I travel almost 5 months out of the year and want to get an iPad 3. I'm a bit confused though. I use Verizon when I'm home and know that I can get an iPad from them. I've found what I want cheaper on amazon though. If I buy from amazon, does it have to be the Verizon branded iPad so that I can use with Verizon while I'm home? Will it already be unlocked or will I need to go through Verizon to have it unlocked to use overseas? Thanks
The iPad will not be Verizon branded, but you may want to get the iPad 3 4G that is compatible with Verizon to be able to use it on Verizon's network while you are home and it will also come with an unlocked SIM slot for you to use any SIM card from GSM carriers around the world. Note however that whether you buy the Verizon version or the AT&T version of the 4G iPad, you will be limited to 3G speeds outside the US and perhaps Canada.
I am not sure of the truth of this, but I ask the question at Verizon and the tech told me that anything they sell that is 4G will not work on GSM because they have not yet incorporated CDMA, GSM and 4g into the same machine. I was asking because I travel and none of their 4g phones are global. Not sure how true any of this is. Have a good day, HiddenPuppy
That is true of must locked phones but the iPad is supposed to be capable of world travel. So a verizon iPad with an unlocked sim slot can take a sim card from, what I believe, any carrier around the world so that you can use there network.
I'm currently living in Germany and purchased an iPad 3 on a military instillation. It came with the Verizon Sim but I use the Germany network Vodafone and it worked without and unlocking or special tricks. Just popped it in and it works. You won't get 4G but u have the capability of using any Sim from any network.
More often than not, the so called "Techs" at the US cellular service providers don't know $#!+ and do an excellent job at providing misinformation!
I hear that!!! I have just wondered why none of the 4g phones coming out with verizon are global and that is the explanation I was given. I have to have a global phone and at this point with verizon that means a blackberry or iPhone 4s. So when I ask they gave me that explanation of the CDMA, global and 4g not working yet in the same device. Thanks, HiddenPuppy
I'm in the Caribbean with the ipad 3 (ATT) version and all I did was pop it my local providers sim and voila.
I am wondering if the verizon version is different since it is based on CDMA and not GSM by default. HiddenPuppy
Don't know if this person knows what he is talking about, but read post #2 and see what you think. Not sure if this means that AT&T works to switch, but not Verizon. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1375886 HiddenPuppy
You can get 3G on ATT with a ATT sim and a Verizon iPad3. LTE will not work. Don't think it works going the other way. Anyway just get a Verizon iPad3.