3G in Issan through Phone purchased Overseas?

[Oziex1]

While I never really get use to the misunderstandings here, I am tolerant.

Went to a phone kiosk up country asking about upgrading my Dtac sim to 3G and is there 3G available in this area I ask? The girlfriend interpreted for me.

Ok so yes, yes, yes is the answer while I didn't see the 3G logo come up on my phone Samsung Galaxy just the std E that says there is internet connection through the sim. A message came through giving details about logging in with username and password so after parting with BT700 off I went to wait for the login details.

My bad, it was for Dtac wifi, only available where dtac supply wifi nothing to do with mobile internet via your sim.

It has been suggested that my Aussie phone is not compatible with Thai 3G, Hmm not convinced of that.

I guess it's up to me to check the 3G coverage maps to ensure I will get the signal I want.

And yes the phone is 3G compatible.

[CharlieH]

There is a pinned topic at the top of this forum of What works where etc for coverage

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/573846-what-works-where-2g-3g-coverage-maps-thailand/

[cooked]

There is a pinned topic at the top of this forum of What works where etc for coverage

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/573846-what-works-where-2g-3g-coverage-maps-thailand/

I'm not sure if that answers the Op's question. I had to discover the hard way that my phone was 'factory locked', meaning that it could only be used in its country of origin. (This can be fixed). Anyway, AIS gives the best coverage in my experience. That's what I have used for maps guidance all over Thailand for years.

[Oziex1]

There is a pinned topic at the top of this forum of What works where etc for coverage

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/573846-what-works-where-2g-3g-coverage-maps-thailand/

Thanks Charlie, the maps don't open and I am unable to find on Dtacs website

[CharlieH]

There is a pinned topic at the top of this forum of What works where etc for coverage

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/573846-what-works-where-2g-3g-coverage-maps-thailand/

Thanks Charlie, the maps don't open and I am unable to find on Dtacs website

A quick search in Google revealed this:

http://opensignal.com/networks/thailand/dtac-coverage

[JDGRUEN]

DTAC is not what you need. I used an unlocked Motorola U.S. phone used on AT&T prior to coming to Thailand.. I got AIS -- and the 3G package and it worked just fine -- Internet access via their 'Data' package allowed me to access the Web...

DATC is your problem not the phone.

[Chicog]

There are different frequencies for 3G and 4G and I'm not sure if they are compatible.

I unlocked a 4G Mifi device from Telstra and took it to True. She took one look at it and said "Not work in Thailand".

Of course you don't take what Thais say at face value and I checked online. Sure enough she was right.

Look at the specs for your phone and write down what frequencies it uses.

Then go to a shop for whichever provider offers 3G in your area and ask them to advise you.

In my experience as long as you know what you have they can help you.

I'm particularly happy with AIS, they've always been good and I've used them for 3G for 10+ years now.

[Xircal]

Don't understand 'My bad'. Is that a typo and was supposed to be 'My dad'?

So presumably, you're using your dad's phone.

Anyway, it'll depend on which GSM frequencies the phone supports as to whether it will work in Thailand. See this Wikipedia article for an explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_frequency_bands

[RKASA]

Might help saying what phone and from where - someone might know what freq's it can/cannot use or if it is locked. To assume it is dtac problem would not make sense if you don't know a thing about the phone.

How far out in nowhere are you? Go into a real phone shop - if you already have a dtac sim then go to a real dtac shop first and they can sort it out or tell you why it is not working.

If all three have coverage where you are and your not traveling all over Thailand it won't matter which one you use. More often then not if you can hit one tower you can hit them all in the same area anyway - some times if you look around and you know what your looking at you can see all three towers from the same spot - I can see all three from my house and we are not in town - they all give 5 bars of sig.

Yes the password is for wifi but many packages that give 3g and voice include the wifi option - it does not mean you don't have 3g with that sim. even if they do have wifi sims - a 700 baht package most likely have voice minutes, 3g allowance high speed with unlimited low speed and wifi option.

visit a dtac shop has to be one not that far but again no one knows other then north where you are or what phone you have - just a dtac sim but what package?

PS my aircard sim has wifi option with password but in the years I have used it I never once used the wifi because it is only used at home where 3g is the only internet option - I plug it into a router and use the home wifi and internet via 3g for my PC's Expensive but functional.

