SIM card doomsday - the aftermath...

[Jonathan Fairfield]

The deadline has passed and if the news stories and information released from the National Broadcast Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) over the past 6 months are to be believed, those with prepaid SIM cards who failed to register should no longer be able to make calls this morning.

Did anyone fail to register but are still able to use their prepaid SIM as usual?

Alternatively, did you register but have been 'cut off' this morning and are unable to make calls?

Without sounding unreasonable, few are expecting this bit of govt policy to go without a hitch.

Fiasco, chaos, or perhaps a great success, either way, let's try and keep the SIM card related discussion in here.

[sammygood]

like any policy, like no booz (special hollidays or around school) : rulez will be bent

[dotpoom]

I remember about 8 years ago all foreigners had to register their phones....I relied on that registration to cover me for this one and it looks as if it has.

[Crossy]

I remember about 8 years ago all foreigners had to register their phones....I relied on that registration to cover me for this one and it looks as if it has.

Ditto ^^^.

Both our phones indicated as 'registered' when the check number was entered.

Both seem to be functioning today (Wifey has been gassing on hers for the last hour).

[NormanW]

Not registered still working! !!

Got to love Thailand.

[maoro2013]

I believe that the original statement from the authorities said that 'if you have not registered by the due date your service may be terminated'. This is not to say that your service, if unregistered, may be cut off at a later date.

[swampdonkey]

Not registered still working! !!

Got to love Thailand.

[Don Mega]

I had forgotten to register so yesterday I signed up the the ais E-service using the missus's id number (would accept my passport number, needs to be 13 digits)to see if that "registers" my sim.

dialled *151# on the phone this morning and yep, says my sim is registered.

[Kerryd]

My understanding was that your phone will still work, but you will be unable to top it up after today if not registered and that at some time in the future the numbers will be cancelled outright.

So you should be OK for as long as you still have credits, and when those are used up you should still be able to receive calls until whatever date they cancel your number (if ever).

[bananafish]

When I bought my sim they asked for ID and I didn't have any, my girlfriend used hers, does this mean it is registered, and to her?

[Tonto21]

Not registered still working! !!

Got to love Thailand.

Same, not registered, just tried it.....All working fine, for now

[monters]

I tried to register my SIM card but was told it had already been done. I assume, but can't remember, when I bought it from AIS they took my passport number then .

[SOTIRIOS]

...never saw any 6 month notice...more like a week...

...if it was in the system they just had to instruct the providers to remind the client each time they went to pay their bills...

...just curious...is this another 'double standard'.......only foreigners need to register.....???

[Don Mega]

...never saw any 6 month notice...more like a week...

...if it was in the system they just had to instruct the providers to remind the client each time they went to pay their bills...

...just curious...is this another 'double standard'.......only foreigners need to register.....???

If you are paying bills I have to assume you are post paid and as such the registration does not affect you as they already have an ID attached to the sim card (the person they send the bill to).

[swissbie]

I had forgotten to register so yesterday I signed up the the ais E-service using the missus's id number (would accept my passport number, needs to be 13 digits)to see if that "registers" my sim.

dialled *151# on the phone this morning and yep, says my sim is registered.

I registered my sim card a few weeks ago, using my passport. Less than 13 digits, but was no problem, they just added a few zero's and it works.

[KhunBENQ]

Of course postpaid customers were never affected by this registration procedure.

The telcos are wise enough to register whom to send the bill to

Edited August 1, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[biplanebluey]

...never saw any 6 month notice...more like a week...

...if it was in the system they just had to instruct the providers to remind the client each time they went to pay their bills...

...just curious...is this another 'double standard'.......only foreigners need to register.....???

No it's not a double standard !!!!! My wife had to do the same as me.Checked this morning (*151#) and all OK.What is it with some of you people.If you cant be bothered to do a simple registration then I hope you all lose your phone

[biplanebluey]

I tried to register my SIM card but was told it had already been done. I assume, but can't remember, when I bought it from AIS they took my passport number then .

to check just dial *151#

[KhunBENQ]

Just noticed that I wrote in another thread what would better fit here:

Just read a very clear and plausible report on another forum.

A poster with an unregistered phone (A) and a registered phone ( B ).

