CAT changing to fiber optic

[hougourou]

This morning a fellow from CAT, our ISP, arrived and informed us that they are changing all the lines in our area (San Pisua) to fiber optic cables (unlike other ISP's, they run separate lines for phone and internet use). No charge for this change, he said. When I asked if this would result in a higher connection speed he replied, "As luck would have it." Although I think his use of the expression was slightly off, and that he meant that it depends on our luck, I found it amusingly eloquent!

Has anyone else had such a visit, or an idea of whether this will improve our current connection speed? We were planning to switch to TOT fiber optic and now don't know what to do/think.

Thank you.

[bino]

It will depend on what plan you subscribe to / what speed you pay for.

I know a resort in Pranburi that has installed the CAT Fiber2u fiber optic with a 40 mbps download / 10 mbps upload package, and it is awesome. It actually bursts in the first few seconds up to 80, and uploads burst to 30. After a few seconds they realize that we are speeding and the throttles kick in.

Packages are available up to 100 mbps.

So the potential will be there for you to have greatly improved speed if you want to pay for it. They probably won't give you any big increase for free.

[hougourou]

It will depend on what plan you subscribe to / what speed you pay for.

I know a resort in Pranburi that has installed the CAT Fiber2u fiber optic with a 40 mbps download / 10 mbps upload package, and it is awesome. It actually bursts in the first few seconds up to 80, and uploads burst to 30. After a few seconds they realize that we are speeding and the throttles kick in.

Packages are available up to 100 mbps.

So the potential will be there for you to have greatly improved speed if you want to pay for it. They probably won't give you any big increase for free.

Thanks for this, bino.

[bino]

Something I overlooked- you say you are considering TOT Fiber.

We tried dealing with them at the resort before CAT. It turned into a painful experience. Their cute sales rep women came out and said "Yes Mr. Bino!" but wanted us to pay for installation... particularly the fiber itself. They wanted us to pay 30 baht per meter for the approximately 2.5 km distance to the local or-bor-tor office where we could join the fiber. Even when we agreed to this, they still gave us a lot of story. They told us that an engineer would come out to do a survey. This took a couple of months, and came back saying "Mai Dai." They wanted to sell us a hugely expensive leased line instead that didn't even come close to the numbers available by fiber optic.

CAT was great. Install was free, as it would be for you. And even though we have agreed to 40 mbps package, they allow us the flexibility to upgrade the package over the busy high season months and then downgrade again as we see fit provided that we maintain the minimum 40 mbps package. All we have to do is call them and they can change the speed in our router remotely.

When you figure that CAT is the ultimate communications authority in Thailand - TOT would be licensed and probably serviced by them... it just makes sense to go straight to the top.

[StevieH]

had the free CAT upgrade about eight or nine months ago as our area was part of their fiber trial period. no change in price and went from hit-and-miss adsl connection to a pretty steady 30mbps download speed. i've been delighted with them, reliable and consistent and even their service has been good when needed.

[hougourou]

Thanks to both of you for this useful information. I didn't know CAT also was offering a free trial at 30 MB (or maybe you were especially lucky, Stevie). TOT is offering 30 MB @ 1200/month (no installation fee, but 1800 for the router) and CAT is about 2000 for 30 MB. Since we've already got the ball rolling with TOT (said they'd install in two-three weeks), and CAT said they be by to change our current ADSL line to fiber in a month's time, I suppose I should just wait and see what happens. Ah, the ambiguity of life in Thailand, it's really part of the fun!