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AT&T Posts Fact Sheet Regarding iPad 3G Data Service

Something I have not seen addressed:

I have SBC (ATT) DSL, which allows me to use Wi-Fi at Starbuck's, etc.

I buy the iPad 3G, and get the 256MB plan

I go to Starbucks

I assume the ipad will prefer the Wi-Fi connection, and switch over to it from 3g, deducting MBs from my 256MB quota.

Do you think they will offer you a way for you to "log in" with my DSL account to the Starbuck's wifi instead so I don't use up my 256mb quota?
 
rick.spence said:
Everyone is worried about what data plan they should get.

Has anyone thought about what apps will be allowed to run on 3G?

I know most will, but what about Netflix and the like?

I personally doubt it, so I have a Verizon MIFI wireless access point to use, the iPad sees it as a WIFI hotspot and ALL apps run everywhere I go..
Click to expand...

exactly, you know at&t will do that because they already do that for the iphone.
 
I downloaded a HD TV show episode (Planet Earth) from the iTunes store and it was 1.4gb. I hope they allow that on 3G . I'm guessing that they won't.
 
Thanks Apple for once again tying your giant iPod Touch to the worlds worst cell network provider. It's utterly worthless on that network. Same with the iPhone, which is a nice device if you never make a phone call.
 
iOrlando said:
how much is 250 mb?

isnt that really small?
Click to expand...

It's peanuts, and way too expensive at that price.

You can get a full UMTS/3G flatrate in Germany for 20 bucks - unlimited online time, unlimited downloads. The only thing that's limited for 20 bucks is the bandwidth: 384 kbit/s.

Anyway, 250 MB is equivalent to around 20 to 25 high quality mp3 music files. It's around one third the size of a DVD movie rip.

You can easily consume 250 MB when you spend around an hour on YouTube.

An iPhone OS update is already bigger than 250 MB.

That limitation is a complete joke. For example, German high speed UMTS/3G contracts (7.2 MBit/s) usually come with a 5 Gigabyte limit before they throttle your bandwidth to 384 kbit/s. After the 5 GB download, you still don't have a volume limit, it's just a bandwidth limitation.

It seems that AT&T in the US is trying to turn back the wheel of time to the 1990s.
 
A fabulous deal

People will always complain because they want something for nothing. But, $30 a month for unlimited data with no contract is a great, great deal. Furthermore when the the corresponding plans are rolled out next month overseas, I predict that the AT&T deal will look even better.

I have wifi at home and work, but I would never have ordered an iPad if it did not have 3G. In fact, I might have been tempted to just update my MacBook Air if they offered one with the same connectivity. (Yes I know mywi is an option but IMO suboptimal form a convenience perspective, requires a jailbreak and who knows if/when ATT shuts down tethering).
 
Future of iPod Touch?

I wonder if the next generation iPod Touch will have a similar hierarchy to the iPad: Wifi Only or WiFi + 3G with data plans through AT&T???

Food for thought.
 
Winni said:
It's peanuts, and way too expensive at that price.

You can get a full UMTS/3G flatrate in Germany for 20 bucks - unlimited online time, unlimited downloads. The only thing that's limited for 20 bucks is the bandwidth: 384 kbit/s.

Anyway, 250 MB is equivalent to around 20 to 25 high quality mp3 music files. It's around one third the size of a DVD movie rip.

You can easily consume 250 MB when you spend around an hour on YouTube.

An iPhone OS update is already bigger than 250 MB.

That limitation is a complete joke. For example, German high speed UMTS/3G contracts (7.2 MBit/s) usually come with a 5 Gigabyte limit before they throttle your bandwidth to 384 kbit/s. After the 5 GB download, you still don't have a volume limit, it's just a bandwidth limitation.

It seems that AT&T in the US is trying to turn back the wheel of time to the 1990s.
Click to expand...

It is AT&T marketing the plans in such a way to push people to the $30 unlimited plan while still being able to point and say they have a cheaper limited plan.

The 250MB number does not come out of thin air. AT&T has done the analysis and figured out the best way to push as many people as possible to the unlimited plan.
 
Arrgghh . . . iPhone Tethering!

I gotta have iPhone tethering, maybe 2-3 times a month, and it STILL hasn't happened. What can AT&T be afraid of? It's just not that big a deal!
 
skyehill said:
Thanks Apple for once again tying your giant iPod Touch to the worlds worst cell network provider. It's utterly worthless on that network. Same with the iPhone, which is a nice device if you never make a phone call.
Click to expand...

