Buying Grps Card In Uk - Which One?

[pete66]

I want to buy a GPRS data card in the UK (specifically on ebay) before coming to thailand. But I am confused about how UK networks "translate" to Thai networks. In the UK there is:

Orange

Vodafone

t-mobile

and probably others. If I buy an Orange card, presumably that can work with orange (= truemove) network in Thailand.

But what about Vodafone? Who do they partner with?

Or perhaps to put it simpler, in terms of Thai networks:

DTAC

Truemove

AIS

Which cards can I buy in the UK that will work with these networks?

Thanks !!

[7robbie7]

buy one in thailand, if you use a vodaphone one in thailand you will be charged roaming rates VERY DEAR

When you get here just buy one i use hutch and it works fine

good luck

[billd766]

buy one in thailand, if you use a vodaphone one in thailand you will be charged roaming rates VERY DEAR

When you get here just buy one i use hutch and it works fine

good luck

Your Hutch mobile is a CDMA phone which operates on a completely different system to the GSM system that DTac, AIS and True use.

You are correct about the rates if the OP is using his UK Sim card.

However depending on how long the OP will be staying in Thailand and where he will stay makes little difference to tthe data card as they should work on any network.

It is the Sim card which is specific to the network.

pete66 you can buy prepaid Sim cards for all the networks and use GPRS on any of them and it is not too expensive for a short term, but for a long term stay you should think about a postpaid Sim card.

[Whitey]

Well, I sure in heck wouldn't buy a gprs card here in Thailand, all of the ones I have seen are overpriced and under performing.

#1 Don't buy one unless it has at least Class 10 GPRS, all of the cards I have seen in Thailand are only Class 8. The difference? About 30% in download speeds.

It was funny, I found a GPRS card for 6000 baht and it did class 8 gprs(slow!), but my motorola L6 (4600 baht at Blisstel) does class 10 gprs. So with the l6, I get better gprs speeds and I have a phone with a camera to boot. No need for charger either since the l6 charges off of the usb cable it connects to the computer with.

If you want to go even cheaper, the motorola c390 does class 10 gprs and blisstel is selling is for 3100 baht with a bluetooth headset.

So why get a gprs card when you can hook up a cellphone to your computer and get better speeds at a lower cost?

[pete66]

Well, I sure in heck wouldn't buy a gprs card here in Thailand, all of the ones I have seen are overpriced and under performing.

#1 Don't buy one unless it has at least Class 10 GPRS, all of the cards I have seen in Thailand are only Class 8. The difference? About 30% in download speeds.

It was funny, I found a GPRS card for 6000 baht and it did class 8 gprs(slow!), but my motorola L6 (4600 baht at Blisstel) does class 10 gprs. So with the l6, I get better gprs speeds and I have a phone with a camera to boot. No need for charger either since the l6 charges off of the usb cable it connects to the computer with.

If you want to go even cheaper, the motorola c390 does class 10 gprs and blisstel is selling is for 3100 baht with a bluetooth headset.

So why get a gprs card when you can hook up a cellphone to your computer and get better speeds at a lower cost?

Thanks for the replies everyone. The plan is to buy a card in the UK (bought a top-notch one from eBay for £50), and then use a Thai SIM.

Could use my phone of course, but that apparently ties the phone up whilst surfing, don't want to do that

Anybody got details of EDGE in BKK? Which networks support it? And is it supported all over BKK? I will probably be in Ekamai region for a while.