US iPads locked to AT&T/US networks?

[dnc1916]

http://www.apple.com/ipad/3g/ has screenshots of how you can sign up to your 3G plan directly from the iPad. It seems to be specific to the 2 options available from AT&T.

My concern is that if I buy a US iPad, get it shipped to Ireland and insert an Irish 3G SIM, I may not be able to connect to one of the Irish networks if the iPad is "locked" to only work with AT&T.

Equally, for someone in the US, my understanding was they could buy a 3G iPad and then get a SIM card from one of the other networks - Verizon or whatever - and use it, as it is meant to be "unlocked".

If the iPads released in each country are specifically configured to only connect to the 3G networks in that country then Apple needs to make that information very clear now, as I'd imagine a lot of people worldwide will be getting iPads shipped to them in the expectation that they will work without a problem. Anyone any ideas?

Daithi

[melman101]

Originally Posted by dnc1916

http://www.apple.com/ipad/3g/ has screenshots of how you can sign up to your 3G plan directly from the iPad. It seems to be specific to the 2 options available from AT&T.

My concern is that if I buy a US iPad, get it shipped to Ireland and insert an Irish 3G SIM, I may not be able to connect to one of the Irish networks if the iPad is "locked" to only work with AT&T.

Equally, for someone in the US, my understanding was they could buy a 3G iPad and then get a SIM card from one of the other networks - Verizon or whatever - and use it, as it is meant to be "unlocked".

If the iPads released in each country are specifically configured to only connect to the 3G networks in that country then Apple needs to make that information very clear now, as I'd imagine a lot of people worldwide will be getting iPads shipped to them in the expectation that they will work without a problem. Anyone any ideas?

Daithi

They said in the keynote that all iPad's are UNLOCKED. So no worries :-).

[dagomike]

Not locked, although you'll probably be challenged to find a carrier that uses that mini GMS SIM card, and frankly, someone who who let you go month-to-month for $15.

[dnc1916]

Originally Posted by melman101

They said in the keynote that all iPad's are UNLOCKED. So no worries :-).

Hi, thanks, yeah I know they said that in the keynote but the evidence from their webpage appears to be different. If you click on that link you can clearly see that it show options for the two AT&T plans - $14.99 for 250GB or $29.99 unlimited. What if someone has a Verizon SIM in, or an Orange SIM from UK, or O2 from Ireland - how do they access/activate/modify their 3G data plans?

I dunno, hope you're right but I was getting my uncle in the States to ship me over a 3G 64GB iPad at the end of April and I don't wanna stick my SIM in it only to find I've no way of activating it. Rang Apple today and they have "no information" on this and suggested I wait until it comes out in Ireland. Which there's not even a date for yet?! :-)

[raremage]

Originally Posted by dnc1916

Hi, thanks, yeah I know they said that in the keynote but the evidence from their webpage appears to be different. If you click on that link you can clearly see that it show options for the two AT&T plans - $14.99 for 250GB or $29.99 unlimited. What if someone has a Verizon SIM in, or an Orange SIM from UK, or O2 from Ireland - how do they access/activate/modify their 3G data plans?

I'm guessing that you don't do those things from the iPad. If you use a different SIM, the account will need to be fully configured before you pop it into the iPad.

The screenshots are of the integrated utility, which you won't be using if you have your own SIM.

[melman101]

Originally Posted by raremage

I'm guessing that you don't do those things from the iPad. If you use a different SIM, the account will need to be fully configured before you pop it into the iPad.

The screenshots are of the integrated utility, which you won't be using if you have your own SIM.

Or, they'll have apps for each carrier, or something.

[u49aa2]

I am having the same concern. I will be travelling with the ipad to a few countries (staying in each country for a long period), where it will be much cheaper for me to get a local data plan. I already placed my order, but i am really worried that i will be having problems using the 3G service when i use different countries sim card.


As for the microsim card issue, as everybody knows, the only difference between the micro and normal sim card is the plastic part which it will be easy to deal with, i guess.

[JonnyIreland]

My guess would be that your region/country is synched to your iPad via iTunes (or even initial setup screens?). Think, for example, how most mobile phones have a loooooong list of carriers saved in their memory, not to mention different language setups etc. I'm sure there is room in there for carrier-specific setup options which are updated through software updates, which again likely happen through iTunes.

[skubish]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

It's unlocked but Apple only has deals with ATT. You will be able to use SIMS from other carriers but don't expect support from Apple.

[pyrodex]

Originally Posted by u49aa2

As for the microsim card issue, as everybody knows, the only difference between the micro and normal sim card is the plastic part which it will be easy to deal with, i guess.

I wonder if someone is going to release a SIM->MicroSIM cutting tool so you could stamp out a MicroSIM from a SIM.

