Carrier iPad Air: *Really* One LTE Model?

[N54TT]

Did some experimenting.

Verizon iPad Air will work on ATT LTE and 3G networks. However you can't activate an Unactivated ATT SIM card on a Verizon iPad without having a WIFI connection. Without connecting to WIFI the iPad just said No service and couldn't connect to the servers to set up the account.

On the other hand you CAN activate an unactivated Verizon SIM in a Verizon iPad without connecting to WIFI.

 

[blackjackmark]

This is not entirely true. From what I can tell, Sprint will only activate Sprint iPads, and you have to trick Verizon into activating a SIM card, and not a MEID, and you can't access Verizon prepaid data plans on a non-Verizon iPad.

Bottom line: I'd recommend getting either a Verizon or Sprint iPad, since either of those will also work with T-Mobile and AT&T.

If you want Verizon's prepaid data plans (1GB for $20), go with the Verizon model.

If you want Sprint's plans (1GB for $15 prepaid, or 2GB for $15 postpaid), with the option to use it on a Verizon Share Everything account, then get the Sprint model.

I can't think of a reason to buy the T-Mobile or AT&T model. I went with Sprint because of their 2GB for $15 option.

To be clear, there is zero technical reason why you can't buy one iPad and have it work perfectly on all carriers. The only limitation is that Sprint and Verizon maintain MEID databases listing "approved" devices, and make it difficult or impossible to activate unapproved devices.

Sprint is making it impossible for me to activate an ipad Air that shipped with a Sprint sim!

 

[Enrico]

Is eBay the only way to get a Verizon or AT&T SIM for the Air?
Or maybe Apple stores give them?

 

[screensaver400]

Is eBay the only way to get a Verizon or AT&T SIM for the Air?
Or maybe Apple stores give them?

eBay is basically the only way for Verizon. However, it sounds like people are even having trouble activating postpaid iPad service with a Verizon SIM now. It seems Verizon is being a stickler and only activating devices in their IMEI database.

It looks like AT&T sells Nano SIMs on their website (they list it as "for iPad mini"), but they make you pre-select a postpaid data plan. They might just give you a SIM at a retail store.

 

[pocketpenguin]

Just to confirm... If I buy a Verizon iPad, it will also work on Att & t-mobile LTE & 3G Networks?

I don't know about ATT, but it does work on Tmobile. I got my verizon ipad air on Monday, on Wednesday I received a nano sim from tmobile and within 15 minutes I was signed up on the tmobile 200 mb/month plan.

I simply powered off the air and installed the tmobile sim, when it rebooted I turned on cellular data and it asked me to set up an account via a tmobile branded screen. No credit card info required. One thing to note is that I did not choose a plan from the drop down menu of plans, because the 200mb plan wasn't listed. But it did default to that plan.

I tested the speed on my air against my android phone using the same speed test page at the DSL reports site, and the results are nearly identical, within a few kb of each other. I take that to mean that the 1700mhz band DOES exist on the air because my town hasn't gotten the 1900mhz refarm yet.

So, I'm happy, I've got tmobile for free locally, and if I get in a jam due to lack of coverage, I can pop in my verizon sim as well.

 

[holycowe]

If you want a nano sim for AT&T or Verizon, send me a pm

 

[N54TT]

Update to my previous post. My $5 250mb/24hr that I bought yesterday is done. My verizon ipad air is Now letting me connect to att and add data without having to connect to a wifi.

 

[blackjackmark]

.

It looks like AT&T sells Nano SIMs on their website (they list it as "for iPad mini"), but they make you pre-select a postpaid data plan. They might just give you a SIM at a retail store.

According the my local corporate AT&T store, they no longer will hand out SIM cards. I had an iPad 3 and stopped in to get a nano sim for my new iPad Air (purchased with Sprint sim which ironically can't be activated...that whole debacle here) to transfer my grandfather iPad unlimited data, and they would not give me a sim. Some line of BS that they stopped as of October 10 due to international fraud? So I had to bring in my 3 to prove I had a plan with them.

 

[brentsg]

So I had to bring in my 3 to prove I had a plan with them.

What, they can't look at your driver's license and take a peek into their database? Wow, I would have been pissed.

 

[shimamizu]

However, it sounds like people are even having trouble activating postpaid iPad service with a Verizon SIM now. It seems Verizon is being a stickler and only activating devices in their IMEI database.

I'm having this problem. Bought the sprint iPad since they're all one model as we know... and then called Verizon, they mailed me a nano SIM, now when we try to actually activate it they seem unable to saying my IMEI is showing up as a Sprint device (yes it is) but I have to keep pointing out to them that these are not carrier locked and if they manually add it to their system it will work...

