Donnyboy Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 will be moving out to San Kampheng next month and wondered if True or any of the other ISPs provide service out that way. ideally I would like to know which gives the best bang for your buck. Reading the tech forum, True is dicey in BKK- being down etc but ok in Patters. Whats it like here? And how much for what speed?Thats why Ive posted here and not the tech forum. Is TT&T better? Also Im not hooked up on a phone line yet. Maybe they do a combo package with fries. any comments pls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadish_sweetball Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 TRUE does not provide telephony services in Chiang Mai. The only Internet they offer here at the moment is cable modem based (separate cables from the cable TV system, and all in all an excellent and reliable high speed internet service at a reasonable price). But TRUE have no plans to extend the cable modem system out to San Kamphaeng. This leaves you with two choices of providers of fixed line telephony - TT&T and TOT. They divide the areas between them with quotas. You have to call or visit their respective offices to find out if they are available at your location. In some places, you can only get one of them (such as where I live - I could not install a TOT line here because the neighbourhood's TOT quota was filled up, so TT&T was my only choice). Your provider of fixed line telephony determines what ISPs you have available, and at what prices. It is difficult to say what is the best deal at the moment. My personal experience tells me you might want to start out with a cheap package first and see if that works for you. The more expensive packages are often not all they are cracked up to be by the salesgirls... Their talk of contention ratios ('khoo saai' in Thai) needs to be taken with a grain of salt. When you sign up, you have to be *very* careful with asking what the contract demands are. A salesgirl at TT&T lied to my wife in order to get us to sign up for a premium service (my wife explained we did not plan on staying one year on the promotion, and for this reason we did not want a one year contract where we would have to pay for the "free" router they provide - the salesgirl said "ok, no contract" and then made my wife sign a "receipt of goods" document, which was then held to be her signing a contract when we wanted to cancel the package later. They charged 3500 baht for the useless "router" we never asked for. NEVER accept a package with a "free" router. The crap they push on you is unbelievable, and if you get tricked into a yearly contract which you want to cancel at any point in time, you will have to pay top dollar for an item you do not want to use and will never be able to sell unless you use the same dishonest methods as they do. Instead get a cheaper ADSL package with just a USB modem, and if you dont like the modem, buy your own router from a reliable brand (NETGEAR and Linksys make good routers). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuchok Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 meadish, I was given?? a "billion" modem by loxinfo.Are they any good.Will I get a better service out of a decent modem that I can purchase?(I'm thinking about changing to TOT service.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maejo Man Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 meadish, I was given?? a "billion" modem by loxinfo.Are they any good.Will I get a better service out of a decent modem that I can purchase?(I'm thinking about changing to TOT service.) The USB ADSL modems that are supplied by both TT&T and TOT are not as bad as everybody makes out, however, they are well overpriced for what they are. I signed a yearly contract with TT&T about six months ago for their Maxnet 256/128 package, and duely recieved my "free" modem. If I chose to "opt out" of the contract prior to expiry, I will be up for the cost of the modem. which was a ridiculous 2000 baht Having said that, I tried a "brand" name router with no difference what so ever. I get download speeds of 220kbps and an upload of 115kbps which is well within the parameters for that package. User ratio, as Meadish mentioned has a great deal to do with the speed of your connection. I have a 20:1 ratio with my package, and would seem to be lucky that there are no serious users amongst them, or my speed would drop radically. Unfortunately you can't pick your fellow users, it's the luck of the draw. I run both TT&T and TOT lines at my house, and have found TT&T to be better than TOT, but this can differ from area to area. I pay 590 baht a month for my package, and am more than satisfied with it. In the rare event that their server goes down, I use a loxinfo dial up connection for continuity. To the OP, I would be inclined to take TT&T over TOT as it works better here, but bottom line....There's not a great deal between them....MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerbeer Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 TT&T has to have the best package out there for the connections you receive. Ask for HiNet instead of MaxNet if possible. Better ratio from what i hear. Get a regular USB Modem. I still use the same one from 2 years ago. a zyxel prestige 630 which came with the contract then. routers only needed if you planning on wi-fi or sharing connections. can always buy them later. as Meadish mentioned, linksys and netgear some of the not so expensive and good ones out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadish_sweetball Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 TT&T has to have the best package out there for the connections you receive. Ask for HiNet instead of MaxNet if possible. Better ratio from what i hear. Good deal, but terrible contention ratio. In fact, 50:1 is the contention ratio for Hinet by TT&T. If your dear neighbours all do file sharing, there will be little bandwidth left on that package - then again, if they dont, you have a sweet deal for relatively little money. It is down to the luck of the draw just like Maejo Man says. The USB ADSL modems that are supplied by both TT&T and TOT are not as bad as everybody makes out, however, they are well overpriced for what they are. Exactly. meadish, I was given?? a "billion" modem by loxinfo.Are they any good.Will I get a better service out of a decent modem that I can purchase?