Experience with 3BB FTTX

[eisfeld]

Hi,

3BB has a on-going promotion for their fiber internet service as can be seen here: http://www.3bb.co.th/3bb/product/details/2253

The 30/3 Mbps offering for 1200 THB seems like a good deal compared to e.g. 13/1 for 900 THB (all exlc. VAT).

Now I am wondering if anyone else has used their FTTX service and how is the quality in terms of speed and more importantly stability so far?

As I am contemplating to upgrade from my current 10/0.5 plan the FTTX option seems interesting but recently 3BB has experienced some issues with their routes to Europe so I am also looking at other providers like True or CAT.

True has a 18/1.8 plan for 700 THB and a 30/3 plan for 1300 THB. Both are cable (DOCSIS) (with or without THB I couldn't gather from their page, guess without).

[LivinginKata]

We have installed 3 fibre 3BB 30/3 plan routers at each of our 3 properties some 10 months ago. Had a lot of issues with our router at Kata and had to insist the router was changed. No problems with our 2 Patong routers. One router at Patong has had line breaks twice. 3BB are ususally on the case within 24 hours but the fibre guys are few and far beteen (different team) and it takes 3 days to repair a line break.

Performance has been good, maybe not the full 30 megs but up there in the 20s. BUT only on LAN cable. The WiFi on the 3BB supplied router can be shockingly slow. Seems to be a WiFi issue and I have hooked up access point WiFi transmitters on LAN cable. That works well.

All in all, I am happy with FTTX. Can easily stream live TV with no stalls. Value for money at 1,200 baht + tax.

[merijn]

We have installed 3 fibre 3BB 30/3 plan routers at each of our 3 properties some 10 months ago. Had a lot of issues with our router at Kata and had to insist the router was changed. No problems with our 2 Patong routers. One router at Patong has had line breaks twice. 3BB are ususally on the case within 24 hours but the fibre guys are few and far beteen (different team) and it takes 3 days to repair a line break.

Performance has been good, maybe not the full 30 megs but up there in the 20s. BUT only on LAN cable. The WiFi on the 3BB supplied router can be shockingly slow. Seems to be a WiFi issue and I have hooked up access point WiFi transmitters on LAN cable. That works well.

All in all, I am happy with FTTX. Can easily stream live TV with no stalls. Value for money at 1,200 baht + tax.

Thanks for the information, my 3BB technician is also recommending fiber for me (i live in kathu) but i'm not decided yet as this would mean running a complete new cable through the garden to my working room.

I also hear about the poor wife but that is easily fixed by using a second router with wife connected via LAN to the 3BB router and disconnecting the 3BB wife option.

I wait a little bit longer until i get more reviews before making a discussion.

[MediaWatcher]

merijn, on 17 Sept 2014 - 09:14, said:merijn, on 17 Sept 2014 - 09:14, said:

LivinginKata, on 16 Sept 2014 - 21:13, said:LivinginKata, on 16 Sept 2014 - 21:13, said:

We have installed 3 fibre 3BB 30/3 plan routers at each of our 3 properties some 10 months ago. Had a lot of issues with our router at Kata and had to insist the router was changed. No problems with our 2 Patong routers. One router at Patong has had line breaks twice. 3BB are ususally on the case within 24 hours but the fibre guys are few and far beteen (different team) and it takes 3 days to repair a line break.

Performance has been good, maybe not the full 30 megs but up there in the 20s. BUT only on LAN cable. The WiFi on the 3BB supplied router can be shockingly slow. Seems to be a WiFi issue and I have hooked up access point WiFi transmitters on LAN cable. That works well.

All in all, I am happy with FTTX. Can easily stream live TV with no stalls. Value for money at 1,200 baht + tax.

Thanks for the information, my 3BB technician is also recommending fiber for me (i live in kathu) but i'm not decided yet as this would mean running a complete new cable through the garden to my working room.

I also hear about the poor wife but that is easily fixed by using a second router with wife connected via LAN to the 3BB router and disconnecting the 3BB wife option.

I wait a little bit longer until i get more reviews before making a discussion.

I feel sorry for your poor "wife", ask 3BB for a "new" one, but expect a few strange looks. Hint it is WiFi.

Edited September 17, 2014 by MediaWatcher

[MediaWatcher]

Going fiber seems like a good item, BUT, you will still be handicapped by the slow international speeds...personally I go for 13/1 simply because Skype requires the higher upload bandwidth. Why pay more if you are not getting more?

[LivinginKata]

Going fiber seems like a good item, BUT, you will still be handicapped by the slow international speeds...personally I go for 13/1 simply because Skype requires the higher upload bandwidth. Why pay more if you are not getting more?

It's only about 180 baht more per month. Much depends on your internet requirements. In our case we have multiple users and the extra bandwidth eases any queuing.

We still have our 13/1 systems. Wanted to make sure the FTTX was stable and reliable before taking on any more FTTX boxes. But now I like having both systems and plan to stay with this configuration.

