Fiber optic internet

[JesseFrank]

As I have to rely on unstable 3G internet I inquired by one of the Cable TV companies how much it would cost to extend the fiber cable which is half way my soi already.

Today they came around and told me it was 1200 meter at 60 Baht a meter they had to pull.

Total cost thus 72.000 Baht, but of course the technician could do it himself at 55.000 Baht.

Could talk him even down to 40.000 after a while.

So my questions are. Is this the right price or still a rip off for 1200 meter.

How reliable is the fiber optic from the local cable tv companies. The technician says he guarantees 10M down at all time.

[bartender100]

Are you talking about Sophon?

[Sigurris]

I have just contracted CAT to put fibre optic to my new office. 350 metres. 6,000 baht complete installation.

[JesseFrank]

I prefer not to name the company in question to avoid issues in case someone from the company read this post and isn't aware of what the technician offered me, but I guess that all tv companies that offer fiber optic in Pattaya will have the same reliability ?

You can just post your experience with any company you've used.

Also at 40.000 Baht that would mean 33,5 Baht a meter, is this an acceptable price for a fiber optic cable included installation ?

[JesseFrank]

I have just contracted CAT to put fibre optic to my new office. 350 metres. 6,000 baht complete installation.

That's a much cheaper price .

Do they have a possibility to find other interested clients within that 350 meters ?

In my case there are none.

Edited July 16, 2014 by JesseFrank

[KittenKong]

I have just contracted CAT to put fibre optic to my new office. 350 metres. 6,000 baht complete installation.

That presumably is some sort of standard price and not based on a price per metre.

[Sigurris]

Basically you ask for and sign up to a package and they will give you what you need. They have just telephoned me to say the 350m of cable will be laid on friday and on Monday they will fit everything in the office. The 6000 baht was the installation fee, all inclusive.

I doubt it will benefit anyone else as this is our own person I.P.

[JesseFrank]

I would like to hear some comments on the reliability of the fiber optic services provided by the local cable tv companies.

Anyone ?

[Langsuan Man]

Are we really talking about fiber to the home from the TV company or just Internet via the standard TV cable (coax) ?

CAT does use fiber optic and have offered to string it to my house in a moobahn but until they improve their Internet Gateway it is not worth the 3,600 THB installation price, plus 3,000 THB cable price from the nearest neighbor

I did have Sophon Cable Internet in my condo in Pattaya and although not the speediest option (on paper) , the quality of signal was vastly superior to TOT or 3BB ADSL service

[JesseFrank]

Are we really talking about fiber to the home from the TV company or just Internet via the standard TV cable (coax) ?

CAT does use fiber optic and have offered to string it to my house in a moobahn but until they improve their Internet Gateway it is not worth the 3,600 THB installation price, plus 3,000 THB cable price from the nearest neighbor

I did have Sophon Cable Internet in my condo in Pattaya and although not the speediest option (on paper) , the quality of signal was vastly superior to TOT or 3BB ADSL service

It is indeed fiber optic, because the cable tv they will pull at no charge, but they can't send the internet signal over that distance over the normal cable.

Price would be 899 Bht/month for 10M down.

[KittenKong]

Price would be 899 Bht/month for 10M down.

10MB is not very generous for FTTH. You might get more from ADSL. For example, 3BB offers 13MB for that same price.

If you are near enough to civilisation to be able to get fibre I would be surprised if you could not get ADSL also. And I doubt that the installation cost would be anywhere near as high.

[KittenKong]

Basically you ask for and sign up to a package and they will give you what you need. They have just telephoned me to say the 350m of cable will be laid on friday and on Monday they will fit everything in the office. The 6000 baht was the installation fee, all inclusive.

I doubt it will benefit anyone else as this is our own person I.P.

You having a dedicated IP address would not prevent other people from being connected to the same cable.

[JesseFrank]

Price would be 899 Bht/month for 10M down.

10MB is not very generous for FTTH. You might get more from ADSL. For example, 3BB offers 13MB for that same price.

If you are near enough to civilisation to be able to get fibre I would be surprised if you could not get ADSL also. And I doubt that the installation cost would be anywhere near as high.

I've explored all possibilities in the past 3 years, and this particular cable tv fiber optic is the only option available.

The competitor cable tv is also present but only with tv signal.

All ADSL companies have given not home whenever I asked. There is a factory about 1 km from me who had their private TOT line installed, but that can not be extended as ADSL is restricted to a certain distance from the Dslam.

Apart from that, I rather have no internet than TOT adsl.

