AIS Prepaid 1 GB Unlimited Internet Promotion @399 per mo.

[DogNo1]

My friend works at Chula and his building doesn't have WiFi so I bought him an AIS 21 Mpbs Aircard for his notebook with an AIS sim with the 399 baht per month promotion of 1 GB and unlimited internet. I then topped it up with over 4,000 baht so that he can use it without concern for ten months. He used it happily for a few weeks until this week he found that it just wouldn't connect to the Internet any more. I took it in to the Treewhiz AIS shop in Phantip (Bangkok) to see what was up. The girl there told me "package ended on March 11." I asked how that could be since it was supposed to renew automatically and there was over 4,000 in his account. She indicated that his 1 GB had been used up before the package automatically renewed. So I upped his plan to the 4 GB 799 per month plan effective yesterday. In addition to the 3,700 left in his account after the charge for the new plan, I paid 5,000 so that the plan would renew until 19 January. Then this afternoon, I stopped by the AIS shop in Central Chidlom to verify the balance available on his plan. It was 3,707. Fortunately, I had a detailed receipt from Treewhiz showing that I had paid the 5,000. The girl at Chidlom told me that accounts can't be topped up above 5,000 baht. She called the girl at Treewhiz and asked her what she was doing with that 5,000 baht. The girl explained that she would top up the account later when it got close to zero. Since she might very well forget to do that, I am going over to Phantip tomorrow to get my 5,000 back.

Now back to why my friend's dongle stopped working. As i understand it, you get the gigabytes that you pay for at 3G but after you use up that bandwidth, your connection drops to 2G which just doesn't seem to work well enough in the office at Chula for him to connect to the Internet. According to the girl at Central, watching 30 minutes of video will suck up 1 GB of bandwidth. He likes to watch YouTube clips.

The "Unlimited Internet" as advertised seems deceptive and does't seem to work. This is my first experience with any mobile carrier in Thailand so I'm learning the details slowly. I'm going to advise my friend to limit his video watching until he can connect by WiFi somewhere. I suppose other TVers know about this well. Any comments or pointers will be much appreciated. BTW, I've tried to read the AIS website without much success. Chrome doesn't translate enough of it into English for me to understand.

[Turkleton]

After 1GB is used up, the speed is reduced to ridiculously 64 Kbit/s. (analog modem/ISDN speed)

This might be too slow for most web pages to fully load, so you probably get "time out" messages.

PS: watching videos on a small 1GB plan, is not really a good idea.....especially HD .

Edited March 21, 2014 by Turkleton

[JDGRUEN]

My perception of this issue... and I say perception as I cannot fully understand the AIS package policy. I had this same problem with the 399 package on my mobile / cell phone. After the 1 GB was used up my SMS stopped working. I talked for 30 minutes with the AIS gal at the local shop. I finally topped the account off but the Internet function was still slowed -- however the SMS function started working. So??? ... Anyway I bought the Pocket Wifi 21.6 mbps. It works great - fast - multiple devices at the same time. I bought the 799 plan for Internet and Data - giving 4 GB. Well that has run out ... I can get the statistics using http://192.168.0.1 - (handy utilities). My Internet speed is very slow - but almost tolerable since I use Thaivisa, Facebook, email and don't get into video much. It seems (despite the wording of what package one buys) that one CANNOT top up the Internet GBs on the monthly plan if they run out early. There is NO WAY it seems that I can pay any amount of money during to 30 days to increase the GB's and go back to full speed. The topping up is only actually useful in the renewal of the next months package plan at the end of the 'month'. This whole approach seems nutty to me. I am willing to pay and cannot determine always - just how many GB's I will use in 30 days. I could buy a much higher GB plan -- but don't know if I would use it up in 30 days or not. Very frustrating.

[lomatopo]

Did you have any questions?

AIS have many, many, many packages including fixed volume, non-recurring; fixed volume, recurring, unlimited volume, recurring.

I can tell you all the things you did wrong, but I'm not sure that's what you want to hear.

Do you know, exactly, which plan you subscribed to? Was it tied to the aircard via a promotion? Please be very, very precise and include links.

