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Foreign travelers with iPad on AT&T with international credit card - It Works!

silverblack said:
What exactly did you do trying to set it up? Take a look here and see if it helps
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4157
If it's still not working, try resetting your cellular setting: Setting - General - Reset
Click to expand...

I tried setting it up exactly that way. In Canada, I put a Bell micro sim card in, and the top left displays Bell. When I put the AT&T micro sim in, it only says no service in the top left, so I can't activate the data. I know I have AT&T service here, because my bell iPhone is roaming on AT&T. I'd use e iPhone, but I don't want to pay the ridiculous roaming data charges.

Any idea how I can go from no service to AT&T?

I just discovered that if I'm on a wifi network I can go through the AT&T setup, but I want to make sure that the SIM will work after that.
 
Madmic23 said:
I just discovered that if I'm on a wifi network I can go through the AT&T setup, but I want to make sure that the SIM will work after that.
Click to expand...

Go through with the setup, and then turn off wifi to see if you can still access the internet. You can also check the cellular account info under setting to see if it is pointing to ATT.
 
Ok, I finally got it working. I had to connect to a wifi network to access the AT&T self serve option. Once I entered in my information, the "no signal" changed to AT&T and showed full bars. I used my Canadian American express card and it worked no problem.

Everything works great now.
 
sabesh said:
To those who got it working via the Canadian Amex cards:

Can you please post the address of the ATT store that you used? Thx.
Click to expand...

Any address should work. I don't think the address is a determining factor. You should be able to use your hotel address, or apple store.
 
Madmic23 said:
Hi guys, I'm a Canadian with an iPad in Florida right now. I just got a micro sim at an AT&T store for free, but it won't work. My ipad says "no service" in the top right. Back home, even just having my Bell sim card in, with no active data plan displayed "bell" in the top right. What's going on here? Any suggestions to get this thing working so I can stop using Star ucks wifi?
Click to expand...

I had the same issue last weekend. I did not try reset network settings. Maybe it works.
 
Can anyone confirm this? I'm moving to the States soon and wanted to pick up a 3G iPad the first day I'm there. Where can you get one of these visa or mastercards?

jurmala said:
Guys, just go to any store and purchase Gift VISA or MasterCard - it doesn't have any verification and will work with any US address.
I am using this for last year for US iTunes, as well as for iPAD service ...

My wife just came yesterday from Buffalo and ATT rep just exchanged her microSIM to new one without a charge..

just my 2 cents :)
Click to expand...
 
loybond said:
Can anyone confirm this? I'm moving to the States soon and wanted to pick up a 3G iPad the first day I'm there. Where can you get one of these visa or mastercards?
Click to expand...
I'm visiting US right now, and just activated an ATT iPad data plan using a Visa gift card I purchased at Target. It's a non-reloadable type, with no fees after the initial purchase.

(It previously failed to activate using my Canadian Visa card)

I used my hotel address for billing & service address. For name on card I entered "Gift Card".
 
Thanks, that helps a lot! So you don't need to define the name or address, interesting.

Could you share the exact type of card? Is it Target-branded?

b.c. said:
I'm visiting US right now, and just activated an ATT iPad data plan using a Visa gift card I purchased at Target. It's a non-reloadable type, with no fees after the initial purchase.

(It previously failed to activate using my Canadian Visa card)

I used my hotel address for billing & service address. For name on card I entered "Gift Card".
Click to expand...
 
loybond said:
Thanks, that helps a lot! So you don't need to define the name or address, interesting.

Could you share the exact type of card? Is it Target-branded?
Click to expand...

Yes it is a Target branded Visa gift card. It's one of these:
https://www.mybalancenow.com/home.html
(You can check the balance online.)

Clarification: when signing up for the data plan, I entered my real name, email address and phone number. But for the credit card, where it asks for name as it appears on at the credit card, I entered "Gift Card" (that's what's on the card :)
 
I read the thread and I don't get it, is it possible to walk to an Apple Store, say your iPad is foreign and get a free MicroSim or do you necessarily have to go pay 15 dollars to an AT&T store to get one?
 
iKrl said:
I read the thread and I don't get it, is it possible to walk to an Apple Store, say your iPad is foreign and get a free MicroSim or do you necessarily have to go pay 15 dollars to an AT&T store to get one?
Click to expand...

From the various comments, it looks like you have to pay for it unless you encounter a generous retail outlet.
 
iKrl said:
I read the thread and I don't get it, is it possible to walk to an Apple Store, say your iPad is foreign and get a free MicroSim or do you necessarily have to go pay 15 dollars to an AT&T store to get one?
Click to expand...

As far as I know, AT&T has microsims but I'm not sure apple sells replacements. Either way I would expect to pay $15 for one, as they don't have any sort of deal for foreigners. I think I just got lucky when they didn't charge me. For activation, if you are from Canada and have an american express it should work for activation, as I said at the top of the thread. If not, you will probably need to get a prepaid visa for the activation on the iPad to work.
 
I tried to but buy a microsim car at an AT&T store, unfortunately they refused to sell one for a non US iPad!

Any similar experience?
 
Fred1322 said:
I tried to but buy a microsim car at an AT&T store, unfortunately they refused to sell one for a non US iPad!