[MediaWatcher]

LivinginKata, on 17 Sept 2014 - 10:38, said:

MediaWatcher, on 17 Sept 2014 - 10:35, said:

Going fiber seems like a good item, BUT, you will still be handicapped by the slow international speeds...personally I go for 13/1 simply because Skype requires the higher upload bandwidth. Why pay more if you are not getting more?

It's only about 180 baht more per month. Much depends on your internet requirements. In our case we have multiple users and the extra bandwidth eases any queuing.

We still have our 13/1 systems. Wanted to make sure the FTTX was stable and reliable before taking on any more FTTX boxes. But now I like having both systems and plan to stay with this configuration.

Um... my reply was to the OP, I simply cannot make a generalised comment for every situation. Oh, there is no "queuing", users simply "share" bandwidth. I have 2 PC's, 1 laptop and 2 phones on my 13/1 without any problems, so if you need fiber then all your PC's etc must be doing a lot of downloading at the same time.

[DavoTheGun]

Anybody had experience with TOT WiNet, live in small village only have AIS Aircard, very expensive, looking at other options, our local School has WiNet, I think, but cannot get any Info about it!

[LivinginKata]

Off topic post removed.

[Alaskan]

I have been using 3BB fibre for 3 months now on the 30/3 1200 baht package. I have never had a service interruption. The speeds fluctuate quite a bit though.

As I'm typing this I get 34.9Mpbs/3.7Mbps from my router with LAN cable to computer and 34.07Mbps/3.24Mbps from my wireless router to my cellphone. I usually average about 20-25Mbps on the wireless and 30-45Mbps from the LAN cable. This sometimes dips as low as 17Mpbs and generally there is a larger disparity between the wifi and LAN.

[Peterocket]

Speed tests are often VERY inaccurate and manipulated by the service providers.

For example I just tested my TOT fiber with testmy.net giving 6.1 mbps and then speedtest.net.

[Postmaster]

Just ordering 3 BB now. I have assurances that 10 MB is enough for the Internet and TV Plan which I want. I am not paying True Visions 1560 baht per calendar month for Gold A any longer! and a further fee for House Internet on top of that.

[JetsetBkk]

So how many months do you get it for 1200 baht before it goes back to the non-promotion price of 2490 baht + VAT / month?

http://www.3bb.co.th/3bb/product/details/2253

.

Edited September 17, 2014 by JetsetBkk

[eisfeld]

Thanks everyone for the experience reports, very helpful!

JetsetBKK: very good question, I also wondered but couldn't find it in the smallprint so I guess it's permanent. I assume it is to push this service a bit and True might follow soon as they said they'd increase internet speed for existing customers at the end of the year for free and obviously there's competition between 3BB and True (surprisingly nice).

If pings to europe are not much better with fiber than with DSL and it takes several days to repair a broken line, I'm probably gonna just upgrade to 13/1 which should provide enough upstream bandwidth to not get clogged all the time like 0.5 mbps do.

[phetphet]

Do they have to run a new line (fibre optic), into your house to install this?

Plus I presume a new type of router. If so, ISP routers being what they are, is it possible to buy a better router for FTTX?

[LivinginKata]

Do they have to run a new line (fibre optic), into your house to install this?

Plus I presume a new type of router. If so, ISP routers being what they are, is it possible to buy a better router for FTTX?

Yes, they have to install a new fiber line. Yes, they supply the router. Must say the 3BB router has a poor WiFi facility. We have 3 FTTX routers, 2 have been Ok, one very bad, changed once but I am still not happy with the replacement. I've not looked for a 'better' replacement. Not sure they are available yet in Phuket.

[Pakaty]

I have called 3BB twice to find out if they can provide fiber service to my house in Kamala, the last time was about 3 weeks ago. I'm still waiting for them to get back to me with an answer. On a side note I'm still waiting for my current provider TOT to get back to me with an answer about providing fiber service as well. And I have called them 4 times in the last 3 months.

The promotion is now till Nov. 30, 2014

Edited November 20, 2014 by Pakaty

[steelepulse]

Those would be domestic speeds shown in the graphic? Can't imagine international speeds get anywhere close to what the graphic shows.

[eisfeld]

Small update: I chose to go with 3BB VDSL with the same speed and price 30/3 for 1200 THB. Reasons were the cheaper and faster set up plus faster fixes if something breaks. They botched something up while doing the installation and had me replace the supplied router and had some guys come to check it but both to no avail. Finally reached someone with very good english from 3BB via telephone who after 1h of going through router settings with me finally found the issue on their side. Working flawlessly the past weeks since then.

Actual speed is about 2-20 Mbps down and 1-3 Mbps up for EU and North America. OK enough just sometimes some routes seem congested. Domestic speed is as advertised.

Overall I am fine with it, not amazing but I think a fair value for the money. Latency is a bit high with 240-300ms, that's the only advantage fiber could bring but I doubt it would reduce it much.

Note: the supplied VDSL router does not do Wifi. Only 4 LAN ports but fine with me as I use my own router anyways.