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

[Emmadiane]

Verizon not supported?!

I just spent an hour with both Verizon and Apple. Neither seems to know that Verizon isn't supported on the iPad Air 2. Am I missing something? So irritated that I just bought a cellular iPad, but can't add it to my Verizon account.

 

[MH01]

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.

When you get to London just pick up a sim from a Tesco or a sainsbury, I doubt the U.S. universal sim will work here.

Simple pay as you go sim and much cheaper than the U.S. ones.

 

[Sangoma]

Not cool

 

[CEmajr]

I really do not understand the outrage.

Your buying a device that costs between approx £400 - £700 pounds and worrying about a sim that is free - £2

When I got my iPad with the universal apple sim , I just threw it out and put in my own sim.

People in the US please explain the issue

I'm sure apple will give u another universal sim if it's such a burden

It's a convenience issue.

From what I understand about this Apple Sim, it's designed so that users can freely switch between carriers on their iPads without having to go get sim cards from those carrier stores and keep swapping them. Also it can be switched back and forth among carriers whereas if you end service with a carrier sim card, the card is deactivated and you need to get another one if you want to switch back.

Looks like with the Apple Sim a user could for example subscribe to T-Mobile when he's just around in his home city but purchase a one week plan if he happens to go vacation in a rural area for a week or something. Then just switch back to T-Mobile when he returns home. All this done right there from the iPad without going to different carrier stores buying several sim cards back and forth.

So what AT&T is doing seemingly just defeats the whole purpose of the Apple Sim. They're likely afraid of possibly losing tablet subscribers to other carriers. Since tablets are the largest source of subscriber growth for the US carriers these days.

 

[2457282]

Well, I don't see a good reason. The only thing it does is create inconvenience for the customer. It does not keep the customer from switching carriers by obtaining another SIM.

I was actually planning to use AT&T on my Air 2, but now I will never use AT&T since I don't want to lock my Apple SIM. T-Mobile right now has a 5GB 150-Day pass for $10 as a limited time offer ...

Unfortunately the inconvenience is the good reason for AT&T to do this. It is a proven fact that the majority of people will stick with a company if it is a) difficult to switch and b) not compelling enough. This is why AT&T will always sort of match the prices from the other carriers (not quite but close enough) and make things just a little difficult.

Its an old paradigm that worked with for a long time. With the younger generations, this is something that will actually work against them in the long term.

 

[Sangoma]

Ummmm what's the big issue?

Just get a new sim. It's what the rest of the world has to do.

The SIM is supposed to be universal. AT&T appear to be stopping that. That's the big deal. What if we don't want to swap SIMs?

 

[MH01]

It is simple: I often travel internationally and I was hoping that the Apple SIM would eventually allow me to use prepaid offers from carriers abroad without having to hunt down and activate a local SIM in every country (which can be a huge pain). This is of course assuming that more carriers than EE UK would get on board over time, and that none of them follows this misguided AT&T policy ...

Well how about the 3 network, which is Hutchinson I believe in the states, the only network with decent roaming.

Hate to tell you but roaming at present is setup to make huge money out of you. Buy local or overpay.

 

[CEmajr]

I just spent an hour with both Verizon and Apple. Neither seems to know that Verizon isn't supported on the iPad Air 2. Am I missing something? So irritated that I just bought a cellular iPad, but can't add it to my Verizon account.

Verizon is supported just like any other iPad. It's just not compatible with the Apple Sim. You can still buy an iPad Air 2 and put a Verizon sim card in it.

 

[G2244]

I agree this is a bad move. However the Apple SIM is good for Apple since they have to stock fewer models - so they are unlikely to block AT&T from doing it. However, Apple could mitigate this issue by just including a "spare" SIM with each new iPad.

 

[2298754]

I just spent an hour with both Verizon and Apple. Neither seems to know that Verizon isn't supported on the iPad Air 2. Am I missing something? So irritated that I just bought a cellular iPad, but can't add it to my Verizon account.

You have to buy the VZW version, even though they're all unlocked. They're all pretty much identical, but the VZW version's MEID numbers are already in VZW's system. It needs to be in their system to work on their network.

This is the same reason why the AT&T/TMo/VZW iPhones were identical, but only the VZW models would work on VZW... because they had the MEIDs in their database.

 

[Emmadiane]

Verizon is supported just like any other iPad. It's just not compatible with the Apple Sim. You can still buy an iPad Air 2 and put a Verizon sim card in it.

