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golfman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 10, 2008
9
0
If I purchased an iPad Air or an iPad mini retina with a certain cellular carrier (let's say Sprnt), can I change carriers if I want to later on? I've read a couple if different things about this...one said all I would have to do is change the SIM card to another carrier and that's all there is to it, I read somewhere else that there could be problems doing that. Can anyone clear this up for me! Thanks.
 
If I purchased an iPad Air or an iPad mini retina with a certain cellular carrier (let's say Sprnt), can I change carriers if I want to later on? I've read a couple if different things about this...one said all I would have to do is change the SIM card to another carrier and that's all there is to it, I read somewhere else that there could be problems doing that. Can anyone clear this up for me! Thanks.

Default Carrier: Supported Carriers (no hassle activation)
Verizon: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
Sprint: Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile
AT&T: AT&T, T-Mobile
T-Mobile: AT&T, T-Mobile
 
I have a tmobile rmini but using a verizon sim with LTE signal.
How did you activate the SIM. From countless Air threads, getting Verizon to activate on a non-Verizon iPad is a major headache. However, if you have an already activated Verizon SIM card (from iPhone 5/5s/5c or iPad Mini), then you can just move it to the Air or rMini and it will work just fine.

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yup get the AT&T model.
My recommendation would actually be either Verizon or Sprint depending on which one you're more likely to use and then just getting a SIM card from AT&T or T-Mobile.
 
We'll I have a verizon mini so I just transferred the sim. I didn't have to change settings or anything on the apn.
 
We'll I have a verizon mini so I just transferred the sim to the retina mini. I didn't have to change settings or anything on the apn.
 
Thanks for the info. How much do the carriers charge for their SIM cards. If lets say I got a Sprint version and walked into a Verizon Store asking for a SIM card does anyone know what it costs?
 
Thanks for the info. How much do the carriers charge for their SIM cards. If lets say I got a Sprint version and walked into a Verizon Store asking for a SIM card does anyone know what it costs?
Good luck getting Verizon to give you one. On ebay, $6 for the Nano SIM. However, you'd still need some way to activate it. If you've got a friend with a Verizon iPad, you can activate on his device and then just transfer the SIM back to your iPad. I checked out the Apple store and at least for the one in my area, all iPads on display are the wi-fi models.

AT&T: Depends on store but can be $0-$25
T-Mobile: Depends on store but can be $0-10; $0-0.99 promotions on SIM kits often available online.
 
Would there be any way to use my AT&T 5s nano sim in my Tmo Air? I keep trying to download APN profiles from unlockit.co.nz and none of them are working for me.

I'm pretty sure I've read posts about people getting their 5/5s nano sims to work in their cellular iPads.

Any thoughts? Because I'd love to use my grandfathered unlimited data plan on my Air!
 
So do I understand this correct? If I bought an Ipad Air ( Verizon ) I can go to AT& T and get a sim card to put in my Ipad Air and now use ATT LTE if I want to and go back to Verizon if I needed to with the Sim that came with the unit?
 
So do I understand this correct? If I bought an Ipad Air ( Verizon ) I can go to AT& T and get a sim card to put in my Ipad Air and now use ATT LTE if I want to and go back to Verizon if I needed to with the Sim that came with the unit?
Yep.
 
Ok, So If I got an Ipad Air today on ATT then put in a Verizon Micro Sim ( which I have from another air ) will it let me choose a data plan or will it show up that this sim card is not for this unit? That's my real question sorry! Another question: i have att on my iphone can the new air on att share the data with the iphone? ( I have a shared plan now ) Thanks !!!!!
 
Ok, So If I got an Ipad Air today on ATT then put in a Verizon Micro Sim ( which I have from another air ) will it let me choose a data plan or will it show up that this sim card is not for this unit? That's my real question sorry! Another question: i have att on my iphone can the new air on att share the data with the iphone? ( I have a shared plan now ) Thanks !!!!!
You'll have trouble activating an AT&T iPad on Verizon (keyword being activate). However, if you already have a working Verizon SIM (e.g. from a Verizon iPhone 5, iPad Mini or iPad Air), you can just move that to the AT&T iPad Air and it will work. Since pricing is the same on all models, you're better off getting a CDMA iPad and moving that to GSM carriers than trying to jump through hoops trying to do the reverse.
 
If I purchased an iPad Air or an iPad mini retina with a certain cellular carrier (let's say Sprnt), can I change carriers if I want to later on? I've read a couple if different things about this...one said all I would have to do is change the SIM card to another carrier and that's all there is to it, I read somewhere else that there could be problems doing that. Can anyone clear this up for me! Thanks.
I have an IPAD Air that was purchased at a Sprint store. An AT&T sim works fine. However a T-Mobile sim will not work, I have an activated T-Mobile sim from a T-Mobile store and the Air refuses to get the T-Mobile signal, also the sim works fine in a Iphone 5s. Anyone have any Ideas??:confused:
 
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