Edited March 3, 2015 by RKASA

[RichCor]

Sounds like you paid for one of the 3G/4G Double Net Package 650 baht/month

For your phone to access 3G Internet, it needs:

3G capable

2100 MHz (Band 1)

3G SIM from AIS / DTAC / TRUE-H / TOT 3G (or one of their MVNO vendors)

Pay as you go, or subscription package

DATA Enabled on the device, and in some cases (like with AIS) enabled on the number/account

[IMHO]

Sounds like you paid for one of the 3G/4G Double Net Package 650 baht/month

For your phone to access 3G Internet, it needs:

3G capable

2100 MHz (Band 1)

3G SIM from AIS / DTAC / TRUE-H / TOT 3G (or one of their MVNO vendors)

Pay as you go, or subscription package

DATA Enabled on the device, and in some cases (like with AIS) enabled on the number/account

He's not going to find any 2100Mhz coverage in Isaan yet

@OP: It's possible your phone just doesn't support the DTAC 3G frequency:

850Mhz: DTAC, Truemove-H, MY 3G (CAT)

900Mhz: AIS

2100Mhz: TOT3G, and all other provider's 4G (but not in Isaan yet).

Check your specs - it sounds like you might need to try AIS, who are 2nd only to Truemove-H for Isaan 3G coverage.

If your phone is provider locked, take it to a phone repair shop (not one of the big name brand shops) to get it unlocked, or DIY using DC-Unlocker: https://www.dc-unlocker.com/ (or something similar that supports your phone model).

Edited March 4, 2015 by IMHO

[IMHO]

There is a pinned topic at the top of this forum of What works where etc for coverage

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/573846-what-works-where-2g-3g-coverage-maps-thailand/

Looks like most of the links there are now 404.

[Oziex1]

The phone is a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini Duos or GT 190192. Purchased in Australia.

As one poster pointed out phone is ok provider Dtac coverage of 3G in Issan is poor, i see the 3G symbol on the phone but it's patchy. So the phone supports 3G.

Will take the advice from here and have checked the coverage maps looks like AIS is the go.

Thanks All.

[IMHO]

The phone is a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini Duos or GT 190192. Purchased in Australia.

As one poster pointed out phone is ok provider Dtac coverage of 3G in Issan is poor, i see the 3G symbol on the phone but it's patchy. So the phone supports 3G.

Will take the advice from here and have checked the coverage maps looks like AIS is the go.

Thanks All.

Truemove-H easily have the best Isaan whole country 3G coverage. I drive around the country a lot, very rarely get dropouts.

[BB1950]

The phone is a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini Duos or GT 190192. Purchased in Australia.

As one poster pointed out phone is ok provider Dtac coverage of 3G in Issan is poor, i see the 3G symbol on the phone but it's patchy. So the phone supports 3G.

Will take the advice from here and have checked the coverage maps looks like AIS is the go.

Thanks All.

Truemove-H easily have the best Isaan whole country 3G coverage. I drive around the country a lot, very rarely get dropouts.

TrueMove H does not provide coverage with a phone that doesn't have the 850Mhz 3G band support. I dropped TrueMove H just for that reason! I have an older phone that has 3G support on they 900Mhz and 2100Mhz 3G bands. TrueMove H could only provide GPRS in my area, which is very slow!

I also got very tired with all the junk SMS messages in Thai that TrueMove bombards you with! Not to mention their lousy customer service support!

Edited March 5, 2015 by BB1950

[IMHO]

The phone is a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini Duos or GT 190192. Purchased in Australia.

As one poster pointed out phone is ok provider Dtac coverage of 3G in Issan is poor, i see the 3G symbol on the phone but it's patchy. So the phone supports 3G.

Will take the advice from here and have checked the coverage maps looks like AIS is the go.

Thanks All.

Truemove-H easily have the best Isaan whole country 3G coverage. I drive around the country a lot, very rarely get dropouts.

TrueMove H does not provide coverage with a phone that doesn't have the 850Mhz 3G band support. I dropped TrueMove H just for that reason! I have an older phone that has 3G support on they 900Mhz and 2100Mhz 3G bands. TrueMove H could only provide GPRS in my area, which is very slow!

I also got very tired with all the junk SMS messages in Thai that TrueMove bombards you with! Not to mention their lousy customer service support!

Well, if your phone can only do 850MHz, and you're in Isaan, you only have one choice

As for SMS SPAM, they all do it. Complain to make it stop

[RichCor]

3G Coverage Maps

AIS

DTAC

TOT 3G

True Move H

[kekalot]

I have to say that I have been paying for the 599 baht I think DTAC package (6gb Internet and then 384 kbps after) with my American (and factory unlocked) Motorola Moto Gs (I have three of them, the LTE (4G), the 2013 Global GSM version and the update 2014 version) with no issues whatsoever

the only place I had issues with internet or service was when getting close to the Myanmar border in Kanchanburi (Phu Nam Ron?) and a few spots in between Chiang Mai and Pai.

DTAC served me well on my 10,000+ kilometers of driving all over Thailand with my Honda Wave, apart from those 2 specific places.

I am not against switching providers tho, especially if they seem to have better coverage.. but so far so good.

I might lose my number actually if they end up going with that registration for prepaid as I am not going to be there for another 2.x months (haven't been keeping track as to when it was supposed to happen really to be honest)