3bb vs ais fiber vs true online ( fttx)

[Silurian]

4 hours ago, Silurian said:

I got the AIS Playbox which is slightly disappointing. I thought there would be some non-Thai news channels but they don't seem to work. I just get a black screen when attempting to view them. I also thought CNN Headline News was part of AIS Playbox but I don't see it listed. Part of the TV section of the AIS Playbox has menu listings in Thai and there doesn't appear to be any way of changing that.

 

Of course right after I posted this I checked on the AIS Playbox and I can now get a few international news channels (but still no CNN or any other US News outlets). I also figured out how to change the Thai to English on the TV app. There is a settings button all the way over to the right and then you can adjust a few settings including language. 

[kingstonkid]

I just went to TOT with the GF.  Here is what I got.

 

We want you to sign up BUT we do not know if you are in an area that we can service.

 

It will take at least 2 weeks to find out.

 

Then we will contact you to come in and pay us 2000 baht and we will schedule for it to be installed in the future.

 

She then showed me a map of our area pointed to the wrong housing section and said it might be.  When I corrected her finger she said she did not think it was but "not Sure"

 

 

[sniffdog]

Let me give you an answer on what is the best ... none. They all have their strengths an weaknesses (price, speed, service). But when you're looking to use bittorrent or usenet there is only package to consider .. 3bb 200/50 for 1200 baht. Just downloaded 26 seasons of a popular animated series in 52 minutes (69.99 GB). I bet nobody offers a better deal than 3bb at this moment.

[Pib]

2 hours ago, manarak said:

 

multi thread is no good for online gaming and most video, because these only use one thread.

But it's great for browsing and downloading files.

 

Using both a multi-thread and single-thread tester is probably best to test your internet connection since both single and multi-threading is used depending on what you are doing, where  you are connecting to, etc.

 

[JetsetBkk]

2 hours ago, Pib said:

 

How about some tests to the U.S. and Europe?   Thanks.

 

And I think that's the first time I've seen a test with a bufferbloat of A.

 

This is my friend's setup in Phuket Town. Hopefully I can do some more playing around at the weekend.

I'm not sure how DSLreports.com select the server(s) for their tests, so I'll try some other speed testers too, probably TestMy.net as they do single link tests.

 

I couldn't believe the 50 Mbps Up speed! Incredible.

 

He told me he was watching an NFL game on the TV - a re-run that included adverts and pauses in the game. He got fed up with all the delays, so downloaded the full game without adverts from a torrent site in 8 minutes!

 

[Pib]

1 hour ago, Silurian said:

 

Of course right after I posted this I checked on the AIS Playbox and I can now get a few international news channels (but still no CNN or any other US News outlets). I also figured out how to change the Thai to English on the TV app. There is a settings button all the way over to the right and then you can adjust a few settings including language. 

.AIS had never advertised the Playbox having much English content or news like CNN.   You can see a listing of the channels at the this AIS Playbox webpage.   It's basically just free-to-air TV channels like you can pick up with free-to-air satellite.

http://www.ais.co.th/playbox/en/tv.html

 

[Pib]

3 minutes ago, JetsetBkk said:

 

This is my friend's setup in Phuket Town. Hopefully I can do some more playing around at the weekend.

I'm not sure how DSLreports.com select the server(s) for their tests, so I'll try some other speed testers too, probably TestMy.net as they do single link tests.

 

 On the DSL reports speedtest page there is a "gear" icon that you select and then you can select the test to location(s).

[JetsetBkk]

Just now, Pib said:

 On the DSL reports speedtest page there is a "gear" icon that you select and then you can select the test to location(s).

 

OK, I'll give that a go! 

 

[Pib]

3 hours ago, Silurian said:

 

Of course right after I posted this I checked on the AIS Playbox and I can now get a few international news channels (but still no CNN or any other US News outlets). I also figured out how to change the Thai to English on the TV app. There is a settings button all the way over to the right and then you can adjust a few settings including language. 

 

Big thanks Silurian!   Regarding where  you said "I also figured out how to change the Thai to English on the TV app."  I almost earlier replied that you were probably talking about the Playbox's basic Android settings like on any Android device where you can select the language but even after selecting English there when using the "TV app" some of the TV app menus/selections were still in Thai/not in English.  

