UPDATE
DTAC services were restored on Phuket about 1.50pm.
Is Your Mobile Dead? Tell Us Via Comments
PHUKET: Mobile telephone services all over Phuket were cut off today with would-be callers reporting difficulties in provinces as far away as Nakhon Si Thammarat, on the Gulf of Thailand.
Perplexed callers on Phuket had their conversations suddenly cut. All of the southern provinces have been affected, Phuketwan has been able to confirm.
DTAC was said to have suffered a failure at its key signal centre in the province of Chumporn about 10am. An official said they were trying to rectify the problem.
Phuketwan, based on the holiday island of Phuket, relies on mobile telephones for communication.
Reporters and other staff were struggling along with other people to work out what was happening.
One reader in Surin, on Phuket's west coast, emailed that their mobile service had dropped out entirely.
Another in Chalong was able to sms to say: 'Trying to call you back but network busy. Strange!'
Strange and potentially disastrous. In all of Phuket's planning for natural disasters, the mobile telephone system is regarded as an essential.
Although there are fallback plans, most people on Phuket rely on their mobile telephones as the at-all-times means of communication.
At least Phuketwan and the Internet is still working. What's happening with mobile telephones where you are? Please tell us via Comments.
At Thalang I seem to be fine, have internet on 3BB, CAT CDMA. My phone is good on AIS and my galay tab good on AIS too. Hope you get your comms back.
Posted by Robin on August 28, 2012 12:15