AIS Fiber - anyone have recent experience?

[nickbkk]

AIS Fiber is marketing heavily in our BKK condo development. Overall, I'm quite happy with my True DSL but am keen to boost my upload speeds.

For my purposes I consistently achieve the 1mb/s upload speeds advertised for my True product.

It looks like the fastest upload speed True offers is 3mb/s. AIS Fiber offers upload speeds from 5mb/s to 10mb/s. Of course what they offer and what I can actually get to the places I need to get to are two different things.

So, I wonder if anyone has actual real-world experience with service quality and upload speeds to the 'real world' via AIS Fiber.

All information gratefully received.

cheers!

[Pib]

I got AIS Fibre 50/10 last Friday....it's great. Big, big improvement over my True DOCSIS/cable 15Mb/1.5Mb plan which I will be cancelling fairly soon.

AIS ran an approx 230 meter fiber run from the fiber optics trunk line in my western Bangkok moobaan....fiber all the way to the AIS-provided router which was an Hauwei HG8245H 2.4Ghz router...No install or deposit fees. Since I'm not an AIS customer the monthly cost is Bt888 (plus 7% VAT)...if I had been an AIS customer I would have got a 10% discount for a monthly charge of Bt799. And for the first three months I'm getting a 50% reduction on the Bt888/mo normal price which means Bt444/mo....starting month 4 it goes to Bt888.

As mentioned the fiber optics router provided was a Hauwei HG8245H 2.8Ghz router. And they also provided a second router...an Edimax AC750 2.4Ghz and 5GHz router (non fiber) also free of charge/deposit....guess they provide that if you want to use it as an access point our use 5Ghz Wifi. The plan also comes with an AIS Playbox/TV box where you have access to approx 100 channels with 10 HD...the Playbox does other stuff to...but I really haven't played with it much other than to check the TV channels (pretty much all Thai channels)....it does provide a beautiful/sharp TV image. Once again no install charges, no deposit fees, no upfront payments. Took them approx 2.5 hours to install since they had the long fiber run to do down the soi. They also bought along a couple of trainees, so my install was a combo install and new employees training session.

Domestic speed is the full 50Mb down / 10 up (actually more like 50.5Mb down and 12.3Mb up)...and the international speed is very good also....so, so much better than True DOCSIS/cable that I currently have for a little while longer.

If you go over to the threaded titled "Using VPN to Speedup Your International Speed starting at Post #173" you can see where I started providing various speed test results using various speed testers and other info mid day last Friday when my AIS 50/10 was first installed.

As mentioned, my install was fiber all the way to the router...I live in a detached/single family home. For a connection to a highrise/condo the fiber optics run would probably just be to the building's junction box where the final meters to your condo/apartment on floor XYZ would be through the building's wires via VDSL/DSL

Here's a few Speedtest.net tests I ran just a few minutes ago to Bangkok, Singapore, San Jose US, and London. Now Speedtest.net due to the way it does its multistreaming test gives higher international speeds than some speedtesters. Take its results with a big grain of salt. However, when you go to the thread I mentioned above I give a lot of "Testmy.net" and "DSLReports" speed test results...and Testmy.net is one of the toughest speed testers. Remember, go look in above referenced thread for a bunch of testing results over the last 6 days, during pretty all hours of the day/night.

Bangkok to Bangkok

Bangkok to Singapore

Bangkok to San Jose

Bangkok to London

[Pib]

A couple of Testmy.net Combined (download and upload) tests at around 7:45pm with my AIS 50/10 plan. As most of us know from around 6pm to midnight in Thailand is probably the slowest internet time due to all the kids home from school, most partents home from work, etc., and they are using the internet which bogs down bandwidth/speed especially to international sites.

Remember, Testmy.net is a tough speed tester....tells you like it is for international connections versus the more glorious results given by OOKLA-based testers such as Speedtest.net. But Speedtest.net is fine of domestic/in-country testing.

P.S. Uptime for my AIS plan which I've had for a little over 6 days now has been 100%, through rain and shine.

Testmy.net to Singapore

Testmy.net to Los Angeles

Testmy.net to Frankfurt

Testmy.net to London

And to close with one Bangkok to Bangkok Speedtest.net test just to show current in-Thailand/local speed.

