phone question

Sorry, I know some of this has been discussed before but..... After many visits to Pattaya over the last 20 years without a phone, this year I find myself needing a phone while there. In the past was always quiet happy NOT to have a phone. Interenet cafes served their purpose quite well and before the internet - the international phone booth on beach road always worked well for a 6am call to the US.
Unfortunately this year, I NEED to have a phone to call the US (illness in the family). Don't really require any extra bells & buzzers (not opposed to them, but not required). Just need a good dependable phone to call the US. I know I can walk in to Tuk and see thousands of phones, and any one I look at I'm sure will be - "Very Good - Good Price for You" - so anyone who has been there done that. Brand name, model #.
Thanks
NJ Jim

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[gearguy]

I have the Siemans A70 and have been very happy with it. Basic phone, no bells and whistles, but has never been a problem.

I probably paid too much for it. I got it here in the US from www.telestial.com a couple years ago with a Thai SIM card, and since I have been back to LOS several times a year have been able to keep the same number active. I liked the ideal of getting the number before I left the US, but if that is not what you care about, then wait till you get to Thailand to buy your phone and sim card.

The Thai cell phone companies could make $10-20 a year I think just from frequent tourists who want to keep their local thai numbers active, rather than have them expire. It;s better now as the number stays active for a year even if you don;t top it up (use to be three months) and if you have a Thai friend call them and top it up for you you can get around that as well.

All in all, having a phone and a local number is the way to go. I never travel anywhere now without getting a local number if I am going to be someplace for a week or two. SIM cards are cheap.

If you are on T-Mobile or ATT here in US, check with them to see of the phone you have can be unlocked and if it is the right band for Thailand (900 or 1800 for DTAC and AIS the most common carriers). USA is 850/1900, so you're phone may not work in Thailand. You should get a tri-band at a minimum, and better even a quad-band but they are more expensive.

See http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/index.shtml for world-wide coverage info.

I wish the US would catch up to Asia and adopt open networks such as unlocked GSM/SIM cards. It's starting to happen. Both ATT and Verizon are making noise on that score but right now it's more hype; they don't want to really do it.

[yaraboy]

No need to buy new phone.............as long as yours is tri or quad band. Unlocking may be required. Any shop at MBK will do an unlock in 5 minutes for 300 to 500 baht. AIS (1 2 call) SIM $10 and with a recharge number is good for a year

[gearguy]

Yaraboy makes an excellent point that I had not considered. But only if you're current provider is a GSM provider. In the US, CDMA is used by a lot of providers (including Verizon). In which case, you will need to get a GSM phone. Also many of the GSM phones sold in the US thru ATT etc are dual-band only and won't work in Thailand.

If you are on ATT they just announced that they will unlock phones on request.

[bing]

I also have Siemans A-70 world phone. You have one phone number and can work it in 160 countries without a special sims card for each country. It is a long bunch of numbers to call you but having only one phone number to pass to friends is a nice thing. The calls are a bit costly, but you don't have any monthly charges when not using the phone. It is a travel phone and not a phone you use at home on daily basis. If you are interested go to www.mobal.com This is the phone that Rich Steves of the travel channel suggests is his favorite. I have been very satisfied with it so far.

[billyhouston]

No need to buy new phone.............as long as yours is tri or quad band. Unlocking may be required. Any shop at MBK will do an unlock in 5 minutes for 300 to 500 baht. AIS (1 2 call) SIM $10 and with a recharge number is good for a year

Before the '8' was added to mobile numbers, my 12call number expired and was promptly resold in the 7 months I was away from Thailand. 12call SIMs now come with 6 months and, thereafter, each 300 baht card will extend the validity by a month.

[francois]

njjim, I suggest you buy an inexpensive Nokia in Thailand. Any shop at Tuk Com can fix it so your number does not expire for a year. You can call direct to the US at a reasonable cost. Enter 001-1- area code + number.

[gearguy]

What/where is TUK COM? Is that the big electronics place on S. Pattaya Rd?

I have AIS 12Call and when I check my minutes, etc, says valid till Nov 14 2008, I last topped up
on the Nov 14. So I am assuming my number will stay active then that date. Is that not
correct?

I;ve been back to Thailand at least once every six months the last two years so have not had a sitiuation
to see if it will stay active past six months. I';ve had conflicting info for several people, some say no, three months,
others I'm good for a year.

But I sure want to keep my Thai number.

Anyone know of a sure-fire way to keep the number active? I would pay AIS for that service.

Right now, the best I have is to make sure I travel to Thailand at least every six months (oh such hardship just to keep the
same number) or my friend makes a call when I remind him.

[jvt22222]

ON the second floor of Central Festival ...... commonly referred to as BigC on Second Road in North Pattaya ............. check the TeleWiz shop........... just yesterday when I went in to top up my 12Call service, I noted a couple of Nokia models (sorry did not get the model numbers, but expect they are four digit numbers starting with1 or 2) under 2000 baht ........ would be a cheap way to go and then you can give it to somebody when you leave.

[yaraboy]

Gearguy .you have answered your own question..Your AIS 1/2 Call is good for a year. You pay 2 baht a min and if you want a cheaper rate you do not get the year extension