Phone Packages

[Jun]

I tried of the of the True special offer data packages this month.

They don't give much detail about T&C, so I wasn't too happy to find it's recurring. I contacted their online chat who supposedly stopped that and I got a message saying it expires on the 16th.
Today I got a message showing it auto renews on the 17th, so visited the True shop.

They supposedly fixed this, but cannot give me written confirmation. The app doesn't do that either.

I then got a True customer satisfaction survey link for this visit. That can wait until I see the results on the 17th.
Is it fixed, or do I have to go straight back to the same shop ?

Beware of the special offers.

[Gaybutton]

I don't know if it is the same for top-ups because my telephone number is on a DTAC account for which I am billed once a month. But data usage is a separate package. It is high speed, works perfectly anywhere I've been, and is 300 baht per month, paid monthly. Whenever I opt to renew for another month - which I do every month - the 300 baht is simply added to my monthly phone bill.

I imagine it is essentially the same for top-up phones, but you have to pay for it in advance. If it works similarly to my account, no auto renewal is even offered. On the expiration date - or a few days in advance - I have to go online and arrange the next month package personally. If I don't, the service ends on the specified date. If it is done the same way with top-up phones, then there is no unwanted auto renew to worry about.

I have a 1-2-Call telephone number on my tablet. I'm not sure of how they're doing it, but you can choose all kinds of options. All I needed was a one-time internet connection for 24 hours, which is an option they offer. It was a very nominal fee. I haven't needed more than that because my tablet uses WIFI, and that has become readily available throughout Thailand.

[bi-top]

Using AIS (1-2-Call) -- some packages auto-renew each month. Some packages expire and you must renew each month. It isnt always clear and I have had to cancel packages that I purchased thinking it was a one-time purchase.

If you are using the app, you may notice the phrase "Cannot cancel this package". If you see that, it means that it is a one-time purchase (non-renewing).

I have signed up for the wrong 30 day package a few times now by not paying attention.

[Jun]

True have a menu of auto-renew packages and another menu of non auto renew packages.
So going in via that menu is clear.

When they post "Special Offers", it's not clear. They specify very little and you have to phone them for the T&C.

It's crossed my mind that I could buy the package I want, which would take the balance below the level needed to auto renew the package I don't want.

[Gaybutton]

True have a menu of auto-renew packages and another menu of non auto renew packages.

That is what DTAC used to do. For many years DTAC simply added their data fee to my monthly bill. At the first of this year that suddenly stopped. I was never informed that it was going to stop. But it did stop and I don't know why. Just one day, out of the blue, no more internet on my phone. It took a call to DTAC's customer service to find out what was going on.

Of course DTAC is very good at sending messages entirely in Thai, but no English version included, so maybe I was informed after all, but never bothered to translate the message. I find that strange. Something tells me I am not their only farang customer, so I don't know why it's only Thai. They don't have any problem providing an English version when it comes time to pay the bill.

[Jun]

DTAC and True merged on 1 March.

So expect even less competition in the market now.

[Jun]

Well the True package did not auto renew, so my visit to their branch was successful.

I also note that it's possible to buy validity extensions on the True app, at a cost of 3 baht per month.
I had been using USSD codes for that, but doing it on the app means I can do it from anywhere in the world, without my Thai SIM in a phone.

[Jun]

I've just had a text message from True offering a special deal for 15 GB for 15 days.
I can't see any reason to buy that, with 18 days left on a 46GB package!!

Incidentally, the package I have cost 234 baht as a special offer on the app. That's one of the best deals I've had.

[christianpfc]

It's crossed my mind that I could buy the package I want, which would take the balance below the level needed to auto renew the package I don't want.

I did so with a 30 day package. Only after return to Thailand did I see their SMS, they do parts of that package, 14 days and 7, and deducted money until there was less than the 7 day package. Whereas my operator in Germany only does the full monthly package, no parts.