You DON'T need to use AT&T. The iPad 3G is NOT exclusive to AT&T, but this is merely the deal Apple has arranged with AT&T for us. If you would rather go with a Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Virgin Mobile, or two-cans-and-string plan, go for it...and be sure to let us know what awesome plan you found. (...'cause you're not gonna find one that's better.)
 
They'll add tethering as an extra cost to your plan. Have the jailbrakers gotten the phone to tether on the 30-pin cable yet?
 
PDelahanty said:
You DON'T need to use AT&T. The iPad 3G is NOT exclusive to AT&T, but this is merely the deal Apple has arranged with AT&T for us. If you would rather go with a Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Virgin Mobile, or two-cans-and-string plan, go for it...and be sure to let us know what awesome plan you found. (...'cause you're not gonna find one that's better.)
Click to expand...

You do realize this thing uses GSM. And only T-Mobile and AT&T have that right?
 
iPad 3g unlimited plan IS on the iPhone

Why is this so complicated for some. Either $14.99 per month for 250mb or $30 for unlimited. When you run out of the 250mb just renew for either $14.99 for 250 for another 30 days or change to $30 for 30days unlimited.
If you have 5 days left before the 30 days is up and you are out of minutes get more for another 30 days. If you don't want to waste those 5 days you paid for then pay the overage charge. (someone probably will)
Wow
 
Well while everyone starts to complain about not being able to stream Netflix over AT&T 3G network I will be streaming it via the Verizon MIFI 2200 (which BTW can connect upto 5 devices at once) as I do now with out issue.

3G is fine for surfing the web and email but when I go on vacation I want to stream video as well.
 
No big deal?

There were over 600,000 iPads sold with wifi, if half that amount buy 3G thats $9 millon per month to AT&T. Honestly do you really think that is no big deal?
Do The Math
 
The Gary said:
There were over 600,000 iPads sold with wifi, if half that amount buy 3G thats $9 millon per month to AT&T. Honestly do you really think that is no big deal?
Do The Math
Click to expand...

If that does happen, then they really do have NO reason NOT to upgrade and further improve their network...
 
Small White Car said:
Verizon Mifi.

Looking like a good deal...it can power your iPad, your laptopl, and even your iPhone's web connection if your AT&T reception is spotty.
Click to expand...

Not to mention that the 3G version is suppose to get 1 hour less battery life ( I admit that is not a huge difference, it will be for some), whilst those of us on the MIFI will get full battery as the iPad is only using its WIFI connection..
 
rick.spence said:
Well while everyone starts to complain about not being able to stream Netflix over AT&T 3G network I will be streaming it via the Verizon MIFI 2200 (which BTW can connect upto 5 devices at once) as I do now with out issue.

3G is fine for surfing the web and email but when I go on vacation I want to stream video as well.
Click to expand...

Sure, for the cost of another device, contract and over twice the monthly charge for the same data plan!

Where do I sign up?
 
Nice for the Ipad, but why not 3G-equipped MBPs?

So what's stopping Apple from making this functionality built-in on the MBP? Competition with the iPad?
 
Verizon/Sprint Mi-Fi's, using MyWi on an iPhone, and WalkingHotSpot on a WinMo are all great, but at the source, they all require a contract tied to a device. The iPad 3G has a stop-and-go 3G data plan.

Now, if you could activate the iPad 3G's MicroSIM, then take it out and put it in a Micro-SIM to SIM adapter, then stick it in a UMTS Mi-Fi device such as the NovaTel MiFi 2372, now you're talking the best of both worlds...

Let's just hope AT&T doesn't kill the MicroSIM for breaching their ToS.
 
fupaking said:
Something I have not seen addressed:

I have SBC (ATT) DSL, which allows me to use Wi-Fi at Starbuck's, etc.

I buy the iPad 3G, and get the 256MB plan

I go to Starbucks

I assume the ipad will prefer the Wi-Fi connection, and switch over to it from 3g, deducting MBs from my 256MB quota.

Do you think they will offer you a way for you to "log in" with my DSL account to the Starbuck's wifi instead so I don't use up my 256mb quota?
Click to expand...

if your using a wifi hotspot it does not use any of your 250mb quota. Only 3g browsing does.
 
somairotevoli said:
Sure, for the cost of another device, contract and over twice the monthly charge for the same data plan!

Where do I sign up?
Click to expand...

Those that want to stream video where ever they are will be happy to pay for it, not to mention using Skype and other apps.

I often use mine with my wife so that saves having two AT&T plans with crappy service when everyone else with the 3G version is on-line.
 
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