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noodle15

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2008
32
7
Is getting a t-mobile sim even worth e hassle for the free 200mb. I pay for Verizon on my ipad mini and am thinking to use the t mobile option on my ipad air, but I don't like hearing you pay then there are credits. This sounds like it leaves you open as soon as you go over they will bill. I don't want any contracts. Any body using the t mobile sim now for free with no agreement and it has been flawless? How is their LTE network compared to Verizon?
I bought a Verizon ipad air.

All thoughts and help are appreciated.
 

deeddawg

macrumors G5
Jun 14, 2010
12,223
6,351
US
Is getting a t-mobile sim even worth e hassle for the free 200mb.
Depends on your data needs.

I don't like hearing you pay then there are credits. This sounds like it leaves you open as soon as you go over they will bill. I don't want any contracts.
Doesn't apply to you since you aren't financing your ipad from T-Mobile

Any body using the t mobile sim now for free with no agreement and it has been flawless? How is their LTE network compared to Verizon?
I bought a Verizon ipad air.

Working great here with my verizon ipad3, though I suspect 200MB won't be enough data and I'll either go back to the $20/1GB verizon plan or try the AT&T $25/1GB/3-month plan.

Coverage maps are on t-mobile.com and comparison to Verizon is dependent on where YOU use it; I could tell you that I get great T-Mobile and cr@p Verizon signals at work, but that's pretty meaningless to you...
 

Raibyn

macrumors regular
Sep 24, 2013
154
8
South Carolina
As long as you are buying the iPad outright, the 200MB of data is absolutely free. Just sign up for the On Demand data plan. You don't give them a credit card number, so there is no way to be charged for anything.
 

Menel

Suspended
Aug 4, 2011
6,351
1,356
Is getting a t-mobile sim even worth e hassle for the free 200mb. I pay for Verizon on my ipad mini and am thinking to use the t mobile option on my ipad air, but I don't like hearing you pay then there are credits. This sounds like it leaves you open as soon as you go over they will bill. I don't want any contracts. Any body using the t mobile sim now for free with no agreement and it has been flawless? How is their LTE network compared to Verizon?
I bought a Verizon ipad air.

All thoughts and help are appreciated.
There are no credits. Nothing weird like that.

You just select On Demand, and then later the 200MB free option. You don't even supply a credit card.

You only need to worry about credits and mess if you are financing. Don't finance tech toys that depreciate.
 

noodle15

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2008
32
7
Where do I go to activate it. I go a micro sim in the mail in which i had to trim down. When I was going online it was asking for access code which I don't have. Any help there. Yes it's verizon and the SIM card at top show mobile.
 

Getintothegame

macrumors member
Mar 30, 2012
79
143
Big Sky, MT
Where do I go to activate it. I go a micro sim in the mail in which i had to trim down. When I was going online it was asking for access code which I don't have. Any help there. Yes it's verizon and the SIM card at top show mobile.

Access code should be on the paper included with the SIM card or on the punchout card itself. Check there. It may also be the PUK code?
 

noodle15

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2008
32
7
Nope. Came with paper no card. Tried ever number. So frustrating
 

herdnerfer

macrumors 6502
Feb 12, 2011
345
11
Saint louis, MO
I got my iPad Air from T-mobile just to take advantage of the no money down deal, i didn't even expect to use the Cell service.

Since i got it i went ahead and tested it a few times & ended up using 100mb just that first day. So i would say no, its not worth the hassle since you will use up 200mb in a heartbeat.
 

scaredpoet

macrumors 604
Apr 6, 2007
6,627
342
As long as you are buying the iPad outright, the 200MB of data is absolutely free. Just sign up for the On Demand data plan. You don't give them a credit card number, so there is no way to be charged for anything.

This. I've got a T-Mobile nano SIM in a Verizon iPad Air, and haven't given them any credit card info yet. Works great, and I verified with CS that if I want to purchase a day/week/month pass, it'll go on top of the 200MB plan and I'll revert back to it when the pass expires. I'll probably try that in a couple weeks when I'm traveling.

It's also a good way for me to compare coverage between T-Mobile and AT&T (which I have on my iPhone), without having to commit to anything.

----------

Since i got it i went ahead and tested it a few times & ended up using 100mb just that first day. So i would say no, its not worth the hassle since you will use up 200mb in a heartbeat.

But it's FREE. So, what's the problem?
 

deeddawg

macrumors G5
Jun 14, 2010
12,223
6,351
US
But it's FREE. So, what's the problem?

It's a hassle to swap out SIM cards and the extra data rates on Tmobile don't fit everyone's needs. So you either end up paying more than you would with a different carrier or swap sims out a couple times a month.

I still think its a great thing for tmobile to do, but it doesn't make sense for everyone.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,377
12,325
If you know you'll be using more than 200MB per month, then it makes no sense to keep swapping SIM cards twice month. However, what I would do is get a T-Mobile SIM card whenever T-Mobile offers them for $0.99 or free and activate the 200MB free data on the iPad and just keep the SIM card in my wallet or something just in case.
 
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