 

When the AIS installed my AIS 50/10 with Playbox the Thai wife and I specifically asked them to set everything to English......they first went to the Android settings to select English but when that still left the TV app menus/selections along the bottom of the screen in Thai we asked them again how to do you get those menus/selections to display in English...the installers basically said "no can do"....and there were four installers standing in the room with the wife and I (two of the four were trainees).  We asked them again....they said no can do.   Well, OK, we really didn't plan to use the Playbox for much of anything anyway especially TV since we had TrueVisions Platinum.  I had got AIS 50/10 for the internet plan and not the TV/Playbox which came along free.

 

Over the following months I played around with the box a little more like hoping to find some setting that would change the TV app selections to English but never could....just assumed the installers knew what they were talking about.  But the way you made you statement above I told myself to go look one more time in the area you pointed out.   And lo and behold it worked...that last selection to the left of the "search" selection takes  you to an area where you can can the TV app settings/selections from Thai to English---but drilling down to that point of making the change is all in the with no hint of English unlike when changing languages in the basic Playbox language setting area.   

 

So for those challenged with Thai (like me), below is a couple of snapshots of how to drill down to the TV App language setting where you can change the language setting to English...and once again I'm not talking the basic Playbox Android operating system language setting.   I circled the settings...I took the snapshots after changing from Thai to English....if I had taken the snapshot before making the language change all the selections at the bottom like My Channels, Programming Guide, TV Search, Settings, etc., would have befen displaying in Thai

 

Last selection titled Setttings at bottom right....just to the right of the Search setting.

 

You are then taken to this menu....select the last/bottom selection on the left side of screen

 

Then you are taken to this menu...Select the top box on the right and the TV app settings will change to English (just to repeat not to be confused with the separate Playbox Android operating system language setting which is easy enough to find/change)

[Silurian]

36 minutes ago, Pib said:

Big thanks Silurian!   Regarding where  you said "I also figured out how to change the Thai to English on the TV app."  I almost earlier replied that you were probably talking about the Playbox's basic Android settings like on any Android device where you can select the language but even after selecting English there when using the "TV app" some of the TV app menus/selections were still in Thai/not in English.  

 

I am glad to have helped. Your pictures should be a big help to others in the same situation. I had the same where the Android was set to English but the "TV app" was in Thai. I just kept playing around in the TV App when I stumbled upon the settings. AIS should have this in their manual or at least the technicians should know about it. I setup the AIS Playbox myself after the technicians left so it took a little bit of trail and error.

 

One thing that I did have to call AIS for was to setup the Hooq.tv application for the 12 months free subscription. The Hooq app asks for an activation code which I couldn't find in any of the documents given to me so I contacted AIS and they called me back about 2 hours later and set it up for me remotely. The support guy said it expires in October of next year but I can't seem to locate my subscription information to verify that. Hooq seems okay but I was a little disappointed that the Thai movies/series don't offer English subtitles. There are a fair number of American movies/series but I haven't had much time to look at it yet.

[Pib]

When I signed up for AIS 50/10 it did not include free HOOQ; instead the promotion at the time was 50% of the Bt888/mo plan cost for 3 months.  50% off Bt799 if already an AIS customer which I wasn't.  So, monthly cost for the first three months was only Bt444; now that I'm into the 4th month I'm paying the normal Bt888/mo (excluding VAT).

 

So, not considering VAT, that three months of reduced costs saved me Bt1,332 over one year.  I could add HOOQ for Bt119/mo which works out to Bt1,428/year.  I called AIS a month or so ago when I got briefly interested in HOOQ "about do I get HOOQ  free for a year" since I saw the current  50/10 promotion included it.... and they said no since I got the 50% off for 3 months promotion instead. Promotions are always changing.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2016 by Pib

[Pib]

Regarding the HOOQ for those folks possibly interested in getting AIS Fibre/VDSL, you can go to below AIS webpage and scroll down the Go to www.hooq.tv icon, press it, and then review the various movies and TV shows available.   When you get to the webpage press the Movies or TV Series selection...and then when in those area select "More" and you can then select by "language" (like selecting English) the available movies/TV shows in a certain language.   HOOQ is merely  a TV service currently available in  Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, and India....it basically an app that runs on the Playbox.

 

http://www.ais.co.th/HOOQ/en/

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 hours ago, Pib said:

I have AIS Fibre in my name....did not have have to pay anything for installation or in advance. I have a retirement extension of stay but they never looked at or copied that page of my passport...only copied the main/first page. I'm in Bangkok.

 

3BB in Bangkok doesn't seem to care about work permits when it comes to non-Thai customers.

