Map of internet connections in Thailand (NECTEC Thailand):
http://iir.ngi.nectec.or.th/internet/map/firstpage.html ADSL in Thailand
In the meantime, the possibility to receive quick internet access using ADSL exists almost everywhere in Thailand. The customer is provided with a splitter which is applied to an existing telephone connection. On the one hand, this splitter sends the data traffic to the PC and on the other hand, the telephone calls to the phone apparatus. Phone and Data transfer work independently of each other. Thus a telephone call or a fax transmission is
possible while surfing the internet. Because the data connection does not take place using the technology of the telephone network, the dial-up fees of a telephone call do not result, which is usual of an analogue modem. However, the circuit length of the telephone line has a big influence on the possible data transfer. The longest possible circuit length for an ADSL company might lie at approx. 5.5 kms. In remote areas this restriction will sometimes make ADSL use impossible. The possible
transmission speed continuously decreases according to the distance to the phone agency. The internet providers often offer different tariffs with the same transmission rates which only seem to differ in price. Besides the price, the difference usually lies in the so-called Content Ratio. This specialist term expresses how strongly the provider loads the ADSL technology when loaded by multiple users. That means that a Content Ratio of 50 for
example, means that 50 customers must divide the bandwidth. This results in internet “rush hours” and bottlenecks which lead to tantalizingly slow page construction. - Content Ratio up to 10 = excellent
- Content Ratio up to 30 = good
- Content Ratio up to 50 = fair to poor (according to demand)
Unfortunately, these values are barely listed in the company’s literature. It would presumably be simply too deterrent for the customer. CS-Loxinfo informed me about the values of their ADSL rates upon request (status on 17th of July, 2005): - DSL BASIC 256/128 for 990 Baht = Content Ratio 50
- DSL-Advance 256/128 for 1500 Baht = Content Ratio 30
- DSL-Pro 256/128 for 4500 Baht = Content Ratio 10
For commercial customers, there are special rates with a Content Ratio of 1 which are of course very expensive.
Further information on ADSL in Thailand: http://www.adslthailand.com
Here you can check with the providers whether the connection range ADSL is technically possible.
The Thai
CAT Telecoms Public Company Limited offers a DSL connection to “Hi Net Broadband Internet”, independent of a traditional telephone account. The data rate is up to 2/1 M bps. However, with international Internet traffic, this rate will rarely be available. In areas in which the existing telephone companies have range problems, the CAT connection can be very useful, since the CAT uses their own switching centres, which may, with some luck, overcome the range issue.
http://www.cat.net.th/hinet/ ISDN in Thailand
In the inner city areas of many larger cities, there is now the possibility to receive ISDN connections. ISDN deals with a special telephone connection, which needs special telephone systems and/or telephone apparatus. Each ISDN connection has 2 available channels, which can be used at the same time. E.g. one channel can be used for the telephone
and the other channel can be used at the same time for data transfer. Two telephone and two computers can be used in exactly the same way. The data transmission rate is, with 64 k bit, faster than a connection by modem. Compared with ADSL the possible speed is nevertheless very modest. The technology is also more expensive than with ADSL. For companies, who want to operate an ISDN telephone system, ISDN makes sense. It is possible to redirect incoming calls terminals, for example, along with
lots of other features. However the private user will probably prefer ADSL. Satellite-Internet-ipSTAR
Outside of the townships, ADSL is hardly possible. For those who find the modem connection to slow, there is the possibility to upgrade to the satellite internet provider, ipStar. This service uses satellite links for both incoming and outgoing data traffic. Therefore no further telephone connections are
required. It is very pleasant that no dialling is required. You can be online 24 hours a day and have quick access to the internet at all times. My own experiences with ipStar:
I used ipStar between July 2004 and September 2005. After my application for the service, I received the ipStar box and installation of the satellite antennae within one week. I quickly found out that a permanent and reliable data rate did not
seem to be the strength of this provider. Unfortunately surfing the internet was subjectively not faster than the modem connection. However, with downloads and uploads, there was an extreme difference. I did have a few short disturbances for a few minutes. This was not so tragic for my internet activities, as I could continue my activities at a later date. People who are dealing on stock exchange might have a few problems. It was, however, a step in the right direction from the standard modem
connection. I wondered why the ipStar-Box became very warm. In a tropical, hot country like Thailand, I could not imagine that that could not go on long without any negative conclusions. Just as I had feared, the ipStar-Box had a total breakdown a few months later. After I swapped the box, ipStar worked just like before. The Hotline staff was very friendly but did take a long time to deal with the exchange. In August 2005, the ipStar-Box gave up the ghost once again. This time, the hotline
could not be moved into helping me. As there was no improvement in sight after several e-mails and telephone calls, I gave up annoyed after 3 weeks and cancelled my contract. In conclusion, I can only conclude that the idea of an internet connection by satellite is convincing, but at least in my case, failed due to the lack of effort by the staff. The fact that my internet connection was not fixed within 3 weeks, is an inexcusable grievance.