Edited July 7, 2016 by Pib

[Oxx]

Got it a couple of weeks ago. Very disappointed. Half the nominal speed down. (Speed up OK.) Several disconnects a day requiring a router reboot.

[Peterw42]

Can I ask the OP why upload speed is important ? Are you running a server ?

[Pib]

Got it a couple of weeks ago. Very disappointed. Half the nominal speed down. (Speed up OK.) Several disconnects a day requiring a router reboot.

Wifi connection or ethernet connection from router to your computer when doing your speedtests?

If using Wifi for your router to computer connection, distance from the router, construction of your residence, other Wifi routers operating close to you such as your neighbors, quality of Wifi adapater/chip in your computer, etc., can easily cut Wifi speed in half in comparison to a direct ethernet/wired connection.

They do speed tests via etherent/wired connection before completing the install to ensure you are getting the full speed.

[Oxx]

They do speed tests via etherent/wired connection before completing the install to ensure you are getting the full speed.

Obviously not always. Didn't do any such testing when they installed chez moi. It was a case of "oh, the right lights are on on the router, so we're off to the next job".

And yes, my speed observations are based upon a wired connection.

[Pib]

You sure they didn't do testing in finalizing the install. Over the years as TOT, True, and AIS have come to my house to install an internet plans (I've always been there during the install), after getting the "physical work done" they hook up their computer to the router, enter setup info, call a number like their control center to activate the line/plan, and then run speedtests and power level tests to ensure you were getting what you were paying for "domestic/local" speedwise. International connections are a different story....speed will be much lower usually...zero gaurantee on international speed from any Thai internet service provider.

But hey, call AIS...I called AIS a few days ago to ask some technical quesitons mostly about the Playbox/TV box and also had a curiosity question about the internet connection. Initially a general support person answers (spoke English just fine)...asked her my questions...she said she would have a Tech Support person call me back in 1 to 2 hours. I thought to myself since it was a Sunday evening a call back probably will not occur. But in about 45 minutes I got a call back from Tech Support (spoke English just fine)...got my questions answered.

Give'um a call.

[lostinisaan]

I'm more than happy with my 20 MB Fiber contract. Please see my down and upload speed at 9 pm where many people are online.

[Pib]

And I will sign-off for the night (it's around 9:15pm) with the three speed tests below using AIS 50/10....one with Speedtest.net just to check my local connection and then two to Singapore and LA using Testmy.net.

Bangkok

Singapore

LA

[elfpattaya]

I have had the AIS fibre since last September in Pattaya and I have had very few problems.. It is a huge improvement from my previous True DOCSIS, which gave me nothing but trouble, especially in the evening.

PIB get yourself an AIS sim card post paid (about 50 Baht), and you can get the discount.

[elfpattaya]

lostinissan, your IP address suggests that you have TOT. Not AIS.

[lostinisaan]

lostinissan, your IP address suggests that you have TOT. Not AIS.

Just wanted to show that TOT isn't too bad. 740 baht/month and never problems was the best decision.

[gandalf12]

Can anyone explain to me how by pinging a random site without any control over the connection / route or number of hops the figures have any real significance. At best they indicate the speed at that moment in time. A few minutes later they could be totally different.

[Pib]

OK, here are a few "morning" tests done between 9am to 9:15am with my AIS Fibre 50/10. Most are Testmy.net tests with the exception of the local connection test using Speedtest.net. I tested to Bangkok, Singapore, LA, Frankfurt, and London.

You will notice the London connection was slow at around 2.4Mb. So, I then made a VPN connection to London and retested...this time I got 20.4Mb to London. And if you look back to my post showing the test to London last night I got 28.4Mb to London with no VPN connection. Time of day can make a difference in speed test results as the internet can get bogged down at different places in the world, routing being used at the time, etc.

To Bangkok...test of local speed

To Singapore

To LA

To Frankfurt

To London (kind of slow at this time of day...maybe the EU is already choking off the UK)

To London (but this time with a VPN connection to London....London back to being speedy again on a VPN connection)

[BORRISGOODENUF]

yes! is excellent. go for it.!

[Straight8]

Switched from True 13MB plan to AIS Fibre 15/5MB plan, and very impressed with the difference. Price wise, AIS is still a tad cheaper. Feels much more faster than 2MB speed difference though. Everything seems to run smoother in respect to response times, browsing, downloading, you name it.

