Cell Phone in Thailand
Jan 7th, 2004, 02:46 PM
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Cell Phone in Thailand
I'm planning an extended trip to Thailand this July, and was wondering what is the best way to keep in touch with my office in New York? I've heard that buying or renting a cellphone may help (this suggestion was made for travel to Europe), but I'm wondering if I can get cellphone service in Thailand that can get to the US without costing an arm and a leg. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Jan 7th, 2004, 10:45 PM
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My initial reaction is that if it's for business I would stick to your U.S cellphone and make sure you can use internationaly, mainly for tax reasons, if you do business calls back to your office and it goes on your normal bill then your accountant is happy, buy a phone etc would be confusing accounting wise.
There 'are' places you can rent a phone but we never use them, we keep 2 cellphones if any visiting business client needs to borrow one. Buying one and all the paperwork ( house/business copies usually ) just not worth it.
Or use your AT&T card.
There 'are' places you can rent a phone but we never use them, we keep 2 cellphones if any visiting business client needs to borrow one. Buying one and all the paperwork ( house/business copies usually ) just not worth it.
Or use your AT&T card.
Jan 8th, 2004, 01:14 AM
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I am not at all sure that you can use a US phone in Thailand. I believe that the US uses a system that is totally different to the rest of the world.
However, I believe that phones are now available that will work with three systems, including the US system, so one of those should be OK. It is also necessary that the home phone company have a commercial agreement with a company in Thailand. For years, I could not use my Thai phone in Germany as no agreement existed.
I would think that the best advice would be from the US phone company involved.
However, I believe that phones are now available that will work with three systems, including the US system, so one of those should be OK. It is also necessary that the home phone company have a commercial agreement with a company in Thailand. For years, I could not use my Thai phone in Germany as no agreement existed.
I would think that the best advice would be from the US phone company involved.
Jan 8th, 2004, 02:50 AM
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Remember that with the time difference, it is hard to "stay in touch" with a NYC office from Thailand, as as the time difference is 13 hours in July. You will have to start calling at midnight to reach someone at 9am, which I can tell you from experience is not a fun way to spend your vacation. Consider using e-mail instead. If you just need to check voicemail, ask your assistant to do it and provide daily updates by e-mail on calls received. Internet cafes abound in Aisa and this may be the best way to stay in touch. Take a look at cybercafe.com for a list of internet cafes by city/country. Your hotel may have a business center or may otherwise offer free e-mail access to hotel guests.
If you still believe you need a mobile phone, first check the book that came with your current phone or call the manufacturer to confirm that your phone is dual or tri band (i.e., works in Asia and the US. Japan is on a whole different system so don't be concerned if the book says it won't work in Japan). If it is, follow the menu instructions to change bands once you arrive in Thailand.
If your phone is not a duel/tri band, consider buying one as you can use it worldwide and they are not expensive. AT&T will sell you a Noikia tri band for about $89 (as part of a calling plan). These are great phones.
If your phone will work in Thailand, you can simply add international calling to the calling plan you have with your US phone service provider. This will allow you to use the phone in Europe without inserting a European sim card. AT&T offers international calling for $2 or so a month, plus actual calling time. The drawback is that if you are making local calls within a country, you will essentially be paying international long distance rates, as the call will go through the US. However, if you are just going to use the phone for business calls to or from the US, this may be the simplest and easiest thing to do.
If you don't want to add international calling but instead want to purchase a local sim card chip and if you purchased your phone from a phone service provider like AT&T as part of the purchase of a calling plan, you will have to get them to unlock the phone so you can insert a local European sim card chip. it. In my experience, AT&T will not unlock any of the phones they sell with calling plans. (They want you to use their service worldwide.) I understand that T Mobile does agree to do this more readily. In either case, you have to call your provider to get them to unlock the phone. If you purchased the phone from a dealer and added your own calling plan, the dealer should be able to unlock the phone for you, but I don't have any experience with this so can't confirm it.
Even with a local chip, you will pay long-distance international charges to call the US. These may be more expensive than a US service provider would charge for the same call.
Renting phones is generally expensive in Aisa and not worth it IMO.
If you still believe you need a mobile phone, first check the book that came with your current phone or call the manufacturer to confirm that your phone is dual or tri band (i.e., works in Asia and the US. Japan is on a whole different system so don't be concerned if the book says it won't work in Japan). If it is, follow the menu instructions to change bands once you arrive in Thailand.
If your phone is not a duel/tri band, consider buying one as you can use it worldwide and they are not expensive. AT&T will sell you a Noikia tri band for about $89 (as part of a calling plan). These are great phones.
If your phone will work in Thailand, you can simply add international calling to the calling plan you have with your US phone service provider. This will allow you to use the phone in Europe without inserting a European sim card. AT&T offers international calling for $2 or so a month, plus actual calling time. The drawback is that if you are making local calls within a country, you will essentially be paying international long distance rates, as the call will go through the US. However, if you are just going to use the phone for business calls to or from the US, this may be the simplest and easiest thing to do.
If you don't want to add international calling but instead want to purchase a local sim card chip and if you purchased your phone from a phone service provider like AT&T as part of the purchase of a calling plan, you will have to get them to unlock the phone so you can insert a local European sim card chip. it. In my experience, AT&T will not unlock any of the phones they sell with calling plans. (They want you to use their service worldwide.) I understand that T Mobile does agree to do this more readily. In either case, you have to call your provider to get them to unlock the phone. If you purchased the phone from a dealer and added your own calling plan, the dealer should be able to unlock the phone for you, but I don't have any experience with this so can't confirm it.
Even with a local chip, you will pay long-distance international charges to call the US. These may be more expensive than a US service provider would charge for the same call.
Renting phones is generally expensive in Aisa and not worth it IMO.
Jan 8th, 2004, 07:21 PM
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if you want too buy a cell in thailand go too MBK mall and pic up some deals or check out the nokia outlets.. I have/had. a 1-2.call sim card by AIS which you could use too call internationaly.. you could get a decent phone and the whole set up for less then 150 or you can pick up a used phone.. I did so but it ended up being crap.. so stick to the new models if you choose too buy a phone in thailand...
tip.... so people bring phones from the US and have them unlocked.. this service is done in MBK mall..
tip.... so people bring phones from the US and have them unlocked.. this service is done in MBK mall..
Jan 9th, 2004, 12:45 AM
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I would not recommend that you have anyone but the manufacturer or the service provider from whom you bought the phone unlock a phone. I believe your warranty is voided if anyone else were to unlock the phone. Having lived in Asia a long time, I am wary of people tinkering with my technology unless they manufactured or sold it to me.. . .
Jan 9th, 2004, 10:37 AM
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I bought a motorola tri-band with service from t-mobile. I've used it in Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam. The service was seamless. There is a charge per minute which isn't cheap [$3. in Vietnam & Cambodia, $1.49 in Thailand & .99 cents in western Europe] BUT you don't have to buy a new phone or sim card PLUS pay for the international calls. Nor do you have the inconvenience of a new phone #. Also US folks calling you, since it is a US # are not paying international rates. I know other people have other arrangments and recommendations, but I'm content 
[The only downside for me was that local calls, say in Paris, are billed as international calls.]
[The only downside for me was that local calls, say in Paris, are billed as international calls.]
