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JD2015

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2014
818
494
First time I have ever purchased a cellular IPad. The simple reason is security when out and about as more secure than using Wifi. Also, I could tether with my iPhone but not always convenient as hits the IPhone battery and until of late I have found it a bit unreliable. I also use my IPad as my main device so take it with me wherever I go and do not want to be hampered especially as Data only sims are cheap in the UK. Got a monthly 6gb sim for £12 a month.
 
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brentsg

macrumors 68040
Oct 15, 2008
3,578
936
One major driver for me, other than simplicity.. if I want to use one of my devices to tether my notebook, the battery on the iPad will let it be a WiFi hotspot literally all day. Doing so with my phone requires it to be plugged in.
 

AVBeatMan

macrumors 603
Nov 10, 2010
5,705
3,591
First time I have ever purchased a cellular IPad. The simple reason is security when out and about as more secure than using Wifi. Also, I could tether with my iPhone but not always convenient as hits the IPhone battery and until of late I have found it a bit unreliable. I also use my IPad as my main device so take it with me wherever I go and do not want to be hampered especially as Data only sims are cheap in the UK. Got a monthly 6gb sim for £12 a month.

From who?
 

TrueBlou

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2014
4,531
3,619
Scotland
These past two years I’ve been using my iPhone as a hotspot. The most use it gets is when the wife drags me away to the country, which is several times a year.

It’s been ok but because we use it for general internet for us both and for streaming quite a lot of video. The 30GB of data I’m allowed for tethering doesn’t always last me the month.

So this time I’m back to cellular with a literally unlimited data plan for the iPad. That means when we’re away, or I’m out of the house on business or whatever, there’s no need to worry about the tethering allowance of my phone. Plus the ample tethering allowance of the iPad means we can use it as the hotspot and not worry about our internet use either.

Plus, no battery drain on the iPhone, which is a bonus.

And because the iPad is always connected, everything is always up to date. As I use a lot of cloud storage, that’s something I like too. And iMessage is up to date and so on and so on.
 

AVBeatMan

macrumors 603
Nov 10, 2010
5,705
3,591
These past two years I’ve been using my iPhone as a hotspot. The most use it gets is when the wife drags me away to the country, which is several times a year.

It’s been ok but because we use it for general internet for us both and for streaming quite a lot of video. The 30GB of data I’m allowed for tethering doesn’t always last me the month.

So this time I’m back to cellular with a literally unlimited data plan for the iPad. That means when we’re away, or I’m out of the house on business or whatever, there’s no need to worry about the tethering allowance of my phone. Plus the ample tethering allowance of the iPad means we can use it as the hotspot and not worry about our internet use either.

Plus, no battery drain on the iPhone, which is a bonus.

And because the iPad is always connected, everything is always up to date. As I use a lot of cloud storage, that’s something I like too. And iMessage is up to date and so on and so on.
What deal have you got for unlimited data? Who with?
 

TrueBlou

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2014
4,531
3,619
Scotland
What deal have you got for unlimited data? Who with?

Virgin Media in the UK (EE network) if you’re an existing customer for their TV/Broadband, you can get unlimited for £25 a month. Pretty good deal if you’re a heavy data user.

Whether that’s a temporary or permanent offer I couldn’t say.
Don’t get me wrong, my iPhone contract with Three is unlimited data too, but they have a 30GB restriction on tethering. Whereas the VM one seems not to, certainly people who have put it to the test have gone way beyond 30GB.
 
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christophermdia

macrumors 6502a
Sep 28, 2008
829
235
The one with cellular has a GPS antenna.
Yep and this is a pain, especially when I got the kids WiFi iPads and they couldn’t play games like Pokémon Go. Defeated the purpose of getting them to stop using my phone. Now they are upgraded to LTE iPads with data plans and GPS and don’t have to worry about it anymore.
 

smirking

macrumors 68040
Aug 31, 2003
3,741
3,713
Silicon Valley
I just got the cellular model. It's nice to have when WiFi is down or for travel. I prefer not to sign into unknown WiFi or bother with tethering.