Any similar experience?
Click to expand...

Go to a different store, tell them you lost yours and need a new one. Don't be quite as forthcoming with all the facts next time ;)

"I need to purchase a replacement sim for my iPad."

If you must, tell them that you took it out when you went home for a visit and it got, "cleaned up" while you were out of the country.

Good luck!!
 
TraceyS/FL said:
Go to a different store, tell them you lost yours and need a new one. Don't be quite as forthcoming with all the facts next time ;)

"I need to purchase a replacement sim for my iPad."

If you must, tell them that you took it out when you went home for a visit and it got, "cleaned up" while you were out of the country.

Good luck!!
Click to expand...

Ok, tanks. I'll try this
 
Ok, finally it worked, I could obtain a microsim card from another AT&T store.

However for the activation, with an European Amex card it didn't work with a valid adress in the US (the same as the service adress recognized) but it worked with the billing adress of my Amex card in EU
 
My UK visa card worked just fine using the billing and service address of my hotel in Washington DC. I am typing this on it now.
 
Swedish card

Bought an ipad 3g on my first day of my current visit to the US.
Used a swedish Visa card to activate in combination with the address of my hotel. At first it said that the registration was unsuccessful but the next day i got a message saying it was registered. Has worked like a charm since. :)
 
Hello all, my first post here on MacForums! I've read through all the posts on this thread, and just wanted to check I've got the gist of it...

-- I'm based in the UK and currently have a Vodafone MicroSim in my iPad.
-- I'm off to Chicago next week and would like to use my iPad with 3G over in the US, without paying the astronomical Vidafone roaming charges.
-- I will get an AT&T MicroSim from one of their stores for $15.
-- I'll swap the Sims, and I understand I need to delete the current Vodafone UK APN settings, right?
-- I then go to Cellular data settings, View Account and setup an AT&T account using my UK Amex, and the billing/service address of my hotel in Chicago.
-- When I leave the US two weeks later, I cancel my AT&T account.

Does the above sound right?

I have two key questions as well (if I may):

1) Do I need to have WiFi access when I try and setup my new AT&T 3G account?
2) Will I need to sync the iPad with iTunes at any point? (this would be a major problem, as I don't plan on taking my laptop with me...)

Thanks in advance!
 
MCS? said:
Hello all, my first post here on MacForums! I've read through all the posts on this thread, and just wanted to check I've got the gist of it...

-- I'm based in the UK and currently have a Vodafone MicroSim in my iPad.
-- I'm off to Chicago next week and would like to use my iPad with 3G over in the US, without paying the astronomical Vidafone roaming charges.
-- I will get an AT&T MicroSim from one of their stores for $15.
-- I'll swap the Sims, and I understand I need to delete the current Vodafone UK APN settings, right?
-- I then go to Cellular data settings, View Account and setup an AT&T account using my UK Amex, and the billing/service address of my hotel in Chicago.
-- When I leave the US two weeks later, I cancel my AT&T account.

Does the above sound right?

I have two key questions as well (if I may):

1) Do I need to have WiFi access when I try and setup my new AT&T 3G account?
2) Will I need to sync the iPad with iTunes at any point? (this would be a major problem, as I don't plan on taking my laptop with me...)

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

When I inserted my AT&T sim, I didn't have to manually change my APN settings (from Rogers), it somehow got magically set to AT&t when I set up the account.

Wifi is not necessary when you activate the AT&T 3G plan

You don't need to sync to iTunes at any time to activate..

I'm at the end of a 2 wk trip to US and I didn't bring a laptop. So I haven't synced with iTunes since I left home.

You can cancel your data plan before the end of your trip - your data will still be active , it just means it won't auto renew on your credit card/gift card. (I'm typing this now at the airport on end of my trip, but cancelled the data plan yesterday and got email confirmation of the cancellation of autorenewal)

BTW - the 250MB plan for $14.99 isn't very much data for just a 2 wk trip. I was trying to use 3G data sparingly and wifi whenever possible

I forgot to turn wifi back on at the hotel one night by mistake and accidentally used up about 150MB of data in one evening! Otherwise I might have made the 250MB last the whole trip (for mainly email, checking maps, light surfing). Next trip i will probably go with the bigger data plan..
 
b.c. said:
When I inserted my AT&T sim, I didn't have to manually change my APN settings (from Rogers), it somehow got magically set to AT&t when I set up the account.
Click to expand...

Thanks b.c. - a really helpful post! ^^

Just one follow-on question regarding the bit I've bolded above... can you/somebody confirm what the AT&T APN settings are please? (just like to be prepared in case I counter any problems... !!)
 
Just one follow-on question regarding the bit I've bolded above... can you/somebody confirm what the AT&T APN settings are please? (just like to be prepared in case I counter any problems... !!)
Click to expand...

You don't need them the iPad recognises the sim and it is set automatically. My UK iPad worked as soon as the At&T sim was put in no need for any itunes sync or APN settings which are in fact left blank.
 
macmedal said:
You don't need them the iPad recognises the sim and it is set automatically. My UK iPad worked as soon as the At&T sim was put in no need for any itunes sync or APN settings which are in fact left blank.
Click to expand...

Great thanks. I'll just delete my Vodafone settings on the plane, and all should work a treat! :)
 
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