Is 3G headed for Udon? (Or already there)?

Post by **jimboLV** » February 1, 2012, 4:33 pm

Well it looks like 3G is coming to our little town of Amnat Charoen. A guy from True Move came round a couple months ago and wanted to lease one rai of our rice land to erect a tower for 3G. I didn’t pay much attention to it figuring it would be years away, but he came back with all the paperwork a few days ago and said they were ready to start construction this month. So we signed everything and away he went. So it looks like it may be a reality.

Now I’m going to have to find out what this 3G is all about. A few months ago I could barely spell 3G and all I still know about it is that it joins a long list of Things You Can’t Live Without. I have made a futile effort on google to read about it, but so far haven’t found anything in plain English (or even American). Even the write-ups on Wiki seem to have been written by computer geeks who cannot seem to explain anything in language a layman can understand.

And all the True Move ads are in Thai only.

True is marketing it pretty heavily in our area, even signing people up already. Last weekend the local Big C was flooded with pretty girls handing out brochures and signing people up. They appear to be bundling the service with I Pads. I tried to engage a couple of them (about 3G) but they did not speak English, although they did smile prettily.

So I’m wondering if it has come to Udon yet? If anyone actually used it either here or in other places I would like to hear their recommendations.

Or this could just be a front for the CIA to install one of their mind control towers right in my backyard so they can spy on me, since by moving down here I am probably out of range of the VOA towers in Ban Dung. Must get over to Tesco and get some heavy-duty tinfoil just in case.

Post by **BobHelm** » February 1, 2012, 5:33 pm

I won't put you off the tinfoil idea jimbo...better safe than sorry..

2G is really designed specifically for talking on the phone. There was SMS messaging thrown in but really that was it...
3G is the system designed for the smart phones & tablets & has a great deal to do with swift data transmission that required.
The systems use different radio frequencies so that means the tower building.
In between 2G &3G were a number of systems that can really only be called enhanced 2G...so the GPRS system was like a 2.5G & EDGE was 2.75G, using the old 2G networks but with added tricks to get the data download speed up.
GPRS 56 kbit/s up to 115 kbit/s
EDGE up to 500 kbit/s
3G must supply 2 Mbit/s to a walking person as a minimum in order to qualify to be called such, but some systems offer 10 times that speed. So the data transfer rate is considerably higher.

So with 3G you go to things like:
Mobile TV
Video on demand
Videoconferencing
Telemedicine
Location-based services
If you are not interested & just want to use a phone to talk to someone then it is a little over the top...

Not sure if Udon has the enhanced 2G or genuine 3G yet, if the advertising says the words 3G then it really should be that in order to comply & not just speeded up 2G...

Post by **FrazeeDK** » February 1, 2012, 8:15 pm

if not in Udon already it probably will be later this year.. Previously many vendors in town had "3G" signs but would readily admit "not here yet"...

Post by **FrazeeDK** » February 1, 2012, 8:17 pm

January 31st article on 3G in thailand http://asiancorrespondent.com/47346/3g- ... elopments/

Post by **Alchai** » February 3, 2012, 10:11 pm

I've been using an ipad with a DTAC 3G simcard for the past month or so and I must say that finding a strong 3G signal in Udon is very difficult. Normally you get a 3G signal with one or two notches or an EDGE signal with full strength signal. When it comes to surfing on the web the latter is preferred, much faster than a weak 3G signal. I wold say that 3G is slowly coming to Udon and it's surroundings but it will take time. Simultaneously, some other contries are up and running with 4G now!

Post by **kjellsnell** » February 4, 2012, 8:52 am

theres a lot of talking in the subject but if put things together - i will give it 2 more years before i buy a 3G card in Udonthani....maybe never if they dont cower the area in all region!

Post by **BobHelm** » February 4, 2012, 9:31 am

The 3G Sim is no different in price than a normal Sim, about the 50 to 100 baht price, depending where you buy.
You can have 'Pay as you Go' service, the same as for a 2G service. If you are not getting a signal, you can't connect & so it doesn't cost you anything..