 

But if the account is in a non-Thai's name, they will want 1 year prepayment. I put our account in my Thai wife's name instead, and all they wanted was first month payment for service, but free install and free wifi router.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Quote

good day everyone . i am currently struggling in between this three broadband providers and would like to get some feed back from the actual users 

 

OP, have you checked with the three different providers to confirm that each of them has fiber service available to your particular location?

 

Even in BKK, the areas served by True, AIS and 3BB when it comes to fiber are hardly all-encompassing, at least as yet.

 

Also, a lot of the time, what True Online advertises as "SuperSpeed Fiber" is in fact their regular cable coax internet service as opposed to FTTH (Fiber to the Home). Buyer beware.

 

Edited October 21, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

I just went to TOT with the GF.  Here is what I got.

 

 

I''ve lived here for some years, and have always paid close attention to what kinds of experiences others here have with their internet services.

 

And when it comes to TOT, while some folks may be fine with their service, I think it's safe to say that overall, TOT doesn't have a very good reputation either for customer service or for speedy, stable connections, especially when it comes to international connections.

 

If anyone ever asks me about using TOT, I'd pretty much always advise: look elsewhere.

 

It is, after all, a quasi-Thai government entity. And that ought to tell you all you need to know about their standards for quality service.

 

[NightDC]

Guys,

We have had 3BB for years and are very happy.  First DSL and then Fiber when it came out.  Service is good but it is rare that we are ever down.   I am in Bangkok 20 Min from main Airport on the Beltway

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Re AIS and 3BB fiber, here's one fair comparison, I believe:

 

Pib has AIS 50 MB fiber in BKK, and I have 3BB 100 MB fiber in BKK. We've both done a lot of speed testing together using the same methods, and roughly same times.

 

Overall, Pib's 50 MB AIS service when he's using it direct to places like the West Coast U.S. is running somewhat faster than my 3BB 100 MB service direct to the same destination.

 

But, when I pair my 3BB service with a good VPN connection, then my 3BB speeds to the U.S. West Coast beat Pib's direct speeds to the same destination.

 

For pretty much everything I do, I'm using a VPN connection, so that combo ISP and VPN speed is the one that I'm primarily interested in. Conversely, Pib doesn't do much in the way of geo-restricted video streaming from the U.S., so he doesn't really care about needing or wanting to use a VPN, most of the time.

 

But even without a VPN, Pib's direct streaming speeds from the U.S. with his 50 MB AIS plan are plenty fast for pretty much whatever a person would want to do. And he has the advantage right now also, that I'm paying 1280b per month for my 3BB service, and he's paying some hundreds less than that.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 hours ago, sniffdog said:

Let me give you an answer on what is the best ... none. They all have their strengths an weaknesses (price, speed, service). But when you're looking to use bittorrent or usenet there is only package to consider .. 3bb 200/50 for 1200 baht. Just downloaded 26 seasons of a popular animated series in 52 minutes (69.99 GB). I bet nobody offers a better deal than 3bb at this moment.

 

Thanks for the tipoff about 3BB's upgraded service. I hadn't heard about it previously.

 

Right now, we're 6 months into our first 1 year service of 3BB's prior 100/10 fiber plan billed at 1280 per month.

 

So just now, I called 3BB and inquired, and was surprised to learn that, according to them, they automatically upgraded all their existing 100/10 fiber customers to the new 200/50 plans as of mid-October (just a week ago). Honestly, if they had upgraded my service prior to my phone call tonight, I really hadn't noticed the difference.

 

Anyway, here's what I got tonight from the Ookla speed test, which I don't value for much in terms of any real meaning:

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just to see, after re-starting my fiber router just in case, I ran two tests to the L.A. server of TestMy.net as of 11:30 pm tonight with the 3BB 200 MB fiber service, and did see somewhat improved performance.

 

3BB 200MB fiber direct:

 

3BB 200MB fiber with my PPTP-VPN L.A. server:

 

[sniffdog]

As I said in another thread, one torrent running at 12MB finished. Then the next ran straight to 24MB. At first I thought it was an error of the torrent client and stopped it. After resuming it went to 24MB again and checked my windows performance ...207mbs. A final check at 3bb homepage confirmed it.


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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The TestMy speed test Los Angeles server results I posted above using my 3BB 200/50 Mbps plan are both for single-stream rates, as opposed to multi-stream torrenting.

 

[Steiner]

I would avoid TOT like the plague, we had ridiculous service from them at the office, very late to install phone and internet lines, customer service is pure crap. 

