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Apple Details iPad 3G Service Sign-Up and Management
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You'd end up paying more for it over the lifetime and you would be held to a contract.
What AT&T needs to offer next:
Unlimted Data OR Unlimited Devices
Pay $30 a month to get unlimted data on a single Apple device (like you do now) OR pay $30 a month to get 5 GB of data that you can use on any Apple device that is registered with your AT&T account.
It should work out about the same for AT&T since it would mostly appeal to people who own 2 or 3 Apple devices for a single person. If they're using their iPad then they're NOT using their iPhone, so data use shouldn't rocket up for those users. If they use 2 GB now, they'll probably still use 2 GB under this plan too.
And it would also be popular for penny-pinching families who have several Apple devices and think they can stay within the limit. Yeah, they'd have to watch their data usage, but families already do that for voice minutes and text messages. Why not data too?
So that's 2 kinds of people who would use it. Clearly a lot of folks would stick with the current plan if they only own an iPhone, but it would be a big draw to anyone considering the Verizon MiFi which AT&T really, really needs to fights back against before it becomes too popular. AT&T has the iPhone under contract but there will be a ton of iPads and Macbooks out there soon who will be using Verizon MiFis instead of AT&T 3G if AT&T can't offer them some reason to stick around.
EDIT: Ha...nice timing. See the post right above me!
Unlimted Data OR Unlimited Devices
Pay $30 a month to get unlimted data on a single Apple device (like you do now) OR pay $30 a month to get 5 GB of data that you can use on any Apple device that is registered with your AT&T account.
It should work out about the same for AT&T since it would mostly appeal to people who own 2 or 3 Apple devices for a single person. If they're using their iPad then they're NOT using their iPhone, so data use shouldn't rocket up for those users. If they use 2 GB now, they'll probably still use 2 GB under this plan too.
And it would also be popular for penny-pinching families who have several Apple devices and think they can stay within the limit. Yeah, they'd have to watch their data usage, but families already do that for voice minutes and text messages. Why not data too?
So that's 2 kinds of people who would use it. Clearly a lot of folks would stick with the current plan if they only own an iPhone, but it would be a big draw to anyone considering the Verizon MiFi which AT&T really, really needs to fights back against before it becomes too popular. AT&T has the iPhone under contract but there will be a ton of iPads and Macbooks out there soon who will be using Verizon MiFis instead of AT&T 3G if AT&T can't offer them some reason to stick around.
EDIT: Ha...nice timing. See the post right above me!
Ever hear of an account number? Most of their account numbers are phone numbers, so they're keeping the same format, perhaps for tracking regional usage, too.
Just to check (apple.com won't load for me right now): both the 3G and non-3G have full GPS capability, right?
I'm not positive...but remember, without 3G a GPS chip is fairly useless. Most GPS programs draw data from the internet to work. Whether it's maps or grocery store phone numbers, very few of them actually store all their information within the application itself.
So even if the wifi model DOES have GPS it won't be very useful.
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Yes you are correct.
I was wondering how this would work.
It seems straightforward and decent,
they give you alerts as you near the end of your usage.
And then give you the option to buy more.
The 250mb plan is really a pay as you go by the mb.
14.99 for 250mb regardless if you use it up in
one day, one week, or two weeks.
However at the end of a months time frame, you lose any unused mb's.
This wording doesn't seem promising for using 3G to sign up....
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Ugh.
And I'd think that if it WAS a feature they'd be bragging about it. So I'm thinking it's not possible either.
I mean, I can probably find free McDonalds Wifi somewhere if I'm on the road, but still, that's really something they should work on. The entire REASON I'd probably buy 3G data is because I showed up at some flea-bag motel in the middle of nowhere and discovered they don't have internet (or want to charge $10 or something).
EDIT:
Is it written down somewhere? I'm looking for proof. Was it in the introduction keynote?
It is pretty easy to find a wifi spot to sign up, if you have already left home. Any mcdonalds/starbucks/airport etc.
