octagon Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Is anyone using 3G in Bangkok with handphone and laptop? Which service are you using? Where did you buy the service and what are you paying? What area in Bangkok are you using it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJo Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 There is no 3G in thailand as such. Only few trial base stations around Siam in Bangkok and some in Chiang Mai. CAT offers CDMA EVDO but not sure if they have coverage in bangkok... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaiowl Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Using my laptop (ACER Aspire 1) in Nonthaburi. Got a free SIM card and 18 months free air-time from True Move from an Acer promotion. Not sure if it's 3G but it connects (to Edge) and works OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oMega69 Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Any News about 3G in BKK ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippybangkok Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 There is no 3G in thailand as such. Only few trial base stations around Siam in Bangkok and some in Chiang Mai.CAT offers CDMA EVDO but not sure if they have coverage in bangkok... Sorry, but thats not right, there is more 3G coverage than siam. Although i am not expert on where, these are the places i have seen 3G - Right up and down Suk, from Paragon to about 55 - Airport - Road in from Airport. - Around fortune tower - Some places on Bangna trad I use 3G tethering quite a bit. Wifi is of course better, but 3G is ok for working / mails etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crushdepth Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Any News about 3G in BKK ? It was being 'accelerated' by the government earlier this year. But after a couple of months they announced they had resumed their normal policy of delaying it indefinitely. (I'm not being sarcastic, its true). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abrak Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Any News about 3G in BKK ? It was being 'accelerated' by the government earlier this year. But after a couple of months they announced they had resumed their normal policy of delaying it indefinitely. (I'm not being sarcastic, its true). As I understand it (which is not very well at all) three G licenses have still not been awarded in Thailand. That is why what three G there is, is offered on a 'non-commercial' basically 'free' arrangement. There has been much said about awarding these licenses over the last 5 years but basically nothing has happened. 90% of the time providers offer EDGE (2.75G) which involves upgrading the basic infrastructure rather than replacing it. To be honest, as far as I know, EDGE provides speeds up to at the least the minimum of three G but admittedly about a 1/5th of three G potentional (if not less). Again. I only think, that the CATs network provides the greatest data speeds over a reasonable area but it is not really suitable for the average mobile phone. Given there are no real licenses and a comprehensive three G network is expensive, there is no real reason to expect much of one soon. Presumably there will be high data speeds available at some point but these may well be based on 4/5G technology. It probably doesnt matter too much as EDGE speeds are expected to increase 4x over the next couple of years. As I say I am not an expert (so to the extent this is rubbish I will not be offended when I am corrected). BTW I do appreciate the joke - "I'm not being sarcastic, its true" - ....ha ha... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikster Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) OP: Yes, True offers 3G in Bangkok. AIS offers it in Chiang Mai. Go to the True shop and try it, I am sure they have a demo machine. Then go to speedtest.net on their demo machine and check out the speeds. Would like to know too, plz report back... As for the sad, sad state of 3G in Thailand. For one, yes, it's sad. But on the other hand, CAT CDMA is proper 3G and it covers all of Thailand except Bangkok and some surrounding provinces. So most of Thailand has at least one choice for 3G. It would be nice to have more choice - but it's not going to be a huge difference compared CAT CDMA, it's not going to be a whole lot faster or cheaper. AIS trial 3G in Chiang Mai is actually more expensive than CAT CDMA. Main difference is you could actually use it from normal phones. Edited August 14, 2009 by nikster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crushdepth Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 and it covers all of Thailand except Bangkok This is the bit I just don't understand. If you wanted a good return on investment in building a 3G network, where is the biggest and wealthiest population in Thailand located? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 and it covers all of Thailand except Bangkok This is the bit I just don't understand. If you wanted a good return on investment in building a 3G network, where is the biggest and wealthiest population in Thailand located? Add to that the whole Eastern Seaboard, which includes probably the second biggest expat population outside of Bangkok, a traget market which would readily adopt 3G. Mind you, Hutch does offer 3G (EV-DO) in the greater Pattaya area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippybangkok Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Any News about 3G in BKK ? It was being 'accelerated' by the government earlier this year. But after a couple of months they announced they had resumed their normal policy of delaying it indefinitely. (I'm not being sarcastic, its true). As I understand it (which is not very well at all) three G licenses have still not been awarded in Thailand. That is why what three G there is, is offered on a 'non-commercial' basically 'free' arrangement. There has been much said about awarding these licenses over the last 5 years but basically nothing has happened. 