AIS prepaid can I receive SMS in Europe?

[lyskamm]

Hope someone can help and please excuse my ignorance :) I have read many posts on this subject but I still don't understand. Well I have a prepaid AIS 12 call Sim card valid  until mid November 2017. I am now in Thailand but will be away in Europe  for 8 months and return to Thailand beginning of November. My questions are: will my Thai Sim card and mobile number still be valid when I return  to Thailand  (it has been registered properly)? ... I heard it becomes invalid after 3 months not using it... and

Will I be able to RECEIVE SMS in Europe on the Thai Sim   (I am interested in  receiving SMS from friends)?

Dear friends I appreciate so much your precious replies.

[rhodie]

I have DTac and I get free SMS when roaming and it is valid until the expiry date that has been up to a year. I have been away for up to 6 months without a problem. AIS should be the same. Hopefully someone will come along and confirm.

[lyskamm]

Thanks so much Rhodie. Hope so much for more posts coming in.

[Langsuan Man]

It has been reported here that both DTAC and TRUE have a program where you can top up your pre-paid balance and obtain a longer expiration date based upon the number of months you top up

 

DTAC has a program where you can both increase the life of your phone either by topping up or by just paying (or deducting from your balance) 12 Baht for 6 months of longevity or 24 Baht for 12 months 

 

I "think" True only has the top up per month increase option

 

Unfortunately I can't remember anyone reporting if AIS has a similar program

 

So long as you have International Roaming switched  on you can receive text messages from Thailand for free for both the sender and the receiver 

[lyskamm]

Thanks  Langsuan Man. Just to be sure I will pay a visit to the nearby AIS shop too.

[mtls2005]

Your post raises quite a few dependent issues: validity/expiration, usage requirements, international roaming, SMS delivery.

 

While SMS is required for some primary and secondary authorization services, most people in Thailand (your friends) probably use other internet-based messaging services like LINE.

 

SMS is not a guaranteed service, but assuming your SIM/account was in working order, and international roaming enabled, you had a local signal, then you should be able to send and receive SMSes. I haven't stayed up to speed on billing, but believe both parties will be billed for originating SMSes per the terms of their current plan. That might mean 1 or 2 baht per SMS for someone in Thailand sending you a message, while you will pay the international rate, which might be 5 - 10 baht/SMS.

 

The easiest and simplest method to extend expiry out to the maximum of 365/366 days is to do multiple, sequential, separate top-ups at a top-up machine. You can do twelve individual 10-baht top-ups, each yielding 30 days, for 12 baht each (2 baht fee); so you get 360 days, 120 baht credit for 144 baht. Some SIMs do have a 90-day usage requirement, which may or may not be enforced. We are running out of numbers again, so you will see more recycling done, I think?

[Langsuan Man]

54 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

You can do twelve individual 10-baht top-ups, each yielding 30 days, for 12 baht each (2 baht fee); so you get 360 days, 120 baht credit for 144 baht.

Or you can pay DTAC 12 or 24 THB for 6 or 12 months of validity 

 

Has nothing to do with your SIM,  it all has to do with your carrier (DTAC, AIS, TRUE) and / or your plan (pre-paid or post-paid )

[lyskamm]

Thank you mtls2005 for the information. I went to the nearby AIS shop but the lad there hardly spoke any English. So I will try and see what happpens when I'm back home after having topped up with AIS and long enough date. Yes I have LINE too but as it is connected to the Thai number wondering, if it will work.

[mtls2005]

LINE will work fine with any SIM, on any network; a mobile number is really only used for activation/registration, and finding LINE-enabled friends via their number in your contacts list.

 

You can register a LINE account on line, and even use it on a PC.

 

Or you could use pretty much any internet-based messaging application, of which there are quite a few" FB/Messenger, WhatsApp!, etc.

 

Now assuming you've maxed your expiry, and want to maintain a potential 90-usage requirement, simply dash off an SMS once every 90 days.

 

You will have to register for international roaming: *125 (IVR); *125*1# (USSD)

 

Maybe register for eService so you can manage your account via the internet. And download the AIS eService mobile app.

 

And remember to turn mobile data off, either with AIS (*129*2#) or in your phone, to avoid excess data fees.

[lyskamm]

On 02/12/2017 at 9:28 AM, mtls2005 said:

LINE will work fine with any SIM, on any network; a mobile number is really only used for activation/registration, and finding LINE-enabled friends via their number in your contacts list.

 

You can register a LINE account on line, and even use it on a PC.

 

Or you could use pretty much any internet-based messaging application, of which there are quite a few" FB/Messenger, WhatsApp!, etc.

 

Now assuming you've maxed your expiry, and want to maintain a potential 90-usage requirement, simply dash off an SMS once every 90 days.

 

You will have to register for international roaming: *125 (IVR); *125*1# (USSD)

 

Maybe register for eService so you can manage your account via the internet. And download the AIS eService mobile app.

 

And remember to turn mobile data off, either with AIS (*129*2#) or in your phone, to avoid excess data fees.

Thanks so much for all this helpful advice! I have now also downloaded the AIS EService mobile app. Looking great!! You would not by any chance happen to know the appx. roaming costs for me when I receive an sms once I'm back home in Europe?! Thanks so much again and have a good day!!