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Apple Details iPad 3G Service Sign-Up and Management
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From the original MacRumors article:
AT&T's 3G service plans for the iPad also provide users with access to over 20,000 Wi-Fi hotspots.
I don't know the details but every device on the cell system has a phone number, even if the device oes not accept phone calls. This would technically be the number used for SMS messages. but I don't think there is a way to do SMS on the iPad...Yet..
Agreed.
If I am to get an iPad (and not anytime soon) it will definitely be a WiFi only model, unless my unlimited data plan for the iPhone can be used for the iPad as well. I don't see the sense in giving AT&T an additional $30, or even $15. I'm not going to use them simulateously.
It is not carrier locked but the only other GSM provider in the USA does not use the same frequency as AT&T. Which is one reason it does not matter if it is carrier locked.
You can and likely will be able to get a micro-sim fom T-Mobile (the other US GSM provider) but the speed is 2G (Edge) not 3G.
the ipad is NOT locked to anyone anywhere. so long as the carrier is GSM (Verizon is not) has MicroSim cards you should be good to go
I have G-Map on my iPhone and it works really well for roads out in the desert, etc. All the maps are stored on the iPhone and no network is needed. I think Tom Tom and Garmin work the same.
Your characterization of "flea-bag" hotel is entirely wrong, my friend. Most inexpensive hotels, even in the middle of nowhere, offer Free Internet, Free Local Calls, etc. It is the EXPENSIVE hotels that have the nerve to charge you $14.95 for 24 hours of internet service (and $1 to make a local call).
So surf away for free at Motel 6 in Beatty, NV, but expect to pay big time at the Venetian in Vegas.
But I understand your point.
Perhaps I wasn't clear. (I see that I was not, actually.)
I meant "flea-bag" not as in "cheap" but as in "these jackholes are trying to charge me $10 for intnert."
So, yes, I meant the expensive ones. You are totally correct there. The more you pay for the room, the less likely your internet will be free. Crazy.
Easy. Just as I thought it would be. It will be great for traveling when I could also use it as a map.
Agreed, also 99% positive. There's no reason for them not to use the 3G for sign up. When you go to Starbucks and want free wifi, you must first register a Starbucks Card. You connect to Attwifi, but the only site you can get to is Starbucks. This allows you to register but nothing more. The could and I expect would do the same for starting an iPad plan.
A good friend of mine is the manager of a luxury Las Vegas hotel. They charge for wifi not because they are cheap, but he tells me they want you out of the room and in the casino 24/7 if possible and will do whatever it takes to tempt you to go there. All the casino hotels I have been to charge for wifi.
Interested by what those "international" plans may be, and whether using an iPad on AT&T will require an American credit card.
I'm a Canadian who travels on business to the US a lot, and it would be worth it to be able to turn 3G access on and off.... and if the "international" add on for Canada was reasonable enough, I wold even do that, assuming I can do it with a Canadian credit card.
I'm a Canadian who travels on business to the US a lot, and it would be worth it to be able to turn 3G access on and off.... and if the "international" add on for Canada was reasonable enough, I wold even do that, assuming I can do it with a Canadian credit card.
That is because they know that demographics for the higher priced hotels are business travelers who are on expense accounts. Such travelers just don't care. Likewise, wealthy travelers do not care either.
The lower priced "family" or "budget" hotels need to offer free internet to compete for business.
/Jim
Like you, my iPhone data usage is quite low.
I also have a Verizon MiFi card that I use to connect my laptop (and sometimes my wife's too) while traveling. I typically use about 100 MB - 225 MB per day. If we are both on our laptops a fair amount... we might use 350 MB per day. We absolutely never stream video when using the MiFi... because I do not want to burn the bandwidth. We travel a lot (up to about 50%)... and we have never hit Verizon's 5GB limit. We would easily exceed it if we streamed video.
Because of the iPad's size, I think it is quite possible that the usage will be more like a laptop, rather than an iPhone... which leads me to believe that 250MB a month will be easy to exceed except for very short trips.
/Jim
You just have to be careful about 3G frequencies. In the US, T-Mobile uses the same frequencies that are used in Europe, AT&T does not. So if you buy an iPad ready to go on AT&T, it won't be able to do 3G in Europe. If South Africa uses the same 3G frequencies as Europe, you would want to wait to get a European (or South African) one.
June of what year?
Most excellent. This is a cell plan I might actually use time to time. I live in a rural area with no coverage. Normally I have no desire for cell. I just use my WiFi for data at home and at hot spots. But I were traveling I would likely turn on this plan for a month. Great job, Apple!
I just pulled out my last four AT&T bills to see how much data I am using with my iPhone. Unless I don't understand the bill correctly, I am using between 90,000 KB and 247,000 KB's per month - that's 90 to 247 MB's per month?!?!?!?!
I have no idea how I am using that much. I rarely use You Tube (certainly not even on a monthly basis) and don't stream music. I surf the web and play games on it. I don't do much emailing on it, let alone with pictures and maybe a few texts per month. It's connected to a wireless router both at work and home.
In any event, I was thinking I could get away with the 250 MB plan, but if I am using this much with my iPhone then the iPad will need more.... I am missing something?
I am very glad to see how they have set up the 3G access and billing, however.
I have no idea how I am using that much. I rarely use You Tube (certainly not even on a monthly basis) and don't stream music. I surf the web and play games on it. I don't do much emailing on it, let alone with pictures and maybe a few texts per month. It's connected to a wireless router both at work and home.
In any event, I was thinking I could get away with the 250 MB plan, but if I am using this much with my iPhone then the iPad will need more.... I am missing something?
I am very glad to see how they have set up the 3G access and billing, however.
If you can choose to automatically be billed the difference after surpassing the 250MB plan, why would anyone choose the unlimited plan to begin with?
My read is that you're NOT using that much! Commuting regularly by train when I've got a power adapter at my feet causes my data use to skyrocket, easily past 1GB.
How often are you on Wifi or with your laptop?
Anyone here going to have both iPhone 3G and iPad 3G with data plans on both? Or anyone going to forego their existing 3G and cellular on the iPhone, and try and VOIP it on the iPad?
My last 4 months have seen a monthly iPhone data usage of: 183 MB, 161 MB, 230 MB, 215 MB for an average of 197 MB.
As previously stated... that is about my daily usage of my laptop using my existing Verizon MiFi. Given that the iPad usage is likely to be somewhere in between my iPhone and my laptop... I cannot imagine that the 250 MB plan would be sufficient.
Furthermore, if I was to stream video to my iPad, then it might actually exceed the usage of my laptop.
/Jim
Yes, but see that's the point. My reason for not getting just the wifi version is, what if I'm in a location that DOESN'T have wifi, and I need to get on the internet; it'd be sweet to be able to just sign up on the spot for my one-month plan.
Dave