LTE sign up not available on New iPad?

[ipedro]

Here in Canada, none of the telecoms allow you to sign up for a plan directly on the new iPad. This is only allowed on the original iPad and iPad2. If you have a new iPad, you have to call your service provider or visit in store, have a credit check done and sign up for a recurring plan. Is this the same in other countries? If so, this is a major step back. I'm thinking of returning the WiFi+4G in exchange for a WiFi version.

EDIT: Here's an outline by an employee of one of the big 3 Canadian telcos:

1) There is NO prepaid service for the iPad 3rd Gen in Canada, only the iPad 1st and 2nd generation.
2) You must sign up for the $5 flex plan for tablets to get LTE/3G, this is NOT a contract but just a month to month service that can be cancelled without penalty. You must go through a credit check to have this done. You will have to recreate your account and pass another credit check if you cancel and wish to reactivate your service, so it's better to just turn off Cellular Data when your not using it and pay the $5 a month fee for using less than 10mb of data instead of cancelling your account.
3) I hate to say it but USA travellers are pretty much screwed if they come to Canada with a 3rd Gen iPad hoping for data. Sorry USA, we love when you visit Canada but our Wireless cell companies are greedy.
4)There is no Apple restriction on Canada that prevents the use of prepaid data, it's pure greed from the Big 3.
5)Rogers offers sharing of your data between Smartphone and iPad for $11.93 a month. You must have a "Share enabled data plan". If you do not, please call Rogers and kindly ask them to switch you to one (no extra cost or no contract extensions!) and they will.
6)Tethering is included in all these "Flex Data for Tablet" plans on the Big 3.

^ So yes, Apple's ease of use has been severely compromised by the Canadian carrier's greed. We need to make a big fuss about this to get them to change. When the original iPhone was launched with 100MB maximum plans, Canadians took to the Internet to protest and all the carriers changed their minds and offered 6GB plans for $30. Let's do this again!

 

[BFizzzle]

Here in Canada, none of the telecoms allow you to sign up for a plan directly on the new iPad. This is only allowed on the original iPad and iPad2. If you have a new iPad, you have to call your service provider or visit in store, have a credit check done and sign up for a recurring plan. Is this the same in other countries? If so, this is a major step back. I'm thinking of returning the WiFi+4G in exchange for a WiFi version.

not here in the u.s.

thats strange.

 

[ipedro]

So in the US, you get a SIM card -- i.e. from AT&T -- pop it in and go into Settings > Celluar Data > View Account and sign up like on the iPad and iPad2?

In Canada, if you insert the micro SIM that came with the new iPad (you choose which provider's SIM you want), it says "No Service" and the "View Account" button isn't there.

A call to Rogers and nobody knows what's going on. Eventually after multiple transfers, I was told that there are no pre-paid plans. You have to get a credit check (even existing customers!!) and sign up for a recurring post-paid plan.

Apple would not be proud of the confusion and rip off that's going on in Canada with the new iPad. They might as well not sell the LTE version here.

 

[jman240]

There is the option of both prepaid and post paid plans in the US from both carriers who support it as well as many who don't since the device is sold unlocked. The prepaid plans are set up on the device itself and only the post paid plans require a trip to a carrier location as far as I know.

Sounds like a rotten deal for Canada....

 

[ipedro]

Rotten deal? You bet

I was considering buying pre-paid plans directly on the iPad as I needed it when travelling. The way it stands now, Rogers (and other telco's in Canada) want you to sign up for yet another data plan even though you may already have an iPhone and home WiFi data plans. No sharing of data between them.

 

[xraydoc]

So in the US, you get a SIM card -- i.e. from AT&T -- pop it in and go into Settings > Celluar Data > View Account and sign up like on the iPad and iPad2?

In the US, the SIM card is already in the iPad. You just go to the Cellular Data preference and from there you turn on/off the prepaid data subscription via credit card.

I suspect the difference between US and Canada with regard to on-device subscriptions is by the Canadian carriers' requests.

