Best Deal on Smartphone Service in Thailand

[bruce_nyc]

Our boyfriend is spending about 2000 baht ( about US $65 ) per month for his voice + data service on his Blackberry.

That seems a bit high to us.

We pay only $19 per month for unlimited data, voice, sms, etc..... on the state of the art Android phones here in the US.... with no contract at all.... and the service is flawless. ( see http://republicwireless.com )

Does anyone know of a better priced data+voice plan in Thailand...?

We'd be willing to buy a new phone.... if we could get his data+voice down to a more reasonable monthly cost.

[ikarus]

DTAC offers unlimited data service for 400 baht per month with pay as you go phone calls. It is, of course, not flawless.

[bruce_nyc]

Forgive me, I know absolutely nothing about the cellular networks in Thailand.

My only experience with cellular service there was the $20 prepaid phone I bought while there.

But of course, the 20-something will never be happy without a state-of-the-art smartphone.

Plus, it's our main lifeline for keeping in touch with him every day...

So, is DTAC one of the major cellular / data networks there?

Do they have coverage all over Thailand?

What are the major cellular networks there?

What types of smartphones are available to work with DTAC? Any GSM smartphone? Would you have to buy a special Android phone or iPhone to work with DTAC?

[bkkguy]

DTAC offers unlimited data service for 400 baht per month

for 399 Baht per month DTAC is offering a whopping 200MB (yes that is MB not GB) at 3G speed then you are dropped back to 384 Kbps for the rest of the month

for 350 Baht per month AIS is offering a more realistic 1 GB at 3G speed then you are dropped back to slower speeds but also with free access to Thai music store as well

for 350 Baht per month true move H is also offering 1 GB at 3G speed then you are dropped back to slower speeds but also with free WiFi access as well


What types of smartphones are available to work with DTAC? Any GSM smartphone? Would you have to buy a special Android phone or iPhone to work with DTAC?

Android or iPhone is not the issue, it is frequency - for AIS 3G the phone handset needs to support 850MHz, for DTAC and true the phone handset needs to support 900MHz, but hopefully but the middle of next year all three service providors will be supporting 3G at 2100MHz

Blackberry handsets are a different issue but all three major providers havs Blackberry plans and I would be seriously surprised if he really needs to pay 2,000 Baht for a decent data plan for his Blackberry unless he is a reeeeeaaaallll heavy user - or is trying to revive a sick buffalo!

bkkguy

[cameroncat]

Republic Wireless rate of $19 per month is NOT the norm in the U.S. Republic uses a hodge podge patchwork of WiFi Signals to provide service. It is not a Cellular network. The typical smartphone voice/data rate in the U.S. for the major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, Spring and T-mobile) range from about $60 to $100 per month. My BF in Bangkok has an equivalent service from True on his iPhone as I have on my iPhone from AT&T. He pays about 1/2 what I pay and he gets free tethering which is an additional charge from AT&T. However, Thai's have to pay the full price of the phone when they purchase it and don't get a subsidized price we get with a 2 year contract.

[bruce_nyc]

For the record, Republic Wireless does NOT use a hodgepodge of wifi networks. It IS cellular service. The network is provided by one of the largest networks in the USA, called Sprint. However, IN ADDITION to cellular, it can also use any wifi signal too. That means our phones work in basements, subways, airplanes, parking garages, and deep within buildings... where NO ONE'S phone works.

Republic Wireless is on the cutting edge of technology and value, but it is "the new norm" here.

Everyone in my family has had Republic Wireless for over a year now, and swears by it.

In fact, they just announced a brand new Android smartphone model from Motorola, and then gave it away to all of us original customers as a FREE upgrade. We've had the new phone for about three weeks now and we love it even more!

My RW phone worked FREE when I was at The Ambiance, Cafe Royale, Copa, etc. in Boyztown... and even on cellular walking down the street in Hong Kong! No per minute fess. No roaming fees. No data fees. $19 per month. Unlimited everything. No contract.

The Verizon, AT&T, et al are insane ripoffs.

I was more than happy to pay to cancel my contracts with AT&T and Verizon, and pitch all three of my iPhones in the trash.

[Jellybean]

Thanks for raising this topic Bruce_nyc as the question of using my iPhone in Thailand has been on my mind recently.

I am also grateful to bkkguy for the very useful information contained in his post, the details of which I have copied to the Notes appтАЩ on my iPhone3GS.

IтАЩll be frank and confess to being absolutely hopeless with computer and smart phone technical stuff, so apologies in advance for the questions below.

