Purchasing Cell Phone Plan At Suvarnabhumi airport

[sidleonard]

My wife and I are moving permanently to Thailand. We will arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport in late March and it is our wish to convert our unlocked GSM iphones for use in Thailand by purchasing prepaid plans at the airport upon arrival so we can use them immediately to call family and friends in the USA and Thailand.

 

We hope to be able to purchase at the airport prepaid plans similar to the prepaid monthly plans we now have with AT&T here in the USA, which provides unlimited calling and texting with 4GB of data; actually, I am not sure we need that much data; now we use very little data since almost all our use is from our home WIFI, and I am sure this will also be the case in Thailand.  Where WIFI is not available, I will tether my laptop to my phone hotspot, but I am sure this will not be necessary often, if ever.

 

After comparing the various service providers, We have decided on DTAC due to its good customer service.

 

Will we be able to subscribe to the plan we want at the airport, and after subscribing to our plans at the airport and paying there for the first month with cash or debit card, will we subsequently be able to pay monthly by auto-debit to our Bangkok Bank savings account and  be able to change our plans

online if we wish?

Edited February 26, 2017 by metisdead
Thai language edited out and English edited in.

[mtls2005]

While you can purchase a SIM/plan at the airport upon arrival these offers are more geared towards tourists. I always recommend waiting until you are in town where you can buy a SIM for 49 baht, add value and then subscribe to a specific plan of your choosing.

 

If you do need a SIM upon arrival at the airport then by all means queue up and get a SIM package, then convert it to a more suitable plan at a later date.

 

Only the calling party pays here (in the U.S. both parties pay).

 

You can add value to a prepaid SIM at any Bangkok Bank ATM, and through a variety of other means. (You will have to proactively manage your prepaid accounts.)

 

I'd stick to prepaid until you get a feel for the local market and your usage. Post-paid plans are available, and the can represent a value, in some case.

 

For very general budgeting purposes: voice: 1 baht/min; SMS: 1 baht per SMS, data: 100 baht per GB over 30 days.

 

 

[oldcarguy]

the top floor with the movie theaters at Terminal 21 has all the phone company stores at one place,

 

they speak English and seem happy to help......

check your iPHONE  model number and see if it uses the same bands as Thailand ,

 

one more thing , phones numbers cannot be transfered between carriers  as far as I know ,  so you get stuck if you give your new number out and then hate the carrier !

[mtls2005]

one more thing , phones numbers cannot be transfered between carriers  as far as I know ,  so you get stuck if you give your new number out and then hate the carrier !

 

This is incorrect. We've have mobile number portability here for at least a few years. (It's not quite as simple as in the U.S., but I have done it successfully a few times.)

 

Your iPhone (assuming it is unlocked) will work fine here.

[WorriedNoodle]

35 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

While you can purchase a SIM/plan at the airport upon arrival these offers are more geared towards tourists.

What is the difference between a "Tourist" SIM and a regular prepay type please? I was given a Tourist SIM from True Move about 6 months ago that seems to have everything except I cannot extend the time of it up to 365 days, only 3 month I think? Not a big issue but should I change it to regular and what would I gain as I am not a tourist anyway?  

[mtls2005]

What is the difference between a "Tourist" SIM and a regular prepay type please? 

 

All three major service providers offer "Tourist SIMs". You'd have to review the associated terms and conditions to find out if there are any "differences".

 

 

http://www.ais.co.th/travellersim/

https://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/products/tourist-sim.html

https://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/international_service/visit_thailand/en

 

 

In some/most/all cases these SIMs may be the same as "normal" SIMs, or you may have the ability to convert them to normal SIMs.

 

Most of these SIMs are simply promotional packages with associated volumes and term lengths.