Thank you - you are already infinitely more knowledgeable than Verizon or Apple. Do I get that from Verizon (and/or can I take it from my old iPad 2?)

 

[rmatthewware]

ATT, as well as the other carriers, have methods of locking you into their service. They have early termination fees that you have to pay if you want to leave within contract. That should be enough. Locking your SIM card just seems petty. If you're expected to foot the bill for the device, they should have no right to lock your device. And really, it's a useless method of locking you in, anyway, because you can get a new SIM for under $10.

 

[2298754]

It's stupid for AT&T to try to lock it down, but what's stopping you from going to the Apple store and picking up another SIM. The drama in this thread is hilarious and overblown.

Don't like AT&T? Fine. Go get another Apple SIM. Your iPad is unlocked. You can do whatever you want with it.

 

[MH01]

It's a convenience issue.

From what I understand about this Apple Sim, it's designed so that users can freely switch between carriers on their iPads without having to go get sim cards from those carrier stores and keep swapping them. Also it can be switched back and forth among carriers whereas if you end service with a carrier sim card, the card is deactivated and you need to get another one if you want to switch back.

Looks like with the Apple Sim a user could for example subscribe to T-Mobile when he's just around in his home city but purchase a one week plan if he happens to go vacation in a rural area for a week or something. Then just switch back to T-Mobile when he returns home. All this done right there from the iPad without going to different carrier stores buying several sim cards back and forth.

So what AT&T is doing seemingly just defeats the whole purpose of the Apple Sim. They're likely afraid of possibly losing tablet subscribers to other carriers. Since tablets are the largest source of subscriber growth for the US carriers these days.

Thank you for the explanation.

Everytime I have changed networks In the UK, it has been a new Sim. The concept of a universal sim is alien to me.

I'm a bargain hunter, I'll get the best network with the best deal, changing sims for me is a 20 sec job

 

[jlake02]

Shame this wasn't revealed on launch, but glad it's revealed early in the launch cycle. This will enable AT&T customers to buy their iPads from Verizon or others.

Although I've been an AT&T customer, my first cellular iPad was with Verizon because their LTE network was much better a few years back. (Still is better, but not AS much better.)

 

[Emmadiane]

You have to buy the VZW version, even though they're all unlocked. They're all pretty much identical, but the VZW version's MEID numbers are already in VZW's system. It needs to be in their system to work on their network.

This is the same reason why the AT&T/TMo/VZW iPhones were identical, but only the VZW models would work on VZW... because they had the MEIDs in their database.

When I bought it online, it only gave the option to choose cellular, not a specific network.

 

[giantfan1224]

Is the universal Apple SIM really about easily switching between carriers or so Apple doesn't have to have so many iterations of the same iPad pre-loaded with a specific carrier's SIM? I'm guessing it's really about the latter although it may be marketed as the former. My guess is Apple doesn't care if AT&T is locking the SIM.

 

[Ozy]

I'll know today. If AT&T will give you a SIM then that's what I'll try. Did anyone find out how much a new AppleSIM will cost?

 

[Dbolander]

This maybe a silly reply but where is the sim slot on the iPad air 2 as I don't see it on the side or bottom , so does this mean the sim is already inside of the device ???

Page 9 of the User Guide shows that it is located near the lower right side of the iPad.
http://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/1000/MA1595/en_US/ipad_user_guide.pdf

 

[2298754]

When I bought it online, it only gave the option to choose cellular, not a specific network.

Hmm... Didn't know this. My bad.

Haven't ordered an iPad in a few years. Before, there was always a selection for what carrier you wanted. Just like an iPhone.

I think you will have to take your iPad to the local VZW store and get it activated. That's the only possible way because they don't ship with VZW compatible SIMs.

 

[Rigby]

So what AT&T is doing seemingly just defeats the whole purpose of the Apple Sim.

I'm starting to think the purpose of the Apple SIM was never customer convencience, but solely to simplify Apple's inventory management. That's probably why they didn't even mention it at the keynote.

 

[carlos916]

Typical AT&T

 

[zencowboy]

Watch T-mobile capitalize on this and Offer a Free Apple Sim to switch carriers

 

[avanpelt]

Stay classy, AT&T.

 

[Batman89]

LOL at AT&T for trying to pull this ****. Such Elementary School behavior.

The carriers are toast and their evil (yes, I'll use that word) ways are numbered.