Best part about it, which may have been the deal maker, was the first 6 months for 100 baht promotion. so i thought I'd give it a shot and compare, and month and a half in, very impressed so far, though time will tell, but things stay like this I'm more than happy.

[muratremix]

I have had the AIS fibre since last September in Pattaya and I have had very few problems.. It is a huge improvement from my previous True DOCSIS, which gave me nothing but trouble, especially in the evening.

PIB get yourself an AIS sim card post paid (about 50 Baht), and you can get the discount.

AIS requires min. 300 baht / month pospaid subscription for 10% discount.

[muratremix]

Pib,

Can you run a traceroute to uk2.testmy.net ? (Their GB server)

open command line in windows

type:

tracert uk2.testmy.net

and then select with mouse left (hold) click and paste results here.

Perhaps we can find the routing issue that causes 2.4 mbit on UK server.

[Pib]

I have to do that later as I'm now out of the house at the dental office as the wife has some dental work.

[Pib]

muratremix,

Got back from the dental office...ran below tests around 1:30pm. First used a Non-VPN connection, Second a PureVPN connection to London using the Pure app selection of "Fastest UK Server", and Third using PureVPN app selection of a forcing a London VPN server connection. See my comments at the top of each test. I think you will see it all about "routing" used....and how VPN can allow different/faster routing...bypass some chokepoints in some cases.

FIRST TEST

Non-VPN Connection..Testmy.net 2.4Mb download speed to London

Tracing route to uk.testmy.net [45.63.96.205]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.1.1

2 4 ms 4 ms 4 ms 10.247.2.138

3 4 ms 3 ms 3 ms 10.247.2.137

4 4 ms 3 ms 3 ms 10.154.0.27

5 4 ms 4 ms 3 ms 49.228.0.101

6 4 ms 4 ms 4 ms 49.228.0.118

7 20 ms 18 ms 18 ms 49-231-44-129.sbn-idc.com [49.231.44.129]

8 32 ms 32 ms 33 ms 49-231-44-201.sbn-idc.com [49.231.44.201]

9 34 ms 33 ms 33 ms 116.51.26.153

10 34 ms 39 ms 34 ms ae-0.r21.sngpsi05.sg.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.4.73]

11 214 ms 215 ms 213 ms ae-8.r24.londen12.uk.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.7.64]

12 216 ms 216 ms 216 ms ae-6.r00.londen10.uk.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.4.21]

13 214 ms 212 ms 212 ms 5.158.213.46

14 * * * Request timed out.

15 216 ms 216 ms 215 ms uk.testmy.net [45.63.96.205]

Trace complete.

*****************************************************************************

SECOND TEST

Now, VPN Connection to London; however, I use the PureVPN app selection titled "UK Fastest Server" where it automatically picks the fastest server for you based on your location on Earth. When making the connection I saw that PureVPN selected their "Virtual VPN Asia-Pacific server in Singapore" to make the connection to give a UK/London IP address. WhatIsMyIPAddress confirmed I had a London UK IP address. Testmy.Net download speed to London was now much higher at 15.7Mb You can see the "sg" address routing below that PureVPN uses with their Virtual VPN Asia Pacific server for UK. Third Test is to force a PureVPN connection directly to a London VPN server...get an actual VPN server in London....these results/routing talked about at the bottom of this post in Third Test section.

VPN Connection to London via PureVPN "Fastest UK Server" selection which actually used their Virtual UK VPN server in Signapore

Testmy.net download speed 15.7Mb to London

Tracing route to uk3.testmy.net [109.74.192.55]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 55 ms 55 ms 56 ms 192.253.241.7

2 56 ms 56 ms 55 ms 192.253.241.4

3 58 ms 56 ms 55 ms te-0-0-2-3.cr02.sin-11.sg.leaseweb.net [103.254.152.202]

4 56 ms 56 ms 56 ms 103.254.152.188

5 57 ms 57 ms 56 ms 116.51.27.153

6 62 ms 56 ms 56 ms ae-0.r21.sngpsi05.sg.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.4.73]

7 244 ms 246 ms 244 ms ae-8.r24.londen12.uk.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.7.64]

8 241 ms 241 ms 241 ms linx.telecityredbus.net [195.66.224.82]

9 * * * Request timed out.