Then when we moved office we asked if the number could be transferred as it was only 3 km away, we were told yes, no problem. They arrived, after much screaming and shouting, 15 days late and suddenly couldn't retain the number, which was on the new office signage and business cards.

When it would go down it could take 48 hrs for them to sort it out.
Fools, incompetent, idiots, take your choice.

Fortunately we had also contracted True, who arrived bang on time and within 2 days, I wouldn't trust business to a single internet provider here.

We also had to get TOT in our weekend condo, it was the only provider in the building, 17 days to install.
If there's nothing on the TV, go to the TOT office in Pattaya, it's hilarious, a never ending stream of people losing their mind over the rubbish service. 
In one visit I saw 2 people lose their mind screaming at the staff, one guy wipe his ass with the contract and telling them to sue him, a guy throw their modem over the counter with 3 months of bills for an internet that had never been connected, it's pure entertainment.

The staff have the 'thousand yard stare' from the constant abuse they get.

 

I have rented thousands of condos in Bkk so have more insight than most re internet providers.

True tends to dip a lot, but their customer service is by far the best, when their website chat actually works, not something I would bet on for any Thai website, just look at the mess of this site's classifieds now!

True will ask for 6 months up front at the end of the 1st month if you don't have a WP,  then month 7 you go back to a rolling contract.

I know a lot of people moved to AIS and found it more stable than True, however AIS lost the Premier League football, so a percentage have jumped ship to True, who have the EPL in English as a 199 baht add-on.

3BB seems to have good speeds and stable, but get slated for customer care.

The rest have such a small market share that I couldn't make a valid assessment with the feedback I get for those.

 

At the end of the day most speeds are local anyway, international connections are a fraction of the Thai connections, hence the issues people have with streaming and games, unless you have a massive speed here, your international connection will be rubbish.
Currently on TOT 30 meg fiber (it was the only provider available at our new house), in Thailand it is 30 meg, internationally, best I ever got was 8.4 meg. 

[Pib]

Although I have the AIS Fibre 50/10 for Bt888/month and I'm happy with it, if my moobaan had 3BB fiber service (which it don't...just True and AIS when it comes to high speed "fiber/cable") I sure would be tempted to get the 3BB 200/50 fiber at Bt1200/mo as "that's a durn good price" for such a high speed. I'm still surprised they are offering such a high speed plan at such a low cost in comparison to most other major ISPs. Hopefully it will help drive down prices of other ISPs. 3BB provides fiber service just outside my large western Bangkok moobaan but don't come into the moobaan...maybe in the future...who knows.

But then again with my "current" laptops which only have 100Mb ethernet ports and Wifi circuits up to 150Mb I would never be able to take full advantage of any plan faster than 150Mb unless maybe seeing if a USB Wifi add-on with 200Mb or more speed capability might overcome the speed limitation until I upgrade laptops which will be years from now the way I hang onto computers. And since my Internet needs are pretty simple since I'm not into torrent downloads and do little live video streaming which could benefit from high speeds my current AIS 50/10 plan is really overkill for me.

Heck, a quality 15Mb plan that gave good international speed is probably all I really need. I did just fine with a True cable 15/1.5 plan for years before upgrading to AIS.

But hey, high speed/higher quality plans are expanding coverage and getting significantly cheaper all the time...and I'll be the first to take advantage/switch/upgrade plans when they come to my moobaan and the price is right.

[suzannegoh]

 
Of course right after I posted this I checked on the AIS Playbox and I can now get a few international news channels (but still no CNN or any other US News outlets). I also figured out how to change the Thai to English on the TV app. There is a settings button all the way over to the right and then you can adjust a few settings including language. 

There's an easy fix for that. The Google Play Store is on that box as-delivered and you can install apps from apk files. So install Kodi, Mobdro, Live Stream, iLikeHD, CloudTV, and similar apps and you should be able to get as much English language TV as you want.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, Pib said:

But then again with my "current" laptops which only have 100Mb ethernet ports and Wifi circuits up to 150Mb I would never be able to take full advantage of any plan faster than 150Mb unless maybe seeing if a USB Wifi add-on with 200Mb or more speed capability might overcome the speed limitation until I upgrade laptops which will be years from now the way I hang onto computers. And since my Internet needs are pretty simple since I'm not into torrent downloads and do little live video streaming which could benefit from high speeds my current AIS 50/10 plan is really overkill for me.

 

 

When I first signed up for the 3BB original 100/10 plan about six months back, I combined that move with a series of other relatively inexpensive steps that pretty much have eliminated any practical issues I have at home with internet speed.

