AT&T Locking Apple Interchangeable SIMs in iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 [Updated]

[donnaw]

A Verizon store manager told me if I buy a cellular iPad air 2 from them they are locked and I wouldn't be able to go to any other carrier without getting another sim card.

I have a sneaky suspicion maybe all the carriers are locking in with their own sim, but you need an apple sim to play with each carrier.

The only reason to lock a sim now is to deter customer churn.

Um,
1). In a way the Verzion guy was right. Think about what he said, 'you can't use it with another carrier without getting another sim'. That's nothing different. For the last few years you HAD to get a sim from the carrier of your choice.

2). You can use the Apple-provided sim with ATT, T-Mo, or Sprint. The difference here is that if you chose ATT, you cannot reuse the Apple-provided sim if you decide next month to try Sprint or T-Mo.

3). You do not need an Apple sim for anything. You still have the option to get any carrier-provided sim. Ad you still have the option to change any of those at your whim.

The iPad is not locked -period, in no shape or form.

In reality not much has changed except T-Mo and Sprint will allow reuse of a special sim Apple has provided. So if someone likes to change carriers between those two. You save one step, changing the sim.

 

[kazmac]

According to TUAW, Apple has stated that customers with Apple SIMs locked to AT&T can switch to another carrier after *purchasing* a new Apple SIM from an Apple Retail Store: http://www.tuaw.com/2014/10/24/apple-and-atandt-confirm-atandt-locks-down-apple-sim-cards-to-their/

Big disappointment if it turns out to be true.

Edit: Here's the Apple Support document: big disappointment. I wonder how much they'll charge for a new Apple SIM? https://support.apple.com/kb/HT6499

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That's not what the Apple Support document on the subject indicates:

https://support.apple.com/kb/HT6499

Well that just tosses, thanks for posting the link/info.

it is all about $ so what the hell do I know...

 

[Apple II]

Walked in to ATT and got a new ATT sim with no problem. Glad I read this before activating the data on the new Ipad.

To transfer, you do need the cellular number for your data account, so be sure to take it with you.

Popped the ATT sim in the new Air 2 and it worked perfectly and is indeed the same account with unlimited plan.

Saved the Apple sim.

Unnecessary and moderately irritating but took less than five minutes.

 

[B2k1977]

AT&T did not explain why it opted to lock the SIM card to its network, however, with the spokesperson saying "it's just simply the way we've chosen to do it."

So Basically they've decided to be greedy pricks.

 

[cclloyd]

O-k, Sprint and T-Mobile it is.

The big two must think they're invincible.

Nope. If anything, it showcases their fear and vulnerability. They're scared that they would have people try theirs, then try someone else, and switch to that other person.

 

[HyperZboy]

You may already know this, but Sprint still locks the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

Odd, because the Verizon iPhone models have all been unlocked going back to the 5, so definitely not a CDMA issue...

Sprint has a statement that they will comply with the law on all required to be unlocked phones.

It's basically a load of crap with all kinds of disclaimers on how their phones don't have to comply for various reasons, often blaming the manufacturer, specifically APPLE for the iPhone 5s, which is technically a "World Phone".

I predict that when the law takes effect in Feb. 2015, there might or should be a class action lawsuit against SPRINT if they don't at least allow unlocking of the iPhone 6. Right now it's legal to keep it locked, but it won't soon and they have no technical out on the iPhone 6. I can't wait.

 

[ghostlogic]

Psh everyone getting so mad... :3

We should thank att... after all they are freely locking down an unlocked product we bought from a different seller

Usually you have to buy a two year contract to get your goods locked down and made useless if you try to leave but now they are offering this great service for free

Sadly they are only locking down the apple sim.. .i mean those will 100% be free im sure its not like ATT is locking down something that will likely sell for 10-20$ in apple stores or the phone itself

... ATT sure showed those no good politicians and their Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act
(https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1123)
After all those evil fools never prohibited att from helping us poor plebs by locking down our sims permanently it only said we can unlock our phones if we want

 

[MasterRyu2011]

I expected this to happen. Apple's trying to steal the top two carriers' pies. Not gonna happen.

