Wireless Internet

[Guest]

I'm kinda in the dark ages when it comes to knowing about the cutting edge of internet capabilities...especially when it comes to Thailand.

 

 

 

As background, this is the situation: my khmer gf works in Poipet (Cambodia) but, cuz it's right next to Aranyaprathet, can use a Thai cell phone--which is a LOT cheaper for us than Cambo ones to use. I was wondering if it is possible to set up some kind of messaging conduit--say getting a small, hand-held puter of some type, signing up with an internet service that provides coverage for Aranyaprathet, and being able to send email messages back and forth. This would have to be some kind of "wireless" system.

 

 

 

Any contributions to this idea will be greatly appreciated.

[Guest]

Not sure if I understand you correctly, but if I do, then getting a couple of GPRS or WAP enabled phones (+ appropriate SIM) will allow you to send instant messages to each other via a Yahoo account. You can also send an collect up to 3 pop email accounts using Yahoo.

 

 

 

I use a Motorola Accompli 008 (which has a touch screen keypad), and a DTAC sim when Im in Thailand, and I can be in constant contact with my office, as well as accessing information on my server in the UK. I believe that now AIS offer a sim only product, so you now have a choice of network provider

 

 

 

 

 

The DTAC sim costs around 3000BT to buy, and you get 250mins talk time included. This means that even if you chose not to get GPRS, you can use these mins to collect your messages using a WAP connection

 

 

 

Be careful if trying to use DTAC as a GPRS modem for a laptop to collect mail.. this does not work as advertised. This is not a problem with the technology, just DTAC poor service!

 

 

 

Let me know if any of this is unclear, as it took me a little while to get my head round it also. On the other hand, I may have totally misunderstood what you were asking

 

 

 

Regards,

 

DD

[Guest]

First, I want to thank you for your willingness to help me to navigate what is, to me, "uncharted territory" :-)

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure you understand what I'm interested in, based upon my very limited knowledge of cell phones, internet capabilities, and communications technology in general.

 

 

 

That having been said, I don't have a clue as to what "GPRS" and "WAP" are. And I'm not sure I really need to know. I also don't know what a "Motorola Accompli 8" is--but it sounds like I should know :-)

 

 

 

Basically, I want to be able to "relatively" inexpensively trade email messages with her--preferably being able to compose "off line" and then connecting and sending. (No problem here in the U.S. where I pay a flat rate per month, but "per minute" charges for telephone usage in Thailand can add up fast.) She's computer literate and we used to trade emails almost daily when she was going to school in BKK, so that's not an issue. I would like to be able to send her a message from my computer here and have her be able to retrieve via a connection in Aranyaprathet/Poipet. Aside from emails, the only other possible usage would be to "real-time" chat via Yahoo Messenger (although that could get expensive too--she likes to talk and her English, while good, is her 3rd language). You may PM me if u wish or post here, if you have any other specific suggestions. It's pretty interesting, from an uneducated one's point of view :-) I have to think that there are others similarly situated !!!

 

 

 

Thanks again.

[Guest]

You might want to look at ICQ ("I Seek You"):

 

 

 

http://web.icq.com/sms/

 

 

 

Sign up for ICQ (free) and you can send her SMS ("Short Messaging Service") messages from your computer to her cell phone (free). She would pay a small charge for sending SMS to you. Messages can be up to 160 characters each.

[adikgede]

I have to echo that SMS seems to be the best choice. Cheap and simple. If she has a hp she is probably alreay SMSing her friends, after all it is cheaper than real time talking, which is why it is so popular. If your feeling cramped there are phones with a snap-on keyboard, and phones with larger displays like the Ericsson t65 and Siemans C45 are about $100. Both support GPRS by the way. GPRS has its limitations though. Even if you set up pop mail with it the phones memory is probably going to be too small for lengthy messages so you will be reconnecting when you hit the more button. The advantage of the PC connection is being able to use your hp as a modem and the included softeare may allow you to type sms messages from the keyboard. GPRS is 115kbs, but most phones are rated at less than half of that and the providor may also be restricting bandwidth as GPRS is pretty resource intensive on their end. The Siemans phones come with a cable down here, and that may also be the case in LOS. The Ericsson cable is about $50 retail, unless there is a third party cable that is cheaper. Otherwise your PC will need an Infrared port. The downside of connecting to a PC is that you have to have and then set up the PC, never so handy as a handy. Yahoo POP access is a pay service, although I have heard it is still free in some domains. You can still get to yahoo mail via WAP and Yahoo Messanger as well. Check and see if the providor doesn't have a sms gateway on their website. Look through the old posts to see which sms gateways will work in LOS.

[Guest]

Thanks for the tip. Went to the site, downloaded the software, and sent a message to her phone. Not sure it got through. I do know that she gets messages from her brother who is going to school in Phnom Penh, so, hopefully she will be surprised to get one from me :-)

 

 

 

Thanks again...will be talking to her in a few days and let you know if my message got to her.

[Guest]

Hope that works for you.

 

 

 

Also note that you don't need the ICQ software to send SMS once you've signed-up for ICQ. You can go to that ICQ website I posted and send from there. So you can use any computer to do it now, not just the one where you have ICQ installed.

 

 

 

The ICQ software is seriously bloated, so using the web interface might be better.

[Guest]

"Cheap and simple"--sounds good to me :-) I tried the messaging option last night (before a power outage hit here for a few hours). Hoping it got through. In any case, thanks for your willingness to spend the time to provide some insight as to other options. I intend to explore those also. I'm sure that I'll be learning more...kind of easy to do when I know "zilch" about this. (maybe "zilch" should've been my nickname here). :-)) Anyway, thanks again.

[gummigut]

Dtac has hooked up with yahoo messenger.

 

 

 

From a Dtac phone she can send you a yahoo message. From her phone she can also check her email.

 

 

 

Given spam mail, I wouldn't suggest she reads her email on her phone, but she can send you her message and you can send your messages via SMS to her.

 

 

 

<<burp>>

[Guest]

My opinion is that SMS is actually very expensive. For example; 3-5bt per min for voice calls, vs 9bt for an SMS. I know that you can get promotional SMS bundles, but they revert to 9bt after 3 months.

 

If you send an A4 page every day, this is around 2k characters which would take 12.5 sms to send. This gives a cost of 3375 Bt every month.

 

You could send unlimited emails and instant messages, direct to her hand, 24x7 by getting a GPRS phone. If you choose a suitable phone with a touch screen key pad, or buy a snap on keyboard, you can have the 24x7 convenience, with nominal cost.

 

This solution could also be used to connect a laptop to the net, as previously described using an IR, Bluetooth, or Serial port connection.

 

 

 

Yahoo.co.uk accounts are free, and allow you to retrieve three POP3 mail accounts. This would allow your friend to retrieve emails. Yahoo instant messenger can be used to send instant messages.

 

 

 

Im bringing a Nokia 7650 to give to my friend to do exactly what you describe. Note that almost all the new Nokia phones are GPRS enabled now, and are very cheap in the UK.

 

 

 

In summary, ask your friend to buy a Nokia handset, and get it connected to GPRS. Then both you and her get yourselves yahoo mail accounts. Finally, ask her to visit "http://uk.mobile.yahoo.com/wap/ " on her phone, and follow the instructions.

 

 

 

Best Regards,

 

 

 

 

 

DD