TRUE MOVE

Coverage: Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai

Quick start:

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DTAC Happy

Coverage: Major cities in Thailand

Quick Start:

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AIS 12Call

Quick Start:

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How to get one

You can find a free SIM card as you exit your flight when arriving in Thailand at one of the international airports.  They are usually handed out by a representative of the airport.

For more information visit True Move Inter SIM.   True Move call center: 1331 or +668 9100 1331 or +668 2000 3333.  No contract or credit check required.

For numbers from the rest of the world,  Phone.com has numbers from 41 countries. For  $4.88/Month:

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Greece
• Hungary
• Israel
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom

For $12.88/Month:

• Argentina
• Bahrain
• Brazil
• Chile
• El Salvador
• Georgia
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Mexico
• New Zealand
• Panama
• Peru
• Puerto Rico
• Spain

Once you have the number from a country of your choice, you can forward it anywhere in the world.

Thai mobile phone numbers are currently 10 digits starting with an 08. As of July 2011, mobile numbers are now being sold in the format 09-xxxx-xxxx.

• Dialing a mobile number with in Thailand (10 digits):   08-1234-5678
• Dialing a land line number with in Thailand (10 digits):  02-1234-5678
• Dialing a Thai number from outside Thailand on a mobile phone (remove the 0 and add the country code):  +668-1234-5678
• Dialing a Thai number from outside Thailand alternate formats:  00668-1234-5678
• Thailand country code is:  66
• The prefix for all mobile phones is:  08
• The prefix for all land lines is:  02

Tip:  When entering a Thai number in your mobile phone, always start it with +668.  This assures that when roaming in any country, you can dial the number and it will be understood in any country.

• AIS Call Center: +662-271-9000
• DTAC Call Center:+662-202-7000
• TrueMove Call Center: +668-9100-1331

I picked up the Dlink the other day from Fortune Town, for 4,400 THB as I had hoped this would solve some of my connectivity issues.  By almost all accounts, it did.   If you don’t know what this gadget is, well, it’s a portable WiFi hot spot, using the cell networks to provide an internet connection to your WiFi enable devices like laptops, phones,  and iPads.  I replaces the need for air cards.

I put in a True SIM card and signed up for the 100MB package for 199 THB.  No real configuration to get going, as the router has an auto config mode.  I did set up the WPA right away, as I didn’t want leachers using up my 100 MB allotment.

Speeds were great and I was rarely reminded I was using the cell network.  I made one international Skype call for 20 minutes with reasonable quality.

It uses the same Dlink interface as their other router products. The advanced tab offers Port forwarding, Filter rules, MAC address filter, Firewall and File sharing.  The file sharing is really the most interesting feature:

The File Sharing menu is used to provide a server name and folder name for file sharing with client connected to the DIR-457U. The DIR-457U uses the Samba protocol for network file sharing. In order to use this feature, a micro SD memory card must first be installed [and formatted] on the DIR-457U.

The battery life out of the box ends up being 2.5 hours.  That’s pretty sad really given the device’s limited duties.  It comes with a USB cable and wall charger, so charging and power is not really a problem.

The device is basic and as one button for start up and power off.   The SIM and SD card go in slots under the cover:

A shot of the admin interface when connected:

Pros:

• Small simple package
• USB charging
• Can charge and use a the same time
• Great speeds with True 3G
• SD card reader
• WPA/WPA2 wireless encryption

Cons:

• 2.5 hour battery life
• Larger than it needs to be
• Doesn’t take micro sims
• No power off control in the admin
• The single button is not responsive

Conclusion: Good connectivity, but the reality is you still need to have a USB power source close by.  With the amount of restarts needed and the need for a power source nearby, I’d suggest looking at other brands.

Data Plans

Here are the True Move data plans (3G/EDGE/GPRS) as of Jan 05, 2012:

Notice that you can text the code to 9789.  So you could type “V2” and SMS it to 9789 to sign up for a package.   To turn it off you would type “CV2“.  (Also note the last column should say service fee per month)

Keypress Codes

• Refill your credit: *123*top up number#
• Balance check: #123#
• Show your number: *833#
• Check promotion: *835#
• Switch Promotion: 9305
• Change Language: 9304
• TrueMove Care: 1331 (3 baht per call)  or +66-8-9100-1331
• Extend Validity: *9344 (3 baht per call)
• Activate new SIM card: 9302  or #110#
• Low cost call: 00600+Country Code+Area Code+Destination Number
• First call: 006+Country Code+Area Code+Destination Number
• Get free wifi: Text “wifi” to 9433  (username and pass will be sent via sms)
• Buy WiFi for one day: Text “1day” to 9434
• Sign up of WiFi / EDGE / GPRS / 3G: *9000
• Change Language: 9304
• Activate GPRS: 9779

