NBTC slams slow 3G speed in Thailand

A consumer protection panel of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is slamming mobile operators for failing to deliver their claimed service promises on third-generation broadband speed.

Under the licence requirement, operators are obliged to deliver 3G services at a minimum download speed of 345 kilobits per second and 153 Kbps for uploads.

Existing User Comments:
Tansri - I just upgraded my AIS package to 3G. It's not only slow and slower but it's 3G only 10% of the time. My son's AIS phone still on 2G is faster and smoother. I was taught in my MBA class when you launch a new product don't claim it until you're 110% ready. Interesting to hear response from True and DTAC

Franklin - just bought the new 3G (no 15% price cut) from AIS and it downloads at the same snail’s pace of 40 kb/s during the time that it works at all. Five months ago in Vientiane the hotel had 3G coming in at 380 kb/s and in Macau last month download speeds at 982 kb/s. Fastest I've ever seen in Asia. How can it be sold in Thailand when it doesn't work? Big rip off to the customers.

Read the full article at the Bangkok Post.

3G in Thailand just got confusing

I was in Tukcom Pattaya today and thought I'd check out AIS's 3G packages.

The AIS staff were keen to push a Bt599 per month package which included 150mins of call time and 1GB of Internet data. It wasn't the cheapest and wasn't the most expensive package they had which meant the AIS staff had read me pretty well......

As the few people I know generally phone me and as I do most of my Interneting at home I decided to go for a Bt299 package which gives 150mins/month of call time and 500mb of data/month. The staff were at pains to point out that if I exceed the data limit, the charges would run up pretty quickly. Hence, their preference for the 1GB per month data package.

My preference was still for the Bt299/month package so I decided to hold off making a decision until I had a better feel for what 500mb of data represented in browsed pages.

Now for the confusion. To complete this post, I went online to AIS to get details of their other 3G packages as I know one or two Rag readers are a bit flush and might want to spend more than Bt299/- per month on 3G....

Online the Bt599/- per month package comes with 300mins call time and 1.5GB of data. In Tukcom, for the same price, I was offered 150mins call time and 1GB of data. Did I make a mistake. Well no, cause I have AIS Tukcom's hand written offer in front of me clearly showing the lower numbers.

It's possible in the fast moving telecom's world that AIS have changed their 3G packages and not had time to update their web site. It's possible but it was odd that the AIS counter in Tukcom had no printed brochures with package details and rates. They were handing out only hand written quotes.

My next move will be to check package details with the AIS shop in Central or with their Call Centre on 1175. If you are planning to move to AIS 3G just be aware of the the AIS online package details when dealing face to face with AIS staff.

Footnote -  If you don't have a work permit you will need to register for post paid 3G in a Thai name.

               - 3G packages for iPhones