Hi Mates,

This question has probably been posed and answered before, but I need to ask it again... Can I use my cell phone (purchased in the U.S.) to make calls from LOS back to the USA? It is a relatively new phone. I am technologically challenged, so I am clueless in this regard.

Can I just get a SIM card once I get to LOS and use my current phone, or do I need to purchase another phone upon arrival in LOS?

Thanks

If you phone is open to various network providers you should be able to use it in LOS.

Don't call home from LOS unless you want a huge phone bill, get a Thai SIM card for 100 baht and get 500 baht of credit, that normally does most people for a 2 week holiday.

Yeah you might need to get the phone unlocked too. Very easy to do.

Make sure your phone is GSM capable, companies like sprint don't work off of sim cards, then if its locked (99% chance it is) then just get someone a 2Com to unlock it for you when you get here, its cheap enough, you can even do it on line for most phones, for 20.00 bucks or so. Then go to a 7/11 and get a 1 2 call sim card kit, just remember the sim card does not have minutes on it, you need to purchase a top up card 100 or 300 baht to get started. Easily done mate.... enjoy your trip sir......

If you are planning to make International calls or text back home, I would suggest going to Big C or Tukcom for your SIM as the ones sold in 7-11 stores are generally for use on internal calls. I've made this mistake and couldn't figure out what was going wrong...friends back in the UK kept getting texts bounced and calls to the number failed.

That's not the case at all. You were probably just using the wrong prefixes.


If you want to save money, buy from the 7/11. The HAPPY Simple SIM is only 49 baht. Dial *1000 to change the default language to English.

Use the prefix 009 for your International calls. eg. 00944 for the UK or 0091 for the USA. For SMS, you have to use the + prefix, otherwise it won't work. eg +44 or +1.
5 baht per message on HAPPY. 9 baht on One2Call & TRUE MOVE.

Where can I buy the cheapest (no frills needed ... just calls and basic sms capability) cell phone in pattaya ... any pawn shops around there?

best bet is tukcom on south pattaya rd! phones galore

okay, let's say i've arrived in pattaya, purchased a sim card, phone credit, installed, and called home. they're going to ask "how do we get a hold of you?"

how does someone from the US call my thai phone number?

i'll bet dollars to donuts that someone has answered this question but i've been unable to find it.

thanks for any help

googling "thailand cell phone number" gives the below as one link:

http://reviews.ebay.com/Thailand-Cell-Phon...000000004077590

and it says:

The International country code for Thailand is 66, so anyone calling you from outside of Thailand need to add 66 before your number. Very important, if your phone is being called from outside of Thailand the caller must drop the 0 at the start of your number. So a US / Canada caller would dial 011 (International Access) plus 668x-xxx-xxxx.

If you want to call the US or Canada from your cell phone here in Thailand, you need to dial a international access code; 001 or 008 or 009 and then 1 (area code) (number). So for example to call a phone in Boston, Ma. You would dial 001-1-617-xxx-xxxx. The cost of placing calls is different for each access code; 001, is the best working and works with all numbers but cost the most per minute, 008 is the least costly per minute but does not always work, 009 cost a little more than 008 but not all numbers work. I would start with 008, then 009, and use 001 last.

Brand new SIM cards detach from a larger credit card sized piece of plastic. That piece of plastic should have some serial numbers/codes and your Thai (+66) phone number. Callers from outside Thailand will have to prefix the calls to your number with the Thai country code. +66-yournumber or 011-66-yournumber

Anyone know anything about GPRS/EDGE data coverage in LOS for smart phones? If GPRS data service is provided it's possible to use apps like Skype, Yahoo Messenger, web, etc. It would be nice to maybe leave the laptop at home.

Can you buy/pay for the extra/optional data service when you buy pre-paid SIM cards? Something you just buy at the 7-11?

Thanks

This post has been edited by SuperTireGuy: Apr 27 2008, 10:37 AM

I have two questions..

Can I get these sim cards at 7-11's in Bangkok, as I am landing there first and will be there for two days before I arrive in Pattaya.

I plan on getting the new 3G iPhone right before I leave the US for Thailand.... is it going to work? Will I need to get it unlocked? Can u even unlock that phone, lol....