Edited March 21, 2014 by lomatopo

[kingalfred]

Get freedom unlimited AIS sim prepaid 99 baht a week gives you unlimited 3G at 330kbps,good enough to stream audio and youtube on my phone.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[JDGRUEN]

Since the OP and I have experienced similar situations ... choosing a package that is too limited in GB's for our usage pattern. And since as posted AIS has many different packages or plans... If one is willing to pay much extra - how does one choose an AIS package or payment plan that allows sufficient GBs for what we want to do? I have visited about 6 different AIS offices and discussed all options and I am never offered one to allow me to use a lot of GB of Internet without being throttled down in speed.

What is the magic words or phrases one needs to use to prime the AIS people with to get what we need? This is a serious question. And I am sorry I don't understand AIS's offerings of packages. My experience has been the USA where I could add GB's at $10.00 a GB over my package limit of 5 GB... and upon payment my Internet 'speed' was returned to normal.

I can't speak for the OP but I am willing to go along to get along -- just don't know what to ask for ...and I am willing to pay extra.

(my post was being drafted while the above post was being added ... so didn't see it. And this is the first time I have heard of a weekly plan... could be the right answer... not sure for a pocket wifi ... have to check.

Edited March 21, 2014 by JDGRUEN

[lomatopo]

Save some current 2x volume post-paid promotions, the current top-end might be 10 GB, with fair-use speed-limits ranging from 64 Kbps to 384 Kbps.

Any time-based (hours) plans will be capped at 384 Kbps, max.

TOT do have some truly unlimited post-paid 3G plans, but these are speed limited to 1 or 2 Mbps, from the get-go. See their "Storm" packages.

One may be able to power-up a current plan, adding 1 GB for 150 baht. (TrueMove H and DTAC offer this service, not sure how often you can rinse/repeat?)

Otherwise one can always cancel a plan, and then re-subscribe to a 'fresh' plan.

Replacing fixed-line broadband with 3G may not be feasible/cost-effective (even in the U.S.) for any/all applications.

There are some wireless PtP solutions: TOT Wi-NET, AIS AIrNET, 3BB Wireless, which may help some, but these are fixed to a single location.

http://www.tot3g.net/PromotionInfo.aspx?pid=23

http://thaiprepaidcard.com/3g-data-plans-for-12call-dtac-and-true/

http://www.thaimobilecenter.com/promotion/promotion.asp

Edited March 21, 2014 by lomatopo

[eyecatcher]

I have been using the 399bhat 1gb package for 6 months and only now I am in control of it.

Some of my findings:

1gb lasted me about 10 or 12 days.

A couple of you tube videos will take a day off your time.

After the 1gb is used the speed drops and pages don't load,frustrating, replies on here need to be sent three times sometimes to get through.

do not put more than 50bt over your package cost. If you have not cancelled data roaming in settings it will continue to link you to internet at the high daily rate.

If you end up going back to the ais office for top up they charge you vat on top...it appears.

This last month the high speed first giga didn't seem any different to the used up giga. It has been so bad my giga lasted 22 days......but decided now I would rather pay 600 for a wifi modem at home.

Not sure if its the TV app but if the pages don't load in 3 seconds it freezes, and I have to switch off the phone to reset it. Internet is the most fantastic but most frustrating facility ever invented.

[Maroon Watcher]

I use the 399 option - It's basic but has always been ON (99.9%)

I can down load a few you tube music videos at the begining -
then It's just good for keeping in touch - anywhere in Thailand.

They should offer "Off peak" download speads

Note New customers can get 1/2 price last time I looked

[DogNo1]

Thanks for the informative posts. This afternoon I will go to the AIS shop in Central Chidlom to make sure that data roaming is turned off on the AIS SIM (Although I'll have to check on what the implications of that will be. My friend wants to use the notebook with AIS dongle at various location.) I'll also check on that 99 baht weekly plan although the details of that are not clear to me. BTW, the girl at Central told me very clearly that the 4 GB could be renewed during the month if I go in to the AIS shop and pay an additional 799. JDGRUEN, have you tried doing that? I'll try to confirm at the AIS shop today that topping up before the end of the month is, in fact, possible. I'll post what I learn here this evening.

[lomatopo]

Most recurring, monthly, pre-paid, volume-based plans automagically renew on the same number day of subsequent months, typically for a minimum term of 12 months. (Note that there are also single time, non-recurring, hard-capped volume-based plans.) AIS have a 7 day/ 1GB unlimited (FuP is 128 Kbps) recurring plan for 249 baht. There is also a recurring, unlimited 7 day plan for 69 baht but speed is capped at 384 kbps from the get-go.

