No TOT internet or repair services for a month in Kalasin, 3BB problematic

[Shaunduhpostman]

I thought I would post a report on the recent problems with internet in Kalasin province that some seem to be having since the beginning of April. I’m not posting to vent but simply to try and post useful information in the form of a probably not particularly entertaining and I suppose long winded testimony about what is going on here with the internet connection in 2016 and perhaps others may have insight or similar problems they might like to share. Wind ups and flames asides, I’ll read and try to repsond to any who seem to want me to do so.

In a way I am amazed at how good the internet connection has been for the most part since we got it 4 years ago out here. In fact, during that time my connection out here in Isaan has always been much faster than it ever was in Bangkok or anywhere else. But we have had periods, once a year where, problems are not addressed quickly and we have to go without, it can b a bit nrve wracking because there important thngs that on has to attend to, but it has never taken more than a week to get things rolling again. But now things seem to have suddenly nose dived.

During the one month since our TOT connection in the Yang Talat area has stopped functioning, my wife has called them at least ten times and received various stories always with an assurance that something would be done promptly yet nothing happens and we call again in a few days and get another story and nothing happens again repeat cycle ad nauseum. My wife is probably too polite and never asks too many questions about the details of the ever changing stories or asks for explanations, to her credit she has been persistent and not resigned to letting the problem just go unresolved with merely a shrug until today when I was told she is totally and utterly fed up and won’t be calling or listening to TOT or 3BB’s nonsense.

I won’t bore you with all the various scenarios TOT gives us, some of which have to do with chain of command problems and then some of which with equipment failures, at one point they just said something was broken, “bait sia!” and that was all they would say. It sounded like a variation on the “Cannot!” or “no have!” we often hear in other situations. Neither my wife nor I have a clue what “bait” is we but we decided to see if bait would become un-sia and let things ride for a bit longer before seriously considering cancelling our account. When we called 10 days ago to check in they admited that many people were phoning in with quite angry complaints, but that many many lines had fallen in windy weather (the weather wasn’t windy when the problem started, but maybe winds have complicated matters) and that they were in the process of fixing them and all would be well shortly. 10 days later, today, still no connection, and my wife calls to ask if perhaps it wouldn’t be better if we cancel and renew later in the future when they had solved their problems so that at least we are not paying for another month with no service. Seemingly having forgotten how thing shave been for the last month, they asked why in the world she would want to do something like that, “jOh really? No internet eh? Jai yen, we’ll tell the repairmen to get on it right away!” Oh god! If its not fixd by Friday afternoon that’s it, it is curtains for our TOT account.

In the meantime, two weeks ago, we opened an account with 3bb. We are the last people in our village still on TOT, you really have to have persistence and have a certain knack for getting TOT to respond and people gave up a year ago around here when we had the last major service cut. According to my wife people she talked to all said 3BB was great, fast, responsive and no service cuts.

To our dissappointment it has not been that way for us these last two weeks. Every day or every 2-3 days at most, the server won’t put through any of our connection requests during the evening and a few times the problem has carried over into the next day. Our computer network settings tells us every inch of the internet connection is working but we get a screen from 3bb saying our cable is bad whn we try to connect. One evening when we called they said, “Oh, we’ll just re-set your connection, just a moment.” Amazing! Instantly things worked for another 12 hours or so. No two, three days of waiting like with TOT! But it seems that was a one off and they won’t do that for us anymore, they now tell us, “Your router is overheated, just switch it off for 5 minutes and wait till morning we’ll send a repairman to check your cable.” I am no network systems expert but it is plain to anyone that things are not adding up when you receive a message via internet saying your cable isn’t connecting you to the internet. When I point that out, no explaination or response is forthcoming, which doesn’t make them they are being straight forward. It seems 3bb personel are hard wired to only think about the internet problems as only ever being on our side. There is nver any questions put to us, they let us say what we have to say and give what seems to b a stock response. We have tried to explain to people on the phones, to technicians on the phone at the center and they seem to ignore what we are saying: that our computer says the connection is good, and that that suggests there is a problem with their computers. The repair people have not shown any interest in what the problem seems to be, they alrady know what the problem is the cable is bad. Today they sent someone out early in the morning to “fix the cable” again and he told my wife that he did not want to talk to a farang about the problem. He then went on to tell her that the problem we were having was caused by foreign websites and if we wanted to access foreign websites we would have to upgrade from 20 megabytes to 50 megabytes, doubling down on the monthly payments.