(I'm thinking about changing to TOT service.) Billion is actually a brand with an ok track record. A cheapie, but in this case I see no reason for you to change. The only reason to change would be if you want to create a local area network with more than one computer. As for changing to TOT, well, it all depends on your area. I know p1p has had a terrible time with his TOT package lately. Then again, I know others on TOT who get excellent speeds for what they pay (on the 1 Mbps/256 kbps package). Check with your neighbours if they already use it, is the best advice I can give. Loxinfo are generally regarded as expensive, but reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maejo Man Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 A Hi Net package with TT&T might be the cheapest around, but I have found it no faster than a decent dial up connection. Here is a copy of the TT&T package pricing along with the ratios for the different packages. It might help some of you choose the right one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnyboy Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 hey thanks for all the above advice, will definately look into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallalai Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 TT&T + Maxnet@home 512 here. Works well with a free ethernet modem (Billion). Will change for 1024 but stick with Maxnet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p1p Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 I know p1p has had a terrible time with his TOT package lately. Then again, I know others on TOT who get excellent speeds for what they pay (on the 1 Mbps/256 kbps package). I have had a few problems with the connection equipment at their exchange. The line has been down during every thunderstorm and takes a while to fix because they don't have engineers on at night or on holidays! However, having said that, the engineers finally found the problem and fixed it by moving me to a blazing speed connect. (I am told I will have this for about a week.) All in all, having experienced both TT&T and TOT, I must say I prefer TOT hands down for many reasons and despite the problems. TT&T were very bullish when it came to getting my cash, but didn't really want to know about problems. In my experience, TOT do bend over backwards to look after yoi, (when they are at work!) As regards Routers/Modems etc. My TOT package came with sn option of a free Router or two months free connect. I took the connect and have not regretted it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jyoung142 Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 (edited) Regarding TRUE ADSL; my family in BKK, who run the entry level ADSL plan from TRUE, has been told by TRUE that the plan they have, with the supplied USB modem, is limited to one computer ONLY. The sales staff there actually told them that using that with a router to share the connection with more than one computer was “illegal”. Admittedly I do not know Thai law, but I seriously doubt there is legislation limiting use of the connections with a router and more than one computer. Practically speaking though, what are the chances the folks at TRUE will be able to detect that I have come in and placed my own ADSL modem/router/WAP on their line and am running a shared connection with my household computers? Especially since I intend to invoke encryption, as well as limited MAC addresses and possibly disabling SID broadcasts. Opinions? Edited May 17, 2006 by jyoung142 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackr Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 The USB modems that come with these packages are ok but buying your own router is the way to go. Most of them have ok firewalls built in and user interfaces are web-based so no messing about with installations etc. My billion packed in within a couple months but saying that my router also packed in within a couple months...SMC, stay away from this brand! Maxnet was crap for the first few months but now seems to have settled down and customer services have even started to answer calls within 10 minutes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadish_sweetball Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 I would say 'wait and see' with getting a router. An ADSL modem, if decent, is much easier to handle (no portforwarding required, and this is a good thing if you are into online games or need to set your computer up as a server). So try the modem provided with the package you decide to get, before you run off and buy a router. Also, if you do decide to buy a router in the end, make sure you google brands and models extensively looking for opinions. Then pose questions based on what you have learned... then go shopping. Do not make the same mistakes many people I know (including myself) have made, in going to a shop and trusting the employees to know which router is any good. ...and even more important - DO NOT get a package where they provide a router you are forced to pay for if you cancel the contract. The routers they provide are generally worse quality than the modems, and the rates they charge for them if you cancel are completely ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmsally Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 I have been using TRUE cable for 2 months now and no complaints. I know its available in a limited area. Installation cost was around 2,000Bt and 3 months free usage. Does anyone know if its possible to set up a router? What they have given me (in picture below-at the bottom - Zyxel 900) Picture of modem/router is described as a modem/router, and has 2 USB ports at the back. Can I just plug in another computer??