10 * * * Request timed out.

11 * * * Request timed out.

12 244 ms 245 ms 244 ms uk3.testmy.net [109.74.192.55]

Trace complete.

************************************************************************************

THIRD TEST

Here are the VPN results by selecting a direct PureVPN VPN connection to London. That is using the PureVPN app to select London specifically versus the earlier selection of "Fastest UK Server." The connection this time is indeed made direct to a PureVPN VPN server in London versus the Virtual UK VPN server based in Singapore. Once again, WhatIsMyAddress confirmed I have a London IP address. Testmy.net download speed was now 5.3Mb....faster than the non-VPN connection, but three times slower than the Virtual VPN connection for the UK.

Tracing route to uk.testmy.net [45.63.96.205]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 217 ms 220 ms 214 ms 193.150.10.5

2 215 ms 215 ms 215 ms 193.150.10.1

3 218 ms 214 ms 213 ms inx.as13213.net [83.170.70.137]

4 215 ms 215 ms 217 ms 83.170.70.237

5 215 ms 215 ms 215 ms te0-7-0-4.rcr21.b015589-1.lon01.atlas.cogentco.com [149.14.8.41]

6 214 ms 215 ms 216 ms 149.6.146.66

7 * * * Request timed out.

8 215 ms 215 ms 216 ms uk.testmy.net [45.63.96.205]

Trace complete.

*****************************************************

[zib]

Best connection in Thailand ever.

I got the PowerPro package 50/20. I get spot on speeds and ever a bit more upload than I buy around the clock. Normally 50/24 to/from Bangkok and Singapore.

And it's the first ISP in Thailand to offer IPV6.

The only problem I've had is with their transparent http proxy which been a bit slow a few times.

Atm I'm in Sweden I'm getting 15Mbit+ from the house in Phuket.

I've never ever seen these great international speeds from an ISP in Thailand before.

[muratremix]

Pib,

Virtual UK VPN is using Singapore server and redirecting connections from Singapore to UK first, then your destination (only useful for geo-restricted content).

As for traceroute, 18-20 ms to gateway is unexpected (perhaps due to CGNAT - shared IP). I get 20 ms to gateway due to VDSL connection, which is 10-15 ms higher than my old True connection. Instead of 38-40 ms to Singapore, I get 50 ms now. If it was fiber from 3bb, it would be 35-40 ms.

Anyway, I'm guessing AIS forget to increase throttled speed against UK via NTT (SG) connection when they configured each transit rule.

Routing seems optimal.

[zib]

Pib,

Virtual UK VPN is using Singapore server and redirecting connections from Singapore to UK first, then your destination (only useful for geo-restricted content).

As for traceroute, 18-20 ms to gateway is unexpected (perhaps due to CGNAT - shared IP). I get 20 ms to gateway due to VDSL connection, which is 10-15 ms higher than my old True connection. Instead of 38-40 ms to Singapore, I get 50 ms now. If it was fiber from 3bb, it would be 35-40 ms.

Anyway, I'm guessing AIS forget to increase throttled speed against UK via NTT (SG) connection when they configured each transit rule.

Routing seems optimal.

The gateway is pppoe. It's a BRAS in Bangkok. Hence the high latency to the gateway.

[zib]

Pib,

Virtual UK VPN is using Singapore server and redirecting connections from Singapore to UK first, then your destination (only useful for geo-restricted content).

As for traceroute, 18-20 ms to gateway is unexpected (perhaps due to CGNAT - shared IP). I get 20 ms to gateway due to VDSL connection, which is 10-15 ms higher than my old True connection. Instead of 38-40 ms to Singapore, I get 50 ms now. If it was fiber from 3bb, it would be 35-40 ms.

Anyway, I'm guessing AIS forget to increase throttled speed against UK via NTT (SG) connection when they configured each transit rule.

Routing seems optimal.

http://slim.keff.org/ping

Some ping stuff if someone wants to see

Edited July 8, 2016 by zib

[zib]

Pib,

Virtual UK VPN is using Singapore server and redirecting connections from Singapore to UK first, then your destination (only useful for geo-restricted content).

As for traceroute, 18-20 ms to gateway is unexpected (perhaps due to CGNAT - shared IP). I get 20 ms to gateway due to VDSL connection, which is 10-15 ms higher than my old True connection. Instead of 38-40 ms to Singapore, I get 50 ms now. If it was fiber from 3bb, it would be 35-40 ms.