I shall be heading back to Thailand in December. Normally I use a non-smart phone (is that the correct description?) with a Thai SIM card and keep my iPhone for Internet access and listening to London commercial and BBC Radio stations using the wi-fi in my apartment.

I should however like to use my iPhone as a phone outdoors with the Thai SIM card, so a few weeks ago I applied to Orange (my UK provider) to have my phone unlocked. I have now received authority from Orange with a 9 point step-by-step тАШApple Unlock ProcedureтАЩ, which looks rather daunting!

Assuming I can successfully unlock my phone I would like to use it in Thailand. My Thai SIM card is provided by DTAC/Happy. If I have read bkkguyтАЩs post correctly I think he is recommending the 350 Baht a month offered by AIS. I should therefore be grateful if bkkguy (or any other member) could answer the following questions:

1. Can I use AIS or must I stick with DTAC?

2. Where in Bangkok (I shall be staying at the Tarntawan Place Hotel on Surawong Road for 5 days) will I be able to purchase/arrange unlimited data service from AIS or DTAC?

3. And, in addition to the 350/400 Baht a month, do I still have to pay for the usual top-ups for phone/text use I normally buy from 7-11 shops, or does the 350/400 Baht cover that cost? (Told you I am hopeless with technical stuff!)

Thanks!

JB

[ikarus]

I do not live in Thailand and I use only DTAC service. Therefore, I cannot compare DTAC with other services ( but I would not touch some of the services mentioned in BKKGUY post , e.g True service, with ten feet pole). I have to say that from practical standpoint DTAC offers unlimited data service for 400 baht per month and I have no complaints about the speed during the whole month. Of course, it depends on what kind of data one really needs. There is a big DTAC centre in SIAM Paragon and they
can provide any service you need. DTAC has excellent customer service and roaming capacities outside the country ( I use
my DTAC phone for banking with Kasikorn while in US and also e-service from their website). The only real complaint I have about DTAC service is relatively frequent interruptions. The package covers only data services and you still need top up
your account for phone calls. However, you can do it instantaneously from Kasikorn bank account through their internet service.

[2lz2p]

1. Can I use AIS or must I stick with DTAC?

2. Where in Bangkok (I shall be staying at the Tarntawan Place Hotel on Surawong Road for 5 days) will I be able to purchase/arrange unlimited data service from AIS or DTAC?

3. And, in addition to the 350/400 Baht a month, do I still have to pay for the usual top-ups for phone/text use I normally buy from 7-11 shops, or does the 350/400 Baht cover that cost? (Told you I am hopeless with technical stuff!)

1. If you want AIS, you will need to get an AIS SIM card - I have AIS 3G/Edge service on my iPhone 4S using the 350 Baht package - 1GB download per month - if you use more than that, it is my understanding they will charge a fee if you download more. They do have an unlimited package for around 750 Baht (or maybe a bit more) - BUT, after 1GB, the download speed is reduced. Since I use wireless connection at home and other places where it is free, my 3G downloads so far have never exceeded 1GB.

2. I don't live in Bangkok, so can't answer. But, my bf has DTAC 3G/Edge package on his iPhone 4S. All their packages are "unlimited" download, BUT each has a limit on the GB you can download at higher 3G speed - then they throttle down (I think someone else mentioned the slower speed). My bf has the 3GB unlimited package for 650 Baht per month). You can go to any DTAC counter and they can set up the package of your choice - you will need enough money on the prepaid DTAC SIM to cover the cost.

3. Yes, using either AIS or DTAC, you will need to "top up" for phone/text use as it will be charged in addition to the 3G/Edge fee.

Also, if you have the DTAC SIM for a regular telephone, it is too large to fit in the iPhone - We bought our iPhone 4S at a shop in Central Festival Pattaya and they "cut down" our SIM Cards (AIS for me & DTAC for bf) to fit the iPhone -- I understand that if you go to an AIS or DTAC shop to get the smaller SIM card, they can switch the telephone number to the new SIM card.

3G service is available from AIS and DTAC in the major cities and along some of the major highways. If you are in an area that they don't provide 3G, you can still connect to Internet using Edge service (much slower speed, but faster than dial up).

AIS will send a text message a day before the monthly fee will be charged reminding you to top up if you do not have a sufficient amount already prepaid. The bf is still on the first month with DTAC, but if I understand it correctly, they will send a notice and you have to dial a specific number to authorize the next month's charge to the phone.

[Jellybean]

Thanks very much ikarus and 21z2p for your very helpful advice.

I wonder if the refurbished Silom Complex is now open, or will be open in early December? If it is, then IтАЩll try there first. If however the re-development has not yet been finished then IтАЩll try out the DTAC Centre in Siam Paragon.