It is the phone where the extra expense is to be found...Probably minimum of 5,000 baht for a entry level smart phone.
As with talking on a phone, if you pay as you go the minute rate tends to be higher than if you are contracted.
If you are contracted (or 'prepaid' seems to be the term used in Thailand) then the hourly rate drops, but you pay if used or not.
I have found that getting a contract for a 3G phone service is rather difficult if you are a single Falang & is much easier for a Thai to get for you...
It can be got, but needs the minimum of a bank account with a credit card (as well as a copy of a passport, of course) was my understanding.
A contact with unlimited downloads(although if you read the small print I think that the connection speed drops after a certain amount of data has been downloaded) is about the 900 baht per month rate...

Post by **greatsnake** » February 4, 2012, 9:58 am

BobHelm wrote:I
3G must supply 2 Mbit/s to a walking person as a minimum in order to qualify

Ok

, how about just watching this.

http://youtu.be/hwURaEMSDr4[/youtube]

http://youtu.be/hwURaEMSDr4

Post by **wiking** » February 6, 2012, 10:55 am

my friend bought for 2 weeks ago a prepaid 3g with ais in the airport in bangkok, no problem - and they told him, no 3g in udonthani but in bangkok or chiangmai ok

he paid about 900 baht plus 7% for one months unlimeted use

his smartphone was ok in use here im town, but many place in the centre no signal

Post by **BobHelm** » February 10, 2012, 3:59 pm

I found this today on True.
Current coverage, there is also a 'future' coverage, but no time line so I have not bothered reproducing that.
It is a Thai language Google map, so sorry for that, but the original is zoomable so here is the link to it...
http://www.truemove-h.com/en/3gwifi_net ... erage.aspx

Post by **wiking** » February 10, 2012, 5:25 pm

TOT 3g is also on the way - but when - this mobile internet we have now, you can not call it 2,5 but only 0,5

they told me, it coming in November 2011, than January 2012
and if I looking their webpage, we can only say, maybe someday
http://www.tot3g.net/GUI/ContentInfo.as ... ews&pid=97

in thailand, you can not trust anyone and noone know anything
this country is running from drinking whiskey men and hookers

Post by **Dudde** » February 10, 2012, 5:49 pm

Been using Dtac, Happy 3G for a couple of months. Works good for browsing here, 10km outside Udon. But Skype only works with audio. For video it's too slow.
At it's peak i can get out 25kB/s from it.

Post by **chrisoary** » February 10, 2012, 10:01 pm

apart from the DTAC 3G which dudde says cannot run Skype video calls, does anyone know of a mobile provider that is able to?

moving to Udon soon and only really need the internet for checking emails and chatting to the parents back in blighty on skype video. They will go mad if they cant get their weekly skype chat with their grandson.

cheers

Post by **Dudde** » February 10, 2012, 10:12 pm

Thailand's 3G is pretty bad compared too the Swedish 3G im used too. It's much slower here.
I have never had a decent speed where im being able to Skype or using youtube.
I'v tried Dtac, 12-call and True.
Tried it in Phuket, Bangkok, Udon, pretty much every island you can find a hotel on.

3G sucks here, and 3G is old. 4G is the new thing.

Post by **wiking** » February 10, 2012, 10:58 pm

the grandson can go to an internetshop, 1000 off them, and these has adsl speed about 6-9mb, so you skype will be ok
many hotel/guesthouse has free wifi only the expensive hotel 1000 baht up take money for wifi

Post by **Alchai** » February 11, 2012, 12:41 am

Dudde wrote:Been using Dtac, Happy 3G for a couple of months. Works good for browsing here, 10km outside Udon. But Skype only works with audio. For video it's too slow.
At it's peak i can get out 25kB/s from it.

As I mentioned previously we have been using DTAC 3G for about 1,5 months now. Works OK (even Skype with video) but only on a E (edge) signal. We are located 15k's from Udon.