Edit : By the way I have found another thread about this particular company and there many members have changed from 3BB to this company, and very happy with the change.

Edited July 16, 2014 by JesseFrank

[thairastawoman]

Lately Tot Adsl is a lot better than 3bb and true for me, so i'm not sure if all these people talking about TOT in a negative way have tested it many years ago or just rely on BS posted by some people ?

[captnhoy]

I'm very happy with TOT ADSL because it's fast enough to suit me, it's been reliable one year into it and there are no data caps. 3BB was just pulled into my neighborhood too so I have that choice if I wanted to switch.

[rolfwipi]

Hello all, I used in my home before 3BB with 16Mbps and paid THB 1'594.00 per month and had a lot of disconnection and was not very happy with 3BB. I had even to call them to discuss these disconnection in front of the Provinicial Court in Pattaya.

In my home country I was used to a connection by fibre obtic cable with more than 100Mbps. So I was looking for a company in Pattaya who was willing to install a fibre optic cable for internet in my house. I must admit, there where not a lot of companies willing to do it. TOT, 3BB, Jomtien Cable and Sophon refused all, saying that they were not interested to install it in a private resort of over 200 houses in Jomtien-Beach. Only two companies were willing to do it: CAT and SBN.

CAT was to expensive regarding yearly and subscription fees and for the installation fees and pulling the cable.

So I choose SBN Sophon Broatband Network Co. Ltd. in Pattaya-Thai. I am now the first person having a FTTH Fiber to the Home connection in our resort. I paid only a subscription fee and the modem of THB 7'500.00 and a yearly fee of THB 14'154.00 (tax of THB 154.00 included) for 10Mbps up to 100Mbps download and 1Mbps upload as per contract. Means that this FTTH connection is a shared connection with other peoples.If a few peoples are online, you have more Mbps at you disposal, if more people are online, you have less Mbps at your disposal. I made already several times the speedtest on 3BB, and I had always more than 22Mbps download and 25Mbps upload at my disposal. Pulling the fibre obtic cable to my home was free and without any charges for me.

[nahkit]

I recently had fibre installed and the total cost ended up around 13,000 baht having originally been quoted around 7,000 baht. The charge included 400 metres of cable although we measured it as more like 200 metres.

When we filled the application form out our personal details were entered in ink and the amount to be paid was entered in pencil. You can draw your own conclusions from that.

That said, my internet is much faster and more stable compared to the 3G air card I was previously using and the ADSL at my other house is complete rubbish. When we mentioned this at their office, the man nodded his head wisely and said it was slow because "your husband play farang internet".

Edited July 17, 2014 by nahkit

[KittenKong]

The charge included 400 metres of cable although we measured it as more like 200 metres.

The data does have to go both ways.

[tropo]

I have just contracted CAT to put fibre optic to my new office. 350 metres. 6,000 baht complete installation.

You won't be disappointed with the speed:

The 30/5 package (gold) performs at 35/5

The 40/7 package (gold) performs at 47/10 and often higher.

I'm currently testing out the 30/7 (gold plus) package, which is also giving me 47/10

Once you commit to a higher package, you cannot drop back for a year, but they will allow you to test out the higher speeds before you commit.

Obviously these speeds are to a Bangkok server. Ping time as low as 3ms.

Installation costs are 8000 baht total. As an existing HiNet customer they gave me a 3000 baht discount. They had to run cable up my soi, but they didn't charge me for it.

If you haven't already bought a wireless router, I recommend TP Link from Tukcom. I bought one in May and it wasn't performing up to spec - I brought it back and they immediately gave me a brand new replacement. That's amazing service for Thailand. They have a lifetime guarantee.

I didn't notice with my slower adsl connection, but you can lose a lot of speed going wireless with a noticeable drop with distance from the router. Using the LAN cable is the best option if you can.

Edited July 17, 2014 by tropo

[tropo]

Are we really talking about fiber to the home from the TV company or just Internet via the standard TV cable (coax) ?

CAT does use fiber optic and have offered to string it to my house in a moobahn but until they improve their Internet Gateway it is not worth the 3,600 THB installation price, plus 3,000 THB cable price from the nearest neighbor

I did have Sophon Cable Internet in my condo in Pattaya and although not the speediest option (on paper) , the quality of signal was vastly superior to TOT or 3BB ADSL service

Sophon Cable IS CAT. They have superior "Internet Gateway" to TOT and 3BB. They own most of the Internet Infrastructure in Thailand.