All you need to do is have enough money associated with your SIM/number/account on the renewal date.

You should get some notification, assuming you have the SIM in a phone, about the impending renewal, maybe a few days ahead of the date as a reminder to insure that you have added money to your account. You may get USSD service messages in an aircard UI with similar messages.

There may be some web-based application (AIS has eServices) which you can use to monitor your account in an air-card application; and you may be able to originate USSD service commands from within the Aircard UI.

Typically one can cancel an existing plan - say if you have reached your FuP prior to the renewal date, at anytime prior to the renewal date, and then re-subscribe to a new/fresh/different/same plan.

Note that all three major service providers have some great, current post-paid promotions, which give 2X in GB for periods up to 12 months.

Data roaming is a non-issue; you do not pay extra for this, but it may allow you to roam onto the legacy 900 MHz network, or onto TOT's 2100 MHz 3G network, but not even sure this is an option in an aircard application?

Edited March 21, 2014 by lomatopo

[DogNo1]

Hi. At the Central Chidlom AIS shop this afternoon, I learned two things. First, the data roaming plan is for people who want to use their SIM cards outside of Thailand. It is disabled by default on Thailand-only plans and requires a special request to turn it on. Second, pre-paid plans can be topped up at any time during the month if you go into an AIS shop to do it. I'm not sure what it involves technically. It may be that you cancel your existing plan and buy a new one, but the girl at the AIS shop was emphatic that it could be done. I didn't ask about weekly plans because it seems to me that if you purchase 1 GB of unlimited Internet for seven days, it is almost the same as purchasing a 4 GB unlimited Internet one-month package. I hope that this is helpful information. My friend has said that he plans to use YouTube very little in the future. In that case, the 4 GB might last him a month.

[blueyeshk]

DETAC offers 1.5 GB and has the benefits of being political correct;)

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[edwardandtubs]

DTAC has two options. The first seems much better but a little more expensive.

• *Get allowance to use 3G at maximum speed of 42 Mbps. After the allowance is used up, the maximum speed will be limited to 384 Kbps.
• **Get allowance to use 3G at maximum speed of 42 Mbps. After the allowance is used up, the maximum speed will be limited to 64 Kbps.

[CzarThustraThusSpake]

DOG NO !

Please be careful. Steer clear of AIS, and go TRUE.

I have had one problem after the next with AIS. Finally, I just said enough is enough and their situation is HOPELESS, and got rid of my AIS phones, and switched internet and phones to True.

GLAD I DID!

My opinion, maybe not true, is that True is better for smaller retail customers, such as we.

And AIS could be better for commercial accounts, but definitely NOT for retail individual accounts like mine.

DO NOT waste your precious time trying to talk to them, because they are incapable of listening. They are polite, but untrained, the people who answered or did not answer my inquiries.

This is just my personal experience, so far, and maybe this will be helpful to others in my situation.

I now have a plan which is around 600Baht per month for 300 minutes plus 1 GB of internet on my phone. Then 500 MB on my tablet. I know this is not enough internet bandwidth capacity, but I don't want to throw more money at it, because I already have DOC.SYS internet to my home, and I can use free TRUE internet for 30 hours per month, which is enough for me. Maybe i can actually use 60 hours per month because I have 2 sim cards, one for the tablet and one for my phone.

So: I pay 600B per month for DOC.SYS, and about 700B for phone incl tablet.

The TRUE connect to internet is very good with DOC.SYS, and NO complaints.

But sometimes the 3G internet to phone is slow as molasses, depending on where I am. They need to fix this by upping the quality and quantity of their infrastructure.

[DogNo1]

Thanks for the ideas about TRUE but if their Internet to phone or tablet is slow and with spotty coverage, that would make their service unacceptable to me.

[CzarThustraThusSpake]

Thanks for the ideas about TRUE but if their Internet to phone or tablet is slow and with spotty coverage, that would make their service unacceptable to me.

AIS and TRUE both have this connectivity speed problem

[JDGRUEN]

Thanks for the informative posts. This afternoon I will go to the AIS shop in Central Chidlom to make sure that data roaming is turned off on the AIS SIM (Although I'll have to check on what the implications of that will be. My friend wants to use the notebook with AIS dongle at various location.) I'll also check on that 99 baht weekly plan although the details of that are not clear to me. BTW, the girl at Central told me very clearly that the 4 GB could be renewed during the month if I go in to the AIS shop and pay an additional 799. JDGRUEN, have you tried doing that? I'll try to confirm at the AIS shop today that topping up before the end of the month is, in fact, possible. I'll post what I learn here this evening.