Post by **greatsnake** » February 11, 2012, 3:23 am

Alchai wrote:
Dudde wrote:Been using Dtac, Happy 3G for a couple of months. Works good for browsing here, 10km outside Udon. But Skype only works with audio. For video it's too slow.
At it's peak i can get out 25kB/s from it.
As I mentioned previously we have been using DTAC 3G for about 1,5 months now. Works OK (even Skype with video) but only on a E (edge) signal. We are located 15k's from Udon.

If you see the E that means you are NOT getting 3G. Edge is 2.5 G.

25kB/s, you've got to be kidding. I wouldn't be Happy with that.

Post by **Alchai** » February 11, 2012, 3:36 pm

True snake but to get an edge signal you must have a 3G simcard. What I'm saying is that the 3G signal is far too weak, even in the city. But the E (or 2,5) is stronger and sufficient to surf on the web and use skype etc. Not much good for downloading though!

Post by **greatsnake** » February 11, 2012, 6:27 pm

Alchai wrote:True snake but to get an edge signal you must have a 3G simcard. What I'm saying is that the 3G signal is far too weak, even in the city. But the E (or 2,5) is stronger and sufficient to surf on the web and use skype etc. Not much good for downloading though!

There has been so much disinformation put out by mobile carriers regarding the different specifications, it is no wonder most people are thoroughly confused about the differences.

Please refer here for a clear explanation.

http://hak5.org/episodes/haktip-16

http://youtu.be/hwURaEMSDr4[/youtube]

Post by **wiking** » February 11, 2012, 10:42 pm

and DTAC have sent nice girls out on the streets in udon for sellling 3G card - I told her, there is no 3G in udon, she answer - I dont know

DTAC expects 3G by 2013
Simultaneous 4G service a possibility

Published: 11/02/2012 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: Business
Total Access Communication (DTAC) is determined to roll out its third-generation (3G) network nationwide next year with 11,000 base stations covering all districts.
The expansion is part of the second-largest mobile operator's three-year 3G investment budget of 40 billion baht, starting from this year.

Some 15 billion baht is slated for the 3G licence auction on the international standard 2100-megahertz frequency.

The rest will be spent on 3G network expansion on radio base stations on both the 850- and the 2100-MHz spectra, switching and transmission.

"We plan to become a leader in 3G service through a nationwide network expansion on the analogue 850-MHz frequency, covering 940 districts by 2013," said chief executive Jon Eddy Abdullah.

He said DTAC can begin testing its 4G cellular broadband in Bangkok in conjunction with CAT Telecom by May.

The non-commercial trial will be conducted with its concession owner CAT providing 4G service using long-term evolution technology on the state telecom enterprise's 1800-MHz spectrum.

The NBTC expects to approve DTAC's application to test 4G using 25 unused MHz of its 50 MHz of bandwidth.

Mr Abdullah also urged the NBTC to move ahead with the company's proposal to return its 25 MHz of unused bandwidth to the regulator in exchange for a 4G operating licence.

"We believe Thailand could have 3G and 4G commercial service simultaneously, which other countries are already developing," he said.

DTAC faces chronic mobile data traffic congestion, especially in the city outskirts.

Mr Abdullah pledged the network snafus will be resolved this year after its major network swap project is complete.

He outlined the company's pipeline for 2G and 3G businesses, saying DTAC is determined to participate in the planned 3G licence auction scheduled for mid-year.

"If we get a 3G licence on the 2100-MHz frequency, we plan a massive network expansion mainly in Bangkok and major provinces," said Mr Abdullah.

"The existing 3G infrastructure on the 850-MHz frequency will be allocated to serve upcountry thanks to its five-times-wider network coverage than the 2100-MHz frequency."

He said DTAC is in talks with CAT about possibly entering into a wholesale agreement with the enterprise after its concession expires in 2018.

Mr Abdullah will ask the NBTC to terminate the foreign dominance regulations that took effect last August, as he deemed them "unlawful".

The regulations might also adversely affect DTAC's planned 3G licence bid, he added.