iPad Mini: Mini... Buy at Apple Store or Verizon?

[jayes]

Learned something new today as I was on a quest for a LTE Mini on VZN. If you buy from the Apple store, you are able to sign up for a 1 gb plan (per their website) for $20 a month. If you buy at the VZN store, you have to sign up for their 2 gb for $30 plan. The 2 gb for $30 is also available from Apple.

I was bummed because I actually found one at the VZN store... but refused to pay for more data than I need. We have an ipad2 (bought at Apple last year) that never goes over its 1 gb per month.

If I were to put the two ipads (mini and standard) on a VZN share plan (exclusive of my phone contract) it would be $50 a month. The VZN guy told me that it's because the mini is on LTE.. that is why it's more expensive. That does not match up to Apple information. Can anyone who has purchased from Apple verify that the Apple version does have that 1 gb option?

I never thought there was a difference in where you purchased, but evidently there is. I wonder if there is a difference in phone prices in terms of where it is purchased.

And no luck at Apple.. ended up ordering a mini online with a Jan 4th delivery.

[tymaster50]

Originally Posted by jayes

Learned something new today as I was on a quest for a LTE Mini on VZN. If you buy from the Apple store, you are able to sign up for a 1 gb plan (per their website) for $20 a month. If you buy at the VZN store, you have to sign up for their 2 gb for $30 plan. The 2 gb for $30 is also available from Apple.

I was bummed because I actually found one at the VZN store... but refused to pay for more data than I need. We have an ipad2 (bought at Apple last year) that never goes over its 1 gb per month.

If I were to put the two ipads (mini and standard) on a VZN share plan (exclusive of my phone contract) it would be $50 a month. The VZN guy told me that it's because the mini is on LTE.. that is why it's more expensive. That does not match up to Apple information. Can anyone who has purchased from Apple verify that the Apple version does have that 1 gb option?

I never thought there was a difference in where you purchased, but evidently there is. I wonder if there is a difference in phone prices in terms of where it is purchased.

And no luck at Apple.. ended up ordering a mini online with a Jan 4th delivery.

Dang, Jan 4th? I wonder why shipping says 1 week but it gave you like 2. But your best bet is to just call Apple directly.

[davideotape]

I never heard of this. I bought my mini at a verizon store and i have the $20 1gig prepaid plan. You should be able to just buy the device outright, take it home or to a coffee shop and activate a prepaid plan directly from the device.

[jayes]

Originally Posted by davideotape

I never heard of this. I bought my mini at a verizon store and i have the $20 1gig prepaid plan. You should be able to just buy the device outright, take it home or to a coffee shop and activate a prepaid plan directly from the device.

I agree with you. Went round and round with manager. Showed them Apple site showing 1gb for $20. They would not sell it to me unless I agreed to 2gb for $30. I asked if i could turn it off when I got home and opt for the lesser data. I did not want to chance being stuck with more than I needed. I would not be surprised if they truly did not know.

[davideotape]

I think they might have been giving you the hard sell. Didyou go to more than one verizon store?

[jayes]

Originally Posted by davideotape

I think they might have been giving you the hard sell. Didyou go to more than one verizon store?

No. Only one store had stock. I spoke to two people today at my local store One more last night when I went in the first time. All three said the same thing. They could not sell me a mini without a plan. And that the mini from VZN did not support 1 gb plan. Clearly not true. Think I will call VZN customer service. Time to verify what they told me.