NBTC warns sim cards of 1800 MHz mobile users will go offline on September 15

[webfact]

NBTC warns sim cards of 1800 MHz mobile users will go offline on September 15

BANGKOK, 30 May 2014 (NNT) – The National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) warned on Tuesday that mobile phone users who are using the 1800 MHz band who do not switch from the frequency before September 15 will definitely not be able to make calls afterwards.

NBTC commissioner Prawit Lisathaphonwongsa (ประวิทย์ ลี่สถาพรวงศา) said the temporary injunction for the benefit of 1800 MHz frequency users will terminate on September 15. This will affect the 4 million existing users of the service on the TrueMove network and the 1,000 users who remain on the AIS network.

Chakkrit Urairat, deputy director for government relations at True Corporation, indicated TrueMove was now intensifying public relations activities related to the termination of service on the 1800 MHz band, persuading customers to switch over to other frequencies. It has also readied an accommodating measure for customers who have not switched over by the time the service terminates; the company plans to transfer all the remaining numbers to the 2100 MHz frequency. Users will then, after contacting the company, be able to immediately use their numbers under the new network. Alternatively, the customers may contact the company to have their remaining call credit refunded.


-- NNT 2014-05-30

[phosphorescent]

How can we check the MHz of our sim cards?

[smedly]

if you are on the old gprs system then you are likely on 1800, if you use 3g then you are on 2100 (for AIS)

[keith101]

im with ais 1-2-call so how the hell am i supposed to know what MHz im on and if i will be cut or not

[rezbin]

So, that basically means those cheap 400 baht 1800Mhz b/w nokia phones they are pushing will be no good come September.. wow, this will screw a lot of people.

[casualbiker]

im with ais 1-2-call so how the hell am i supposed to know what MHz im on and if i will be cut or not

Have you changed over to 3g 2100.. if not do so now!

If you have a smart phone that works on 3g then you have already changed. If you have a standard phone then pop along to your closest AIS - TRUE Store

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bdenner]

im with ais 1-2-call so how the hell am i supposed to know what MHz im on and if i will be cut or not

Good question! Mine tells me I'm on TH GSM. If we have to change can we retain our old numbers?

[smedly]

im with ais 1-2-call so how the hell am i supposed to know what MHz im on and if i will be cut or not

Have you changed over to 3g 2100.. if not do so now!

If you have a smart phone that works on 3g then you have already changed. If you have a standard phone then pop along to your closest AIS - TRUE Store

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

having a smartphone that works on 3g 2100 does not mean that your sim is automatically on 2100, it could still mean you are on 1800 but are able to change once you contact AIS

If your phone does not support 2100 then you need a new phone that does and once acquired need to ask AIS to switch your sim card over - with some older sim cards this also may not be possible and will require you to get a new sim card from an AIS store - you will still be able to keep your number in all eventualities

[lomatopo]

This will affect the 4 million existing users of the service on the TrueMove network and the 1,000 users who remain on the AIS network.

By AIS, they mean DPC, and I doubt anyone here is a DPC customer. For TrueMove, they mean TrueMove and not TrueMove H, so if you have an older, non-smart phone and have been with TrueMove for a few years, then you may have to either get a new phone, which supports 3G 850 and/or 2100 MHz, or port out to DTAC. DTAC has a GSM1800 concession which runs until 2018, and beefed up their coverage in anticipation of having to fill the void left by the end of TrueMove's GSM1800 concession (which was supposed to end last Sep., but it was given a life-line)..

AIS's GSM900 concession will end in 2015, so if you are an existing One-2-Call/AIS customer who has not transitioned to AWN (AIS/2100 MHz 3G), then you may face a similar notice in one year.

[bdenner]

Just been through the exercise with the AIS call center. 1175 then 2=(Language) 1=(English) 5=(2100 upgrade). Very helpful staff, in my case the SIM is to old and has to be renewed at a dedicated AIS shop. I can keep my number.

[lee b]

Just been through the exercise with the AIS call center. 1175 then 2=(Language) 1=(English) 5=(2100 upgrade). Very helpful staff, in my case the SIM is to old and has to be renewed at a dedicated AIS shop. I can keep my number.