[bruce_nyc]

Thanks, Guys, for all of this helpful advice. I'm going to save this thread and probably just deal with it all in person... when I get to Pattaya myself, on January 7th. Then I'll be able to test everything personally, and verify everything, before buying it... and for the duration of the 5 weeks we are there.

When I get there, we'll go shopping ( at Tekcom? ) and see what they have on offer by then... I sure hope we can buy a nice newer model Android phone for "T". ( We have three iPhones here at home, and we really dislike them, compared to the new Android models.... for many reasons. In fact, we've pitched all the iPhones in the trash. We want "T" to be able to use ALL the coolest new apps that are available out there.... and Apple blocks most of the best apps from being used on iPhones and iPads. )

Because communication is very important to us, being in a long-distance relationship.... And with the time difference, the time we both have available to chat is very limited... We want to make sure he has the best of the best.

We want him to be able to do free Video Calling from his phone, at any time, with Google's Gtalk Video Chat..... and a nice Android phone with a front-facing camera. We'll get him extra batteries to carry in his pocket ( and an extra-battery-wall-charger ).... another thing Apple bans its customers from doing.

Also, after my last trip to Thailand, I got a great idea.... from the $20 "1-2-Call" prepaid stick phone I bought there... When I got home, I immediately went out and bought a $20 stick phone from MetroPCS. I keep it in my left pocket... for several advantages. It costs me $25 per month for absolutely unlimited service, no contract... But the battery lasts about two weeks on a charge --- meaning I am never without coverage. It is on a different network than my primary phone ( the RepublicWireless.com phone is on the Sprint network ) --- meaning I have the coverage of THREE networks at all times ( MetroPCS, Sprint, and WiFi ) --- meaning I am NEVER without coverage. And, of course, with Google Voice, my main number rings on all my phones simultaneously. Call me... You'll see.... If I don't answer the phone, you can be sure I am sleeping, having sex, or in the shower. :ink:

[GWMinUS]

Bruce,

I just purchased the Google NEXUS phone made for Google by Samsumg.
You can only buy it here in the USA, but it works on any GSM network.
It is very nice and has Android 4.1, Jelly Bean installed.
I think today, Monday, 10/29, Google will announce a new phone made by LG.
I will be more advanced so you should wait and see...

Cheers, George

[bruce_nyc]

Awesome idea, George. Thanks!

Probably 100 times better than anything sold in Thailand yet.

And you think there'd be no problem just plugging in any SIM card from any Thai carrier and everything will just work?

[bkkguy]

I just purchased the Google NEXUS phone made for Google by Samsumg.
You can only buy it here in the USA, but it works on any GSM network.

The Samsung manufactured Nexus has been available in Thailand since December 2011 - when did the major US carriers release it? Verizon I think about the same time, the other carriers I am not sure!


Probably 100 times better than anything sold in Thailand yet.

And you think there'd be no problem just plugging in any SIM card from any Thai carrier and everything will just work?

the version released in primitive Thailand was quad band and not locked to a specific carrier and not feature-limited by the carrier (tethering at no extra charge anyone?) so I am sure the 100 times better carrier specific version available in God's own USA will not be a problem to use when you are travelling


bkkguy

[bruce_nyc]

Wow. Maybe my assumptions are wrong... I was basing my assumption on the old laptop models available in Pattaya ( at Tekcom ) --- for much higher prices than we pay for the same specs here.

Can you ( or anyone ) tell us if this newest Google phone ( from LG? ) is available in Thailand? And where? And how does the price and specs compare?

Also, I thought Google's own phones banned anything carrier specific. Am I wrong about that too?

[bruce_nyc]

I just now bookmarked, to read and study later..... Nexus тАУ Google http://www.google.com/nexus/

[bkkguy]

Can you ( or anyone ) tell us if this newest Google phone ( from LG? ) is available in Thailand? And where? And how does the price and specs compare?

the new Nexus phone is only available from Google Play and Google Play in Thailand does not currently include device sales



Also, I thought Google's own phones banned anything carrier specific. Am I wrong about that too?

GoogleтАЩs Nexus 4, 7, 10 strategy: Openness at all costs (http://www.extremetech.com/computing/139104-googles-nexus-4-7-10-strategy-openness-at-all-costs)

and see some of the comments on this article on /.
Google's Nexus 4, 7, 10 Strategy: Openness At All Costs (http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/10/30/1748236/googles-nexus-4-7-10-strategy-openness-at-all-costs)

bkkguy