Waiting for them to call me back again later today. If all else fails, I'll just get a t-mobile SIM. But I'd really like my Verizon coverage and I already have another iPad on a post paid plan with them, so was hoping to do the Share plan w/ these two.

(why did I buy the sprint one in the first place you ask? because all 3 other carriers had no stock for the 128GB and I knew I could just swap SIM's... or thought I could...)

 

[RetiredInFl]

If you want a nano sim for AT&T or Verizon, send me a pm

Just walk in to an Apple store and they will give you one if you ask nicely (for free).

 

[Z6128]

i got a sprint iPad too because that was all that was available and got a verizon sim card. called verizon to try to activate it and was on the phone for an hour reading my MEID number over and over again and being transferred to 3 different departments before being told they have to open a ticket to add the MEID to their database and that I'd have to wait 1-2 days for it to work and call back for them to add it to my share everything plan.

A little ridiculous considering there is only one lte model. Carriers are really making it harder for themselves since I don't believe they make any additional money on the iPad itself beyond once its activated on their network.

If it doesn't work I guess I'll just use the Sprint 3G network. But it probably won't compare to Verizon's LTE.

 

[RMo]

Someone's already tried this on this forum. Added a non-Verizon iPad to a Share Everything plan and called customer service to activate ICCID instead of IMEI/MEID...

Has anyone tried getting it to work on Verizon with the typical prepaid iPad data plans?

I'm asking because Sprint supposedly works at my parents' house, but there's "service partner" coverage nearby, so I'm not sure if they'll actually be covered by Sprint under real-world conditions (and you don't get very much off-network data usage). If that ends up being the case, I'd like to switch to Verizon without having to swap iPads. And, of course, I'm only trying Sprint first because I rarely use data and their plans are cheaper. AT&T and T-Mobile are not options where I live.

EDIT: Nevermind, I just saw the post above mine. Let us know how that works out, Z6128.
EDIT 2: Actually, I guess that's still for a shared data plan. Anyone know about the iPad's prepaid plans?

 

[screensaver400]

i got a sprint iPad too because that was all that was available and got a verizon sim card. called verizon to try to activate it and was on the phone for an hour reading my MEID number over and over again and being transferred to 3 different departments before being told they have to open a ticket to add the MEID to their database and that I'd have to wait 1-2 days for it to work and call back for them to add it to my share everything plan.

A little ridiculous considering there is only one lte model. Carriers are really making it harder for themselves since I don't believe they make any additional money on the iPad itself beyond once its activated on their network.

If it doesn't work I guess I'll just use the Sprint 3G network. But it probably won't compare to Verizon's LTE.

Can you report back on this? It would be good to know that Verizon can and will manually add an MEID to its database. I'd also be curious to know if a Sprint iPad Air can access the Verizon prepaid iPad plans once its MEID has been added to Verizon's database, or if you're still limited to Share Everything plans.

 

[shimamizu]

Can you report back on this? It would be good to know that Verizon can and will manually add an MEID to its database. I'd also be curious to know if a Sprint iPad Air can access the Verizon prepaid iPad plans once its MEID has been added to Verizon's database, or if you're still limited to Share Everything plans.

Yeah because I'm getting no where with Verizon. Let me know if you get them to add it.

 

[Z6128]

the guy i was dealing with wednesday night said he'd personally call me back saturday morning as he was off thursday and friday. I've tried going on and adding the iPad through the website and still no go.

so well find out tomorrow morning. i'd call back and try to check up on it but i kind of just want to deal with who helped me since i spent an hour on the phone with him while they tried to figure it out.

i kind of feel bad like I'm wasting their time, but there really is no reason for verizon and sprint to only activate MEIDs in their database.

If it doesn't work looks like I'll be using Sprint. Any word on when they're finally going to get 4G network outside of major cities?

 

[shimamizu]

If it doesn't work looks like I'll be using Sprint. Any word on when they're finally going to get 4G network outside of major cities?

Verizon told me I'd need to get my MEID changed if I wanted any hope of it working, nothing about activating via ICCID. considering the device is sold unlocked, it's really silly for them to blacklist/whitelist numbers because they're preventing themselves from getting customers switching over w/ other devices. It's funny to be here saying "hi, here's some money, can you please take it"? and all they can say so far is "no"

I've got a t-mobile 4g sim on standby

 

[Z6128]

that's how i feel... I'm trying to give verizon $10 more a month on top of the insane amount i already spend each month for my share everything plan.

but i guess they'd rather be give my money each month to someone else

 

[shimamizu]

that's how i feel... I'm trying to give verizon $10 more a month on top of the insane amount i already spend each month for my share everything plan.

but i guess they'd rather be give my money each month to someone else

I'm about ready to shoot myself (figuratively speaking)... but it's finally working... mostly.