[tropo]

Basically you ask for and sign up to a package and they will give you what you need. They have just telephoned me to say the 350m of cable will be laid on friday and on Monday they will fit everything in the office. The 6000 baht was the installation fee, all inclusive.

I doubt it will benefit anyone else as this is our own person I.P.

You having a dedicated IP address would not prevent other people from being connected to the same cable.

This is true. Dedicated IP is just a package option. A dedicated IP just costs a little more per month, about 1500 for the slower packages.

[Bernard Flint]

I have the 10mb package at 599 baht, and just done a TOT speed test, showing 9mg download and .5 mb upload, nearly bang on

[tropo]

Hello all, I used in my home before 3BB with 16Mbps and paid THB 1'594.00 per month and had a lot of disconnection and was not very happy with 3BB. I had even to call them to discuss these disconnection in front of the Provinicial Court in Pattaya.

In my home country I was used to a connection by fibre obtic cable with more than 100Mbps. So I was looking for a company in Pattaya who was willing to install a fibre optic cable for internet in my house. I must admit, there where not a lot of companies willing to do it. TOT, 3BB, Jomtien Cable and Sophon refused all, saying that they were not interested to install it in a private resort of over 200 houses in Jomtien-Beach. Only two companies were willing to do it: CAT and SBN.

CAT was to expensive regarding yearly and subscription fees and for the installation fees and pulling the cable.

So I choose SBN Sophon Broatband Network Co. Ltd. in Pattaya-Thai. I am now the first person having a FTTH Fiber to the Home connection in our resort. I paid only a subscription fee and the modem of THB 7'500.00 and a yearly fee of THB 14'154.00 (tax of THB 154.00 included) for 10Mbps up to 100Mbps download and 1Mbps upload as per contract. Means that this FTTH connection is a shared connection with other peoples.If a few peoples are online, you have more Mbps at you disposal, if more people are online, you have less Mbps at your disposal. I made already several times the speedtest on 3BB, and I had always more than 22Mbps download and 25Mbps upload at my disposal. Pulling the fibre obtic cable to my home was free and without any charges for me.

It looks like you're getting exceptionally good value, as you're paying about 1,200 baht/month to have 10 - 100 Mbps... but I'm curious, the Sophon Broadband packages have set limits. All package perform up to a set max speed available. It's hard to believe you have a 100/25 package for that price. Is that what you have on paper? i.e. a 100/25 package? If so, you have the best value internet in Pattaya hands down. Nothing comes close.

[whiteman]

I have had cat for over 2 years and we have just finished the new house. So I asked cat how much to lay the cable to my house 2 .2 kilometers of new cable. Cost me 20000 bhat I said go for it. The cost is 4000 bhat a month all up and the speed is download 33.4 up load 12.14 ping is 4 ms.

They installed it today and we sleep in our brand new home tonight only took just under 6 months to build. We live in Chonbory

[JesseFrank]

I have had cat for over 2 years and we have just finished the new house. So I asked cat how much to lay the cable to my house 2 .2 kilometers of new cable. Cost me 20000 bhat I said go for it. The cost is 4000 bhat a month all up and the speed is download 33.4 up load 12.14 ping is 4 ms.

They installed it today and we sleep in our brand new home tonight only took just under 6 months to build. We live in Chonbory

How are international download speeds on CAT ?

[tropo]

I have had cat for over 2 years and we have just finished the new house. So I asked cat how much to lay the cable to my house 2 .2 kilometers of new cable. Cost me 20000 bhat I said go for it. The cost is 4000 bhat a month all up and the speed is download 33.4 up load 12.14 ping is 4 ms.

They installed it today and we sleep in our brand new home tonight only took just under 6 months to build. We live in Chonbory

How are international download speeds on CAT ?

It's impossible to answer that. You'll never get two measurements the same to any international server. Bangkok measurements are the only set measurement that you can work on. The faster they are, the faster your international performance.

Bittorrents are different as you're connected to many servers at once, so on a good torrent you can max out your full Bangkok speed, whatever that is. My best performance is nearly 6 MB/s which is over 21GB per hour..

[JesseFrank]

I have had cat for over 2 years and we have just finished the new house. So I asked cat how much to lay the cable to my house 2 .2 kilometers of new cable. Cost me 20000 bhat I said go for it. The cost is 4000 bhat a month all up and the speed is download 33.4 up load 12.14 ping is 4 ms.

They installed it today and we sleep in our brand new home tonight only took just under 6 months to build. We live in Chonbory

How are international download speeds on CAT ?

