Thailand 3G - quirky set up process and slow performance

On Monday, I called in at the AIS counter in Tukcom and signed up for a post paid 3G contract. When I say I signed, it's a bit of a lie. I have no work permit so I have to get a Thai to sponsor me, (sign docs and hand over copy of ID card). The lady at the AIS counter said I should receive an SMS from AIS in the next 14 days advising me of my application approval and at that time, I should return to AIS Tukcom to complete the 3G account set up.

After 2 days, (yesterday), I received the SMS confirmation message  Problem is, I'd been reading bad reports of poor 3G performance in Thailand so I decided to hold off switching from 2G until things had improved.

This morning, (Thursday), I was on a call, (incoming), when I lost the signal. I couldn't receive or make calls. It remained that way for the remainder of the morning which had me suspecting AIS had cut off my 2G link to encourage me to move to 3G.

So this afternoon, back to Tukcom. My contacts were transferred from old to a new Sim, (same #, free), and after 30mins of AIS working on my phone, I was told everything was done but I'd have to wait a further 2 or 3 hours for my new 3G account to be activated... Return home, do not pass Go, do not collect $200... After 4 hours my phone was still off so on the grounds I'd nothing better to do, I powered my phone off and on. Presto, new 3G account active.

First impressions.


It's the first time I've switched from 2G to 3G so I have no reference point for the process involved. That said, two visits to Tukcom, possible 14 day wait, a 2 to 3 hour wait with dead phone are all part of a process that I reckon would excite Heath Robinson

For Internet browsing, AIS 3G is as fast as the slow Wi-Fi connection I had with 3BB. It's not a radical improvement but it works and seems stable around central Pattaya.

It's hard to distinguish any difference on phone calls between the 2G and 3G services. Friends will tell you that's because of my crap phone........

Apps that were dormant with a wi-fi connection are beavering away like mad with an open data connection. Apps guilty of covert data usage are Google Play Store; YouTube; Drippler and Line. If you don't get a grip of these apps you could pretty quickly exceed your monthly data usage limit and run up penalty fees. For Android users, check out  Onavo,  a quality data usage monitor. For IOS users, who cares...... if you can pay over the odds for a fashion item, you can pay penalty fees..... you've probably paid for an unlimited plan anyway......

Conclusion

It's early days but I'm no worse off than I was on 2G and things can only get better.... right? Who's laughing?????

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.