Thanks for the info, I will call them now and check. Cheers !!

[chingching]

AIS you can call *545# ( star 5 4 5 hash ) Message mostly in Thai, but will say AIS3G if you are not on the 1800 Mhz.

[Jonmarleesco]

I've received numerous texts from AIS, needless to say in Thai, but the gist appears to be that I have been switched to 2100.

[Glock3am]

So, that basically means those cheap 400 baht 1800Mhz b/w nokia phones they are pushing will be no good come September.. wow, this will screw a lot of people.

If you are talking about those cheap Nokia phones that True have been giving out for a small fee to loyal customers - then no, they will still work because they are 2100 Mhz capable: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_208-5560.php

[lomatopo]

TrueMove H has a broad range of 850/2100 MHz 3G-capable phones, from 599 baht up to 23,000+ baht.

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/product/detail/1612

For the most part they've probably transitioned ~ 75 + % of the 'target' (desirable) customers to date.

If you want to stay with True you'd need to have a device which supports 3G: 850 and (preferably) 2100 MHz.

AIS/One-2-Call customers on GSM 900 MHz will need to transition before 15 Sep. 2015 (~ 16 months), and you could transition now, but still use the 'old' GSM 900 network. You'll need a device which supports 3G/2100 MHz, or LTE/1800 MHz after 15 Sep. 2015.

This slide is from Q4/2013 (7 March 2014 briefing, new numbers should be available at the next briefing, ~ 7 June?)

[Thaddeus]

AIS you can call *545# ( star 5 4 5 hash ) Message mostly in Thai, but will say AIS3G if you are not on the 1800 Mhz.

Just tried.

All I got was a message telling me my own mobile number

[Andre0720]

Dee,

Finally a nice way to lose contact with these friends of mine....

[phosphorescent]

It seems I was on the old frequency even though I've got an iphone. Anyway, I went to the following ais website and did everything online. Ordered a new sim card free of charge which will be posted to my house and will arrive in 3-5 days. A lot easier than I expected.

https://aiseservice.ais.co.th/eServiceWeb/

[Sandman77]

This information in this report I canot confirm according to my tests with older phones!

First dtac is the only operator in Thailand that use 1800 mhz

But only in advertising in real it does!

True before orange always use 900 MHz

Ais 1800 MHz was only a backup freqency, a real use of this spectrum

That you coud receive only in big cities was never possible!

You could manual select the 1800 MHz , after one minute signal disappears and never come back, same test done with a 12 year old gsm only 12 call sim with same result!

And now comes the technical part

In my collection at home I have around 50 diffrent nokias from the 90'

One of the Modell that Is a real 1800 MHz only Modell type Nokia 6130

In Eu was possible to receive 1800 MHz only some operator used before

In Germany was eplus

Coming to Thailand with this phone, I big surprise, absolutely no reception of any network!

Also in Bangkok where all gsm operators used backup freqency, but in real not do, the advertiesing is not true

I never heard that the 1800 MHz range was difference in other parts of the world I think it could be only 1900 MHz but I not have a us phone for test it!

Operators using 2100 MHz

Like dtac on 3G have much higher base station coasts to cover same area!

[lomatopo]

Currently DTAC, TrueMove and DPC (a subsidiary of AIS) each have a GSM 1800 MHz concession. DTAC's GSM 1800 concession runs until 2018, while TrueMove and DPC's GSM 1800 concession technically ended on Sep. 15. 2013.

DTAC also has a 3G 850 MHz concession.

AIS has a GSM 900 MHz concession, which runs until 2015.

AIS, DTAC and TrueMove H have 2100 MHz 3G licenses.

TrueMove H resells CAT 3G/850 MHz through a 15 year arrangement.

There will be an 1800 MHz (to be used for 4G) auction, maybe in August.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/4g-licence-auction-go-ahead/

FAQ about SMS informing the end of TrueMove services on 1800 MHz

https://www3.truecorp.co.th/cm/support_content/2230?ln=en

Edited May 30, 2014 by lomatopo

[CharlesHH]

The higher the frequency, as a rule, the less broad the coverage and the less wall penetrating power. Oh well.

im with ais 1-2-call so how the hell am i supposed to know what MHz im on and if i will be cut or not

Have you changed over to 3g 2100.. if not do so now!

