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Cellular enabled iPad

macAllen

macAllen

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 24, 2009
309
56
Las Vegas
I don't know if this is the correct forum page, Mods please relocate if its not.


I have 4 voice/data lines with Tmo and my family is currently only using 3 of them, the cool thing about the lines is that all of them have a line of 10gb/mo.

So that 4th line that isn't being used... I was wondering if I could pop that sim card into a cellular iPad and the data will work... I really don't want to call Tmo and have them take a look at my acct and change that voice/data line just to data. Just in case I wanted to pop that back into a phone and be it voice and data.

Can anyone confirm this for me? Maybe put their Tmo sim card from their phone to a iPad with cellular?
 
Try it and see if it works, I think its a simple enough operation that you'll have your answer fairly quickly.
 
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It should work just by inserting the SIM into the iPad. If it doesn't give T-Mobile a call and see if the account has to be re provisioned for data only service. Worst case is they have to send you a new SIM.
 
Well the reason why I'm asking here is because I don't have one with me. I plan on buying an iPad mini 4 cellular. Just trying to slim my chances on making a bad purchase.
 
I doubt it'll be a bad purchase. You can put the SIM in and see if it works. It *should*. If by chance T-Mobile does require a data-only plan, it'll likely come out cheaper for you anyway.

Or you can just keep the SIM that comes with the iPad, and enjoy 200MB a month for free on it through T-Mobile.
 
macAllen said:
Well the reason why I'm asking here is because I don't have one with me. I plan on buying an iPad mini 4 cellular. Just trying to slim my chances on making a bad purchase.
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As others have said, it will work. I purchased a Verizon cellular iPad direct from Apple which came with a Verizon SIM. I later on took the iPad to a T-Mobile store and they removed the Verizon SIM and put in a T-Mobile SIM and activated it on their system. They charged me $10.00 for the SIM and I get 200 MB for free each month and more if I'm willing to pay for it.
 
Update: Unfortunately you cannot have a voice/data line sim card in a data only device (iPad) it must be changed in Tmo end as just data. Sucks cause I pay nothing for my 4th line that 10GB and if I want a 2gb line for my iPad its 20$/mon.
 
macAllen said:
Update: Unfortunately you cannot have a voice/data line sim card in a data only device (iPad) it must be changed in Tmo end as just data. Sucks cause I pay nothing for my 4th line that 10GB and if I want a 2gb line for my iPad its 20$/mon.
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That's stupid. It should work just like AT&T and Verizon, where you can put a phone SIM in a tablet but you obviously won't get the phone capabilities.
 
Channan said:
That's stupid. It should work just like AT&T and Verizon, where you can put a phone SIM in a tablet but you obviously won't get the phone capabilities.
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Thats exactly what I said. Tried phone support: negative. Tired in store: Massive failure, felt like all they do there is sell... And tried Twitter: no luck. Just how their "Systems" work.
 
macAllen said:
Thats exactly what I said. Tried phone support: negative. Tired in store: Massive failure, felt like all they do there is sell... And tried Twitter: no luck. Just how their "Systems" work.
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To be fair, though, AT&T isn't perfect in that regard either. I got an iPad on contract (extremely cheap) with unlimited data for $40/month. It's the same price as a phone with unlimited data, yet AT&T won't allow me to put my iPad's SIM card in a phone and just use data in the phone. It has to be in my iPad or it doesn't work.

You'd think they wouldn't block you from putting it in a phone, considering it's the same price for that line as a phone would cost.
 
Channan said:
To be fair, though, AT&T isn't perfect in that regard either. I got an iPad on contract (extremely cheap) with unlimited data for $40/month. It's the same price as a phone with unlimited data, yet AT&T won't allow me to put my iPad's SIM card in a phone and just use data in the phone. It has to be in my iPad or it doesn't work.

You'd think they wouldn't block you from putting it in a phone, considering it's the same price for that line as a phone would cost.
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Because the greater majority of phones today are Smartphones and carriers require a voice and data plan on every Smartphone, they don't want users using a Smartphone on data only. Your terms of service will spell this out.
 
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maxsix said:
Because the greater majority of phones today are Smartphones and carriers require a voice and data plan on every Smartphone, they don't want users using a Smartphone on data only. Your terms of service will spell this out.
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You're obviously not understanding my point. Again, if it's the same price for less, who cares? I could switch my plan to a phone plan for the same price and also get unlimited data, so why block the tablet plan's data in a phone? The terms of service don't answer my question of "why?".
 
Channan said:
You're obviously not understanding my point. Again, if it's the same price for less, who cares? I could switch my plan to a phone plan for the same price and also get unlimited data, so why block the tablet plan's data in a phone? The terms of service don't answer my question of "why?".
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Why? Because they can. Simple.
No need to over think it.
 
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This is the main reason why I haven't switched to Tmo. I have 3 lines and a cellular tablet, but they won't allow the 4th line on their unlimited data promo for $150 be a tablet. Are you kidding me?
 
maxsix said:
Why? Because they can. Simple.
No need to over think it.
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"Because they can" isn't a reason. You don't need to be an ass about it. If it doesn't cost them money or cause them to lose money, but it could benefit the customer, then it would be stupid to block it unless there is a good reason.
 
Channan said:
"Because they can" isn't a reason. You don't need to be an ass about it. If it doesn't cost them money or cause them to lose money, but it could benefit the customer, then it would be stupid to block it unless there is a good reason.
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Don't think they are being an ass...think the point is they do it because they can. It is all the reason they need. Unfortunately it is their choice, their service.
 
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