Internet Solutions in Southern Thailand Introduction: Finding a low cost and reliable internet connection in Southern Thailand can be a difficult task. Here we attempt to explain all of your options and also provide you with our honest opinion of each service. NET Seven Networks is not an Internet Service Provider, but we do provide installation services and help locals with getting connected. Please contact us if you require any assistance. ADSL: Considering all alternatives, ADSL is probably your best option for Internet connectivity. To get ADSL you need a phone line. Unfortunately many people in Phuket do not yet have phone lines. If you would to attempt getting a phone we suggest asking TT&T first as they have they seem to have the fastest turn-around. If you can't get a phone line, see our WiFi section below about how you can share with neighbors. For your ADSL service, we also recommend going through TT&T. Why? Because you'll be waiting 2-3 months if you go with TOT. If you already have a TOT phone line you're welcome to give it a shot, but in most cases it's quicker to get a new TT&T phone line and then apply for ADSL through TT&T. Now lets go over the different options you have when choose a service. The first thing you will come across is speed which is defined by a download and an upload speed. Regular Internet users generally only need to be concerned with the download speed. Before jumping to conclusions with the downoad speed you should investigate the user ratio - which some ISPs do not even tell you upfront that the bandwidth advertised with the service is shared! The higher the user ratio, the less of that bandwidth you have. A 256K line shared with 5 people will probably have better service than a 1024K or 2048K line shared with 50 people! Next we move on to price. Price is important, but it should be the LAST thing you consider! There is a reason why the new 1024 and 2048 services are so cheap! The user ratios are high, and the service is not very reliable. TOT Plan Down/Up Speed User Ratio Monthly Cost Super 256/128 ?:? ฿500 Siilver 512/256 ?:? ฿700 Gold 1024/256 ?:? ฿1,000 If anyone has anything good to say about TOT's servcies please send us an email because we haven't heard anything good yet. We have only heard of people waiting 2-3 months to get the service, and once they get it the service is too unreliable. TT&T Plan Down/Up Speed User Ratio Monthly Cost JI-NET 128/64 1:10 ฿? 256/128 ฿1,659 512/256 ฿2,622 128/64 1:5 ฿? 256/128 ฿3,500 512/256 ฿6,000 128/128 1:2 ฿5,350 256/256 ฿9,523 512/512 ฿17,013 KSC 128/64 1:5 ฿2,675 256/128 ฿4,815 512/256 ฿8,025 128/128 1:2 ฿9,523 256/256 ฿17,013 512/512 ฿28,783 Loxinfo 128/64 1:5 ฿5,350 256/128 ฿9,630 256/128 1:50 ฿1,605 CAT 2048/? 1:50 ฿1,000 JI-NET, KSC, and Loxinfo are all well established ISPs that do not have many problems. CAT's service is cheap, but has regular connectivity problems that last from 1 hour to a few days. For regular home use, considering speed, user ratio, and price, we suggest using one of JI-NET's 1:10 or 1:5 ratio services. For business use, we recommend JI-NET or KSC or Loxinfo's 1:2 user ratio service. Satellite: Satellite, although a lot more expensive than ADSL, is probably the next best alternative for people who do not have phone lines. IPStar can be good for downloading, but relaying the data from your dish, to the satellite, and back down again does cause a noticable lag when browsing the web. Rain can sometimes affect your connection and may sometimes cut out connectivity altogether. Recenly people have been complaining about slowness during peak times in the late afternoon and again in the late evening. While there are a few negative aspects of the serice, if you're tired of dial-up, IPStar is probably the next best alternative for those who do not have phone lines. When looking at the information in below remember to look at the speed and ratio first! We will say it a again - there is a reason why some faster lines are cheaper - it's because of the hidden user ratio they don't tell you about that makes you wonder why the service is slow and intermittent! IPStar - Installation fee of 15,000 Baht Plan Down/Up Speed User Ratio Data per Month Monthly Cost Extra Data Star Express (Home & SOHO) 256/128 ? 750 MB 3,000 2.5 Baht Per MB 1,536 MB 4,500 3,072 MB 7,000 7,168 MB 12,500 15,360 MB 22,000 512/128 ? 1.5 GB 5,000 3.0 GB 8,000 6.0 GB 15,000 Star Surf Light 256/64 ? Unlimited 9,500   Star Link (Corporate) 64/32 1:1 Unlimited 20,000   128/64 1:1 35,000 256/128 1:1 60,000 GPRS: GPRS uses your cell phone or GPRS modem to connect to the Internet. The benefit here is that you have an internet connection anywhere your mobile provider has coverage. On the negative side, speeds are generally under 30Kbps (slower than dial-up) and surfing the web can sometimes become frustrating. Both DTAC and AIS provide a GPRS service. Prices range from 1000-1200B per month for unlimited access. Please call your provider from your mobile phone for more information. WiFi: For those of you who can not get a phone and don't feel like paying for a satellite connection on your own WiFi may be the solution for you. WiFi will allow you to share an ADSL or satellite internet conenction with nearby neighbors. Wireless range varies with each environement but 25-50 meters, or 3-4 walls can be used as a guideline. Distances of 1-2 kilometers can be achived with special antennas. Please contact us for a site survey if you are interested in sharing an Internet connection with your neighbors.