Mobile Phone Charges etc

[Jun]

1 COST
My True prepaid data costs 405 baht for 3GB of data for 30 days.

In the UK, for £10 (399 baht), I get 4 GB + 600 minutes + unlimited texts. Prepaid.

In Myanmar, mobile data is approximately 40 baht per GB, so I could get about 10 GB for the price of 3 GB in Thailand.

Does anyone have a significantly better deal here in Thailand ?
To some extent, I suppose an expensive service it to be expected after the crazy prices paid in the 4G bandwidth auctions a few years back.

2 SERVICE
True good points:
I can keep the SIM alive when not here for a very modest payment.
Competent customer service in Silom

True bad points:
Charges
When buying another 30 day package, it starts immediately, rather than when the current one expires.


3 MY DATA USE
Incidentally, 3GB is not really adequate for 30 days, without careful use Analysis of this shows huge consumption by google maps and Hornet.
Even though I downloaded the offline maps, data use is terrible. To fix this, I now put it in WiFi mode.
Worse still is Hornet. 10x the data use of Grindr, yet I have met more lads via Grindr during the period (9 days)

[Dodger]

I know you're looking for a lower cost, so this probably won't help, but my boyfriend and I have used Truemove for years and very happy with the performance. (700 THB/month, 4GB/Unlimited). We tried 3G and some of the lower cost packages in the past and were not happy with the performance at all. Too slow, with unreliable performance in remote areas.

With the amount of traveling you do, and the fact that you travel to some remote areas when in Thailand, you will have the choice between low performance/low cost, and high performance/higher cost. There's no way around it. If you also rely on the internet for things like Grindr, Hornet, Google Maps, Firefox, etc., etc. I would think you need at least 4G.

I'm sitting in a village in Isaan right now which doesn't even have reliable electricity, let alone cable TV or wifi, and I'm getting the same reliable/ high speed performance on True, as I would in the middle of Bangkok.

[Gaybutton]

For those living in Thailand you can also get mobile phone service with monthly billing rather than having to top-up. If you have a work permit, you can get it under your own name. If not, you can only get it under a Thai name.

I suppose you can do that even if you don't live in Thailand, but I imagine top-up is more convenient for holiday travelers.

That's what I have with DTAC. A Thai friend got the account and the monthly bill is sent to my Email. The bill can be paid online or at a DTAC shop.

[ceejay]

Again, this is mainly of interest to those living in Thailand.
AIS have long term, prepaid packages which I have never found advertised on their website. I found out about these by going to an AIS office (in Central Festival, Chiang Mai) with my boyfriend, who sorted it out for me.
I currently have "Mao 1200 baht" which gives 7.5GB per month with 1Mbps speed. It cost me 1200 baht in July last year, and is valid for 1 year, so costs 100 baht per month. I get a text each month saying my remaining useage allowance has been reset to 7.5GB. I have never actually used that, but if you do then you get free AIS wi-fi until the month has ended.
1Mbps is enough for me. I believe you can get a faster package (at higher cost, of course)

[Undaunted]

My monthly package with TRUE: 499 baht

[Jun]

Well at least the extra 30% buys you over 3x the data. Even I could get buy on 10 GB. Incidentally, my use on holiday is way higher than at home, due to increased use of maps and dating apps, together with decreased wifi use.

As True don't seem to publish all their packages in one list, of course I probably need to hire Sherlock Holmes to find this deal.

[pong]

What undt shows is also a continuous monthly subscription-just as in the UK or anywhere these are always way cheaper as prepaid. The only workable way to really get substantiable lower fees is to switch to new nrs and getting new ´introduction for new customer´ deals all the time. Not worth it and not feasible for those who only stay the odd month. Thats general-- it may very well be that yet another slightly cheaper plan exist, from another provider.