It's impossible to answer that. You'll never get two measurements the same to any international server. Bangkok measurements are the only set measurement that you can work on. The faster they are, the faster your international performance.

Bittorrents are different as you're connected to many servers at once, so on a good torrent you can max out your full Bangkok speed, whatever that is. My best performance is nearly 6 MB/s which is over 21GB per hour..

The reason I asked was because it has been several times mentioned in this and other threads regarding the CAT fiber, that they first need to fix their international gateway bottleneck.

So far I would think that is the same with every ISP in Thailand. 6 Mb looks fine to me , I would already be happy with half of that.

[KittenKong]

How are international download speeds on CAT ?

It's impossible to answer that. You'll never get two measurements the same to any international server. Bangkok measurements are the only set measurement that you can work on. The faster they are, the faster your international performance.

Yes, you can get similar measurements to one international server. I can measure 10-13mbs to Bangkok (follows my ADSL sync speed) and about 5mbs to London, almost all the time.

Measuring to several different international servers also gives you a good idea of what the general connectivity is like to those countries (I have found that 3BB is much better than Sophon/CAT for the UK, for example).

Having vast speed to Bangkok will not help you internationally if your international connection is throttled by your ISP, as they mostly are here. The way to get better international speed is to have a package that is throttled less.

[rolfwipi]

Hello all, I used in my home before 3BB with 16Mbps and paid THB 1'594.00 per month and had a lot of disconnection and was not very happy with 3BB. I had even to call them to discuss these disconnection in front of the Provinicial Court in Pattaya.

In my home country I was used to a connection by fibre obtic cable with more than 100Mbps. So I was looking for a company in Pattaya who was willing to install a fibre optic cable for internet in my house. I must admit, there where not a lot of companies willing to do it. TOT, 3BB, Jomtien Cable and Sophon refused all, saying that they were not interested to install it in a private resort of over 200 houses in Jomtien-Beach. Only two companies were willing to do it: CAT and SBN.

CAT was to expensive regarding yearly and subscription fees and for the installation fees and pulling the cable.

So I choose SBN Sophon Broatband Network Co. Ltd. in Pattaya-Thai. I am now the first person having a FTTH Fiber to the Home connection in our resort. I paid only a subscription fee and the modem of THB 7'500.00 and a yearly fee of THB 14'154.00 (tax of THB 154.00 included) for 10Mbps up to 100Mbps download and 1Mbps upload as per contract. Means that this FTTH connection is a shared connection with other peoples.If a few peoples are online, you have more Mbps at you disposal, if more people are online, you have less Mbps at your disposal. I made already several times the speedtest on 3BB, and I had always more than 22Mbps download and 25Mbps upload at my disposal. Pulling the fibre obtic cable to my home was free and without any charges for me. ,

It looks like you're getting exceptionally good value, as you're paying about 1,200 baht/month to have 10 - 100 Mbps... but I'm curious, the Sophon Broadband packages have set limits. All package perform up to a set max speed available. It's hard to believe you have a 100/25 package for that price. Is that what you have on paper? i.e. a 100/25 package? If so, you have the best value internet in Pattaya hands down. Nothing comes close.

Hello Tropo,

I do not have a 100/25 package, I mentioned clearly 10-100Mbps download and 1Mbps upload. This is what the advertisement of SBN Sophon Broadband Network Co. Ltd. in Pattaya-Thai and my written contract with them confirms. If you like to have more information on this subject, than you can contact me by PM. Prices are corrrect as per contract. Speedtest also is correct, if you do not belive it, I invite you to test the speed in my home

[tropo]

How are international download speeds on CAT ?

It's impossible to answer that. You'll never get two measurements the same to any international server. Bangkok measurements are the only set measurement that you can work on. The faster they are, the faster your international performance.

Yes, you can get similar measurements to one international server. I can measure 10-13mbs to Bangkok (follows my ADSL sync speed) and about 5mbs to London, almost all the time.

Measuring to several different international servers also gives you a good idea of what the general connectivity is like to those countries (I have found that 3BB is much better than Sophon/CAT for the UK, for example).

Having vast speed to Bangkok will not help you internationally if your international connection is throttled by your ISP, as they mostly are here. The way to get better international speed is to have a package that is throttled less.

That's an interesting theory, but how on earth would anyone know what services are being throttled or not?

You'll find if you have a faster fiber optic connection, the variance in speed from test to test becomes more apparent. For example I could get get 20 - 30 Mbps to some international servers and 5 - 10 Mbps to others and this will change all day long.