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AT&T Posts Fact Sheet Regarding iPad 3G Data Service
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I'm betting that AT&T's iPad plan will force Verizon to adopt a similar model for their Mifi soon. I suspect Verizon will want to sell Mifis to iPad owners and that'll be the only way they can do it.
Seems to me what people keep not remembering is that this is a prepaid service which means you hand over the money THEN service is provided. It's not like your contract mobile phone plan! This means that when you buy 250MB for $14 and then a few days later decide you need the unlimited YOU CANNOT apply that $14 to the cost of the unlimited plan. You will have to fork over the full $30.
This makes way too much sense, that's why it won't happen.
You must be new here. Common sense, with AT&T and Apple? Pshaw! I guess we were all naive once, and eventually learned the hard way that nothing makes sense.
Welcome to the club!
I agree, i don't know how people only go through less than 250 mbs a month. assuming i use the ipad half as much as i use my iphone... and i'll probably use it more... there's NO WAY the 250mb/month will work for me, i range from 2.3 gigs to 5.9 gigs a month on my iphone (i love slingbox
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That is exactly the case.
You seem to be a tad confused.
The 250MB/Unlimited stuff is strictly 3g. If you are on wifi that's a totally different connection that has nothing to do with the quotas.
ATT is offering free access to their wifi (which is unlimited) to encourage folks to use that and not the cell network.
You are only partially correct
The ipad is not sim locked to anyone. So yes if a service can (in a tech sense) handle the ipad you can go for it.
However, the ipad is GSM only. So Verizon and Sprint are out. T-Mobile is currently the wrong frequencies but if they changed and added micro sim support, sure have at. Same for Virgin etc.
And yes are just ATT's prices. Which are in the settings 'exclusively' cause in the US they are the only folks that can handle the ipad. As they establish coverage overseas they will likely have some kind of carrier update as needed for folks to download
Really? I wouldnt call that a heavy user then. I've been over 1000 meg for each of the past 5 months. I'm a streaming/downloading fool!
250 MB is not much at all!
Basically what I'm saying is that the structure of the plans is pretty good. However if they changed the 250 parameter to a larger value more people could make use of the low end plan. For a lot of people 250 MB wouldn't even cover E-Mail.
Dave
Yes in that respect you are right. The problem as I see it is that most people will go over the 250 limit real easy. Especially with iPads larger screen giving people more incentive to download more graphically intense sites.
I would think that most people relying on 3G would go over. Around here open WiFi is very thin indeed. Plus due to the low RAM in the iPad it will be reloading a lot of web sites constantly in Safari. Because of that a typical user could see a doubling in bandwidth use or worst.
Basically what I'm saying is that the structure of the plans is pretty good. However if they changed the 250 parameter to a larger value more people could make use of the low end plan. For a lot of people 250 MB wouldn't even cover E-Mail.
Dave
I would double check with ATT about that 250MB before 30 days is up.Folks don't want to be caught off guard when ATT says no you have to go 5 days with nothing, play by use or upgrade to unlimited.
LOL! So its basically locked to AT&T!
Not at all. The only thing stopping it from being on T-Mobile is T-Mobile. Not a contract with ATT that says you can't do it without hacking your ipad etc.
In fact I wouldn't be shocked if Monday Apple announces they sold and Tuesday morning T-Mobile announces that they are adjusting their network to handle the ipad. AND they are offering unlimited for $25 a month OR pay as you go 1GB for $15. Both with hotspot access
That is so wrong and very misleading.
I really hope that nobody puts credit to your statements because 250 MB is not much at all. Especially if you run Safari alot over 3G.
Even if you don't a heavy E-Mail user could exceed those numbers easily. Impossible you say! Maybe maybe not, it depends upon what you get in that mail and how often that mail will result in Safari being used. Granted what I'm thinking about here is more professional usage where a large newsletter might come in the form of a PDF or a complex HTML file. Or for that matter an E-Mail that links in a video.
In the end I think people will be very surprised at how much data they go through with an iPad. It's a combination of things that will drive up data usage. By the way I was actually waiting for a 3G model but now have reservations after looking at all of the facts known so far. I just don't see the low end plan working out for me and the expense of the other plan is an issue if you are already paying for an iPhone plan.
In the end I'd like to see AT&T offer a special for iPhone owners. The reality is I don't expect to use grossly more bandwidth but rather would have it spread across two devices.