http://www.csloxinfo.com/broadband/ipstar_en.asp Wireless wideband connection GPRS
In the meantime, the possibility also exists for surfing the Internet even if no telephone line is available. Mobile phone technology is used in the operation mode GPRS. GPRS involves the construction of several connections at the same time, therefore providing a relatively high transmission
speed. According to the provider, this technology should be nearly three times faster than a normal modem connection (up to 153 kbps). Experiments carried out in Germany proved practical results of 60-70 kbps. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPRS
http://www.hutch.co.th/broadband/index_en.htm
http://www.mobilelife.co.th/mobilelife/th/act_gprs.html
http://www.truemove.com
http://www.mobilelife.co.th EDGE
Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, or EDGE, is a digital mobile phone technology which acts as a bolt-on enhancement to GPRS networks. EDGE can carry data speeds up
to 236.8 kbit/s for 4 time slots in packet mode. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDGE
http://edgethailand.com
http://www.dtac.co.th/index_en.php 3G
In Thailand you should install (depending on the
mode) a 3G, technology comparable with a UMTS, with a connection rate of 384 kbps - 2 Mbps. The Thai cell phone provider AIS provides adequate and regular, if not a complete service, e in densely populated areas. On May 3, 2008 AIS started a pilot program in Chiangmai. However, complete coverage at this time (2008) is not foreseeable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3G WiFi hot spots
Modern notebooks are usually equipped with integrated components to use the internet in a cordless network company. Normal Desktop-PC's can of course be re-equipped to accept this technology. In the vicinity of some hundred meters around the WiFi hot spots, wireless contact with the internet is possible. Most WiFi hot spots are to be found in Bangkok as well as in tourist centres (airports, large hotels) The following homepage offers a location list of the WiFi hot spots:
http://www.wi-fihotspotlist.com/browse/intl/2000038 Wimax
This is a solution which is similar to the WiFi hot spots, but with a much wider scope (max. 50km). It has been reported in computer magazines, that the computer chip giant Intel is planning, in co-operation with True,
a trial run of this technology in the provinces Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai und Roi Et. Speculation about real operation is probably a bit too early at this stage. Cable TV network
Thai cable TV network providers have finally noticed that their infrastructure can be used and is suitable for providing internet connections. A splitter separates the TV cable between the television and the so-called cable LAN adaptor. This adaptor then
allows internet communication with the PC. Data transmission measurement rate
The data transmission rate, which is indicated in the tool border in Windows, only shows the speed between your PC and your internet provider. The performance of the actual network connection is not considered at all. With following links you can determine the current data transmission rate:
http://www.speedtest.net
A few tests, which are of course not representative: - csloxinfo 02.01.2005, 11 o clock 15 = 38 kbps (Modem)
- Asia Net 08.02.2005, 14 o clock 45 = 41 kbps (Modem)
- iPSTAR 08.02.2005, 14 o clock 39 = 173 kbps (Satellit)
-
csloxinfo 17.07.2005, 18 o clock 44 = 212 kbps (DSL-Basic 256/128)
- Maxnet 19.06.2006, 15 o clock 00 = 168 kbps (Maxnet for Life 256/128)
- AIS 17.07.2006, 15 o clock 30 = 37 kbps (GPRS)
- CAT 30.11.2007, 17 o clock 10 = 676 kbps (HiNet 2MBit/s)
-
CAT 25.08.2008, 15 o clock 35 = 940 kbps (HiNet 2MBit/s)
- Supernet 25.08.2008, 15 o clock 38 = 40 kbps (TV-Cable)
Problems with POP/SMTP E-mail accounts
In Thailand, lots of internet users a problem with sending e-mails by SMTP. Instead of sending the e-mails, the attempt only results in an error (e.g. Socket error 10060 error number
0X800C...). The problem often lies in the fact that the internet provider uses Port 587 instead of the Port 25 which is usually the standard set-up in all e-mail programs. For this reason, it is worth trying swapping over to port 587.
I would like to make this more clear using an Outlook Express example:
Tools > Accounts > Properties > Advanced
Transfer from 25 to 587 in Outgoing mail (SMTP)
If this does not
work, there is always the emergency solution of using a foreign network SMTP-server, e.g. the ones offered by your internet provider. Setup in Outlook Express:
Tools > Accounts > Properties > Servers
Enter the necessary server under Outgoing mail (SMTP) for example: Unfortunately the above instruction also has a major disadvantage. When sending e-mails from such foreign SMTP-Servers, there is always the danger that the spam filter program of the receiver will filter them out as unwanted mails. However if you cannot avoid using such an emergency solution, it would make sense to tell the recipient to take your e-mail address into his positive list of contacts in his spam filter.
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Internet in Thailand
