'Allo, 'allo

[x in pattaya]

I was well impressed by the help I received with the question of language study, so I'll throw out another question. I have asked this on some other boards, including ThaiVisa and Pattaya Addict, but the replies seemed either speculative or (to me anyway) incoherent.

Every month I buy a B 300 calling card and dump it into my 1-2-Call-connected mobile phone so that I will be able to keep my phone number. Despite the impression I've probably given the past few days on these message boards, I don't talk all that much. So I already have a credit balance of over B 1000 and rising. I'm pretty sure there must be some way to convert the credit balance into an extended expiration date.

Once again I would appreciate any specific advice on how/if that can be done.

I'm pretty sure there must be some way to convert the credit balance into an extended expiration date.
DTAC recently began offering a program where you can "buy" an extension on the account's expiration (you "buy" the extension by "cashing in" some of the available unused credits on the account), but AFAIK, AIS (1-2-Call) hasn't yet matched the program. Or, at least I've read nothing about it.

And loosely related to this topic. Can anyone confirm how long one can retain a 1-2-Call telephone number
without making a top-up or making/receiving calls?? (and is there any difference in the two circumstances?).

I have had conflicting answers when I have posed this question before ranging from 1 month through 6 months to 1 year.
If anyone can give me a direct quote or better still a link to that information (in English) it would be much appreciated.

[x in pattaya]

Your expiration is extended at the rate of one day per B 10 purchased with a calling card. If you add B 300, it gets extended 30 days.

If you add a lot of money because you're using the phone a lot, the maximum goes out for (I believe) 2 years.

Doesn't matter about calling or receiving calls.

if you call *121# the balance check number, it'll show you the Baht balance and the "valid until" date.

That's why I have to keep adding B300 a month, to push out the validity by another month, even though I don't need more money for calls.

2 years is correct for older subscriptions, but I got my phone last year and can only extend to 1 year.

[francois]

Go to Tuk Com to one of the phone vendors and explain what you want to do. They work some magic with your phone and extend the date for one year and you do not have to top up every month or so.
I did this and asked the nice lady how much for her effort. Up to You, she said. Give 100 Baht and you will make their day. I thought it would be difficult but it was very easy.

[x in pattaya]

Thanks Francois. Sounds like a good idea.

I have let my 1 2 Call go months past the dooms day date, and when I return to Thailand all is well with the number. I used to worry about loosing my number, but I worry no more. When I arrive the airport I turn my phone on and call my ride in the ariport arrival area. Mayby I'm just lucky, but this is what I have been doing for the last five years.

[x in pattaya]

Just a follow-up if this issue is of interest to anyone else who is using 1-2-Call.

I never got around to doing anything, but on Tuesday I was in Central World Plaza in Bangkok and happened upon AIS Customer Service office. So I went in and explained that I was building a large credit balance. No problem as it turns out.

They switched me from the basic Toll San service to Unn Unn. Now whenever I add any amount of money to the account, the expiration date is reset to one year from the time I add the money. You pay 2 baht per minute for AIS call and 4 baht per minute on any other network, which is more expensive that the Toll San service, but then the problem arose because I don't use the phone that much anyway. The only caveat is that if you go three months with no activity at all (i.e. no incoming or outgoing call or topping up) "the line will be suspended."

So now I have up to one year to use the credit balance I have and after that whenever I add any amount the validity will be extended another year.

The change was free and immediate. If you wish to change back in future there would be a Baht 30 service charge.

Further information by calling 1175 or 02-271-9000

[Geezer]

Go to Tuk Com to one of the phone vendors and explain what you want to do. They work some magic with your phone and extend the date for one year and you do not have to top up every month or so.
I did this and asked the nice lady how much for her effort. Up to You, she said. Give 100 Baht and you will make their day. I thought it would be difficult but it was very easy.

Yes, itтАЩs true. My BF did this for my spare mobile about three months ago for 100 bt. When I check the time on the phone it says itтАЩs good for nine more months.

... I used my AIS phone call a lot and it extended my expiry date to one year. Whenever I now top up, no matter how much I top it up, it extends it to one year. When I rang AIS up for something I asked also why this was, and was told some kind of special deal going on for a while.