Anyway, I'm guessing AIS forget to increase throttled speed against UK via NTT (SG) connection when they configured each transit rule.

Routing seems optimal.

The gateway is pppoe. It's a BRAS in Bangkok. Hence the high latency to the gateway.

I see now that they deployed a few more BRASes. Can't see where they are but the one i'm connected to now from Phuket has id FBB_MSCS_BRAS_01H and I have 8ms to it. So presumably it's either in Phuket or Surat Thani.

They probably have one deployed in every area which a huge amount of customers.

[muratremix]

Pib,

Virtual UK VPN is using Singapore server and redirecting connections from Singapore to UK first, then your destination (only useful for geo-restricted content).

As for traceroute, 18-20 ms to gateway is unexpected (perhaps due to CGNAT - shared IP). I get 20 ms to gateway due to VDSL connection, which is 10-15 ms higher than my old True connection. Instead of 38-40 ms to Singapore, I get 50 ms now. If it was fiber from 3bb, it would be 35-40 ms.

Anyway, I'm guessing AIS forget to increase throttled speed against UK via NTT (SG) connection when they configured each transit rule.

Routing seems optimal.

http://slim.keff.org/ping

Some ping stuff if someone wants to see

Perhaps you can add a looking glass (traceroute) script too?

[Pib]

Pib,

Virtual UK VPN is using Singapore server and redirecting connections from Singapore to UK first, then your destination (only useful for geo-restricted content).

As for traceroute, 18-20 ms to gateway is unexpected (perhaps due to CGNAT - shared IP). I get 20 ms to gateway due to VDSL connection, which is 10-15 ms higher than my old True connection. Instead of 38-40 ms to Singapore, I get 50 ms now. If it was fiber from 3bb, it would be 35-40 ms.

Anyway, I'm guessing AIS forget to increase throttled speed against UK via NTT (SG) connection when they configured each transit rule.

Routing seems optimal.

Why do you say the Virtual VPN is only good for geo-restricted content because in the speedtests the Virtual VPN connection was three times faster in the download tests than the direct VPN connection?

[muratremix]

Pib,

Virtual UK VPN is using Singapore server and redirecting connections from Singapore to UK first, then your destination (only useful for geo-restricted content).

As for traceroute, 18-20 ms to gateway is unexpected (perhaps due to CGNAT - shared IP). I get 20 ms to gateway due to VDSL connection, which is 10-15 ms higher than my old True connection. Instead of 38-40 ms to Singapore, I get 50 ms now. If it was fiber from 3bb, it would be 35-40 ms.

Anyway, I'm guessing AIS forget to increase throttled speed against UK via NTT (SG) connection when they configured each transit rule.

Routing seems optimal.

Why do you say the Virtual VPN is only good for geo-restricted content because in the speedtests the Virtual VPN connection was three times faster in the download tests than the direct VPN connection?

Because if you use singapore vpn and do UK speed test, it will probably get same or better result. Virtual location is only useful for netflix/hulu/bbc stuff (and others).

You should use a UK vpn server to see if speed is increased or not. Virtual UK is simply using Singapore connection. Instead of changing servers often, you can simply use Singapore server at all times for max. speed.

[Pib]

Because if you use singapore vpn and do UK speed test, it will probably get same or better result. Virtual location is only useful for netflix/hulu/bbc stuff (and others).

You should use a UK vpn server to see if speed is increased or not. Virtual UK is simply using Singapore connection. Instead of changing servers often, you can simply use Singapore server at all times for max. speed.

No, reread my post which gave the three different results.

First test was no-VPN.

The second test was using the London Virtual VPN server which happened to be based in Singapore...when I connected I had a London IP address...and when running the testmy speed test to their London server I got 15Mb download speed.

The third test was using a London regular VPN server....and when running the testmy speed test to their London server I got a 5Mb download speed.

Basically I see that the closer virtual VPN server as providing a faster connection to London probably due to priority routing from Singapore to London which resulted in 3 times the speed over regular routing.

I think this HideMyAss webpage gives a give layman's explanation of Virtual VPNs and the benefit they can provide (like faster speed): Link. I know you understand the difference...the Link is just for others listening in.