Perhaps it is needless to say this is patent b.s. I have had no interactions with this guy other than to check the cable when he installed it the first time. They had no drill and wanted to use our drill to install the line, I didn’t have a problem with that as weird as it is. What possibly could be the problem other than I seemed to understand the problem and he didn’t want to have a discussion and h’d prefer to talk with my wife who is not good with matter s of troubleshooting and technology. And to further confirm there was something not right about his contention that our internet package wasn’t good enough and that we needed to upgrade, I finally decided today to go and ask the only other farang in the village, whom I knew was on 3bb, how his connection was lately. He happened to be home so I spoke to him and he told me he was on the same 20 megbytes/sec package as we were and that occasionally he would have the exact same problem, tho rarely, but that it was the same thing: the computer showing that all was well with the internet connection but 3bb servers not putting the connection requests beyond their confines and throwing up a screen saying no connection to the internet was possible using the device he was trying to use. Even so, he said that when they did have a problem accessing the net it was not a big deal and that the connection would come back 10 minutes later and continue for weeks without a hitch. He said he often depends on internet for very important matters and it is all done via foreign internet sites and that he would have quite a problem if he was getting cut off daily for 12-20 hours as we are.

As far as 3bb service disconnection being caused by foreign websites, is not the whole country using foreign internet sites? Aren’t facebook, google, yahoo and just about all social media sites, the mainstay of Thai internet use, foreign websites? Is this how Thailand will make their great internet barrier to the outside world, by just denying web access to anyone who tries do a Google search because it is a foreign website that is a danger to the country or whatever it is? That such people will just be told, you have to upgrade your package only to receive the same level of service at the 1,200 baht/month level in which stock answers are given and stock solutions are imposed on problems no matter how inappropriaten the techniques of exhausting users into just going away and not using the internet will keep the country doors shut. Its complete xenophobically inspired nonsense that he thought my wife would fall for: yeah! your Thai, just like me, you understand! Its the foreign websites that give 3bb customers their problems, just get 50 megs/sec and you can handle it! I asked the sales people repeatedly, who needs a 50 megbyte/sec connection? They said that it was only necessary for gamers, no need, 20 megabytes is good if you just wan to watch youtube and visit various websites.

So, In the end, I resented having our problems suddenly being converted into a sales opportunity and I called 3bb about the push to upgrade and pay our way out of the problem and the problem of continuing to insist that our problem is related to having a bad cable going from the router when the network settings clearly show otherwise that every link in the connection is functioning. “Your internet connection appears to be working correctly,” is what the network diagnostic page says and the line of green lights all appearing for: 1.) wi-fi, 2.) wi-fi settings, 3.) Network settings, 4.) ISP, 5.) internet, and 6.) server that show when I go into the diagnostics window of OSX trouble shooting. The woman I spoke to said she thought that didn’t seem to be correct information that we didn’t have a good enough package at 20 megs to access sites outside the country and that she would call the center in Kalasin and find out what was going on and get back to me right away. After two hours I got a bit tired of waiting for the call back and called the call center again and another rep said she would try and have someone in the Kalasin center call me back and listen to what the problem was. She succeeded but the guy who called us didn’t speak English, tho my Thai is pretty good, and he understood the problem when I explained it but in his response there were several key words he used when talking to me that i didn’t understand and which he wouldn’t explain when I said I didn’t know the meaning of a word, what does ulamanyaree mean, usual situation, most people don’t seem to grasp the concept of using different words or explaining meanings, its just so awkward to explain what something means just wait till the person gives up. So communication ground to a halt there and I had no recourse but to ask him to speak to my wife who as I mentioned is too fed up to be bothered anymore and she allowed the guy to revert to “your router and your cable have problems and if you continue to have problems you need to bring the router into the office and speak with someone who speaks English and that they can talk to you about our other internet packages. They need to know the model number of the router and check if there is problem with compatibility and they also need to see your face to confirm we are the actual people associated with the account. You can call me directly if there is ever a problem, but don’t call me like you are calling today, if you have a connection what is the problem?”

The problem is that we have to call and wait 12 hours every day for an internet connection. But they don’t want to listen. I ask if this is normal that we have to call all the time and they say no, you need a better package.” The Bangkok call center says no that is wrong and not fair that you have to pay more. Guess I’ll have to move to Bangkok if I want internet.

[Shaunduhpostman]

As a post-script, we were talking to people who work at the abotor, the local tambon office for our area a few hours ago, they said that they have just cancelled their TOT account, same problem,TOT never arrives to fix anything around here anymore.

It seems tho they should just come clean and level with us that they simply are not going to continue service to the area or maybe even the region, that we should change service but they seem to have decided to continue to pretend there is some problem that will be fixed very shortly when at this point it seems clear there is no will to do any such thing. Really a shame, it seemed they were commited and the junta was commited to providing good service to Isaan, but from what we have seen here, it's actually the complete opposite.