 

Once the volume is exceeded, or the term length met, you may have the option to extend either/both.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CLW]

I suggest you don't buy these packages at the airport.
They are 3-4x times the price you pay at a regular store.
Also they are more suited to tourists say a 14 days plan.
Go to one of the bigger shopping centers and buy your SIM card there.
Usually there is any of the big providers present so you can compare very good.
You said you from the US, some have promotions or special rates for calling abroad.
Could in sum make a big difference what you pay in total

[CLW]

Gotta call BS.  Same same prices everywhere unless you go to a ripoff 3rd party. Usually better deal direct with the carrier for best package to suit you. But many 3rd party are very competent  IMHO
Cheers

Up you... I have seen different prices. No 3rd party

[mtls2005]

We have decided on DTAC due to its good customer service.
 

Again, just for budgeting purposes, DTAC does have some interesting pre-paid bundles (as do all 3 providers):

 

Value Set : Max Combo 499

499 baht / month
4 GB - 4G/3G at maximum speed of 100Mbps, after reach 4 GB, able to use internet at maximum speed of 128Kbps.
200 min All networks
unlimited WiFi 

 

http://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/products/combo-4g-free-call-to-all-networks.html

 

so with 7% VAT this would be ~ 535 baht/month; you'd have to proactively add value to your account before the expiration.

 

We don't really have unlimited calling here, like you're used to in the U.S.

 

There are many, many, many different options, with new ones popping up all the time.

 

Some post-paid plans offer unused data rollover.

 

If you just want data - so you would pay as you go for outbound voice calls at ~ 1 baht/min, you could go with

 

Non-Stop 4G/3G Internet 399 baht / month
399 baht / month
4.5 GB
4G/3G at maximum speed of 100Mbps, after reach 4.5 GB, able to use internet at maximum speed of 128Kbps.
Automatically renew 12 months long.

 

http://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/products/4g-non-stop.html

[Leung Falang]

Newer phones with AT&T have wi-fi calling which you can easily establish on one of your phones before you replace the sim-set to airplane mode to avoid  US charges.  Mine has the icon at the top of the settings bar.  You and your friends are using the wireless network to talk to each other.  I kept one of  ours in that mode the last 3 months in order to easily communicate with US friends at no cost.  But of course, if you do away with your AT&T account before you arrive,  no good for you.  Skype is great and I have a $5 a month "land line" that follows me around the world via cell phone and pc.   

[expat_4_life]

Depending on exactly where you live, you may find that one of the local providers has better coverage for your location.  I live in Bangkok

and had to switch providers (from DTAC who I used for years) to True to get coverage in my condo.  These prepaid plans usually lock you into

the service through contracts.  Until you get settled, I'd advise thinking about pay-as-you-go for some interval of time.  I rarely have need to

make intl calls on my phone, but there are VOIP numbers you can use with each service provider so that the minute rate is only a few baht @ min.

 

The other 2 things I use to keep usage down and plans small are:

1) Mobile App LINE, has free messaging and voice calling (with other LINE users obviously) and is very very popular here.

2) GOOGLE voice, it's free in the USA - get a US number before you leave.  This allows you to call any US/Canada number free and so long

as your friends/family can call that number free then nobody pays.  It has voicemail and texting features as well.  I only use

it on my PC, so not sure about the interface for other platforms.  One other nice thing about this is you can maintain a US number at no

cost, which is handy for giving to your bank/broker/credit cards etc when you leave.  NOTE: it does require a gmail account.

Edited February 27, 2017 by expat_4_life

[DUTCHEESE]

1 hour ago, CLW said:

Up you... I have seen different prices. No 3rd party

Ignore where CLW buys the SIM, but each and every time I buy the same SIM solution from AIS for 1 month internet and some calls, which is the most expensive plan, but good for 12 GB and after that speed goes down,  paid about 1000 Bht. for 1 month., same price at any other AIS counter or office. This time before I left i went into AIS office in Robinson Buriram  to check if I could keep my number for next time and yes no problem, if you pay 20 Bht per month pre paid. She helped me at the top up machine they have there and we paid  5 or 6 times 20 Bht. (Left January 2017 and number is secured until Aug. 2017) So on our next arrival only need to top up the 1000 Bht and going again full speed for 1 month. Belief there is only 100Bht included for calls. 