On top of that, since in the US there's AT&T (GSM) and Verizon (CDMA) for 3G services, the stores stock two different models, each with the carrier's specific SIM card (or no SIM at all with regard to the CDMA-only Verizon iPad 2).

What do the Canadian Apple retailers do? Are there multiple different models with pre-installed SIM cards for each different carrier or are the iPads SIM-less out of the box?

 

[aristobrat]

Hmm, weird. The Canada Apple Store page for the new iPad says:

"A range of data plans are available and most don’t require a contract."

http://store.apple.com/ca/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad/select_ipad

As for the iPad 2, it says:

"A range of data plans are available and most don’t require a contract."
"Some plans can even be started right on the iPad."

http://store.apple.com/ca/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad/select_ipad2

So I guess the omission of "plans can even be started right on the iPad" sentence for the new iPad sums up that inability, but I guess it depends on your carrier as to if you can get a contract-free plan.

 

[barkomatic]

It appears that unlike the U.S. you can choose between different carriers on the same iPad. Here, you are forced to choose at purchase whether you want an AT&T or Verizon model. Betcha that's why.

 

[aristotle]

Rotten deal? You bet

I was considering buying pre-paid plans directly on the iPad as I needed it when travelling. The way it stands now, Rogers (and other telco's in Canada) want you to sign up for yet another data plan even though you may already have an iPhone and home WiFi data plans. No sharing of data between them.

Are you a bit confused? I'm on a month to month flex plan with Telus where I pay 5 bucks for the first two months for unlimited data and then anywhere between 5-35 bucks per month for up to 5GB of data. The price varies depending on my usage and there was no activation feel or credit check:
http://www.telusmobility.com/en/BC/ipad_plans/index.shtml
See here for a comparison of carriers in Canada:
http://www.ipadincanada.ca/tutorials/breaking-down-the-big-threes-4g-ipad-data-plans/

If you are travelling at all to the US, you are better off looking at either Telus or Bell. I think Bell offers the advantage of an optional 5 dollar "TV" option that allows you some TV streaming that does not eat into your data usage.

I just went to a Telus kiosk in the same mall as the Apple store and they set it up for me on my existing account. I just handed over my LTE micro sim and gave my cellphone account phone number and ID and they put it onto the same account as my 4S.

Rogers is one of the worst carriers in Canada.

 

[number84]

While you're correct you're not locked into a contract and can cancel anytime it requires a rep to d it for you. And while they're not charging activation fees at the moment, who's to say they won't start charging them if you switch from one carrier to another.

I'm on the Telus flex plan and don't really mind the min. $5/month but some liked the ability to just turn it on whenever needed without having to deal with a rep. A shame we no longer have that option on the iPad 3.

 

[ipedro]

Are you a bit confused? I'm on a month to month flex plan with Telus where I pay 5 bucks for the first two months for unlimited data and then anywhere between 5-35 bucks per month for up to 5GB of data. The price varies depending on my usage and there was no activation feel or credit check:
http://www.telusmobility.com/en/BC/ipad_plans/index.shtml
See here for a comparison of carriers in Canada:
http://www.ipadincanada.ca/tutorials/breaking-down-the-big-threes-4g-ipad-data-plans/

If you are travelling at all to the US, you are better off looking at either Telus or Bell. I think Bell offers the advantage of an optional 5 dollar "TV" option that allows you some TV streaming that does not eat into your data usage.

I just went to a Telus kiosk in the same mall as the Apple store and they set it up for me on my existing account. I just handed over my LTE micro sim and gave my cellphone account phone number and ID and they put it onto the same account as my 4S.

Rogers is one of the worst carriers in Canada.

No I'm not confused. The fact is that Canadian carriers have disabled buying prepaid plans on the iPad and the plans available are recurring so even though you're not bound to a contract, you must explicitly end your plan before you are rebilled. This means you can't buy data as you need it anymore without jumping through hoops.

 

[aristobrat]

the plans available are recurring so even though you're not bound to a contract, you must explicitly end your plan before you are rebilled.

That's exactly how it's always worked in the US with iPad data, FWIW.