90% of the time providers offer EDGE (2.75G) which involves upgrading the basic infrastructure rather than replacing it. To be honest, as far as I know, EDGE provides speeds up to at the least the minimum of three G but admittedly about a 1/5th of three G potentional (if not less). Again. I only think, that the CATs network provides the greatest data speeds over a reasonable area but it is not really suitable for the average mobile phone. Given there are no real licenses and a comprehensive three G network is expensive, there is no real reason to expect much of one soon. Presumably there will be high data speeds available at some point but these may well be based on 4/5G technology. It probably doesnt matter too much as EDGE speeds are expected to increase 4x over the next couple of years. As I say I am not an expert (so to the extent this is rubbish I will not be offended when I am corrected). BTW I do appreciate the joke - "I'm not being sarcastic, its true" - ....ha ha... I beg to differ my friend ( this is not flaming by the way ! ) 1) 3G is not free, at least my subscription is not ( fixed fee per month, un-limited use, which bundles Wifi as well ). Hada nice coffee at Whittard at Chelsea GF emporium, with thethered 3G to laptop doing some work. Love this option (hang out and work ) 2) Trial licences have been issued. Different provider in different places. ( I think TOT and True have BKK approval, AIS Chiangmai etc ) 3) EDGE in thailand in my experience is most definately no where near 3G speed - worlds apart. 4) 3G will be a gap stopper till LTE comes out. All 3G will be upgradable to LTE ( you would be foolish to roll out a 10 year technology and be lovked into it ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDRIDER Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Hi Phuket airport download 1250 upload 275 on True 3G. On iPhone, this was on a server to Perth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippybangkok Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 And Sathorn Road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 1) 3G is not free, at least my subscription is not ( fixed fee per month, un-limited use, which bundles Wifi as well ). Hada nice coffee at Whittard at Chelsea GF emporium, with thethered 3G to laptop doing some work. Love this option (hang out and work ) Guess you might be on AIS. With True you do not need a special simcard nor do you need a subscription. If you are in a 3G covered area, you get your internet for free. If it falls back to GPRS/EDGE you get billed (or hours deducted from whatever package you might have). If you are on True and have one of their unlimted packages, you wouldn't really know if it is free or not! But it is, when having no package at all (but GPRS/Edge activated through their call center) you will get free access when in 3G coverage (often indicated by an H symbol on your phone/PDA) 2) Trial licences have been issued. Different provider in different places. ( I think TOT and True have BKK approval, AIS Chiangmai etc ) Correct, but these trial licenses only cover frequencies already assigned. With a lot of issues the main one being a limit of capacity as the same bandwidth also needs to feed voice and 2.75G services. It is generally accepted that 3G can only work properly once the licenses on the 2100Mhz band are issued. As of today they are not yet issued, full or trial! 3) EDGE in thailand in my experience is most definately no where near 3G speed - worlds apart. Very true. Good Edge is just capable of good quality audio streaming, forget about video etc... 4) 3G will be a gap stopper till LTE comes out. All 3G will be upgradable to LTE ( you would be foolish to roll out a 10 year technology and be lovked into it ) Can't really comment on this one, not in the know on the technical side on the upgrades. Although I can believe it, as it is one of the reasons CAT is contemplating moving away from the CDMA system, which apparently does not have an easy upgrade towards faster then the current EV-DO speeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippybangkok Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 (edited) 1) 3G is not free, at least my subscription is not ( fixed fee per month, un-limited use, which bundles Wifi as well ). Hada nice coffee at Whittard at Chelsea GF emporium, with thethered 3G to laptop doing some work. Love this option (hang out and work )Guess you might be on AIS. With True you do not need a special simcard nor do you need a subscription. If you are in a 3G covered area, you get your internet for free. If it falls back to GPRS/EDGE you get billed (or hours deducted from whatever package you might have). If you are on True and have one of their unlimted packages, you wouldn't really know if it is free or not! But it is, when having no package at all (but GPRS/Edge activated through their call center) you will get free access when in 3G coverage (often indicated by an H symbol on your phone/PDA) On True..... not really free cause there is a flat fee for the 3G package with unlimited 3G use, and free Wifi as the fall back. (bundled package) (just checked - yep, flat fee, no extra for 3G, Wifi / edge ) 3g price plan true Whittard at Chelsea gives free wifi for 30 mins if u buy something, but just use the package i already have Edited August 17, 2009 by skippybangkok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 That might very well be what they sell. Several people are accessing 3G with a prepaid simcard bought at 7/11 and on which the GPRS/EDGE service has been activated through their call center. