39 replies to this topic

[Rinzler]

Can anyone tell me what technology Thailand uses for its cell phones?
GSM? CDMA? 3G? 4G?

The reason I ask is I just bought the new HTC Thunderbolt. It is Verizons (Biggest cell phone service provider in the US) first 4G cell phone.
I'm just curious if it will work in Thailand. Last time I was in Pattaya, I had a 3G phone. That phone worked just fine.
I was just forced to upgrade. My previous phone just broke.

[jcs]

Not sure mate, but personally i leave the good phone in the suitcase and just buy a 800bht Nokia and use for the duration of my stay.

[Rinzler]

jcs, on 18 April 2011 - 09:17 PM, said:

Not sure mate, but personally i leave the good phone in the suitcase and just buy a 800bht Nokia and use for the duration of my stay.

I'll only be in town for two weeks. Its not worth getting a number and telling all of my friends and family back home. Its just easier to use the same phone all of the time. I know it would be smart to use a cheap phone while in Thailand, but I'm pretty careful and like I mentioned, not worth the effort of getting a new phone number,

[Beerlao]

you could try the websites of the main providers to see what they support - or the one you used last time.
you could also ask your home provider if you will get coverage in thailand - this would normally happen
automatically as you switch on in thailand

[Lost In Loei]

Verizon appears to be CDMA like Sprint. The phone will not work.

By a cheapie in Thailand or for a better one, go to Amazon and make sure it says Quad Band, unlocked. American providers lock your hardware to protect their contracts.

[Bax]

Rinzler, on 18 April 2011 - 09:19 PM, said:

I'll only be in town for two weeks. Its not worth getting a number and telling all of my friends and family back home. Its just easier to use the same phone all of the time. I know it would be smart to use a cheap phone while in Thailand, but I'm pretty careful and like I mentioned, not worth the effort of getting a new phone number,

I thought I was careful on my first trip. I lost my iPhone a week into my trip. It took 2.2 seconds for a ladyboy to remove it from my pocket.. my front pocket.
I bought a cheap nokia for 500 baht and now have for future trips.

[Robi_slo]

I think HTC Thunderbolt won't work in Thailand since it is not GSM compatible.

In any decent shopping mall in Thailand you can find some stall or shop with used mobile phones or you can buy new one in Tesco or Big C for no money. I have my good old (7 years old ) Siemens so when I go to some dodgy place like bar or baht bus I always use this mobile... you never know...

BR

[Rinzler]

Robi_slo, on 19 April 2011 - 04:41 PM, said:

I think HTC Thunderbolt won't work in Thailand since it is not GSM compatible.

Thats what I was afraid of. My previous phone (HTC Touchpro2) was GSM compatable. Before my trip, I called Verizon and they did something with my sim card to make it compatible with Thailand. When I got back, I called verizon again and they switched off the service.

Ok, it seems like everyone is suggesting getting a new phone once I get there. How does service work?
I mean, in the US, I have a contract. I pay about a $100 a month for unlimited talk, text and internet.
Last time I was in Pattaya, a ladyboy took me to Big C. It was very confusing and not many people there spoke english.

How can a get a cheap phone and get hooked up with an "as needed" service?

[Robi_slo]

On exit floor of BKK airport you will find just about every mobile network carrier. Go there and buy your Thai SIM card there, staff speaks good English (not the case if you will buy same SIM card in 7/11 store) and they can also instruct you on best calling plan you can buy, if you will send more SMS than pick plan with cheaper SMS, if you prefer to call ladies day and night take one with cheap calls… I personally am fan of DTAC since their network always works ok for me and I can get 1 year extension of SIM validity without any problem hence I use same SIM for 2 years now. My only is however 1 2 call fan and she hates DTAC so… go to DTAC and buy your SIM card there, upload like 200-300 THB on card, go to first mall and buy some cheap shit GSM and enjoy your trip.

I wouldn’t use farang SIM for calling in Thailand, it can cost you a fortune due to some small print in contract you forgot to read. I paid like 15 USD just because I forgot to close data transfer on my Android, mobile connected to Thai network, downloaded 1 kb of data every day and this cost me 1,3 USD per day.