Pros and Cons

Not sure about the True Move network? Here’s our take:

Pros

• 3G data speeds in Bangkok and Phuket
• WiFi connection with True hot spots
• Promotions across their products (cable/sat tv, internet and land line)
• They are the 3rd place phone network – cheaper and try harder
• Cheapest & fastest data plan (for now)
• Offer micro-sims
• Fixed price international data roaming

Cons

• 3rd place in nationwide coverage
• Poor customer support
• Poor English language support
• No unlimited data plan
• No online SIM management

Want to try? Visit the home page and enter in the 10 digit (08-xxxx-xxxx) 12Call phone number you would like to top up and follow the steps.   First time users are restricted to 100 Baht per time top up credits, but if you become verified, you can choose up to 800 baht per time and also order top up codes – which are sent instantly.

DTAC Happy

Adding *9 returns English language.  So *101# would give a Thai message. *101*9# would be in English.

• Check your remaining balance – Press: *101*9# or *101#
• Check your GPRS/EDGE/3G credit – Press: *101*4*9#
• Check your SMS credit – Press: *101*2*9#
• Find out your phone number – Press: *102*9#
• Check your Promotion – Press: *103*9# – Switch plans IVR: Press *1003
• Current and last month’s usage – Press *108*9#
• Emergency refill service – Press *110*9#
• Extend Validity – Press : *113*[number of days 30/60/90/180]*9# Example: *113*180*9# for  180 day extension.  2 Baht per month.
• Wrong number Refund service – Keypress:*111*9# – IVR:*1011
• Emergency Call Me Back service – Press: *114*10_digits_number_you_want_to_contact*9# – IVR:*1490
• Turn on IR (International Roaming):Press: *118*9# or *1018
• Check the price of a call to any country – Press: 004 international_number_to_call
• Send money from PostPaid phone to a prepaid Happy phone – IVR: *1411Press : *141*happy_number*amount# Amounts: 20, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500
• Live Thai to  English translation service: IVR: *1021
• Check remaining balance of your internet package – *101*4*9#
• Data Packages

AIS 12Call

• *120 KeyPress:*120*_Top-up-code_# – Add Credit – IVR
• *121 or Press: *121# – Check your remaining balance
• *121*1# – Check your bonus balance.
• *125  or  Press *125*1# – Turn on International Roaming
• *545# – Get your own phone number
• *139# – Check remaining SMS/GPRS/WiFi balance
• *777 – Change Promotion
• *120 Call: 900120 – Activate new SIM
• *292* 12call number *amount # (20, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 thb) – Transfer credit from AIS Post Paid to 12Call
  
• *140 or *140*1* 12call number*amount# (10,20, 50, 100 thb) – Transfer credit to another user
• *500*9# – Add 30 days validity for 30 THB on Mao Mao package
• Data Packages

AIS 1-2-Call International Calling with 005 and 00500 (cheaper)

Dial 005 or 00500 before the number to use these calling rates from AIN Globelines service.  Example: AUSTRALIA Dial 00500 > 61 14 XXXXXXX = 7 Baht / Min.  All keypress codes free.

• Check “00500″ call rate to another country – Press *005*0*country code#
• Check “500″ call rate to another country – Press: *500*1*country code#
• Return address and phone number of the countries embassy – Press: *500*2*country code#
• Check the cost of your most recent 005 international call – Press: *500*3#
• Check current time in countries time zone – Press: *500*3*country code#

True Move Keypress Codes

• Refill your credit – Press: *123*top up number#
• Balance check – Press: #123#
• Show your number – Press: *833#  or 99
• Extend Validity – Call: *9344 (3 baht per call)
• Check promotion – Press: *835#
• Switch Promotion – Call: 9305
• Change Language – Call: 9304
• TrueMove Care – Call: 1331 (3 baht per call)  or +66-8-9100-1331
• Activate new SIM card: 9302or #110#
• Low cost call: 00600+Country Code+Area Code+Destination Number
• First call: 006+Country Code+Area Code+Destination Number
• Get free wifi: Text “wifi” to 9433< (username and pass will be sent via sms)
• Buy WiFi for one day: Text “1day” to 9434
• Sign up of WiFi / EDGE / GPRS / 3G: *9000
• Change Language: 9304
• Activate GPRS: 9779
• Data packages