Internet Service Provider

[jamie2009]

I have moved into a new build condo, rented. The owner provided a Router, Cat Wireless which to be honest is no good. They paid for the Router, I pay for the subscriptions. I enquired at Reception and they told me TOT was the ISP for the building, hard wired, not wireless.

790 baht for 20/2 Mbps a month, 1200 baht a month for 30/3, installation and Router supply just over 5500 baht. They have a deal if you pay a year in advance no Installion charge of 2500 baht.

I asked if I could use another ISP but they said TOT only.

I don't know if this a good deal or are TOT overcharging as they have the monopoly, 600 condos in the building. I don't download movies so no need for high speed.

[noise]

If you do not need high speed, the 20/2 sounds reasonable. But what you could do is, as just a learning exercise since you have no choice, is ask the other ISPs what are their programs. If you have a connection to work on, you should be able to just google them, find the English icon, and see what they offer.

[RichCor]

Why do you say your current Internet "Cat Wireless which to be honest is no good"?

I'm assuming that if TOT is the only 'wired' provider allowed to service the building, that your current non-TOT Internet is being delivered via radio link. Depending on what service is actually being delivered (ie: a Point-to-Point Wireless Broadband; a 3G/4G Data Internet; or a WiFi Hotspot extension), it may just need to be tweaked, though I personally wouldn't want to be using the last two types.

Also, it's best to ask your neighbors what Internet Service they use for their residence, and what issues they've experienced.

No ISP will have 100% customer satisfaction everywhere. Some areas are always better served than others.

If possible, look into xdsl. vdsl, or sdsl (rather than adsl), or Cable DOCSIS ...or even Fiber Optic service (even if delivered as vdsl to your residence).

[metisdead]

Moved to the Internet, computers, communication, technology forum for better responses.

[jamie2009]

Why do you say your current Internet "Cat Wireless which to be honest is no good"?

I'm assuming that if TOT is the only 'wired' provider allowed to service the building, that your current non-TOT Internet is being delivered via radio link. Depending on what service is actually being delivered (ie: a Point-to-Point Wireless Broadband; a 3G/4G Data Internet; or a WiFi Hotspot extension), it may just need to be tweaked, though I personally wouldn't want to be using the last two types.

Also, it's best to ask your neighbors what Internet Service they use for their residence, and what issues they've experienced.

No ISP will have 100% customer satisfaction everywhere. Some areas are always better served than others.

If possible, look into xdsl. vdsl, or sdsl (rather than adsl), or Cable DOCSIS ...or even Fiber Optic service (even if delivered as vdsl to your residence).

It's no good because it's very slow, I subscribe to Internet TV which requires 3mb. The router which is wireless was supplied by the owner who works for CAT, no idea what system it is. There is a telephone point in the Condo so I could have a 'hard wired' system via TOT. I will wait and see what the owner has to say later

[jamie2009]

I have done a 'speed test', 038Mpbs download and 0.42Mbps upload using an App I have downloaded. The owner is coming round tonight so will discuss further.

[RichCor]

The first speed test you do should be against your own ISP in Bangkok to determine your in-network connection speed.

Internet speeds to servers located in other countries all are routed though International Internet Gateways where throughput speed can degrade depending on the destination. (You are not guaranteed fast International Internet speeds. Though CAT is seen as one of the better providers providing faster International access.

Hopefully the condo owner, who works for CAT, can explain what actual options for Internet you have, and how to maintain them if it's wirelessly-based.

[jamie2009]

The first speed test you do should be against your own ISP in Bangkok to determine your in-network connection speed.

Internet speeds to servers located in other countries all are routed though International Internet Gateways where throughput speed can degrade depending on the destination. (You are not guaranteed fast International Internet speeds. Though CAT is seen as one of the better providers providing faster International access.

Hopefully the condo owner, who works for CAT, can explain what actual options for Internet you have, and how to maintain them if it's wirelessly-based.

The speed test indicated Bangkok as the ISP, as you say hopefully the owner will come up with another option.

[RichCor]

If the wireless router is using a 3G/4G mobile data connection, it may be it has exhausted the pre-paid data allocation provided for the month (and now fallen back to a "Fair-Use" slower speed). If it's always been this slow speed then maybe a data subscription package was never selected.

Don't forget to ask a friendly neighbor, or two, how well their in-the-building TOT Internet is working for them.

[jamie2009]

If the wireless router is using a 3G/4G mobile data connection, it may be it has exhausted the pre-paid data allocation provided for the month (and now fallen back to a "Fair-Use" slower speed). If it's always been this slow speed then maybe a data subscription package was never selected.

Don't forget to ask a friendly neighbor, or two, how well their in-the-building TOT Internet is working for them.

You answer could be the reason that it's slow, I am sure it was ok ago for a day or so when I first moved in. The owner supplied the router but never mentioned subscriptions although I assumed she had paid a month upfront.

[RichCor]

If it is 3G/4G mobile wireless then it's usually subscription based, where you select the amount of data (1GB - 12GB) that are made available per month. On many Data Internet subscription Packages, once the allocated amount is used up then the the connection drops to FUP (Fair Use Policy) speeds of 512 Kbit/s, 384 Kbit/s, or 64 Kbits/s depending on subscription agreement.

Mobile Internet can be very expensive as the connection is usually 'metered' (you pay by the 'bytes' used). Other 'subscriptions' may be time-based but with restricted download speeds.

Be careful when you see the word "Unlimited Data" when used by Thai Mobile Data providers, who use 'unlimited' to refer to 'always connected access', or 'unrestricted download speeds', rather then the usual western-association of 'unlimited data consumption'.

If you're looking for unlimited data consumption then you'll need to subscribe to a different ISP. If you want to avoid the in-the-building provider (TOT), your other options would be WiFi Hotspot (problematic but doable), Cable Internet (if available), or "Wireless Broadband" that is an ISP -type Internet delivered via High-Speed Radio Link (ie: TOT WiNet, AIS AirNet, and CAT provided Point-to-Point Wireless Internet), if available.

Ask the CAT worker what Internet options are available and their initial and ongoing costs.

[jamie2009]

If it is 3G/4G mobile wireless then it's usually subscription based, where you select the amount of data (1GB - 12GB) that are made available per month. On many Data Internet subscription Packages, once the allocated amount is used up then the the connection drops to FUP (Fair Use Policy) speeds of 512 Kbit/s, 384 Kbit/s, or 64 Kbits/s depending on subscription agreement.

Mobile Internet can be very expensive as the connection is usually 'metered' (you pay by the 'bytes' used). Other 'subscriptions' may be time-based but with restricted download speeds.

Be careful when you see the word "Unlimited Data" when used by Thai Mobile Data providers, who use 'unlimited' to refer to 'always connected access', or 'unrestricted download speeds', rather then the usual western-association of 'unlimited data consumption'.

If you're looking for unlimited data consumption then you'll need to subscribe to a different ISP. If you want to avoid the in-the-building provider (TOT), your other options would be WiFi Hotspot (problematic but doable), Cable Internet (if available), or "Wireless Broadband" that is an ISP -type Internet delivered via High-Speed Radio Link (ie: TOT WiNet, AIS AirNet, and CAT provided Point-to-Point Wireless Internet), if available.

Ask the CAT worker what Internet options are available and their initial and ongoing costs.

It is PAYG, 399 baht for 3gb a month, after a long chat he said TOT was cheaper than CAT, now waiting to see as and when they can instal, new build condo so I assume all the cabling is pre installed only a matter of connecting the cabling at the supply end I assume.