Thai SIM cards for iPhone and iPad.

[Screamaloud]

Hi guys....your advice sought.

I'm in Thailand soon for a short holiday. 2 weeks. What is the best deal at the moment for SIM cards for iPhone and iPad. Needs to be a micro SIM for both. Include calls text and data/mobile Internet.

Is it ok to get these at the counters at the airport or are they a rip off?

Thanks in advance.

SA.

[cameroncat]

You get a better deal at places like MBK then you will at the 7-eleven or on the street. Remember, if your iPhone or IPad are not carrier Unlocked, you won't be able to use the local Thai SIM cards.

[mahjongguy]

The key point in the OP's question is whether or not he can easily find the micro-SIM that is used by recent Apple products.

They've been on sale here since May 2010 so I don't think it will be a problem finding one.

If necessary, this PDF has a template for cutting a regular SIM with a pair of scissors.

[Screamaloud]

Thanks for the responses so far.

What I was actually asking in my original post was which carrier is offering a good deal for call, text and data for iPad and iPhone and where it might be available. I have heard of DTAC Happy packages. I can't recall what I have used in the past.

I know that micro sim is available and can be cut from full size as I have done this in Thailand before.

True may be the best choice, as they are Thailand's largest internet firm, and iPhone sellers apart of Apple.

Just got back from 2 weeks in Thailand, I used True mobile for phone and I was buying 50mb bundles of data for my iphone.

I was very very impressed with their coverage (100% everywhere I went for phone) and their prices, the best thing is that you just walk into any seven-eleven and buy a top-up.

True has an English option to top up buy data etc, but you need to keep the card you got from the airport to remember the numbers.

from memory:

setup was 9000

top up 9001

data/internet 9002

The service was about a 5th of the price I pay in Australia for a worse service (fuck you telstra and optus, oops sorry slipped out).

Highly recommend true as a provider for numb-nut tourists like me :headbang:

PS: I took a pair of scissors and a paper clip with for the purpose of cutting down the sim card and changing it in the iphone

PS: I took a pair of scissors and a paper clip with for the purpose of cutting down the sim card and changing it in the iphone


Gents,

If you have an android phone, can you just buy Pay as you go in Asia also for in such as Cambodia, Laos etc? or different SIMs each Country,is that how it works?

Just asking if anyone knows top of their head instead of me looking at nerdy hi tech talk on the internet all evening, simple straight forward answers appreciated please.

Thanks,

[bucknaway]

The only problem I had in Thailand when using my Iphone was that Thailand charges data usage by the amount of time used and you can use up the money on your sim very fast. It is not like here in the USA where you buy internet use by the amount of bytes you use in a given period of time.

So be sure to turn off the data reception when you don't need it.

[cameroncat]

You should have "Data Roaming" OFF by default. I only use WiFi for Data when overseas. Most Thai SIM's you buy are Voice only anyway.

[cameroncat]

Kquill, I don't think any Android phones use the new micro SIM's yet. BUT as I said early on, if your Phone is Carrier Locked to your provider in your home country, you will not be able to use any SIMs other than the one provided to you buy your Carrier. You can, of course, have your phone "unlocked" at many shops in Thailand, but this will void your warranty and the moment you do a firmware update to your phone, it will return to being "locked".

Kquill, I don't think any Android phones use the new micro SIM's yet. BUT as I said early on, if your Phone is Carrier Locked to your provider in your home country, you will not be able to use any SIMs other than the one provided to you buy your Carrier. You can, of course, have your phone "unlocked" at many shops in Thailand, but this will void your warranty and the moment you do a firmware update to your phone, it will return to being "locked".


Hi caneroncat,

I bought the android outright wih no contract as I knew I was leaving the UK, so it isn't locked, I have just been doing Pay as you go over here, so can I just buy a SIM from anywhere?

The only problem I had in Thailand when using my Iphone was that Thailand charges data usage by the amount of time used and you can use up the money on your sim very fast. It is not like here in the USA where you buy internet use by the amount of bytes you use in a given period of time.

So be sure to turn off the data reception when you don't need it.


I get billed monthly here in Thailand, and the first billing cycle was a real surprise after using my new iPhone4........
1900 Bht for data......But is seems to be an issue unique to the iPhone.

[bucknaway]

I found out the hard way that the Iphone is constantly reaching out for Data eating up your baht on your sim card. I had to turn off all my "Push" options and go into "Settings", "Genearal", "Network", "Cellular Data" switch to off when not needed to save connection time/cost.

I am interested to know about the personal hotspot feature on the Iphone but I just ordered an Ipad and plan to bring that with me to Thailand and leave my laptop at home. So I will have to get a simcard for my Ipad as well as my iphone.

[cameroncat]

Kquil, Yes. You can buy a standard SIM card for your Android phone anywhere. 7-11, etc. But you will find the most options and best prices at large Mobile centers like you find at MBK Shopping center in Bangkok.

Kquil, Yes. You can buy a standard SIM card for your Android phone anywhere. 7-11, etc. But you will find the most options and best prices at large Mobile centers like you find at MBK Shopping center in Bangkok.

cameroncat,

Thanks for your help!.. :sunny:

[thonglor55]

I found out the hard way that the Iphone is constantly reaching out for Data eating up your baht on your sim card.Is there no end to the evilness of Apple? However here are a couple of links to pre-pay offers by True for 3G and GPRS. As Thai 3G operates on the 850 band you need to ensure your 3G phone, if you're bringing it from abroad, is compatible.
http://www.truemove.com/en/prepay-hispe ... n-base.htm (http://www.truemove.com/en/prepay-hispeed-net-sim-volumn-base.htm)
http://www.truemove.com/en/data-package-volumnbase.htm