Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Do you turn Cellular Data on your iPad off when not using it?

  • Yes, I turn it off.

    Votes: 21 37.5%
  • No, it stays on all the time for constant cellular goodness.

    Votes: 26 46.4%
  • Sandwiches.

    Votes: 9 16.1%

  • Total voters
    56

zorinlynx

macrumors G3
Original poster
May 31, 2007
8,452
19,308
Florida, USA
Just wondering if folks typically turn it off or they just leave it on so they can just use it whenever without having to flip any switches. I turn mine off when I'm going to be home for a long time so the battery doesn't drain.
 
Mine's always on. I haven't really noticed a difference in battery drain either way and it's useful to leave it on for Find My iPhone.
 
I leave it on. Even though the poor signal in my house probably wastes more battery than it would with a better signal or having it disabled completely, I still can last about 3 weeks before recharging it. Plus, I wont have to worry about Findmyiphone being inactive if I forget to turn on cellular while leaving the house.
 
How so? If you're on wifi the iPad can be found anyway.
Wifi disconnects after a while if the device is on standby. Oftentimes, I've already found my wifi-only iPad (usually in between couch cushions) before it's located by Find My iPhone. Meanwhile, cellular is always on.
 
Wifi disconnects after a while if the device is on standby.

This is only the case when cellular is on. When cellular is off the iPad keeps WiFi available at all times, otherwise push notifications wouldn't work.

It DOES sleep the chipset, but the chipset wakes up when it receives packets from the base station.
 
Wifi disconnects after a while if the device is on standby. Oftentimes, I've already found my wifi-only iPad (usually in between couch cushions) before it's located by Find My iPhone. Meanwhile, cellular is always on.

My wifi on my Air never disconnects. I keep the cellular off. It chimes each time I get iMessages all day long when I'm not even using it.
 
I shut it off unless I know I'll be using the cell data. That just makes sure that nothing silly happens and I end up wasting the data I have.

95% of the time I'm using wifi either home or at someone's house. It's when we are out and about where it comes in handy.
 
I leave it on, and just use wifi, basically that's how I use my iPhone as well.
 
I leave it on, push notifications seem faster that way.

To expand...

If stolen, best way to track.
And
I turn off cellular data to data hungry media driven apps. AppStore, Facebook, G+...
 
Four people have WiFi only iPads. Or were really hungry. ;)

----------

Interesting how we have a 50/50 split. I'm starting to lean towards leaving it on; I left it on all night last night and didn't even lose 1% of battery. It also doesn't seem to be wasting a lot of data while on.

So I change my vote! Cellular on all the time, baby.
 
This is only the case when cellular is on. When cellular is off the iPad keeps WiFi available at all times, otherwise push notifications wouldn't work.
Hmm, maybe things have changed since. My last wifi-only iPad was the iPad 3 (had both wifi-only and Verizon versions) on iOS 5 and that was the behavior I noticed. I tend to misplace my devices quite often so having Find My iPhone regardless of whether the device is connected to wifi or not is a big consideration for me.
 
I only turn on cellular data when needed. I'm only on the free T-Mobile 200mb plan, so I want to minimize draining the 200mb.
 
Always leave cellular on with my unlimited data plan :) battery is about the same with it on or off.
 
I only turn on cellular data when needed. I'm only on the free T-Mobile 200mb plan, so I want to minimize draining the 200mb.

+1. My cellular stays off unless I need it, then I flip it on. Trying to avoid stuff pushing data and draining that 200mb plan.
 
I only turn on cellular data when needed. I'm only on the free T-Mobile 200mb plan, so I want to minimize draining the 200mb.

+1. My cellular stays off unless I need it, then I flip it on. Trying to avoid stuff pushing data and draining that 200mb plan.

I have the same plan. Keeping cellular on doesn't waste much, if any, data. I have never gone over my 200MB once.
 
Depends on the carrier.

If Verizon or AT&T, I can't keep it on while at home which is the only place I am usually at that has WiFi. I can't leave it on at home because neither carrier has ever been able to give me anything faster than edge speeds at my house.

If on T-Mobile, I can leave it on on cellular while at home and usually do,
 
I might start turning it off unless I actually need to use it. Was watching the Watch ESPN app the other day and got a notification that I was already almost blown through my 200MB because the iPad disconnected from WiFi while I was watching it without me knowing.
 
I leave it on. With a 10GB data share account, I don't really have to think about my usage at all. Most months I only use about 5GB total, so nowhere near my limit. Now if only ATT would offer rollover data.........
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.