[deckwalker]

Slightly off topic: It seems bizarre to me that it might come with a pre-installed sim, but here's what the Apple page says: You don’t need to visit a store to get 3G service. You can sign up, check your data usage, manage your account, or cancel your service — all from your iPad.

On its surface that says that you don't need to go to a store to get 3G. But it seems to me you have to go to a store to get the SIM?

Any thoughts?


On topic: Given that it was announced that it isn't locked, I can't imagine they'd change that now. I'm assuming you just use the SIM tool to exchange SIMs. Probably after that you'll have a slightly more old fashioned way of dealing with your local provider. I'm guessing it'll be like visual voicemail. It only comes with AT&T. I have a (legally) unlocked iPhone and I don't have visual voicemail on my local provider. That's a long way of saying: you'll be able to use this system with AT&T and something else for everyone else.

[Chupa Chupa]

Apple said the iPad was unlocked. Unlocked is rather unambiguous. I think the ATT screen shot is just that -- its how the ATT service will interact with the iPad. But that doesn't preclude other carriers SIMs from working in the iPad -- they'll just be activated via a generic control setting rather than a custom one.

[SteveSparks]

Originally Posted by dnc1916

Hi, thanks, yeah I know they said that in the keynote but the evidence from their webpage appears to be different. If you click on that link you can clearly see that it show options for the two AT&T plans - $14.99 for 250GB or $29.99 unlimited. What if someone has a Verizon SIM in, or an Orange SIM from UK, or O2 from Ireland - how do they access/activate/modify their 3G data plans?

I dunno, hope you're right but I was getting my uncle in the States to ship me over a 3G 64GB iPad at the end of April and I don't wanna stick my SIM in it only to find I've no way of activating it. Rang Apple today and they have "no information" on this and suggested I wait until it comes out in Ireland. Which there's not even a date for yet?! :-)

The application included is for activation on the iPad. If you have 3G Data activated on SIM you insert into the iPad, I can't see why it wont work. I would caution you to verify you can get the Small SIM card needed and the frequency that you need for your 3G data is available on the iPad.

[SteveSparks]

Originally Posted by deckwalker

On its surface that says that you don't need to go to a store to get 3G. But it seems to me you have to go to a store to get the SIM?

A SIM will be included, thats the point. They include the MICRO SIM to allow easy activation on ATT. There are no other carriers in the US that offer a small SIM card, and the one other that might would only be capable for EDGE data.

[adityashah1989]

My local apple store is claiming that it is locked with AT&T. Can someone confirm this?! Thanks a lot.

[Ral67]

The only SIM/Network locked iPads are the ones sold in Japan

Rest of the world is unlocked and you can use any carrier

lots of Europeans bought US 3G iPads and are happily using them at home

[adityashah1989]

Originally Posted by Ral67

The only SIM/Network locked iPads are the ones sold in Japan

Rest of the world is unlocked and you can use any carrier

lots of Europeans bought US 3G iPads and are happily using them at home

Are the ones sold in the US unlocked? I ask this because my local AT&T store is claiming that it is locked with AT&T.

[oserere]

I think it would work with an Irish sim because the iPad can work with t-mobile Sims. we would probably have to wait to July though cause thats when the iPad will be released in Ireland so thats when micro sims will become available from Irish carriers plus i think the carrier settings are downloaded at some point when you connect to the internet kinda like when you get a new phone and it asks to download carrier settings, well i hope so because i'm hope to buy a 32gb 3g model soon

[skubish]

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Why does this keep coming up? US ipads are not locked. You won't be able to use the built in sign up with any carrier but ATT but if have an active micro SIM it will work.

[FrancisD]

Actually you can use the built in sign up procedure for some carriers. In Canada, Rogers wireless uses the iPad's built in sign up, but the other Canadian carriers do not.

When I bought my US 3g iPad, I had to wait for service to be available in Canada from the carriers. Once it was, all I did was put in the chip, plug the iPad into iTunes, and it downloaded an update that changed the AT&T integrated signup form to a Rogers Canada one.

I would imagine each country will have one 'official' carrier that has the same process. The rest use a more manual external process.

[hexproject]

okay, this is confirmed...
ALL US IPADS ARE UNLOCKED.
But AT&T are the only ones in US that provide service for 3G Ipads.

only ipads that are locked to carrier is Japan with Softbank.

Verizon DOES NOT have service for IPADS because FREQ is different.
They do not use GSM. that's why you can't pop in a verizon SIM card....

ALL US IPADS ARE UNLOCKED!!!!!
AT&T is the only carrier that provides services in the US because of FREQ.

[rworne]

Originally Posted by adityashah1989

Are the ones sold in the US unlocked? I ask this because my local AT&T store is claiming that it is locked with AT&T.

Hey, you never know. AT&T changed the terms once, why not again?