All iPads: Verizon iPad Data only plans

[E3BK]

I decided that my new iPad needed to have data service as my old WiFi iPad wasn't enough for my personal needs. I was just wondering what plans people decided to go with. This is for Verizon iPads only.

Currently, I have the $30/2GB pre-paid plan but considering the Share everything plan even though the iPad is my only device w/ Verizon. It's $30/4GB + $10 for the device so really, $40/4GB, double what I'm getting now. If I go over my 2GB plan, I have to pay $10 for an additional 1GB anyway and losing out on 1Gb. There will be times where I know I'll need it, times when I don't.

Other than the obvious increased allotment of data + $10, are there any other benefits or drawbacks to signing up for the Shared plan? Meaning, are there other services available? Under pre-paid, it says " Prepaid Mobile Broadband Plans do not include Verizon Wi—Fi Access, Text Messaging or roaming." So it leads me to think I would get all of that under a shared plan?

It didn't look like the I had to sign up for 2 year service since it isn't subsidized (and purchased directly from Apple). How easy is it to put svc on hold if you're on the share everything plan? What I like about the pre-paid plan is that I can turn it on/off when I need or if I'm out of the country for a bit and there aren't any activation charges. I'm not sure if the same can be said of the shared plan.

Anyone have helpful thoughts/comments?

[dbdynsty25]

I personally just use the $20 1GB plan and keep it separate from my phone data plans. That way it's easier to monitor my usage on the device and if I need to tack on another GB I can just pay the $10 and be done with it. I'm contemplating going back and just doing the family share thing, but I can't get by on 3GB of data so my costs would be nearly identical to keeping them separate. So ease of use wins out and I keep them separate for that reason.

[E3BK]

Originally Posted by dbdynsty25

I personally just use the $20 1GB plan and keep it separate from my phone data plans. That way it's easier to monitor my usage on the device and if I need to tack on another GB I can just pay the $10 and be done with it. I'm contemplating going back and just doing the family share thing, but I can't get by on 3GB of data so my costs would be nearly identical to keeping them separate. So ease of use wins out and I keep them separate for that reason.

Are there features available on the iPad shared data plan not available on the pre-paid plan? Like texting or use of Verizon WiFi? Per my original post, there was a disclaimer on the pre-paid plan that you would NOT get these so it makes it seem like you would under the shared plan. Is there activation fee when you add/readd the iPad to the shared plan? Is there a contract on the shared plan if you bought your device directly from Apple?

I have an AT&T iPhone w/ unlimited data and plan on keeping it for as long as I can so it would only be the iPad on the Verizon data plan and I've never had Verizon service before.

[dbdynsty25]

Originally Posted by E3BK

Are there features available on the iPad shared data plan not available on the pre-paid plan? Like texting or use of Verizon WiFi? Per my original post, there was a disclaimer on the pre-paid plan that you would NOT get these so it makes it seem like you would under the shared plan. Is there activation fee when you add/readd the iPad to the shared plan? Is there a contract on the shared plan if you bought your device directly from Apple?

I have an AT&T iPhone w/ unlimited data and plan on keeping it for as long as I can so it would only be the iPad on the Verizon data plan and I've never had Verizon service before.

Your post is confusing. Why do you need to text on your ipad? iMessage is included in data, so you can use that with whatever data connection you have, pre-paid or post-paid.

As for activation fees, I believe there is for adding it to your shared plan, but there is no fee on the pre-paid version. You can also start and stop the pre-paid versions whenever you want (paying monthly essentially).

Also, since you have At&t right now, you don't have a family shared plan to put the device on, so you're going to start a new account w/ a new phone AND your iPad? So confused.

[E3BK]

Originally Posted by dbdynsty25

Your post is confusing. Why do you need to text on your ipad? iMessage is included in data, so you can use that with whatever data connection you have, pre-paid or post-paid.

As for activation fees, I believe there is for adding it to your shared plan, but there is no fee on the pre-paid version. You can also start and stop the pre-paid versions whenever you want (paying monthly essentially).

Also, since you have At&t right now, you don't have a family shared plan to put the device on, so you're going to start a new account w/ a new phone AND your iPad? So confused.

LOL. Nothing to be confused about. I am keeping the iPhone on AT&T and iPad on Verizon for other reasons. But even if it's called a "shared plan" under Verizon, you don't have to have more than 1 device on it. As far as I can see, Verizon doesn't have individual device plans anymore. It all falls under "Shared" regardless of 1 or 5 devices.

As for texting, no, I don't need it but the disclaimer for pre-paid accounts stated, "Prepaid Mobile Broadband Plans do not include Verizon Wi—Fi Access, Text Messaging or roaming." So my question is, if you are under a regular account (shared plan) are these features you get? I don't need to text from the iPad but access to roaming & WiFi is a nice bonus.

PS: I use Google Voice to text ppl from my iPad anyway since more than half of my contacts don't use or have access to iMessage.

[Peter K.]

I, too, have an AT&T iPhone 5 AND am investigating a Verizon iPad. What I've found out is that pre-paid plans don't allow FaceTime over cellular or tethering (hotspot). It seems that postpaid plans DO, though.

Also, I am pretty sure that there are individual (non-sharing) plans available with Verizon.

I hope I've helped.

[KeepCalmPeople]

Originally Posted by Peter K.

I, too, have an AT&T iPhone 5 AND am investigating a Verizon iPad. What I've found out is that pre-paid plans don't allow FaceTime over cellular or tethering (hotspot). It seems that postpaid plans DO, though.

Also, I am pretty sure that there are individual (non-sharing) plans available with Verizon.

I hope I've helped.

My wife has a 3rd generation iPad with Verizon LTE prepaid, and she can use her iPad as a hotspot. Not 100% sure on FT over cellular, but I think she as done that before also.

[E3BK]

Originally Posted by Peter K.

I, too, have an AT&T iPhone 5 AND am investigating a Verizon iPad. What I've found out is that pre-paid plans don't allow FaceTime over cellular or tethering (hotspot). It seems that postpaid plans DO, though.

Also, I am pretty sure that there are individual (non-sharing) plans available with Verizon.

Actually, that's incorrect. I have the pre-paid plan already and you can definitely use the hotspot with it. That is the main reason I went w/ Verizon over AT&T.

As far as consumer plans on VZW, there are only Share Everything plans or pre-paid. Business accounts have single line plans available though. VZW changed their pricing structure over the summer.