If you have a smart phone that works on 3g then you have already changed. If you have a standard phone then pop along to your closest AIS - TRUE Store

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

having a smartphone that works on 3g 2100 does not mean that your sim is automatically on 2100, it could still mean you are on 1800 but are able to change once you contact AIS

If your phone does not support 2100 then you need a new phone that does and once acquired need to ask AIS to switch your sim card over - with some older sim cards this also may not be possible and will require you to get a new sim card from an AIS store - you will still be able to keep your number in all eventualities

[peergin]

I think the providers should send an SMS message to their 1800 MHz customers to warn them. I suppose that is not difficult. AIS sends SMS messages about payments ("we will debit your bank account for B xxx on that and that date") ("we have today debited B xxx to your account") and other things.

[lomatopo]

I think the providers should send an SMS message to their 1800 MHz customers to warn them.

TrueMove and DPC have been doing this for ~ one year now.

AIS have also been very pro-active in transitioning customers from concession to auction, if only to reduce their concession tax (35%) to an auction tax (7%).

And DTAC has proactively transitioned tagetted customers from concession to Tri-NET (auction) for the same reason.

[Langsuan Man]

This thread is too AIS and True concentric

How do I find out if my DTAC SIM uses the 1800Mz frequency or not ?

I have a tri-band smart phone (Nexus 4) but no data plan

I keep getting SMS's from DTAC touting tri-net (in Thai of course) but don't know if that is a warning to "upgrade" or just an advertisement trying to sell me tri-net

lomatopo Posted Yesterday, 20:00

DTAC's GSM 1800 concession runs until 2018

What does this statement mean in light of the Post Title: NBTC warns sim cards of 1800 MHz mobile users will go offline on September 15

[lomatopo]

Well the news is only relevant to TrueMove and DPC customers.

Only TrueMove and DPC GSM1800 customers will go offline on September 15

DTAC customers remain unaffected. So relax.

DTAC wants to move you to Tri-NET so that they only pay 7% tax vs. 35% tax.

You do not have to move to Tri-NET until 2018. I'd recommend moving if you want to use mobile data.

You can go to Settings, About phone, Status to see the network type. My best guess is that you are on 520-18, DTAC, GSM 1800, or possibly 3G/850 as your phone supports that voice+data frequency as well.

Edited May 31, 2014 by lomatopo

[Langsuan Man]

Thank you, I am now relaxed

About Phone > Mobile network type > unknown

[lomatopo]

Is your SIM active? Do you have a signal? Can you make/receive calls? Are you pre-paid? What is the reply to *101*9# ?

What does it say under "Network"? Service state? Roaming?

What does it say at the bottom of the screen when you pull down the status bar?

My best guess remains that you are on DTAC GSM1800.

In any event, please do relax as you remain unaffected until 2018.

[Langsuan Man]

Is your SIM active? Yes

Do you have a signal? Yes

Can you make/receive calls? Yes

Are you pre-paid? Yes

What is the reply to *101*9# ? Your remaining balance is 68.29 Baht, valid until 28 Jan 15(in 243 day(s))

What does it say under "Network"? DTAC

Service state? In service

Roaming? Not Roaming

What does it say at the bottom of the screen when you pull down the status bar? Up Time 982:17:54

My best guess remains that you are on DTAC GSM1800.

In any event, please do relax as you remain unaffected until 2018.

Thank you, answers in red

[lomatopo]

Thank you, answers in red

You are on DTAC GSM 1800.

You are not affected by the announcement in the OP of this thread.

Unless you plan to use mobile data, and are happy with the service, maybe just best to stick with your current SIM/service, understanding that you will have to transition by 2018.

[Lancashirelad]

I'm with AIS One-2-Call and have had the same number for many years (about 8). I got a new SIM card last year because I had mislaid the original.

I'm in the UK at present. *101*9# = invalid request.

I have a text msg from AIS about how to make calls when roaming. It starts:

AIS3g One-2-Call lets you send-receive SMS/receive calls .................

So would I be correct to take from that, that I am already on 3g? (I have an old non-smart phone).