Buying a cheap 3G phone in Pattaya and where is AIS?

[NanLaew]

As a test I set my phone to GSM only and it still worked so "2G" is still up, at least in Pattaya.

Thank you NightRider - that's both helpful and perplexing!

Helpful because it may be a simple solution and maybe i won't need a new phone, perplexing because my registered Thai phone suddenly stopped roaming in the UK and had been working perfectly!

I shall find out in 5 weeks when i arrive!

This maybe this is the answer:

http://www.ais.co.th/roaming/en/prepaid/package-rate.aspx#top

I have AIS prepaid and never noticed any changes in international roaming. I went to the UK in November and it worked OK. maybe they needed to word that as "end of service with SOME overseas operators."

I did upgrade my AIS SIM some time early summer of 2015 after they rolled out some network enhancements for data access. Maybe the OP has the old SIM and hopefully he should be able to swap that for a new one at AIS Central and retain his old number.

[NightRider70]

2G/GSM is still up and running as of now.

[VBF]

2G/GSM is still up and running as of now.

Thanks NR - 2 days to go!!

[ignis]

You do not need to buy a New phone...

Took my old 500 baht Nokia on 2G into AIS Thursday night [2 nights ago], they took the sim out and put into a machine = new sim with same number and all my contacts names and numbers on the new sim came out..

The Samsung non smartphone on 3G is FREE to upgrade to 3G.... or upgrade to a smartphone then 3 deals 'Lava' 3 and 4G from 799 baht with 2 months Free Line rental, next one with bigger screen 1,199 baht and 3 months Free line rental, the most expensive even bigger screen 'Lava' Smartphone 1,399 baht with 6 months Free line rental. or what ever you call it, same contract 200 baht a month

Edit: never had Pay as you Go, always had a contract [with different companies] in the 12 years here.

Edited January 9, 2016 by ignis

[VBF]

You do not need to buy a New phone...

Took my old 500 baht Nokia on 2G into AIS Thursday night [2 nights ago], they took the sim out and put into a machine = new sim with same number and all my contacts names and numbers on the new sim came out..

The Samsung non smartphone on 3G is FREE to upgrade to 3G.... or upgrade to a smartphone then 3 deals 'Lava' 3 and 4G from 799 baht with 2 months Free Line rental, next one with bigger screen 1,199 baht and 3 months Free line rental, the most expensive even bigger screen 'Lava' Smartphone 1,399 baht with 6 months Free line rental. or what ever you call it, same contract 200 baht a month

Edit: never had Pay as you Go, always had a contract [with different companies] in the 12 years here.

Thank you Ignis.

Coupled with Nightrider's equally helpful advice above, I doubt I'll have too much trouble!

Did you go to the AIS store that Nightrider recommended in Central Dept Store?

The only caveat there might be is that AIS might treat PAYG and Contract customers differently as regards replacing phone, but I shall see.

Edited January 9, 2016 by VBF

[NanLaew]

The AIS store is on the ground floor, left side of the Beach Road entrance of the Central Festival Mall. The actual Central department store is at the other end of the mall.

I was there Friday lunchtime to replace a registered SIM (lost phone). It was busy but you take a number from the ticket machine just inside the entrance and wait your turn. It took about 15 minutes to get served and 3 minutes to get a new SIM. Get there at 11 AM (when the mall opens) and beat the crowd.

I also had to replace my registered DTAC SIM (same lost dual-SIM phone) at their 4th floor outlet at Central Festival and that was even faster; no waiting and in and out with new SIM in about 5 minutes.

[VBF]

The AIS store is on the ground floor, left side of the Beach Road entrance of the Central Festival Mall. The actual Central department store is at the other end of the mall.

I was there Friday lunchtime to replace a registered SIM (lost phone). It was busy but you take a number from the ticket machine just inside the entrance and wait your turn. It took about 15 minutes to get served and 3 minutes to get a new SIM. Get there at 11 AM (when the mall opens) and beat the crowd.

I also had to replace my registered DTAC SIM (same lost dual-SIM phone) at their 4th floor outlet at Central Festival and that was even faster; no waiting and in and out with new SIM in about 5 minutes.

Thanks NanLaew - that's what Nightrider said in post #2 - I should have called it Central Festival Mall to prevent confusion, shouldn't I?

Edited January 10, 2016 by VBF

[VBF]

UPDATE

So I arrived this morning and switched my phone on as soon as the "no phones" light went off in the cabin.

It worked on THGSM straight away and has retained my credit too!