 

So here's my short recipe for getting into a good place internet-wise:

 

1. Get access to one of the newer and better FTTH internet services such as AIS or 3BB to at least give you a core connection that's fast enough. Hopefully there's at least one decent fiber provider where you live.

 

2. Upgrade your home wifi router, if necessary, or daisy chain the ISP issued one with one with the newer AC standard routers, which are capable of dual band operation on the 5 GHz band, which is far less congested and prone to interference and thus wifi speed deterioration vs. the standard 2.4 GHz wifi.

 

3. Upgrade any existing wifi laptops with a compatible AC standard, 5 GHz capable USB wifi adapter that can replace whatever older B/G/N 2.4 GHz wifi that may be the manufacturer provided wifi hardware for the device. All you need is an available USB port and you're good to go. Pluggin an AC wifi adapter into a regular USB 2 port is going to be plenty fast enough for any consumer internet service available here right now.

 

At present, I'm paying just couple hundred baht more per month for the new 3BB 200/50 Mbps FTTH service at 1280b vs what I had been paying True Online before for a 30/3 Mbps cable connection (800+ baht).  But the performance difference is like night vs. day. And when I combine that with 5 GHz AC wifi, I really don't think about internet speed issues anymore for anything I need to do at home. Nowadays, it just works without any problems.

 

Like Pib, I don't really have any personal use for a 100 Mbps or 200 Mbps local Thailand connection, since I don't torrent or do a lot of downloading. But when the 200/50 3BB service gives me 15 Mbps direct single stream downloads from the U.S. or 50+ Mbps single stream downloads from the U.S. with VPN, then I'm golden.

Edited October 22, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Pib]

Bored this morning so using Testmy.net, Download Test, Manual, 50MB file size on my AIS 50/10 Fibre plan I ran some download tests to Singapore (flag symbol), Los Angeles (sun with glasses symbol), and San Francisco (bridge symbol)   I've found using the Download Test with at least a 50MB manually selected file size gives me more consistent and higher results than their Automatic test.   As you'll see I get over 47Mb to Singapore,  26-29Mb to LA, and  19-24Mb to SF on this Monday morning around 10:30am.    This is just a regular, non-VPN connection.

 

 

 

[billd766]

On 21/10/2016 at 10:30 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I''ve lived here for some years, and have always paid close attention to what kinds of experiences others here have with their internet services.

 

And when it comes to TOT, while some folks may be fine with their service, I think it's safe to say that overall, TOT doesn't have a very good reputation either for customer service or for speedy, stable connections, especially when it comes to international connections.

 

If anyone ever asks me about using TOT, I'd pretty much always advise: look elsewhere.

 

It is, after all, a quasi-Thai government entity. And that ought to tell you all you need to know about their standards for quality service.

 

 

Unfortunately out here in rural Khampaeng Phet the only real option at present is TOT WiNet.

 

We live about 6km from the main village which has the fibre link so TOT set up a pole and a microwave link for that 6km link and the best I can get is 10/1 for 950 baht.

 

Having said that, this morning I found 2 guys on the electricity poles outside running a fibre optic cable which they tell me is for 3BB. Is there a website in English that I can log into to see what is on offer? I found several in Thai on Google which basically say translate this page.

 

The 200/50 looks impressive for 1,200 baht (+ vat?).

[sniffdog]

The website is dual language .. what more do you need?


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[billd766]

46 minutes ago, sniffdog said:

The website is dual language .. what more do you need?


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A lot of luck.

 

I managed to get through to the call centre and a very nice lady took my details and promised to contact either the main sales office or the office in KPP for someone to give me an estimate if it is possible to connect me and a possible starting date.

 

One thing that she did say was that for a foreigner they want one years line rental upfront but if my wife signs for it they only need one month.

[Pib]

Yea, just go to the 3BB website and select between the Thai and English language setting in the upper right hand corner.  Then review the different promotions.  And yea, if signing up as a farang then 3BB wants 12 months advance payments....but for a Thai it's only 1 month.  Add-in any installation/deposit costs shown on the promotion and you have your costs.   Probably best to personally visit a 3BB office instead of solely relying on phone calls to 3BB.   Fiber seems to be going up fast around the country which could take folks like yourself from the TV rabbits ear/slow speed era to the fiber optics/fast speed era overnight all because of a little glass cable hung along power poles.

 

http://www.3bb.co.th/3bb/promotion/details/45468