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So Basically they've decided to be greedy pricks.

so basically, business as usual for any company

 

[iBreatheApple]

Yes, that is my question -- actually, 1) will Apple make them available and 2) at what price.

Does ATT give out free SIMs? I might try and see if they will give or sell me one. I really don't want to "burn" the universal one as I'm going to London next year and it will come in handy.

I have a friend that works for AT&T. They can give you one for free, or charge you if they 'don't like you'. There is an option on the register, but they don't have to charge for it. I've always had success in getting them for free but anyone's circumstance can be different.

 

[Yebubbleman]

So, it sounds like, as is the case with Verizon, the pro maneuver would be to buy your iPad Air 2/iPad mini 3 and get a separate AT&T SIM to use for AT&T, while retaining the Apple SIM for when you wish to not use AT&T and/or travel.

I know that Verizon makes this practice mandatory, but the functionality of Apple SIM is pretty cool and I'd imagine one would want to simply activate with an AT&T SIM card to preserve it.

 

[ghostlogic]

So, it sounds like, as is the case with Verizon, the pro maneuver would be to buy your iPad Air 2/iPad mini 3 and get a separate AT&T SIM to use for AT&T, while retaining the Apple SIM for when you wish to not use AT&T and/or travel.

I know that Verizon makes this practice mandatory, but the functionality of Apple SIM is pretty cool and I'd imagine one would want to simply activate with an AT&T SIM card to preserve it.

That is the solution at the moment i guess...but said solution defeats the point of the apple sim ...

Apple Sim works on 4 carriers atm
ATT (US)
TMobile (US)
Sprint (US)
EE (United Kingdom)
as ATT Locks it in it really only works on
Tmobile/sprint/EE

If you have att and get a sim card to save your apple sim you are likely not using sprint or tmobile as they both overlap with att... and if you are just going to switch your sim when you switch to them why not switch to a tmobile sim or sprint sim not the apple sim

Same problem with ee ... yes you could stick the apple sim card back in but the point of the apple sim was to make it easy to switch among carriers on the go, if you are switching out the sim when you visit the UK why not just pop in an ee sim card

The problem here is a lack of apple leverage or lack of there willingness to use it... and the lack of cooperation (if they got android on this too it would be adopted far more)

Goal: Stick a sim in then never have to switch it just go into settings and pick a plan and go (perhaps future plans include an unremoveable sim or one built into the casing so there less structural weakness or something, as of now it saves apple lots of money and gives business travels a service comparable to the double sim phones samsung and others are pushing)

Reality:
Use it at att and it becomes a useless att sim <--- Completely makes apple sim worthless and popping out an att sim for apple sim is the same as popping out an att sim for tmo/sprint/or ee

Use it at tmo or sprint and you can swap between them or ee when you need to <--- The goal, will not gain much traction in the us unless it is adopted elsewhere or apple refuses the new models to carriers who dont accept apple sim ... this would hurt apple but i seem to remember att living it up when they were the only iphone suppliers and i image sprint and tmo would welcome the fleeing att/verizon subscribers with open arms

 

[KPandian1]

Tampering with Apple Sim Card!

Is this not against the DMCA for ATT to lock out Apple's Universal SIM? Just because one signs for ATT service using Apple's SIM does not give ATT any right to tamper with the original intent of the device, here the SIM!

 

[bbplayer5]

i guess until t-mobile gets better coverage you are refusing to get 200 mb of data for life on your iPad? did i mention that $10 a month on an iPad on t-mobile gives you free unlimited music streaming just like if you paid $50 on an iPhone???

when t-mobile gives you free music for $10 or 200 mb of iPad data for free the whole t-mobile vs verizon coverage dispute seems wishy washy, like who cares. get your free music

how much data does $10 get you on verizon???