I'll only use hotel WiFI if I have no other option. Usually it's brutally slow and I'm just not going to trust that it's setup securely. None of them ever change their passwords and it'd be painfully easy to setup a bogus access point broadcasting an ambiguous name as the hotel WiFi.
 

jsmith1

macrumors 6502a
Jun 6, 2010
630
535
I use mine 8-10 hours a day streaming at work as I can’t use the WiFi there, is essential that I have cell model as my phone isn’t unlimited but my iPad is grandfathered in....love it, when I had to leave Florida last year for hurricanes, I ran google maps traffic to North Carolina the whole time, amazing having the iPad unlimited cell model, wouldn’t leave home without it!!
 
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Teach4

macrumors 6502a
Oct 19, 2013
573
196
I always bought the cellular/wifi setup, but never bought and setup a data account. I am with AT&T and didn’t want to pay them anymore money than I do with my iPhone. Because of this, this time I bought WiFi only model. People have told me I’m stupid for doing this and will regret it. But I never used the cellular, so there was a savings of money not getting the dual model. Just my take. Go ahead and join the people telling me I made a bad choice.
 

melman101

macrumors 68030
Sep 3, 2009
2,751
295
I always bought the cellular/wifi setup, but never bought and setup a data account. I am with AT&T and didn’t want to pay them anymore money than I do with my iPhone. Because of this, this time I bought WiFi only model. People have told me I’m stupid for doing this and will regret it. But I never used the cellular, so there was a savings of money not getting the dual model. Just my take. Go ahead and join the people telling me I made a bad choice.

LOL. Guess what? I’m in the same boat as you. For 7 years I’ve bought cellular iPads. My first iPad in 2010 was WiFi only cause it came out before the 3G one. Anyhow, this year I went WiFi only again. I never used to be able to tether to my iPhone, but now that I can, I have virtually no need for cellular. So I’m quite content with my decision. I’ve never used the GPS either.
 
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bevsb2

Contributor
Nov 23, 2012
4,344
13,338
I always bought the cellular/wifi setup, but never bought and setup a data account. I am with AT&T and didn’t want to pay them anymore money than I do with my iPhone. Because of this, this time I bought WiFi only model. People have told me I’m stupid for doing this and will regret it. But I never used the cellular, so there was a savings of money not getting the dual model. Just my take. Go ahead and join the people telling me I made a bad choice.

Paying extra for LTE and not setting it up and using it would be the stupid choice. :) You made the right choice for you.
 
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AVBeatMan

macrumors 603
Nov 10, 2010
5,705
3,591
Can you get a pre paid sim to use as and when needed? Like buy 10gb and use it over a period of a few months? (I’m in the UK)
 

jsmith1

macrumors 6502a
Jun 6, 2010
630
535
If you have too ask, then it’s probably a no for you unless your circumstances change to where you do....for me no brainer, I use LTE 8-10 hrs a day streaming

If it wasn’t for that, then it would be more of a question for me on price vs usages to warrant
 

Mabus51

Suspended
Aug 16, 2007
1,366
847
LTE iPad has a use over tethering with a phone. Try admistrating a cloud server with your iPad while tether to your iPhone and on a call at the same time. Watch how fast your iPhone battery drops and how slow data is transmitted to the iPad. Let alone security reasons vs free public WiFi
 
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Greenmeenie

macrumors 68020
Jan 14, 2013
2,058
3,176
Because i’ve Been grandfathered in on my AT&T unlimited data plan since the first iPad in 2010. I just keep transferring it to every new iPad I own. Cellular comes in handy when I am out and about, and even at home, there are occasions when the power or cable goes out where I was glad I had my cellular iPad.
 

anthony13

macrumors 65816
Jul 1, 2012
1,008
1,094
It’s highly convenient. Battery drain on the iPhone. Walking away from iPad with phone on me while I need iPad to continue streaming music. Coffee shop hopping.
 

Farns

macrumors newbie
Mar 18, 2018
11
19
I take my iPad to the gym and play cards online - it’s the only way I can stand working out! I always buy the cellular version and grab $10 T-Mobile plan for 5GB that lasts 150 days. I have an unlimited hotspot, and I could tether my iPhone, but who wants to drag that to the gym!

My dream would be to have Apple Watch be your data source and have everything connect to that!
 
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