Concerning paying the 799... To the best of my knowledge by paying the 799 what you would be doing is Changing Packages to the 4GB / Month package. I changed packages once to achieve this ... I was required to pay an additional 'change of package' fee of 50 baht. Keep upping the packing does return your phone / pocket Wifi to 'normal' with full available download / upload 'speed'. Then you are on the higher package rate unless you want to up it or lower it again.

On the other hand with AIS - to my best understanding - 'topping off" with any amount of money does not restore GB's available - it only will turn on a feature like SMS that may have been turned off by too much data use. Last month on my phone, I had 199 Baht left over at the renewal date of the 20th. of this month. I had been getting many notices in Thai script --- cannot really read it yet - so had no idea what it was saying - mostly. Anyway I suddenly on the 17th. got a notice from AIS in English that the 20th. renewal date for the 399 1GB package was coming up and to make sure I had enough baht to cover the automatic deduction of 399. So I topped it off by adding 300 Baht ... on the afternoon of the 20th. I got a notice that the renewal had taken place and that the 399 1 GB package was good again. I had topped off in a previous month - but not at the renewal date... no change in the package then except that my SMS started working again. So - I conclude topping off on a package like the 399 package does nothing much during the month except to perhaps give additional voice call time and SMS ability - nothing to do with real internet usage like browsing or streaming video or downloading file.

I find this approach to be basically useless for me ... as I said I had been used to the USA AT&T and also the MetroPCS policy of selling a 5 GB package - when it ran out during the 30 day period - one could easily - on line - top up by paying an additional $10.00 per GB. Or as in AT&T case they just automatically added it to the bill with no deterioration in service. Oh Well ... please don't ever sell what the customer wants here in Thailand --- just lose out on money paid during the month - save the topping off money in the account for the renewal of the full Internet service at the 30 day renewal date... Mercy Me!

Edited March 22, 2014 by JDGRUEN

[JDGRUEN]

As far as AIS and their 3G signal for my Android phone and my AIS Pocket WiFi 21.6 mbps device the AIS coverage and 'speed' has been good - very good in the big towns and cities. . I have been living near Nong Khai and in Udon Thani for two months. I have made numerous highway trips along the Mekong and deep into Isaan to Sakon Nakhon, Khon Kaen, Yasothon, Mukdahan and many other places. The 3G signal holds up pretty well with short periods of drop out -- a few times total drop out but mostly I get - for a few miles on the highway - TH GSM ... I can still make calls but scratchy and no Internet .... But in actual use the continuation of AIS signal has been very good traveling in Isaan. The short periods of drop out -- not a real problem unless I should have to stop in one of those places - which didn't occur thank goodness...

[moonseeker]

Check out the AIS E-Service which shows you all details of your account and lets you cancel and renew packages etc. online. MS>

http://www.ais.co.th/eservice.html

[lomatopo]

AIS has completed an impressive roll-out of 3G 2100 MHz, covering (by their estimate) 97% of the population, not geography. With data roaming enabled you can fall back to the GSM900 network for data; voice roaming is automatic.

TrueMove H, through their partner CAT might have the most geographic and population coverage on 850 MHz 3G.

DTAC is probably in third place re: geographic coverage with wide deployments of both 850 MHz 3G and 2100 MHz 3G.

In major metropolitan areas and provincial capitals, and larger districts, all three probably have decent/equal coverage.

If you move around a lot, and are in rural areas frequently, TrueMove H might the best choice.

When I mentioned data roaming I was of course referring to "Domestic" data roaming, which in most cases should be enabled as there is no additional fee, and it may allow you to get onto another of your service providers' networks or partner networks.

If you are traveling internationally you must first request international roaming, and then possibly, subscribe to an IR mobile data plan. If roaming internationally I would strongly recommend you disable mobile data, and data roaming as you may incur per minute/MB fees without being aware of it, or at least until you've researched the matter to understand the costs.