[pianoman]

I also live in Kalasin, but in the City it's self, and have had 3BB / TT&T for well over 12 years now... Most of the Farang's that I know are or use to be with TOT, and the number of Outages and Problems that I have had compared to theirs is minuscule... I have found the 3BB tech's to be prompt, courteous and very efficient... I use their Call Center in Bangkok to report any problems, and can always talk to someone who at least understands English even if their pronunciations are not the best... But they contact the Local Office and I have never been out more than 1 day, and usually problems are handled within a few hours... I should add that I am on their lowest package, stated @ 10MB, but always seem to get around 12+

Pianoman

[Colabamumbai]

James T.V. and cable service also provides internet service to Kalsin. I do not know if their service extends to Yang Talat.

[gandalf12]

Most companies have a system. You report a problem and they log it into the system. When its turn comes up the technicians go to work on it. The logging is the crucial point. When you report a fault ask for the fault log report number. You are entitled to be issued one. Then if you phone to follow up you can quote that number. You will soon know if it has actually been logged or not.

[old hippy girl]

I hate TOT. I have been denied service many times over the years, sometimes for over 6 months, and often because the lines were stolen to sell the wire, and they still demand you pay. Using TOT satellite now and fewer problems than hard line. Hoping that other options will be available in my village at some point. TIT

[Beats56]

I know I am not in the same area as you. I am in Rayong. I have 3bb and it works great. 15mb for 965b a month. The previous house we lived in did have occasional service go out but not long. Since we moved no problems and watch NHL hockey with no problems at all. Hope they get it fixed for you. Cheers

[elgordo38]

When you made the lifestyle decision to live where you are you should have taken Thainess into consideration. That is why I chose to live in Chiang Mai. Here internet operators have to shape up or we deal with one of their many competitors. I moved into a condo here with its own well so as to not have water problems which have been looming on the horizon for years especially if you believe TAT numbers and you have 30 million "tourists" here annually and you are in competition for services with them as well. As the real estate agent constantly states its location, location, location. I mean this in a well mannered way we all make our own decisions and have to live with them. Don't look for a change anytime soon. Good luck.

[Issangeorge]

I am in Kalasin Province, but the far east, Kuchinarai District, I had TOT, but it was useless, off almost as much as it was on. One day I saw a CAT truck in my village. I asked about it and it seems they were installing fibre, 15mb for just over ฿700 a month. I signed up, and am very happy. In two years now, I have had very dependable service. It has been out a few times for short periods, but usually only an hour or so, and less than a dozen times. Twice it has been out for a couple of days, the first time was because they were installing the fibre, the second someone was burning off his rice paddy and the fire got out of control and burnt the fibre. If you can get CAT Fibre, I highly recommend it.

[Shaunduhpostman]

We tried to flle our TOT cancellation of service today in Kalasin town, but they were closed, haha, classic. Will try again next week, if they also refuse to cancel via bumbling and incompetence continue their timely and highly efficient billing process, I suppose we could try and contact the government office that deals with operators who charge for phone, internet etc. and refuse to provide service and/or maintenance.

I still have hope the 3BB may get it together as no one else in our village has any trouble at all and are quite happy with them. I am just hoping that there have been some glitches getting us onboard and thats all it is. We finally got a higher management type's attention and he gave us a number to notify him directly if we continue to get cut. He did recommend that we go to their office and talk to them about upgrades. So, perhaps cutting people's service for 12-20 hours every few days is a gauntlet new customers now have to run in hopes that they will upgrade from the 600 baht/mo. 20 mgb./sec service to the 50 mgb./sec. 1200 baht/mo. service.

We looked into CAT a few years ago, they told us at the CAT Kalsin office it would be a 2-3 year wait before they would offer service for us. I've not read much that was good about CAT, it always struck me that they were more in the business of providing services to internet businesses.

To respond to one post, no I never even expected to have internet up here at all, but many people in our village already had it when we moved here. That was the "lifestyle" decision I made but found the lifestyle that was actually available was better than the one I had prepard to accept. I am not waiting for a change for the better, the change already came before I arrived, people in Isaan were able to get internet but now I wonder if under present circumstances, the threat of a single gateway etc. isn't going to spell the end of all that and a change back to their not being viable internet upcountry or perhaps even anywhere. If i had to bet on it, I would bet that no they won't cut anyone's internet outright but other more subtle barriers may be imposed. That TOT, a government provider, who once provided marginally acceptable service and usually fast and stable internet to our village has suddenly completely shut the door on all that seemed a move in that direction. But perhaps it is only that our area has been lucky, and some official or nice bunch of technicians who once looked out for us are no longer able to do that and the reality that TOT is not a viable internet provider for most of the country is now what we have here in this village.

[sead]

Just buy a DTAC mobile internet as backup and you will always have internet. Costs around 800bht and when you use up your gb then it goes down to 384kbs