively simple to use. Much better/more farang friendly than the comparable True machines out there.

Can someone post a screenshot of these topup machines. I saw one image from a guy earlier, but I wanted to be certain.

Is it only one fixed style of top up machine or company doing this, and the top-up machine works for AIS/DTAC/True prepaid options. Postpaid?

I will try to find. So far for AIS 1-2 call I used mao-mao *500*9# that gives you 30 days validity + 30 minutes talk for 5 days for 30 baht. Not sure if the validity can be extended additional 30 days for each 30 baht mao-mao validity request with this method. That would be 360 baht for 360 days. But I think the talk time days do not get extended.

[build6]

There are different types of top up machines.

The top up machines at the AIS/True branches are "in house" and don't charge fees. Everywhere I've seen them there've been staff standing beside to help you use them (kind of defeats the purpose of having self help kiosks?).

You can't miss them.

If you're in a town that has a Central Plaza/Festival, just go to the AIS/True in them.

As far as i know, DTAC does not have these in-house machines.

The top up machines outside 7-11s are by a third party and hence the additional fees.

[lomatopo]

Can someone post a screenshot of these topup machines.

You kind of already did that, with your re-post of KittenKong's post/picture.

It's that orange machine, just to the left of what looks like a BBL ATM.

These support AIS, DTAC and TrueMOve H, essentially they have a SIM/phone inside (for all 3 providers) which front-ends the OTA top-up request.

I think you'll find these everywhere, typically used for small value pre-paid top-ups. Very simple to use

Edited June 11, 2014 by lomatopo

[Sandman77]

Have old ais promotion 10 year old

100 b is one month

Current one only 2 weeks for 100 b

Looks like most here using phones only for receive. Calls

1200 b a year is enough

I never have to buy validity

[KhunBENQ]

The machines at 7/Eleven look smiliar to this:

They are placed outside near the entrance usually.

Edited June 11, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[KhunBENQ]

These are the machines supposed to be at the Telewiz/AIS shops:

(can not confirm, just a Google result)

"AIS Kiosk"