Ah, ok. Thanks. Guess I'll be pushing out $130 more than I had planned. Still, I am one of those rare birds who intends for the device to completely replace my computer. I'm all about a 1.5lb solution, and virtually all my computing activity is based around browsing, light word-processing and e-mail. I have no need for anything else, and I suspect that if I do, an app will provide it. Off to the pre-order I go!
Not A Stupid Question
It's not a stupid question at all. I like r/o plans because I do not fee so pushed to use a whole months quota right away. Monthly plans make money for the companies. If you use a monthly quota thy don;t care they make profit, if you do not use it they make more profit. I just pre-ordered a 64G wi-fi. I refuse to pay one a penny more to the telephone companies. My area is so wi-fi friendly plus my home is equipped so . . .
It's not a stupid question at all. I like r/o plans because I do not fee so pushed to use a whole months quota right away. Monthly plans make money for the companies. If you use a monthly quota thy don;t care they make profit, if you do not use it they make more profit. I just pre-ordered a 64G wi-fi. I refuse to pay one a penny more to the telephone companies. My area is so wi-fi friendly plus my home is equipped so . . .
Can I camp on to my existing iPhone data plan?
If I can't camp on to my existing iPhone data plan (not tethering just using the same account), then **** this gadget. I had high hopes for some basic stuff like GPS and an OLED screen so I could see it in the bright desert sunlight but I'm not going to buy a half-baked product and then continue to pay for the punishment.
If I can't camp on to my existing iPhone data plan (not tethering just using the same account), then **** this gadget. I had high hopes for some basic stuff like GPS and an OLED screen so I could see it in the bright desert sunlight but I'm not going to buy a half-baked product and then continue to pay for the punishment.
This deal does seem really sweet, as it brings mobile data for a non-phone device to the people who don't want yet another monthly contract. The idea of just paying $15/$30 some month when you go on a trip I think will really appeal to people.
Now, what would be really sweet is if they introduce something like this for iPhone 4.0 tethering. Even if AT&T did let the iPhone tether, I'd never use it because I wouldn't want to pay a monthly fee for something I'd rarely use, but a plan like this I'd definitely use for those few times it would be useful to me. I think offering plans like these would also go a long way in making up for not offering tethering to iPhone users for the past year.
Now, what would be really sweet is if they introduce something like this for iPhone 4.0 tethering. Even if AT&T did let the iPhone tether, I'd never use it because I wouldn't want to pay a monthly fee for something I'd rarely use, but a plan like this I'd definitely use for those few times it would be useful to me. I think offering plans like these would also go a long way in making up for not offering tethering to iPhone users for the past year.
well, that's actually %50 off from a similar 3G laptop card plan, this is why i canceled my Sprint service.
If I can't camp on to my existing iPhone data plan (not tethering just using the same account), then **** this gadget. I had high hopes for some basic stuff like GPS and an OLED screen so I could see it in the bright desert sunlight but I'm not going to buy a half-baked product and then continue to pay for the punishment.
OLED screens perform less well in bright light than other types, and a 10" one is far from basic - at least in terms of cost.
At what point does it become double dipping
Why I appreciate the fact they are two different items, does anyone else find it annoying that if I have an iPhone with unlimited data and purchase a 3G iPad and want this same feature I am paying another premium amount? No discount for iPhone users. No combinations. If I'm doing a bunch of data work on the iPad it's doubtful I'm doing a bunch of data work on the iPhone at the same time. Again, I appreciate they are stand alone but I also don't pay 2x my bill for the second tv in my house.
Why I appreciate the fact they are two different items, does anyone else find it annoying that if I have an iPhone with unlimited data and purchase a 3G iPad and want this same feature I am paying another premium amount? No discount for iPhone users. No combinations. If I'm doing a bunch of data work on the iPad it's doubtful I'm doing a bunch of data work on the iPhone at the same time. Again, I appreciate they are stand alone but I also don't pay 2x my bill for the second tv in my house.
I wish I could switch my iPhone to a $14.99 a month plan. But AT&T would never do that, they would lose too much money because I bet a majority of iPhone users use less than 250MB of data, but they all pay $30 for unlimited because it is the only option.