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 I need ADSL that is ALWAYS available during working hours (9 am-9pm) - or as much as possible. I was told that if True goes down, they will use another service till they are up and running again so you don't have to worry about no Internet. Is this true? Do ANY of them do this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmsally Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 I've been using TRUE for 2 months and only 1 time did I have a problem with connection, during a storm , but within 2 minutes everything normal again and storm still going. Whereas cable WE TV was out for a couple of hours. So wouldn't be surprised if they have a back up. Got LOxinfo top up (dial up)service too (WEB 4 ??) to keep my email with them going, but never use it unless I plug in my laptop somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 I've been using TRUE for 2 months and only 1 time did I have a problem with connection, during a storm , but within 2 minutes everything normal again and storm still going.Whereas cable WE TV was out for a couple of hours. So wouldn't be surprised if they have a back up. Got LOxinfo top up (dial up)service too (WEB 4 ??) to keep my email with them going, but never use it unless I plug in my laptop somewhere. How much does True ADSL cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackr Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 Good idea to disconnect modems and routers during storms as lightning bolts have a tendency to destroy things. My SMC router sadly went FUBAR last week during a storm, although it was pretty crap before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmsally Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 There are different packages that start around 600Bt Mine is around 1000Bt/month( Home package 1024k) - and of course no dial up charge. Heaps more reliable than dial up which often gave me impossibly slow speeds and frequent disconnections. Not to mention being almost impossible for downloading/uploading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 There are different packages that start around 600BtMine is around 1000Bt/month( Home package 1024k) - and of course no dial up charge. Heaps more reliable than dial up which often gave me impossibly slow speeds and frequent disconnections. Not to mention being almost impossible for downloading/uploading. Thanks Sally. I'll check them out. Are you "Purple" Sally that used to work at CMU by any chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackr Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 Maxnet was crap for the first few months but now seems to have settled down and customer services have even started to answer calls within 10 minutes No, it hasn't settled down yet! Opened my mouth too soon again. Getting atrocious download speeds today inline with dial-up speeds, ie - 3kbps! Good in the morning; <deleted> at night. Don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadish_sweetball Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 Dont trust TT&T is my conclusion after being with them for 7 months. I have experienced both TT&T Maxnet4Life, HInet by TT&T and TRUE cable modem. True cable modem internet is on a totally different level. When all my friends in Bangkok (most of them also on TRUE, but on adsl connections) had problems, my speeds here in Chiang Mai were as good as usual - and usual meant a steady 75-100% of the service they promised. I have not heard of a single ADSL provider (including TRUE themselves where they provide ADSL - sometimes with disastrous results) that manages the same consistency of service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovenman Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 Dont trust TT&T is my conclusion after being with them for 7 months. Same here. I've been using CS-Loxinfo ADSL over a TT&T line since last August. There are good days but rarely does a day go by where there's not a disruption of some sort, sometimes for hours at a time. Connection speeds are usually better in the morning and bog down later in the day and the evening. When it's really s-l-o-w, one would swear they were using a 300 baud modem with an acoustic coupler from the good ol' days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likite Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Some advice on ADSL please. We are keen on a house in Sansai but there are no ADSL connections available in that area from TOT (which is what we have at the moment). I am toying with idea of installing a TT&T land line (at the house in Sansai) and then ADSL from TT&T. But are there any other alternatives? I don't want dial up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadish_sweetball Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 You should contact TT&T and see a.) If they still have numbers available in your area. b.) If you can get ADSL with that number. (Depends on the distance from the nearest exchange station). TT&T offer ADSL in partnership with several ISPs, so you can choose between a few packages. Just be aware that support can be tricky if you choose a package by another ISP than TT&T, because you may be forced to deal with both TT&T (who maintain the line) and the ISP - some ISPs do not even have a Chiang Mai office. All in all, ADSL will be better than dialup, but it is always a good idea to buy a dialup package to keep as a backup if the ADSL service fails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmsally Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Are you "Purple" Sally No I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 (edited) All in all, ADSL will be better than dialup, but it is always a good idea to buy a dialup package to keep as a backup if the ADSL service fails. Is this practical with multiple computers at a few locations? Edited May 19, 2006 by Ulysses G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Are you "Purple" Sally No I don't think so. Sally only wears purple clothes and has lived in CM for many years. I think that you would know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadish_sweetball Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 All in all, ADSL will be better than dialup, but it is always a good idea to buy a dialup package to keep as a backup if the ADSL service fails. Is this practical with multiple computers at a few locations? Not sure exactly what type of setup you have in mind Sir Grant, but maybe outline your situation and needs in the Internet forum and see what the guys up there have to suggest. Obviously, dialup works as a backup system wherever there is a direct, functioning phone line, but it is not ideal if you are providing or using online services that require more than dialup speed... so in that case you might want to consider using two ADSL providers, or TRUE together with another ADSL provider as backup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mali_in_CM Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 oven man, "When it's really s-l-o-w, one would swear they were using a 300 baud modem with an acoustic coupler from the good ol' days." Shades of Mitnick & Susie Creamcheese. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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