Assuming you have T-Mobile coverage, which goes back to my point.. their service sucks.

 

[Jmausmuc]

When the only alternatives are two companies with crappy networks, T-Mobile and Sprint, most people don't have a choice. People like you that act like it's no big deal for people to just up and switch or not choose AT&T or Verizon don't deal in reality. I'm on T-Mobile like you and it's great as long as I don't ever leave the city I live in. This is not just the customers that need to do something about it, the politicians that Verizon and AT&T pay off to allow them to collude with one another stop customers from having any real influence. It doesn't matter where we go, AT&T and Verizon will figure out yet another way to screw everyone over. You're grossly oversimplfying the situation because you don't understand it.

T-Mobile isn’t even that bad. Have you even used their network before or are you just arguing without being able to back it up?
T-Mobile even has a trial program where they will give you a sim card and a phone free of charge for you to try out their network.

ATT may have better coverage but T-Mobile is 5 times more customer friendly and they are basically the only company in the mobile network business that is actually focusing on the customer.

Just look at all the good deals they have and all the things that have changed since TM stepped their game up.

The more people join TM, the better their network will be and the more the other carriers will come under pressure to improve their plans and service.
If you stay with ATT nothing will change.

I was on ATT years ago in 09 and I wouldn’t wanna go back. When I called their customer service it was almost as if I was dealing with the DMV...

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I expected this to happen. Apple's trying to steal the top two carriers' pies. Not gonna happen.

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so basically, business as usual for any company

No. Many companies try to be customer friendly as it ultimately increases their profits.
Or at least they try to hide their greediness.

Very few companies would have the audacity to just say „It’s simply the way we have chosen to do it“ instead of at least trying to give an acceptable explanation.

This kind of behavior is usually only present in monopolists or government run agencies not normally in companies that have to deal with 4+ competitors.

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so what’s the point of this Apple sim then?

While I agree that what ATT is doing is the very opposite of being customer friendly, the Apple Sim is pretty much useless anyways.
Most people don’t frequently switch their domestic carrier so there is no real need for something like Apple sim. It’s convenient for sure but just getting a sim card from a store and putting it into your iPad isn’t that much of a hassle.

It would very useful for traveling internationally tho, but since it is only supported in one country that most americans probably don’t visit more than once (if that) it’s pretty much useless.
If there were carriers that support it in Canada or Mexico or in all of Europe, it would be very useful, but as it is I don’t think it’s an issue.

Apple should have waited with introducing the SIM until they had ore support lined up.

 

[mtneer]

Sprint has a statement that they will comply with the law on all required to be unlocked phones.

It's basically a load of crap with all kinds of disclaimers on how their phones don't have to comply for various reasons, often blaming the manufacturer, specifically APPLE for the iPhone 5s, which is technically a "World Phone".

I predict that when the law takes effect in Feb. 2015, there might or should be a class action lawsuit against SPRINT if they don't at least allow unlocking of the iPhone 6. Right now it's legal to keep it locked, but it won't soon and they have no technical out on the iPhone 6. I can't wait.

Assuming they have enough customers left to form a class

 

[HyperZboy]

Assuming they have enough customers left to form a class

I think SPRINT is just waiting to see what the other carriers do on this and at the same time covering their AZZES legally until they decide what to do.

It should be noted that regardless of the mid-term elections here in America, the Unlocking Bill passed by a bi-partisan majority in Congress, so this issue will not go away in the US one way or the other.

And now with ATT, SPRINT has their answer and I expect them to do the same thing as ATT.

Add those 2 together and that's a sizable user base of complainers.

 

[onlnagent]

Let me get the straight AT&T. So I buy a iPad from Apple with a sim card. At this point "I" own the sim card. Now you are telling me you a going to lock my universal sim card, that you did not supply, to your network and if I leave I have to buy another universal sim card?

 

[PadreQuevedo]

"it's just simply the way we've chosen to do it." AT&T

I am so glad I switched to T-Mobile.