Adding value to your account (topping up) is quite simply just that, you are adding Thai Baht to the pre-paid balance associated with your SIM/number/account. Topping up does not alter your service - other than to extend the validity, or automatically subscribe you to a service. As you make calls, send SMSes - we do not pay for incoming calls/SMSes here as we do in the U.S, thank goodness - your prepaid balance gets reduced by the per minute or per message rate associated with your current plan/promotion. When you subscribe to a mobile data plan, or any other service, your pre-paid balance is debited. When any recurring, subscribed services automatically renews, your pre-paid balance is debited.

Service providers offer dozens of methods for adding value to your pre-paid SIM/balance. Some even offer bonuses for using certain methods. Popular methods include retail (7/11, give your 10 digit number and cash), ATM, web/CC, bank, on-line, cashiers, denominated cards, branded storefronts.

Most service providers now have great (Android or iPhone) apps. to manage your account. They also have decent web-based applications. You can request that any service message are sent in English. Also, Google Translate has a one-button SMS translation option.

Again, if you need more speed/volume before your plan renews simply cancel it (call, email, ussd, web, app), and then subscribe to a 'fresh' plan. There is no fee for cancelling an existing package.

Both DTAC and TrueMove H offer a 1 GB/150 baht power up option to extend your speed/volume.

Service providers have Fair Use speed limits for most mobile data plans, which can range from 64 Kbps to 384 Kbps. Typically, the greater the volume/fee the higher the speed limit, but as with all things this is not a fixed rule.

[stoli]

For my iPad, no phone, I buy the 250 baht package each month at Telewhiz for 300mb. For some reason, which I like, it seems to go about 40 days before it no longer works. Since Pattaya has free wi-fi just about anywhere, (except for Starbucks), I hardly need my AIS internet connection. Works well for me. Couldn't be happier.

Edited March 22, 2014 by stoli

[MKAsok]

I got an unlimited package a couple of weeks back - 799 THB + VAT for 13 GB and throttled to 384 KB/s after the 13 GBs are finished. Not sure if it's still available, it was a promotion, but it's probably worth asking for anyone that's thinking of renewing/changing their package.

[kentb21]

Using AIS and my pocket last May thru Aug '13, when I used up my 4 GB for 799 baht, I would go to 7/11 and top off my SIM card, and then call AIS customer service (a misnomer) and they would add 4 GB more to my plan and start my 30 day period new again as of that date. So you can renew your GB, but you start your 30 day cycle new again every time you do that. You can do it as many times a month as you like I think, as I did it more than once within 30 days a few times.

I think I read on TV last week that AIS is running a promo for 8 GB for 799 baht, but I don't remember the exact numbers or details.

[kentb21]

Pocket wifi....

[kentb21]

MKAsok's post above mine refers to the same promo I read about last week on TV.

[Isanboer]

I just recently subscribed to the 4 GB 799 baht provision after having cancelled TOT Ipstar satelite dish which was not only expensive but also very bad.

So far it regularly happened that AIS also wanted me to pay for the 1 GB service which is described as follows:

3GNetSIM399B ULMaxSpeed 1 GB WifiMovieEbook

Since there was some balance on my SIMcard they simply deducted this amount already three times but I not want this additional service.

As a farang I cannot explain in Thai to stop this. At this very moment my balance for this extra service is not sufficient and they are sending me many SMS to top up which I not will.

Is there anybody who can advise me how to get rid of this?

Thanks

(just going to a shop won't do, I fear)

[MKAsok]

As a farang I cannot explain in Thai to stop this.

AIS have English speaking customer service. Give them a call.

[YeaBiGgiEs]

The OP and those with similiar situations are correct and are NOT stupid in the least regardless of being written in Thai. Bottom line is that this is a corporation that is in business to make money. Nowadays their advertising and marketing has gotten much more clever in deceiving and confusing you. And if you have been in Thailand for any amount of time you will soon realize they will fight you tooth and nail before you ever WIN or they credit you 1BAHT. Almost every time you will walk away with your tail between your legs being defeated and made to think that you are the stupid farang and if you had known better or were Thai it wouldn't have happened BUT that also isn't very true.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

All three of the major mobile providers -- TrueMove H, AIS and DTAC -- have English language customer service available through their main call-in numbers. Just listen to the voicemail recorded prompts and choose the number selection for English language reps.

Also, at least re AIS, their E-Service web portal can be set entirely for English language, and as stated above, allows you to monitor your account and add/delete and change service plans. And it's also relatively clear in explaining their different plans and service options.

There's no reason to try fighting it out with Thai language-only speaking reps at the various local mobile phone service offices.