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2933943 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paveet Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 (edited) I've read on a lot of Thai forums about the increasing True 3g coverage on the 850Mhz band. Some people are getting coverage on even Bangna-Trad, inside Onnut and on Rama II. Where I live, which is about 800 metres in from the main road in Phrom Phong area, I get about 3/5 bars and speeds are around 1.5mbps. The new True iPhone 3GS site claims 2km radius from any BTS/MRT route (see http://www.truemove.com/iphone/eng/3g_wifi.htm). edit: to correct URL Edited August 17, 2009 by paveet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paveet Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Also DTAC just started a private trial of 3g on the 850Mhz band. It's only for 2000 people for now, I signed up for it but unfortunately got an SMS 2 days ago that I didn't get selected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippybangkok Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 I've read on a lot of Thai forums about the increasing True 3g coverage on the 850Mhz band. Some people are getting coverage on even Bangna-Trad, inside Onnut and on Rama II. Where I live, which is about 800 metres in from the main road in Phrom Phong area, I get about 3/5 bars and speeds are around 1.5mbps. The new True iPhone 3GS site claims 2km radius from any BTS/MRT route (see http://www.truemove.com/iphone/eng/3g_wifi.htm).edit: to correct URL Dont think thats right, Onnuj does not have 3G i think, but around Ekamai BTS for sure. Monty, ur right - 850 Mhz range for True / DTAC. Everyone is really waiting for 2100Mhz license to seriouly roll it out. ( gond know when NTC will get off thier butt ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywais Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Thai 3G licence auction faces further delay By Phisanu Phromchanya, Dow Jones Newswires Monday 29 June 2009 Regulator says process now likely to begin in January 2010. Thailand's long-awaited launch of 3G mobile services has been delayed again, with the auction of licenses likely to kick off around January next year, the National Telecommunications Commission said Monday. Source: Total Telecom and --------------------------------------------------- The issuing of third-generation (3G) licences may be put off to the first quarter of next year by a revised schedule from the Office of the National Telecommunications Commission, which could also set back commercial 3G services to late 2010 in Thailand. Source: Thailand Business News --------------------------------------------------- AIS Suspends 3G Expansion Pending License Auction Advanced Info Service (AIS) has suspended the expansion of its trial 3G network running over the 900Mhz band, citing concerns about congestion for its existing GSM subscribers. The conpany will now wait for the long delayed 3G auction to release radio spectrum in the more conventional 2100 Mhz bands. Source: Thai Globeltel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJo Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 3G is evolving as well. HSPA is already available in most countries having 3G networks with 7.2 Mbps speed and now being upgraded in most countries for 14.4 Mbps speeds. And yet again HSPA+ is already being deployed in first trial networks and shortly will be in commercial use if not already done in some countries. With HSPA+ the speeds will go beyond 20 Mbps. There is also similar upgrades planned / available for CDMA EVDO but it seems CDMA technology is losing ground fast for GSM (3G/HSPA) based technologies. Limiting factor with 3G/HSPA is that most phones and dongles in use now can only support up to 7.2 Mbps... I would expect Thai operators will go for 2100MHz 3G/HSPA networks providing the licences are out late this year or early next year. If not they might opt to wait LTE (4G) but there is no guerantee that the government will issue licences for it either. Also they might buid 3G/HSPA with base stations easily upgradable to LTE once the technology is really ready for commercial deployment. Who knows but Thai government should get themselfs sorted out and just issue the licences for 2100MHz. Their unability to do so already years ago is embarrassing for the whole country. I mean you nowdays have 3G deployed in places like Laos, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudeyone Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Any True 3g coverage at Victory Monument? I want to get a USB modem and put a pre-paid sim into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Please someone correct me if I'm wrong about this... But the True web site makes it seem like their 3G service will only work with the couple of IPhone models that they are selling.... For those folks who are using True 3G services in Bangkok, what kind of phone model are you using, and provided from True or elsewhere??? I have a Nokia phone...not an Iphone... I might consider buying a different Nokia model that would work on True's 850 Mhz 3G band... since I live and spend a lot of time generally along the BTS Sukhumvit line route. But I'm not likely to buy an Iphone (from True or anyone else) anytime in my life... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Here's what True's 3G web site is saying at present about their coverage area... In addition to after sales service and warranty, you can also enjoy the 3G service on the fastest, most powerful iPhone 3GS only on TrueMove network (other networks do not support 3G for the iPhone 3GS.)TrueMove is currently expanding its 3G service areas to cover the radius of 2 kilometers of most BTS and MRT routes, central business districts which include Siam Square, Chulalongkorn University, Siam Paragon, Central World, the Emporium, Sukhumvit, Rama IV, Silom, Lumpini Park, Rajadumri, Phayatai, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Impact Muangthong Thani, and most visited tourist attractions such as Hua Hin and Phuket. * 3G by TrueMove is currently on a trial period. TrueMove reserves the rights to change its services without prior notice. I'm guessing coverage at On Nut might not be at the top of their priority list... