Verizon Including Mobile Hotspot in iPad Data Plans at No Additional Charge

[Amazing Iceman]

But it was stated at the event yesterday that it's a dormant feature that the carrier must enable. So if ATT doesn't want to support it it doesn't have to. It's just like the tethering feature on the iPhone. The carrier has complete control over who can use it and who can't. That's why I'm confused ATT says it is talking with Apple.

Well, it's very strange... Something doesn't sound right.

 

[xforce11]

For me, paying $20 a month for LIMITED data on my iPhone 4 hotspot, when I have unlimited data on my iPhone, is like paying a monthly fee for a new water faucet and being limited to only 1 galon of water a month from that faucet.

 

[diane143]

This.

I can't for the life of me understand the number of people who are willing to take on this additional cost. Maybe its because its not recurring and you can get it only when you need it - but are you really without wifi enough to warrant paying the extra money for access?

Not just that, but many high-end hotels in this area charge $10/night for internet access (why I can go to a hick hotel and get free wireless but not in an uber-$$$$$$$$$$$$ one is beyond me).

99% of my traveling is for work and I stay where they put me. I charge the fee back to them anyway.

Trust me I've gone back and forth on the wifi issue but there are times even at one of my jobs I can't hook onto the wireless and it's just easier to get out through cellular rather than find the guy to fix the problem.

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Everyone paying for cable & Internet should call their cable provider and tell them you're leaving for dish unless they give you a deal. We do it every 12 months or so and they quickly offer us the 12 mo deal they're giving new customers. If they don't, then switch. And then switch again after that deal is up. It's a buyers market.

We just got the cable&internet bumped to $70/mo instead of $110. Better yet, ditch the cable and watch HULU Plus and an antenna.

We are currently demoing the magic Jack Plus to replace $28/mo Vonage. MJ+ will save $300 or more a year. I need the fast Internet for home biz and wife won't let me ditch cable. Wish she would. Everything she watches is on Hulu or the net.

I ditched my land line as soon as I got divorced. For some reason exh fought me on that even though we each had a cell phone.

I'd love to ditch cable tv (I only have the basic package) but in my area, Comcast charges more for internet only than the 2 bundled. I do need high-speed internet for my jobs.

 

[AJH1993]

I (personally) would like to hear from people in the Mid-Atlantic area - I'm in Washington DC & frequently in MD and VA. I'm waiting for benchmarking tests of the "new iPad" vs the iPad2 and comparison with the new iPad on AT&T and Verizon. I know the latter has more 4G coverage, but there are areas where AT&T does and I'd like to know how well it works. I've had 3 iPhones (2G, 3GS and 4S) on AT&T and the iPad2 and I'm pretty satisfied with them. Their CS is very responsive. Verizon provides my LAN line service and I find their CS very poor. I'm waiting for more data, benchmarking etc. before I decide if I can live without the new iPad. The screen and the photo apps are real draws, so is the faster processor and the 4G capability. I'm pretty weak (wheelchair user) and find my iPad2 heavy enough so I'm less enthusiastic about it's being even slightly heavier and thicker - although the reasons why it is so are clear.

Sorry, never saw your subject line until now. I live in Portland Oregon .

 

[UncleDannie]

A perfect example of why this new iPad should NOT have had to be specific on a carrier... Now I wish I chose Verizon.

I had an engraved model, called My Apple, and the guy at Apple stated no problem. I cancelled my existing order for ATT and switched to a Verizon one. My ATT has already shipped, but he provided a RMA slip and I just ship it back. My Verizon will arrive on the same UPS truck.

 

[UncleDannie]

I may be missing something, but are you guys noticing that for $30 you get 3GB on AT&T and only 2GB on Verizon? Thats a big difference! Its gonna take a lot more than hotspot functionality from Verizon to make up for that difference...

I don't know for sure, but I think I found the perfect solution. A company called Tether.com has a HTML 5 web based program that allows you to tether wirelessly (bluetooth or wifi) between any iPhone, Blackberry, or Android phone with another laptop or iPad. This negates the fee structure of Verizon or Att, or even Sprint. It costs $15 for the first YEAR and $30 every year thereafter, I installed it and it worked great. Check it out at tether.com and see for yourself.

 

[Macman45]

Me too. It would make my Wifi iPad a little more flexible.

The iPad is not flexible...Do not try to bend it, it will break....

 

[Shrink]

The iPad is not flexible...Do not try to bend it, it will break....

Now you tell me!!!

 

[TroyBoy30]

I don't know for sure, but I think I found the perfect solution. A company called Tether.com has a HTML 5 web based program that allows you to tether wirelessly (bluetooth or wifi) between any iPhone, Blackberry, or Android phone with another laptop or iPad. This negates the fee structure of Verizon or Att, or even Sprint. It costs $15 for the first YEAR and $30 every year thereafter, I installed it and it worked great. Check it out at tether.com and see for yourself.

you sure? it requires an app to run on a pc that sets up an adhoc netowork. you cant do that on the ipad

Tether is an application that allows you to have full Internet access on your laptop anywhere using your smartphone's data plan

 

[UncleDannie]

you sure? it requires an app to run on a pc that sets up an adhoc netowork. you cant do that on the ipad

They say you can. Read their web. The iPhone can tether for a notebook. I thought they said it would also work as a wifi point from an iPad. Will check again tomorrow with them.

I don't know why it wouldn't work. If the iPhone can drive a laptop why couldn't the iPad? Data is data.