 

[Rigby]

Here's an intersting "tweetstorm" by John Legere (CEO of T-Mobile USA) on the issue:

https://storify.com/jbrodkin/john-legere-tweetstorm-on-apple-sim-lockin

 

[rigormortis]

Assuming you have T-Mobile coverage, which goes back to my point.. their service sucks.

the number #1 reason to get the free 200 mb of data even if you have 0 signal is find my iPhone. that 200 mb will get your iPad back if it is stolen.

i lived in mountain ranch. nearest tmo tower was 12 miles away. i still got my free data. we had no AT&T either. and verizon's partner was mostly 2.5G with no data support and some wishy washy 3g

if i said it once i said it a thousand times. a locked wifi only tablet will not to connect to wifi networks it has not connected to before. if some steals your iPad they have to bring it to some wifi hotspot the iPad already knows about.

a locked wifi only iPad cannot click "i agree" at mcdonalds.


i think even with no tmobile coverage at all you stand a better chance of reuniting your lost gadget faster then no sim at all.

i think if u don't want to pay for cellular and want to save money on the wifi only tablet, you should take advantage of apple's free engraving feature so someone will know your passcode , so you can get your iPad back

providing you of course don't already pay money to another carrier.

what i hate about verizon is if you ask for "more everything" they automatically cut your bandwidth in half.
a 2 gig individual plan with no tethering is the same price as a 1 gig plan with tethering
this of course reflects after their gracious double data offer. when it used to be only 500 mb

your better off paying $15 for a separate AT&T data plan on an iPad, then paying $90 for 1 gig between
2 devices on verizon





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Good to know. My iPads are only wifi. I figured if att gives out sims for phones they'd give then out for iPads, too. But I was basing that on my experience with the gophone sims.

Does a regular iPhone sim work in an ipad? I'm thinking maybe no based on your info.

i wouldn't know about AT&T sims. (voice or data) , other then go phone. but i can tell you there is no difference between phone and data sims on t-mobile. i ordered a bunch of sims on that 1 cent deal and my iPad accepted each one

the voice sims on t-mobile come with an activation code. the data sims from t-mobile do not come with activation codes.

i ordered that walmart deal, $35 for the micro sim kit, and used the sim card that came with my iPhone and it still worked.

I'm going to try tmo for a while heh

 

[Ozy]

Did you also get the $100 bill credit that they're offering?

Bill

Seems to only apply to activating a new Smartphone unless you are referring to another program.

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/100-dollar-credit.html#fbid=

 

[Tech198]

Personally, i reckon all mobile carriers should do this word-wide..

That way no one would need different SIM cards.... Just one "universal" sim works across the board with all carriers..

Kind of like a "skeleton key" but for your mobile.... "A skeleton SIM"

Much simpler... This 'unlocking' would be a thing of the past.

 

[diamond.g]

I am curious if it is possible to use an Apple SIM to clone an other SIM. Removable reprogrammable SIMs seem like a bad idea.

 

[Tech198]

I am curious if it is possible to use an Apple SIM to clone an other SIM. Removable reprogrammable SIMs seem like a bad idea.

This could be the next wave for attacks.... But then again, no difference than anything we have now..

Although, it would be convenient...

 

[tgara]

I bought a new iPad Air 2 with cellular for my wife yesterday. The salesman explain how the Sim card works, in that AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile were the current carriers.

I told him I was a Verizon customer and wanted to use their service. He gave me a card the size of a credit card that had the Verizon Sim chip on it. He said to simply replace the stock Sim card with this new one, and the Verizon service will be available.

OK, just following up with the sim chip I mentioned....

Turned out the Apple salesman gave me a MICROsim and not the NANOsim that's needed. DUH!

The Apple Sim that came preinstalled allows choices for ATT, Sprint, and T-Mobile. We were going to go down to the Verizon store and get the Verizon nanosim, but said forget it, she's got ATT on her iPhone now, so we just went with the Apple sim and added the iPad to the account.