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petedk Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 I am on Thong lor and can use True 3G on my Nokia E51 and Nokia E72. No problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Interesting... I have a Nokia E61i with a True Mobile SIM...in a phone that supposedly is UMTS capable on the 2100 band... not sure if it also can receive the 900 band... I live well within 2 km of Nana BTS (see True's 3G service comments above)...and when I switched my phone today to dual mode (GSM and UMTS), it picked up all the regular GSM carriers and only one 3G network from my home, titled TH ACT 1900.... Nothing from True.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 So, in reading other posts here.... I see that TH ACT 1900 is the name that part of the TOT/I-Mobile 3G network is using.... But now I get even more confused... The announcements earlier in this thread from TOT about their new 3G service said it's on the 2.1 Ghz band... But someone else here said it's on the UMTS 1900 band... My phone supposedly only receives 3G on the 2100 Mhz band... which I assume is the same as 2.1 Ghz... So the other poster who talked about the TOT 3G band being 1900 was wrong??? And despite the TH ACT 1900 network name, TOT/I-Mobile's 3G service is UMTS 2100??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Re the I-Mobile (thru TOT) 3G service, there is a big show at the Queen Sikrit Center this weekend including technology, so my wife and I stopped by there last night, and she talked with the I-Mobile staff there about their POST-PAID service... ie... you're getting a monthly bill. The I-Mobile guy at their booth there said my wife (a Thai) would need to bring a copy of her "tabien baan" (house book) in order for her to sign up for their post-paid service. And the guy told her they wouldn't open a post-paid account for me (a farang) regardless.... Never even got to the point of talking about whether I had a work permit or not... I know I could just buy their pre-paid card. But the service rates for that are higher, and I don't want to mess around with topping up the card all the time. I like handling things post-paid.... So, yes, my wife can bring a copy of her tabien baan and we can get the post paid service we want. But, I'm wondering, for farangs, what's been your experience elsewhere with TOT and/or I-Mobile (and at what locations?) about establishing new post paid accounts with them... And what if any kind of documentation were they wanting for the account to be in a farang's name??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djctwatt Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 So, in reading other posts here.... I see that TH ACT 1900 is the name that part of the TOT/I-Mobile 3G network is using....But now I get even more confused... The announcements earlier in this thread from TOT about their new 3G service said it's on the 2.1 Ghz band... But someone else here said it's on the UMTS 1900 band... My phone supposedly only receives 3G on the 2100 Mhz band... which I assume is the same as 2.1 Ghz... So the other poster who talked about the TOT 3G band being 1900 was wrong??? And despite the TH ACT 1900 network name, TOT/I-Mobile's 3G service is UMTS 2100??? based off their website (in thai), my friend told me it says 2100, but I noticed the same thing about "act 1900". I'm confused too! Also, I have both True and TOT/I-mobile 3G. True's coverage of most major areas in bkk is great, from bang Na to on nut to Siam to ratchada. I haven't yet tested the TOT 3G, but I cAn get coverage out in bang Bon / Rama 2, which is amazing! On a side note, any true users notice a MASSIVE slowdown of speed for 3G in bkk? I was clocking 150kpbs at best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Yes...that's correct about the 3G band for the TOT/I-Mobile service, being the 2100 Mhz band. So it will work with the largest portion of multi-band phones that have 3G capacity, since 2100 is probably the most common 3G band. As mentioned above, I subscribed to I-Mobile 3G about a week ago, and it works OK in BKK. I've mainly been using it for the Internet, but the phone calls mostly seem to be OK as well. Haven't tried to use the phone calling capability outside of BKK, however, where they supposedly roam to 1-2-Call, but have no data (GPRS or 3G) service period for those on I-Mobile's 3GX service/plan. Unfortunately, especially here in Thailand, local mobiles that carry the 850 3G band seem to be rarer... And those that carry both the 850 band (for True 3G) and the 2100 band (for TOT-I-Mobile) are even rarer... I did a search for phones with those two 3G bands capability (meaning phones that combine both bands) on GSMArena dot com and came up with a list of 15 or so, including a handful of the E series upper end Nokias, a couple Sony-E Xperias, a couple top end Blackberrys and some misc. others. Since it's hard to know just where the future of 3G is going to go in Thailand, when I get my next mobile phone I'll be looking for it to support both 850 and 2100, so I'm covered either way. My current Nokia E series only supports 2100 3G, meaning I'm locked out of using True's free 3G service at present, even though I'm a TrueMobile customer for regular phone and GPRS services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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