Have you tried to sync your iPad to iTunes with the sim cards in. This will update everything. As I had to do this when swapping from Tesco network to Three on my 4s, tesco does not support personal hotspots. Try that, Hope that it helps!
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
New iPad Personal Hotspot missing (UK)
- Thread starter RealEvil
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Great minds think alike!
I did try... Nothing.
What did surprise me was that iTunes doesn't show my iPads phone number like it does with the iPhone. Suppose it's cos it's not really relevant, I just expected it to be there.
No it was never there. My first iPad never showed the phone number. This is really strange. This time I have gone with the wifi version because I have a personal hotspot option on my iPhone 4s on the three network. Unlimited Internet and massive amounts of calls and texts for £25 a month 1 month rolling contract. Good luck though. This is annoying ANOTHER set back for UK iPad owners (first it was the inability to use 4G).
Yeah I've recently been tempted by Three's £15 all you can eat data (the minutes with that are plenty for me. I never use more than 100).
I'm currently on giffgaff - £10 a month, unlimited data, unlimited texts, 250 minutes. They work on O2's network though, and Three is generally faster...
At least in the new iPad, 3G is actually faster... Used to get 500-700 kb/sec on my iPad 2. I get 800-1100 on the iPad 3!
Edit: that giffgaff plan doesn't include tethering though
Edit: from where I am now, just done a speedtest on the iPad 3 on Three... 1500kb/sec!! That's 3 times faster than the broadband in this house lol
Last edited:
Good luck with that - it seems a good idea. I have just got off the Phone having spoken to a Three supervisor, calling 01442456050 instead of their 0845 number, and they are clearly aware of this problem. Initially, I was told that it is an Apple problem (again) - but subsequently they admitted that it is down to them ... but that as I was not promised that the iPad sim would enable the hotspot facility, I should not complain.I think Three may have to request that with apple? Not sure.. I'll be on the phone to Three again tomorrow or Monday to see if I can at least get them to add the tethering add-on so I can go back and say look... Doesn't work. Will end up going the complaints route cos they sold me something saying it would work and it didn't, then hopefully they'll pay more attention
I would urge as many of you as possible to call Three, and register the query, so that they might eventually concede that they need to do something to appease their army of mobile broadband users.
I will phone too, though the best value is in the Hotspot working with the regular data plans and not just the iPad plans!
The saga continues. I was on the Phone again to Three yesterday and I was told that several people had contacted them with the same problem. I was asked to try my iPad micro-sim in my iPhone 4s - which I did and, yes, the tethering option was there.
Three then set up a conference call with Apple. After trying a number of futile steps to get tethering working, the Apple representative said he needed to 'escalate' (his word) the problem and he would get back to me today.
I then received this email from Apple:
So, I am still at square one, but at least we know that Apple and Three are aware of the issue and are (apparently) working on it.
Three then set up a conference call with Apple. After trying a number of futile steps to get tethering working, the Apple representative said he needed to 'escalate' (his word) the problem and he would get back to me today.
I then received this email from Apple:
Which is a link to show you how to force a carrier update (if available) - however there is no update available, so noting actually happened when I tried the suggested steps.
So, I am still at square one, but at least we know that Apple and Three are aware of the issue and are (apparently) working on it.
There is a thread on apples forum with more info about this subject: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3814404?start=0&tstart=0
Please help raise awareness by posting your experiences on there, thank you!
Please help raise awareness by posting your experiences on there, thank you!
I just spoke with 3 customer services. I was told that Apple are aware of the issue and will release an update in April to activate the personal hotspot. So once it's available will just need to sync iPad with iTunes and it will enable the personal hotspot.
After trying very hard to find out if his information was accurate he said the info was only on the internal system for 3 employees and not something publically accessible or revealed by either apple of three.
Let's hope he is right and there will be an update in April!
After trying very hard to find out if his information was accurate he said the info was only on the internal system for 3 employees and not something publically accessible or revealed by either apple of three.
Let's hope he is right and there will be an update in April!
This has been confirmed by someone posting in the AV Forums, who found this in the Three Blog:
Dear all,
to resolve this problem you should complete following steps:
1. Download operators list from here - http://iphonediags.apple.com/version.xml
2. Look for most modern profile of your operator (looks like http://appldnld.appl...xxxx.ipcc). Then copy URL of this profile and paste it into address bar of your browser to download it.
3. Download this profile (ipcc file)
4. Close iTunes if it's opened and running
5. Open Terminal
6. Put and execute following command: defaults write com.apple.itunes carrier-testing -bool true
7. Close Terminal
8. Connect your new iPad via cable
9. Run iTunes
10. Press and hold option key while clicking "Check for Update"
11. In dialog window point to the downloaded ipcc file (downloaded on step 3)
12. Wait until synchronization will be completed.
13. Disconnect iPad
14. Reboot iPad
15. On the iPad open Settings > General > Network >
16. Switch on the Personal Hotspot setting
17. Personal Hotspot should appear in Settings and should function normally.
18. Enjoy your life!
Good luck!!!
Last edited:
Proof from the USA that it's a carrier problem
Here's some strong evidence from Stateside that the Personal Hotspot is entirely carrier-dependent:
"I did not get the Personal Hotspot Settings option I was expecting...the 4G LTE service you get when you sign up for it on the [iPad]...is pre-paid 4G LTE service...If you want Verizon's personal hotspot, you need...a post-paid 4G LTE account...where you're billed every month for service...To get a post-paid 4G LTE account for your [iPad] you have to call or visit Verizon."