BR

[Rinzler]

^^^ Thanks Robi. +1 from me for the help

I don't recall seeing any phone service in the airport, but then again, I was in a hurry to find the cab drive and to get to Pattaya.

I'll try that next time Im in town

[Darkside Apprentice]

Guys, are you talking strictly about making calls within Tland, what do you do about calling home if you do?

Edited by Darkside Apprentice, 19 April 2011 - 05:39 PM.

[Lost In Loei]

dial 001 at the beginning of the number.

All it takes is credit on the phone.

[Darkside Apprentice]

I called home every other day to touch base with the kids, $350.00 when I got the bill. Never Again.

[Bwana_LB]

These days you can buy older unlocked GSM phones on places like Ebay for next to nothing. I bought an unlocked Motorola Razr for $50, brand new, and have used it all over the world for 5 years now. It's now old enough and ugly enough that even the thieves don't want it, but it works well.

As for calls home, I travel with a light laptop (now a MacBook Air) and use Skype for all my calls. Skype-to-phone calls are extremely cheap...less than 2¢ per minute.

[Lost In Loei]

Never use American phone service on international roaming. It is absolute theft. Did it a few times in Mexico at 2.50 per minute, plus the American call rate plus what ever the top line Mexican rate was. Ouch!!

I call the states all the time on my cell. An hour costs about $5. That is not in Thailand but I bet the rates are pretty similar.

Skype is a great way to keep in touch for free. If you want to call phones, it is about $6 per month unlimited to the US.

[ARFON]

The 2 issues as I see them are fistly, None of your friends/family back home will know how to contact you. Secondly how do you contact them? It took me about ten times visiting LOS for me to take my head out of my butt and invest 100Bt (~$3) in a sim card, a phone that makes calls & texts can be picked up for ~800Bt. A few texts to essential contacts & a re-recorded voicemail (e.G. "Hi, I'm currently deep undercover researching the flora & fauna of Thailand- honestly. I may be conntacted on +668Thaimobilenumber or email less urgent queries) will sort out the first. The 2nd is easy, pick up a cheap inernational call card or use skype. I no longer get 4 figure phone bills & the added bonus is if you meet a girl & she gets your Thai number nobody back home is gonna find out.

[Beerlao]

if you get to pattaya , you can get a sim card from any 7-11. these are pay as you go so just decide how
much you need and stick it in the card. you can use it for calling home by ringing 006 , 009 etc or just
use those red phoneboxes which are all over the place - sometimes the ladies there are very friendly as well !!!
You can also get a lenso card from 7-11 which you can use in any public phone for calling home.

[The Backpacker]

Rinzler, on 18 April 2011 - 09:06 PM, said:

Can anyone tell me what technology Thailand uses for its cell phones?
GSM? CDMA? 3G? 4G?

The networks in Thailand are all GSM / 3G.
You Verizon phone won't work in Thailand because its CDMA.

Like everyone else said, just buy a cheap GSM cell phone and a pre paid sim card.

[Darkside Apprentice]

coolroom, on 21 April 2011 - 01:21 AM, said:

if you get to pattaya , you can get a sim card from any 7-11. these are pay as you go so just decide how
much you need and stick it in the card. you can use it for calling home by ringing 006 , 009 etc or just
use those red phoneboxes which are all over the place - sometimes the ladies there are very friendly as well !!!
You can also get a lenso card from 7-11 which you can use in any public phone for calling home.

Are the rates better using a pre paid phone card? or will calling the US still stick you to $2.00/min in prepaid as well.

What is a red phone box?

[The Backpacker]

Darkside Apprentice, on 22 April 2011 - 05:42 PM, said:

Are the rates better using a pre paid phone card? or will calling the US still stick you to $2.00/min in prepaid as well.

Calling the US from a pre paid SIM card is not that expensive.
In the DTAC network, if you dial 004 before you number their regular rate to the US is 8 baht/min and now they have a promotion for 3 baht/min.
Way cheaper than 2$/min...

http://www.dtac.co.t...+_rate_004.html