 

[ipedro]

In the US, the SIM card is already in the iPad. You just go to the Cellular Data preference and from there you turn on/off the prepaid data subscription via credit card.

I suspect the difference between US and Canada with regard to on-device subscriptions is by the Canadian carriers' requests.

On top of that, since in the US there's AT&T (GSM) and Verizon (CDMA) for 3G services, the stores stock two different models, each with the carrier's specific SIM card (or no SIM at all with regard to the CDMA-only Verizon iPad 2).

What do the Canadian Apple retailers do? Are there multiple different models with pre-installed SIM cards for each different carrier or are the iPads SIM-less out of the box?

Here in Canada, all carriers use the same technology so there is only one type of LTE iPad. When you purchase it at the Apple store, they ask you from which carrier you'd like a micro SIM. It comes bundled in your bag and you install it in the slot yourself.

Previously, you could then go into the Settings > Cellular Data > Account info and buy your 30 day data package. With the iPad 3, carriers have disabled this. You cannot activate the SIM card without calling in or going to a carrier store and buying a monthly plan. You're not in a contract but you still have to sign up for a plan. You're also submitted to a credit check, regardless if you've been with this carrier for other services.

This is all very inconvenient and leaves new buyers no clue on how to activate their LTE. Because my iPad says "No Service" and I'm unable to find any carrier signal in the Settings, I personally thought there was a problem with my iPad's reception. This is all very unintuitive and feels like the carriers are out to sign us to expensive contracts.

 

[aristobrat]

There doesn't seem to be much discussion about this. Are other Canadians having a tough time with it?

 

[b.c.]

I contacted Rogers and they claimed the on-device activated plans like with original iPad and iPad 2 are not possible on the new iPad (implying it was some kind of limitation from Apple, either in hardware or iOS). And if you don't want LTE but just the old style 3G prepaid, they tell you that's only for the iPad 1 and iPad 2.

this is unlike the old iPad prepaid plans where you could simply activate on-device, or cancel anytime from your iPad Settings and your data plan would simply end at the end of the current month. I also have an iPad 1 and this kind of plan is all I need - unless I've traveling in Canada, most if the year I don't need 3G data and so I don't pay a cent.

I feel this is simply a scheme for Robbers, I mean Rogers (and Telus and Bell) to force you into one of their monthly flex plans. Min monthly cost in Rogers case is $5/month, for a measly 10MB. They KNOW everyone will be using way more than 10MB/mo and want those recurring monthly fees. and don't forget their scam of charging that misleadingly named GRRF fee

if for some technical reason (which I doubt exists) the new iPad cannot have an on-device activated prepaid plan, then all Rogers needs to do is sell prepaid/prepaid activated SIM cards in the corner store like they do in most other countries (they're CHEAP elsewhere, btw) - then anyone can simply buy a SIM card, pop it in and start using the prepaid amount. There's no reason they couldn't do that for people who want prepaid.

and by the way, I don't know if it's gotten easier these weeks after the iPad 4G launch, but the whole process to buy and activate the Rogers LTE SIM was a pain and took way too long on the phone. SO much easier the old way, to just activate in Settings/Cellular Data

I agree with the OP - Apple would not be proud of the way iPad customers are treated by the carriers here, it's a big step backward

 

[b.c.]

While you're correct you're not locked into a contract and can cancel anytime it requires a rep to d it for you. And while they're not charging activation fees at the moment, who's to say they won't start charging them if you switch from one carrier to another.

I'm on the Telus flex plan and don't really mind the min. $5/month but some liked the ability to just turn it on whenever needed without having to deal with a rep. A shame we no longer have that option on the iPad 3.

in addition to what you said above:
PLUS I believe you have to give 30 days notice to cancel a monthly wireless service even though there's no contract, at least in Rogers case.

also, aside from waiving the $35 activation fee (for now), there's that scammy $1.93/mo GRRF fee that Rogers is presently waiving, but I'm certain they'll tack it back on after the current 2 month promo.