See http://tech.lifegoesstrong.com/article/dont-sign-new-ipad-3-verizon-4g-hotspot
So EVEN FROM THE SAME CARRIER the hotspot is off or on depending on billing details! That's not an Apple bug--it's the carriers not reading Apple prerelease documentation and setting a bit. The hotspot works (fast connection 15 meters away to an iPhone4).
From what I read above, I'm hoping you'll keep after your carriers till they are sorted out. Wife and I will be visiting and looking for a pay-as-you-go SIM for our iPad to tether our non-GSM iPhone4. Do you guys think Three will have it right first? Is Three good on price and decent in London and Edinburgh?
Here's some strong evidence from Stateside that the Personal Hotspot is entirely carrier-dependent:
"I did not get the Personal Hotspot Settings option I was expecting...the 4G LTE service you get when you sign up for it on the [iPad]...is pre-paid 4G LTE service...If you want Verizon's personal hotspot, you need...a post-paid 4G LTE account...where you're billed every month for service...To get a post-paid 4G LTE account for your [iPad] you have to call or visit Verizon."
See http://tech.lifegoesstrong.com/article/dont-sign-new-ipad-3-verizon-4g-hotspot
So EVEN FROM THE SAME CARRIER the hotspot is off or on depending on billing details! That's not an Apple bug--it's the carriers not reading Apple prerelease documentation and setting a bit. The hotspot works (fast connection 15 meters away to an iPhone4).
From what I read above, I'm hoping you'll keep after your carriers till they are sorted out. Wife and I will be visiting and looking for a pay-as-you-go SIM for our iPad to tether our non-GSM iPhone4. Do you guys think Three will have it right first? Is Three good on price and decent in London and Edinburgh?
3 will be supporting personal hotpot but there is a bug in ios 5.1 that is not showing the option to enable it.
3 have said they are working with apple to release an update to fix this and should be out in April.
3 have said they are working with apple to release an update to fix this and should be out in April.
Just though't I'd post one of those annoying 'yeah me too' posts.
on 2 year 3 UK contract , 15gb a month and no hotspot. As stated, sim in iphone works fine and hotspot is available.
Having read this thread it appears apple/three are starting to move on the problem, so thanks
on 2 year 3 UK contract , 15gb a month and no hotspot. As stated, sim in iphone works fine and hotspot is available.
Having read this thread it appears apple/three are starting to move on the problem, so thanks
Three have now updated the carrier settings.
On your iPad, select Settings, then General, and 'About'. You will be offered a carrier update (Version 12.1). Once this is done, the Personal Hotspot option will be available on your new iPad.
I assume the carrier update will also be available when syncing with iTunes.
On your iPad, select Settings, then General, and 'About'. You will be offered a carrier update (Version 12.1). Once this is done, the Personal Hotspot option will be available on your new iPad.
I assume the carrier update will also be available when syncing with iTunes.
Thanks for the info, i have recieved the update to 12.1, still no htspot, rebooted still no hotspot. Do i need to change the apn or somink?
Cheers.
Edit: Reboted again, works. Thanks.
Last edited:
Tmobile Uk
Given that three have now released a carrier update (proving we dont need an iOs update) is there any way we know of explaining this to a usefull person at Tmobile uk? I tried asking theire twitter support but they respond that they dont recieve any information regarding this (or seems anything for that matter!)
G
Given that three have now released a carrier update (proving we dont need an iOs update) is there any way we know of explaining this to a usefull person at Tmobile uk? I tried asking theire twitter support but they respond that they dont recieve any information regarding this (or seems anything for that matter!
)G
Any issues with doing this?
I got the update for 3 settings yesterday and can see the hotspot options. I contacted my local 3 store today to see if there was a charge for turning the hotspot on or if it would come out of my normal 1GB monthly limit.
They didn't know so phoned their Apple contact in their customer services who said their current iPad tariffs were not "compatible" with tethering. When I asked what this meant they said, while I could probably switch the hotspot on, it would likely be switched off by them within a few days
Now this sounds like a lot of crap to me but was just wondering if anyone had tried this and either been charged for it or had it switched off (although I accept it may be a bit early to tell!)
Thanks
I got the update for 3 settings yesterday and can see the hotspot options. I contacted my local 3 store today to see if there was a charge for turning the hotspot on or if it would come out of my normal 1GB monthly limit.
They didn't know so phoned their Apple contact in their customer services who said their current iPad tariffs were not "compatible" with tethering. When I asked what this meant they said, while I could probably switch the hotspot on, it would likely be switched off by them within a few days
Now this sounds like a lot of crap to me but was just wondering if anyone had tried this and either been charged for it or had it switched off (although I accept it may be a bit early to tell!)
Thanks
Update from 3 blog
The 3 blog has now confirmed that you can turn on the hotspot and use your existing allowance without any additional cost. Brilliant. Wish other carriers did the same!
http://blog.three.co.uk/2012/03/16/the-new-ipad-now-available-on-three/
The 3 blog has now confirmed that you can turn on the hotspot and use your existing allowance without any additional cost. Brilliant. Wish other carriers did the same!
http://blog.three.co.uk/2012/03/16/the-new-ipad-now-available-on-three/