Hi All!

I have just arrived in CM and need advise.

What is the best phone sim to use....calls will be mainly back and forward to Australia.

And wifi for my samsung...who provides good, cheap wifi?

Thanks heaps..

They are all pretty much the same, the problem you have is what will work in your area and location, that can vary dramatically sometimes but just a few hundred meters.

Talk to people around you, see what they use. Make a decision from there.

I've always had the best results with 1-2-Call (AIS). They have their own Wifi hotspots, too.

But I'd look at Skype or Viber for calls to Australia, bugger paying IDD rates.

There are also other options such as calling cards, etc.

Agree with Chicog. I've been using AIS for the past 4 years, and the only problem was when I was on the 16th floor of a condo, and reception was total R.S.

Everything worked fine a few floors down!

Skype seems pretty good.

I use DTAC

I buy their 399 baht a month Internet package, they have higher options up to 899 or more I believe but for what I use it for I never really found any difference in speed

If I call back home with 004 DTAC Long distance it only costs me 2.5Baht per minute to fixed lines and mobile lines

I just did a search on Australia it is a little higher at 6 baht per min to Fixed lines and 7 baht to mobile lines, but as the poster said you could also use

skype etc

I used to use 123 call but had to many problems so moved over, l would agree most of the services are similar but a friend of my just moved from DTAC to True and he is kicking my ass for internet speeds

All packages are basically the same. You pay more, if you take combined voice/data ones, as you usually will not use one or the other credit. The design and pricing is intentionally made to confuse buyers.

TRUE has the best network countrywide, DTAC is far behind as number 3 and AIS has still some declining strongholds in the provinces. Besides that you have some minor MVNOs riding on the bigger networks (same service quality) and offers from the incumbents TOT and CAT. TOT sucks and CAT is the TRUE network.

Take what works best at your place. The packages don't make any real difference, if you have no good coverage.

Why paying for international calls if you can do it for free with Viber, Line, Skype etc? Paying for international calls is something from a past era.

Download "LINE" for free audio & video, send and receive photos, video.

Get one of the 4G sims (AIS or DTAC.. personally prefer AIS).

Get data turned on and a decent package IIRC 3GB of full speed 4G is 399 plus vat.. It throttles after 3GB but can be retopped up.

Install a VoIP solution on the phone. I personally find google voice to be the best sounding and also integrates very well with the phone, its dialer, etc etc. The google hangouts app is used a huge amount in my work. Others as mentioned skype, viber, line, etc etc. Some of these apps can call regular landline phones at a small cost, some are purely app to app.

If you really need inbound dialing in Oz this can be done with a skype in number, a voip inbound number, a few calling card setups, etc.. But once you get used to the above, a simple text to call them and you phone back works for my family needs.

Download "LINE" for free audio & video, send and receive photos, video.

Would Line work if the other end doesn't have an internet connection, just an ordinary phone? Never looked into it but I should really.

I use VOIPDiscount for phone calls and SMS, free to landlines most countries, cheap or free to mobiles including free in Thailand (subject to fair use though, no good for a free hour every singe day). I should sort out a backup really, been using it without complaint for 7 or 8 years so I've become very complacent.

Download "LINE" for free audio & video, send and receive photos, video.

Would Line work if the other end doesn't have an internet connection, just an ordinary phone? Never looked into it but I should really.

I use VOIPDiscount for phone calls and SMS, free to landlines most countries, cheap or free to mobiles including free in Thailand (subject to fair use though, no good for a free hour every singe day). I should sort out a backup really, been using it without complaint for 7 or 8 years so I've become very complacent.

..you both need a 'smart phone' so you can both download the app..then you will appear in each others 'contacts'.

Why paying for international calls if you can do it for free with Viber, Line, Skype etc? Paying for international calls is something from a past era.

True that few people I know respond to calls anymore it is all LINE, Viber and FB.

There is still a need for most to occasionally call various office and business land lines.

SKYPE out is cheap and works for me.

I use VOIPDiscount for phone calls and SMS, free to landlines most countries, cheap or free to mobiles including free in Thailand (subject to fair use though, no good for a free hour every singe day). I should sort out a backup really, been using it without complaint for 7 or 8 years so I've become very complacent.

..you both need a 'smart phone' so you can both download the app..then you will appear in each others 'contacts'.

Thanks. I'll carry on as previous. A bit of a chicken and egg thing, all of these voice over internet programs, aren't they? I mean, I don't have have Line because I don't know anyone who's on Line and I'll never know anybody who's on line because I'm not on on Line.

It was so much easier when we just had a mobile phone that you could also use to send SMS when appropriate.

Download "LINE" for free audio & video, send and receive photos, video.

Line has very stupid stickers, the Viber stickers are much better.

Thank you all for the good advice.

We move into our Condo this week,so I will wait and see what works best.