Dave
I really hope that nobody puts credit to your statements because 250 MB is not much at all. Especially if you run Safari alot over 3G.
Even if you don't a heavy E-Mail user could exceed those numbers easily. Impossible you say! Maybe maybe not, it depends upon what you get in that mail and how often that mail will result in Safari being used. Granted what I'm thinking about here is more professional usage where a large newsletter might come in the form of a PDF or a complex HTML file. Or for that matter an E-Mail that links in a video.
In the end I think people will be very surprised at how much data they go through with an iPad. It's a combination of things that will drive up data usage. By the way I was actually waiting for a 3G model but now have reservations after looking at all of the facts known so far. I just don't see the low end plan working out for me and the expense of the other plan is an issue if you are already paying for an iPhone plan.
In the end I'd like to see AT&T offer a special for iPhone owners. The reality is I don't expect to use grossly more bandwidth but rather would have it spread across two devices.
Dave
Never use WiFi in a hotel! Way to slow!
WiFi in most hotels I've stayed at is very slow and I don't always believe it is the hotels fault. You just end up with a lot of people competeing for the RF space plus all the walls don't help.
If they have one of those fancy game/TV systems feed by an Ethernet cable tap into that. I've gotten some of my fastest connections ever that way. Especially in Vegas. In some hotels it looks like that connection is gigabit Ethernet. Even if it is 100Mbs you will still beat congested WiFi hands down.
By the way this is one of the reasons AIRs lack of an Ethernet port bothers me so much. Sometime a wired connection is much more desirable.
Dave
WiFi in most hotels I've stayed at is very slow and I don't always believe it is the hotels fault. You just end up with a lot of people competeing for the RF space plus all the walls don't help.
If they have one of those fancy game/TV systems feed by an Ethernet cable tap into that. I've gotten some of my fastest connections ever that way. Especially in Vegas. In some hotels it looks like that connection is gigabit Ethernet. Even if it is 100Mbs you will still beat congested WiFi hands down.
By the way this is one of the reasons AIRs lack of an Ethernet port bothers me so much. Sometime a wired connection is much more desirable.
Dave
You do know that there is a USB to Ethernet adapater that does exactly what you are requesting? I have one (cheap too) that works perfectly
Upgrading to unlimited!
I don't wanna be sound sarcastic but logically if you're in 250MB plan and you want to upgrade. Just cancel your account then re-open your account again then you can chose the 250MB plan again or go to unlimited plan. SJ has mentioned in his keynote that you are not tied to your plan instead you can activate your data plan when you need it or discontinue your data plan if you don't need it. Here you go I hope I answered all your questions about upgrading or AT&T overcharging/scamming you because you don't know what you're doing.
I don't wanna be sound sarcastic but logically if you're in 250MB plan and you want to upgrade. Just cancel your account then re-open your account again then you can chose the 250MB plan again or go to unlimited plan. SJ has mentioned in his keynote that you are not tied to your plan instead you can activate your data plan when you need it or discontinue your data plan if you don't need it. Here you go I hope I answered all your questions about upgrading or AT&T overcharging/scamming you because you don't know what you're doing.
I can't be the only one who expects AT&T to impose the same restrictions on the iPad as they do the iPhone and other smart phones.
Which means no big app store downloads, no streaming of high quality video, etc.
Skype hasn't been updated to use a 3G connection so Skype will NOT work on 3G on the iPad.
Netflix and ABC Player already state WiFi required. So you won't be able to stream video on those apps anywhere.
Plus AT&T's 3G is too slow to allow for even DVD quality video to be streamed over the air.
Honestly, with AT&T's coverage that is nothing short of terrible, their 3G restrictions, and slow speeds, I don't see the point in getting the 3G iPad. I thought about it a lot before placing the order for my WiFi iPad (got it launch day!).. But AT&T alone is reason enough for me not to get the 3G version. Plus the slow speeds. I don't want to pay yet another monthly fee for yet another device to be online. Especially when that $30 price is just short of my 30Mbps home connection.
If I want mobile data then I'll get something like a MiFi. Then I can have a MUCH better network, like Verizon or Sprint, and all of my devices can get online. But again, whats the point? At this time and for the forseeable future, cellular data is significantly slower than open wifi points at coffee shops, book stores, restaurants, etc., and even more considerably slower than whats available to homes.