So here's what I did.

hours of phone calls and several days later, finally got some older sounding lady who sounded like she was very new at most of this, but willing to give my idea a try. I had an existing Verizon iPad 3rd gen + sim already activated.
So what she suggested and tried, was just activating my new SIM that Verizon had mailed me a few days earlier and putting it on the line my prior iPad was on. "but I want to use both my iPads!" I said. She had this wonderful idea though that after we get the new device working, you can then easily go back online when you get home to the other device (since I gave the older one to my husband) and then just add it back on as a new line hassle free because that is already a verizon device and won't give you grief like this sprint one. GENIUS.

I haven't tried adding the older one back on, but I'm sure she's right that it will work like a charm later because that one was made for Verizon, and this new one was made for Sprint.

Things I had to insist to get them to believe me about this.
1) I had to insist this really is unlocked, I'm not making this up, there is only one model sold now for all CDMA/GSM carriers.
2) I've already tested that a working Verizon LTE SIM will work in my iPad... I took my iPhone 5S SIM out, tossed it in the iPad, and had blazing wonderful connectivity. Therefore, proving my point in #1 and proving if they unlock my new SIM, it will work
3) Keep insisting on points 1 & 2 so they stop trying to add it by the MEID/IMEI because that never works. Just add the ICCID which is the SIM card number, and either have them use a dummy MEID (which she didn't have on hand but I've heard they have) or do what she did and take an existing line and just activate this new SIM on it w/ no device.

Once she did that, tada! Verizon LTE on my Sprint iPad Air

I'll update you all again later tonight when I attempt to add the older iPad back onto the plan.

(and no i couldn't take the older iPad's SIM from the start, because that is a micro SIM, the new iPad is a nano SIM... so all I could do was test w/ my iPhone SIM, but I needed that SIM in my iPhone! hence Verizon *had* to find a way to add the ICCID only for me)

 

[jamojamo]

Update to my previous post. My $5 250mb/24hr that I bought yesterday is done. My verizon ipad air is Now letting me connect to att and add data without having to connect to a wifi.

Thank you so much! I'm looking to buy a Verizon mini and was wondering if it would work on AT&T also. Great idea on how to activate easily too.

 

[Z6128]

ok, so the guy called me back said he saw no update on my ticket. put me on hold for a few more minutes before saying id have to deal with target.

so i just put the sprint sim card back in my iPad and signed up for their service. I mean it's a matter of $10 with Verizon a month vs $15 with Sprint a month but Sprint comes with a GB of data where Verizon would share it with 4 other iPhones, even though we only use 2gb of our 4gb each month.

Oh well.. I guess I could wait for a Verizon iPad air to become available on target.com and order it wait another week and then return my Sprint one but that seems like way too much work and having to return a perfectly good iPad.

Least I can say I tried

 

[bidwalj]

ok, so the guy called me back said he saw no update on my ticket. put me on hold for a few more minutes before saying id have to deal with target.

so i just put the sprint sim card back in my iPad and signed up for their service. I mean it's a matter of $10 with Verizon a month vs $15 with Sprint a month but Sprint comes with a GB of data where Verizon would share it with 4 other iPhones, even though we only use 2gb of our 4gb each month.

Oh well.. I guess I could wait for a Verizon iPad air to become available on target.com and order it wait another week and then return my Sprint one but that seems like way too much work and having to return a perfectly good iPad.

Least I can say I tried

Go grab any Verizon ipad, activate the sim them just switch it into your air. It works, I'm doing this with my AT&T retina mini. I just switched my old minis sim into it.

 

[kap09]

These issues are extremely frustrating to read. Currently with T-Mo using their installment plan but considering paying the device off and adding it to my main VZW plan instead. Reason being I could add it and 4 more gigs of data to my VZW plan for the same 30 I'm paying for 2.7 gigs on T-Mo. Really hope this gets ironed out before I'm ready to make that switch.

 

[shimamizu]

These issues are extremely frustrating to read. Currently with T-Mo using their installment plan but considering paying the device off and adding it to my main VZW plan instead. Reason being I could add it and 4 more gigs of data to my VZW plan for the same 30 I'm paying for 2.7 gigs on T-Mo. Really hope this gets ironed out before I'm ready to make that switch.

It is very frustrating.. I went home to add my old iPad back to the plan as the second line and it kept giving me all sorts of errors. Eventually said screw it, put the old iPad back on on as the only device, and I'm waiting for t-mobile to send me a new SIM for the new iPad because they're good about BYOD.

 

[ERIC8585]

Was anyone able to get Verizon pre-paid plans to work on a non-Verizon iPad Air?

I bought the AT&T version because I wanted that SIM initially for the 3GB for $30 and I thought I could switch to a Verizon SIM if needed. Now I wish I bought a Verizon version because I didn't know about this MEID whitelisting issue. But I don't really want to return this one because I got one with a good screen and no other defects.