I emailed them and they stated it is not possible today, but they are working on a fix as soon as they get their iPad-3rd Generation unit to test on.

 

[dpfenninger]

That's why I never engrave electronics. That makes then non-returnable (just exchangeable if there is a defect).

Damn damn damn! And I just read an article that shows that AT&T's LTE speeds here in Chicago are significantly slower than Verizon's. That, and the fact that Verizon is including personal hotspot, makes me REALLY regret ordering an engraved AT&T model.

So there's absolutely no way to return it/refuse shipment?

 

[KPOM]

Damn damn damn! And I just read an article that shows that AT&T's LTE speeds here in Chicago are significantly slower than Verizon's. That, and the fact that Verizon is including personal hotspot, makes me REALLY regret ordering an engraved AT&T model.

So there's absolutely no way to return it/refuse shipment?

Someone else posted that you can return engraved merchandise. I'd try it. Of course, now the wait is 2-3 weeks to ship, so it would be a little while before you get a Verizon model.

I think the issue with AT&T's LTE in Chicago is that they have only enough spectrum for a single channel. Here in NYC, supposedly AT&T is slightly faster than Verizon (likely because few people are on it), but The Verge reported getting 20Mbps speeds up and down on Verizon, which is fine with me. I get about 30Mbps on my Verizon FiOS at home, so if I get anywhere near that on wireless, I'll be happy.

 

[hhwghjkt6]

I suspect there will be some gotchas and that's why it's not very transparent. I predict purchasers of both AT&T and Verizon iPads will have some crap pulled that will upset them.

 

[UncleDannie]

Damn damn damn! And I just read an article that shows that AT&T's LTE speeds here in Chicago are significantly slower than Verizon's. That, and the fact that Verizon is including personal hotspot, makes me REALLY regret ordering an engraved AT&T model.

So there's absolutely no way to return it/refuse shipment?

Actually, I called Support and they cancelled my personalized iPad and let me order the Verizon one (also personalized). They sent me a RMA pre-paid FedEx voucher and when I get the ATT one, I merely slap the RMA on the box and drop it into a FedEx pickup box. I had to pay for both ipads, but they said that upon reciept of the ATT unit, they would refund my money, via my credit card. Both are due Friday. If you can get a cancel on your order, you could then stand in line at Best Buy, Target, Sams Club or the Apple Store and get the one you want.

 

[dpfenninger]

Help me decide, guys...

Actually, I called Support and they cancelled my personalized iPad and let me order the Verizon one (also personalized). They sent me a RMA pre-paid FedEx voucher and when I get the ATT one, I merely slap the RMA on the box and drop it into a FedEx pickup box. I had to pay for both ipads, but they said that upon reciept of the ATT unit, they would refund my money, via my credit card. Both are due Friday. If you can get a cancel on your order, you could then stand in line at Best Buy, Target, Sams Club or the Apple Store and get the one you want.

Yes, thanks for confirming. I actually dug around a bit more last night and found out that I could return it after all. I submitted a return on the Apple Store website, but now I'm wondering whether I should bother... I'd either have to wait 2-3 weeks to order a new one through Apple, or stand in line tomorrow (which I don't have time to, as I can't leave work until 3) and take my chances. I don't envision actually using the LTE features all that much if at all...only wanted to get it as I had saved up enough money for it and wanted the feature in case it came in handy someday (and because the LTE models have GPS, too.).

With that said, what do you think y'all? Should I just be content in my AT&T model with the knowledge that 99% of the time I'd be on wifi anyway, or should I attempt to get the Verizon model knowing that the LTE speeds here in Chicago are shown to be considerably faster and provides the mobile hotspot feature included in their plans? Knowing how much money I've dropped on it, I'd like to feel I have the best possible model in my hands. As I said to my wife last night, who was worried that after dropping $829 on it I was "settling" for the AT&T model, I told her I'm not settling, really...it's like choosing between a Porsche and a Bentley, so ultimately I guess it doesn't matter, but I'd like to feel 100% good about my choice.

Decisions, decisions...

 

[KPOM]

With that said, what do you think y'all? Should I just be content in my AT&T model with the knowledge that 99% of the time I'd be on wifi anyway, or should I attempt to get the Verizon model knowing that the LTE speeds here in Chicago are shown to be considerably faster and provides the mobile hotspot feature included in their plans? Knowing how much money I've dropped on it, I'd like to feel I have the best possible model in my hands. As I said to my wife last night, who was worried that after dropping $829 on it I was "settling" for the AT&T model, I told her I'm not settling, really...it's like choosing between a Porsche and a Bentley, so ultimately I guess it doesn't matter, but I'd like to feel 100% good about my choice.

Decisions, decisions...

Why not place a pre-order for the Verizon version, use the AT&T version for now, and then return it in two weeks? You'll get a chance to check out the new iPad, maybe see how well AT&T's LTE works, and if you decide to return it, the Verizon one will be only a week or so away from arriving.

 

[dpfenninger]

Yeah I got my AT&T iPad and while it's great, I'm going to test the LTE speeds over the next week (incl. being out of town), and if it doesn't seem a whole lot better than the HSPA+ speeds I normally get from AT&T, I have until next Wednesday to return it to an Apple Store for a refund (and hopefully be able to exchange it in store for a Verizon model).

Thanks for the advice!

 

[UncleDannie]

I was notified today that Apple had received my returned ATT iPad and was issuing a full refund back to my credit card. Smooth as silk. Great company to do business with.