 

[xraydoc]

I contacted Rogers and they claimed the on-device activated plans like with original iPad and iPad 2 are not possible on the new iPad (implying it was some kind of limitation from Apple, either in hardware or iOS). And if you don't want LTE but just the old style 3G prepaid, they tell you that's only for the iPad 1 and iPad 2.

Sounds like it's a carrier issue and not an Apple issue. Since they can do it on the iPad 1, iPad 2 and iPad 3 (in the US), it must be the carriers who want to lock customers in to long-term post-paid service contracts.

All cell carriers are shady SOBs.

 

[ipedro]

I contacted Rogers and they claimed the on-device activated plans like with original iPad and iPad 2 are not possible on the new iPad (implying it was some kind of limitation from Apple, either in hardware or iOS). And if you don't want LTE but just the old style 3G prepaid, they tell you that's only for the iPad 1 and iPad 2.

The rep was either lying to you or doesn't know what they're talking about. The US still has data plan activations for the new iPad in the Settings like the iPad 1 and 2.

if for some technical reason (which I doubt exists) the new iPad cannot have an on-device activated prepaid plan, then all Rogers needs to do is sell prepaid/prepaid activated SIM cards in the corner store like they do in most other countries (they're CHEAP elsewhere, btw) - then anyone can simply buy a SIM card, pop it in and start using the prepaid amount. There's no reason they couldn't do that for people who want prepaid.

I visit my family in Portugal every year so I contacted one of the carriers there about the new iPad. Optimus has a pre-paid plan with no monthly term that charges by the hour. €15 gives you close to 15 hours. You can use as much or as little as you need over however many months you need. This will be ideal for somebody on vacation. They purchase a micro SIM with this plan and use it for as much as they need during their trip. If you run out, you simply recharge the card with as little as €5.

 

[bidwalj]

As a side note for those that live in the USA and travel to canada, we won't be able to get lte data at all. I bought a verizon iPad because I could use my work provided lte mifi sim in it but getting the AT&T version was a consideration as I travel to Canada often to visit my in laws. Looks like I didn't lose anything then.

 

[ipedro]

^ Exactly. You have to have a Canadian address and have a credit check done to get these plans for the new iPad. Canadian telcos really messed this up with their greed.

 

[Saberon]

I work for one of the big 3 so even though I didn't read much of this thread I'd like to clear some things up.



1) There is NO prepaid service for the iPad 3rd Gen in Canada, only the iPad 1st and 2nd generation.
2) You must sign up for the $5 flex plan for tablets to get LTE/3G, this is NOT a contract but just a month to month service that can be cancelled without penalty. You must go through a credit check to have this done. You will have to recreate your account and pass another credit check if you cancel and wish to reactivate your service, so it's better to just turn off Cellular Data when your not using it and pay the $5 a month fee for using less than 10mb of data instead of cancelling your account.
3) I hate to say it but USA travellers are pretty much screwed if they come to Canada with a 3rd Gen iPad hoping for data. Sorry USA, we love when you visit Canada but our Wireless cell companies are greedy.
4)There is no Apple restriction on Canada that prevents the use of prepaid data, it's pure greed from the Big 3.
5)Rogers offers sharing of your data between Smartphone and iPad for $11.93 a month. You must have a "Share enabled data plan". If you do not, please call Rogers and kindly ask them to switch you to one (no extra cost or no contract extensions!) and they will.
6)Tethering is included in all these "Flex Data for Tablet" plans on the Big 3.

If anyone has any questions please feel free to post back/PM and I'll be happy to answer.

 

[ipedro]

Thanks for the outline. It's unfortunately exactly as I had said throughout the thread. I'm going to pin your info at the top.

 

[Saberon]

Sorry I slightly edited my post to reflect tethering and I combined two of the points

 

[ipedro]

^ Ok, updated.

I actually want to give Rogers my money even though I can tether with my iPhone for free. I'd be willing to pay the $11 for sharing my iPhone plan but Rogers wants me to give up my 6GB grandfathered plan to do so. Well, they can suck it. I'm just going to tether the iPad to my iPhone.

 

[Saberon]

You have to get someone in retentions to do it, but I promise you it's possible..plus it enables LTE data access as well =D