Edited February 27, 2017 by DUTCHEESE
need to mention purchase always on the Suvarnabhumi airport

[mtls2005]

GOOGLE voice, it's free in the USA - get a US number before you leave.  This allows you to call any US/Canada number free and so long
as your friends/family can call that number free then nobody pays.  It has voicemail and texting features as we GOOGLE voice, it's free in the USA - get a US number before you leave.  This allows you to call any US/Canada number free and so longas your friends/family can call that number free then nobody pays.  It has voicemail and texting features as well...

 

 

Yes, absolutely recommend getting a couple of Goggle Voice numbers before you leave; you could even port out one or more AT&T numbers into GV so as to keep those numbers active. This will give you free outbound/inbound calls/SMS to/from the U.S.

 

 

 

[DUTCHEESE]

Forgot to mention that I always buy the SIM at Suvarnabhumi Airport where all the phone booths are.

[Gonefortea]

Op on a different note where are you going to settle in Thailand? Different areas get better reception on different providers. I expect in Pattaya we used AIS better reception now in its an Khan keen out lying village it's DTAC.  I would suggest waiting till your in your chosen area then ask others to recommend best simply for you. Just buy a cheap tourist simply to start.

[jacko45k]

I also think better you don't buy the packages at the airport. Never a good place to go shopping!

 

I believe there is free wireless at the airport, so some of your immediate calls could be made using Skype, Line etc. To be honest I use Facebook Messenger for most of mine..

 

In a bit of a heavy planning phase eh?

[steven100]

Just go into any 7-11 in town and purchase a 49bht sim card.

Then later check out AIS & DTAC to see who has a plan that suits.

 

its that easy .........          no need to write a book 

[elgenon]

I use DTAC and have never experienced a problem with reception. It seems to me that AIS might have more free wi-fi spots. DTAC has auto-renewal if you have the money in your account. What's a pain in Thailand is if you wish to change your plan you have to wait until the day before your plan expires.

 

Every Thai that I know uses the Line APP. You can do messages and make calls online with this. If you have free wi-fi it is free. I like the notifications.

 

ATT phones do have Thai frequencies.

[JamJar]

49 baht SIM are available at the airport providers. You just have to be firm as to your request.

If you purchase the aforementioned, they may try to tell you that the SIM has no credit/allowance and try to push you into purchasing a top up of 300 baht or more....this will be misdirection.

In addition to this, some providers, such as TRUE, will suggest on their blurb, add ons for their Tourist SIMs. These offer poor value in relation to what is generally available.

 

All of the 49bt/50bt SIM offer an initial allowance. So you'll be able to make calls and use the Internet of Chat applications without adding further credit. Don't let them fool you.

If you want to purchase credit and they refuse to sell you less than 300 baht's worth(don't know as I never purchased credit from them), there are Family Mart at the airport.  You can purchase amounts from 50 baht.

 

Then you can apply the package that suits your usage, as opposed to what increases their profit.

 

 

 

 

 

[JamJar]

From memory, TRUE give 20 baht of call credit and 90 MB of data with their Tourist SIM

DTAC ; 15 baht of call credit and a day's use of chat applications; Whatsapp, Wechat, Line, FB Messenger, Kakao Talk with their 49 baht Tourist SIM.

 

AIS Traveller SIM 49 baht; 20 baht of call credit and 90 MB of data.

 

By contrast AIS offer 15 baht of call credit and 1GB of data over 3 days from their 50 baht SUPER PLAY SIM.

 

So the tourist SIMs in their 49 baht form are fine. But the packaged SIMs for 299 baht and upwards are inflexible and overpriced and that includes the suggested add ons.