Sure it'd be nice to sit out in the park and browse the web on my iPad (funny enough, some of the parks around here have open wifi), but with AT&T's coverage and slow speeds I might as well just wait until I get home to do it.
Which means no big app store downloads, no streaming of high quality video, etc.
Skype hasn't been updated to use a 3G connection so Skype will NOT work on 3G on the iPad.
Netflix and ABC Player already state WiFi required. So you won't be able to stream video on those apps anywhere.
Plus AT&T's 3G is too slow to allow for even DVD quality video to be streamed over the air.
Honestly, with AT&T's coverage that is nothing short of terrible, their 3G restrictions, and slow speeds, I don't see the point in getting the 3G iPad. I thought about it a lot before placing the order for my WiFi iPad (got it launch day!).. But AT&T alone is reason enough for me not to get the 3G version. Plus the slow speeds. I don't want to pay yet another monthly fee for yet another device to be online. Especially when that $30 price is just short of my 30Mbps home connection.
If I want mobile data then I'll get something like a MiFi. Then I can have a MUCH better network, like Verizon or Sprint, and all of my devices can get online. But again, whats the point? At this time and for the forseeable future, cellular data is significantly slower than open wifi points at coffee shops, book stores, restaurants, etc., and even more considerably slower than whats available to homes.
Sure it'd be nice to sit out in the park and browse the web on my iPad (funny enough, some of the parks around here have open wifi), but with AT&T's coverage and slow speeds I might as well just wait until I get home to do it.
i guess people dont do research
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story...mited-streaming-over-ts-3g-network/2010-04-08
you can stream netflix over 3g. next time do research.
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story...mited-streaming-over-ts-3g-network/2010-04-08
you can stream netflix over 3g. next time do research.
I hadn't thought about that problem in regards to 3G usage, but you're right, it could be much more than inconvenient, it could become rather expensive.
Switching from 3G to wifi
I live in NYC and plan to get the 3G ipad, but I have a few questions. If you know, any help would be greatly appreciated....
1) If you go with the 250mb plan, and are in a cafe that is within access of an ATT wifi hotspot....can you surf the web UNLIMITED and without using up the 250mbs? I guess what I'm saying is, does the ATT wifi drain your 250mbs? Or is it unlimited? If it's unlimited, thats cool, because there are many ATT wireless spots in NYC.
2) I will most likely use 3G only in a pinch trading stocks on the Etrade app for the ipad, and will more often then not choose the 250mb plan. If I use the 3G ONLY to open the Etrade app and watch stocks and trade them...without doing ANY other websurfing....how long would the 250mbs last me doing that? Could I theoretically just use the etrade app Monday thru Friday 9am to 4pm on 3G and not reach my 250mb limit? How much mb would the etrade app use up do you think? Alot or alittle?
Thanks
I live in NYC and plan to get the 3G ipad, but I have a few questions. If you know, any help would be greatly appreciated....
1) If you go with the 250mb plan, and are in a cafe that is within access of an ATT wifi hotspot....can you surf the web UNLIMITED and without using up the 250mbs? I guess what I'm saying is, does the ATT wifi drain your 250mbs? Or is it unlimited? If it's unlimited, thats cool, because there are many ATT wireless spots in NYC.
2) I will most likely use 3G only in a pinch trading stocks on the Etrade app for the ipad, and will more often then not choose the 250mb plan. If I use the 3G ONLY to open the Etrade app and watch stocks and trade them...without doing ANY other websurfing....how long would the 250mbs last me doing that? Could I theoretically just use the etrade app Monday thru Friday 9am to 4pm on 3G and not reach my 250mb limit? How much mb would the etrade app use up do you think? Alot or alittle?
Thanks
I'm sure these sims will end up on ebay.
If the new iPhone uses micro sims, this would be a perfect thing for data usage while on holiday in the us.
If the new iPhone uses micro sims, this would be a perfect thing for data usage while on holiday in the us.
Per that story just posted a few post ago:
"Separately, AT&T confirmed a Gearlog report that its $30-per-month unlimited data service for the iPad really is unlimited, and won't be subject to the monthly 5 GB cap the carrier imposes on USB modem and netbook users."
Read more: http://www.fiercewireless.com/story...g-over-ts-3g-network/2010-04-08#ixzz0mUAqaiXs