Trying to send SMS from A to B: "Error Sending" and an SMS that his validity has expired.

? -> He checked balance (*121#) and it shows xx Baht valid until two more days.

Then tried calling from A to B: voice announcement "This number is currently unavailable. Please review your account".

Vice versa B to A: all OK.

(Its not allowed to link to other forums and also it would need registration)

Edited August 1, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[topt]

...never saw any 6 month notice...more like a week...

...if it was in the system they just had to instruct the providers to remind the client each time they went to pay their bills...

...just curious...is this another 'double standard'.......only foreigners need to register.....???

Think about it - how would the service provider know who had bought the Sim and which one's to switch off (if they in fact do)...........

[KhunBENQ]

Again!

Discussing about any customer "went to pay his bills" is useless!

Which prepaid user pays what "bills" to the provider?

Up to now the provider did not have any "customer" (name).

Its about prepaid!

.only foreigners need to register.....???

Complete rubbish.

Edited August 1, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[NoBrainer]

Well it is now almost 12 hours after the cutoff deadline, and I have tested unregistered phones from all 3 networks, and they are all still working as normal.

Voice incoming & outgoing & data are all still working.

I wonder how long it will take for the networks to cut 18 million phones. Chances are they did not write a program to do this automatically, as that would take

them at least a few years. Just look at how long it is taking to write the programs to integrate BTS & MRT ticketing, and the Easy Pass software for Highway 7 to Chon Buri.

Years have passed & they still have no working software.

I would say that cutting off 18 Million phones manually one at a time may take a few years in itself.

[steve73]

I just tried the *151# and got some reply in Thai - so still none the wiser...

[KhunBENQ]

If you have an AIS (12call) SIM, then change to English language SMS by this command:

*700*5*1#

One can also invoke a menu with just *700# and then work through to menuitem nr. 5., then select no. 1 for English, 2 for Thai.

Same same.

Edited August 1, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[KhunBENQ]

Well it is now almost 12 hours after the cutoff deadline, and I have tested unregistered phones from all 3 networks, and they are all still working as normal.

Voice incoming & outgoing & data are all still working.

I wonder how long it will take for the networks to cut 18 million phones. Chances are they did not write a program to do this automatically, as that would take

them at least a few years. Just look at how long it is taking to write the programs to integrate BTS & MRT ticketing, and the Easy Pass software for Highway 7 to Chon Buri.

Years have passed & they still have no working software.

I would say that cutting off 18 Million phones manually one at a time may take a few years in itself.

Sure they will use automated SW.

Mobile networks are among the most complicated technical systems ever built.

So they must be very careful with what they do and run.

Otherwise it will be a full immobile doomsday

Unfortunately the report in the other forum does not say what provider(s) that was.

The English (online) newspapers from Thailand do not give any information (that I could find).

I tried to search in Thai language to no avail, but I guess that is due to missing/lacking the right terms.

Edited August 1, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[HerbalEd]

My prediction ... FWIW ... is that nothing will change for those who did not register their SIM cards, and all will continue as usual.

I don't know how many pre-paid SIM cards aren't registered but I'd bet there are millions, and if so the phone companies won't be willing to throw away the billions of baht that'll be lost by cutting them off.

[NoBrainer]

A report in one of the major english newspapers a few days ago, stated that there were still over 18 million SIMs that had not yet been registered. That was about 72 hours before the deadline.

Personally I do not believe that number. They started with almost 90 million, and as far as people I have talked to, not many have actually registered, and some who had though that they had registered, found out that in fact they were not.

There has also been many problems in the registration system itself, with "Can Not" & "Mai Dai" being frequently spoken, when someone tries to register their SIM.

So it looks like they may need another period of time for this effort to collapse.

[technologybytes]

Like I have said on here before, I will register when and only when I have no choice.

Just because someone wants to curb our freedoms does not mean we have to roll over and make it easy.

[jacknorman]

When I bought my sim they asked for ID and I didn't have any, my girlfriend used hers, does this mean it is registered, and to her?

yes

[jacknorman]

When I bought my sim they asked for ID and I didn't have any, my girlfriend used hers, does this mean it is registered, and to her?

yes and now you cant buy a sim in 7/11 small shops whitout register