It worked all the way from the airport to Pattaya so I've spent the morning catching up with friends.

So THANKS VERY MUCH to all who've kindly offered me help - in a day or 3 I'll go to AIS in Central Festival Mall and ask

them some searching questions.

When I have some answers, I'll be back here to update the topic.

Nightrider I've emailed you with my number - as it now works - oh, the Voice Message Service doesn't seem to work - one of the searching questions for AIS!

Thanks again all

VBF

Edited January 12, 2016 by VBF

[VBF]

UPDATE

So I arrived this morning and switched my phone on as soon as the "no phones" light went off in the cabin.

It worked on THGSM straight away and has retained my credit too!

It worked all the way from the airport to Pattaya so I've spent the morning catching up with friends.

So THANKS VERY MUCH to all who've kindly offered me help - in a day or 3 I'll go to AIS in Central Festival Mall and ask

them some searching questions.

When I have some answers, I'll be back here to update the topic.

Nightrider I've emailed you with my number - as it now works - oh, the Voice Message Service doesn't seem to work - one of the searching questions for AIS!

Thanks again all

VBF

UPDATE #2

Went to AIS in Central FM today with phone and passport

They made me a new SIM card, registered it, copied my contacts to it but put the OLD SIM back in my old 2G phone.

No charge for this.

They told me to wait for 3-5 days for a message saying that the SIM is active and then swap the SIMs (put the new one in the phone)

Apparently 2G will be switched off at the end of January so I decided to wait until I'd swapped SIMs and then look at getting another (3G) phone.

I MAY be getting a good 3G phone via a friend next week - I'm staying 15 minutes walk from AIS so no problem if I don't

Notes:

1 The "free" phone was available but actually requires a 100 Baht top-up and they need to keep your old phone.

2 The "free" phone is LOCKED to AIS but for something so cheap (almost free!), it doesn't matter!

3 The roaming issue: I called 1175 and was told that I need to dial*125 after the new SIM is activated. If I do it now, I'll have to do it again when I swap SIMs anyway,

I shall update again later...... now as I'm in Fun City, I'm off out for some fun!!

Edited January 13, 2016 by VBF

[VBF]

UPDATE

So I arrived this morning and switched my phone on as soon as the "no phones" light went off in the cabin.

It worked on THGSM straight away and has retained my credit too!

It worked all the way from the airport to Pattaya so I've spent the morning catching up with friends.

So THANKS VERY MUCH to all who've kindly offered me help - in a day or 3 I'll go to AIS in Central Festival Mall and ask

them some searching questions.

When I have some answers, I'll be back here to update the topic.

Nightrider I've emailed you with my number - as it now works - oh, the Voice Message Service doesn't seem to work - one of the searching questions for AIS!

Thanks again all

VBF

UPDATE #2

Went to AIS in Central FM today with phone and passport

They made me a new SIM card, registered it, copied my contacts to it but put the OLD SIM back in my old 2G phone.

No charge for this.

They told me to wait for 3-5 days for a message saying that the SIM is active and then swap the SIMs (put the new one in the phone)

Apparently 2G will be switched off at the end of January so I decided to wait until I'd swapped SIMs and then look at getting another (3G) phone.

I MAY be getting a good 3G phone via a friend next week - I'm staying 15 minutes walk from AIS so no problem if I don't

Notes:

1 The "free" phone was available but actually requires a 100 Baht top-up and they need to keep your old phone.

2 The "free" phone is LOCKED to AIS but for something so cheap (almost free!), it doesn't matter!

3 The roaming issue: I called 1175 and was told that I need to dial*125 after the new SIM is activated. If I do it now, I'll have to do it again when I swap SIMs anyway,

I shall update again later...... now as I'm in Fun City, I'm off out for some fun!!

UPDATE #3

AOK - Received the promised SMS late one evening. As I was in no state to fiddle with tiny phone pieces, I left it for the morning!

Next morning the phone connection was dead, so inserted the new SIM and it immediately connected to TH GSM (2G)

I'm presently using the above-mentioned Smart phone donated by a friend and I can set it to Auto and it connects to 3G or I can set it to GSM and it connects to 2G.

Called 1175 and they checked that my roaming is on.

So I'm sorted - thanks all for your help - especially Nightrider.

For anyone else trying to sort out AIS problems from OUTSIDE Thailand, you can call them on +66 2271 9000

As a footnote, TH GSM (AIS 2G) is still working as of 17:00 today Jan 19th.

Edited January 19, 2016 by VBF