All iPads Question for those who are using the 200MB or 250MB (AT&T) iPad users

[hachiman]

Is it enough data? What is your usage habits like? Just email and web surfing?

About how long until you get a notification that you got nothing left?

I ordered the iPad mini with Retina but the one with Verizon sim. I've already got a T-Mobile sim ready to go.

 

[deeddawg]

Answer is "it depends"... One person's "email & web surfing" can be very different from another's.

The great thing with prepaid is you buy more data if you need it, switching to different sized blocks depending on what you find you need. No lock in.

In other words -- try it and see.

 

[s2mikey]

This is my first cellular plan since we dont do smart phones. I got the AT & T iPad Air. I started with the 250mb for 30 days and ran some tests. I am not a big cell data user and really only got it for those times I truly need the web or e-mail on the go. What I found was:

- Watching any kind of videos for 10-15 minutes will eat up that data quickly. HD videos are even worse.

- E-mail doesnt use too much, especially if you dont have your push/pull e-mail settings too agressive meaning checking for new e-mail every minute or whatever. If you keep the settings reasonable and arent dealing with huge file attachments, e-mail isnt too bad at all.

- basic web browsing isnt that bad but if you hit heavy graphical sites with lots going on it will chip away at the data usage. With advertising/banners/whatever always pushing and pulling...that eats it up too.

Overall - the 250mb plan is pretty small(and not the best value, see next paragraph) and Id only rely on it for true "must have" situations. You'll burn through it too quickly if you start playing games and consuming content though.

And, its actually cheaper and smarter if you have AT&T to get their 1GB for 3 months @ $25 bucks plan. Its a better deal than $15 per month for 250mb. So, I just switched to that plan. It gives you around 333mb per month for about $8 bucks a month. Not too terrible. The math works in your favor so use this plan instead of the $15 for 250mb monthly plan.

I also like how the 1GB for 3 month plan does NOT auto-renew either.

 

[jonnyppp]

I have unlimited att LTE on my iPhone. My new TMO LTE iPad Air has the free 200mb plan, for now. I have Wifi 90% of the time, the LTE data is just for iMessage/email/other messaging apps. I have all other apps set to Wifi only.

 

[macornomac]

Can someone answer this for me if I get the retina mini LTE say with ATT do I have to do a data plan? I don't have to sign up for anything right? I just want the cellular mini but will plan to use a tmobile sim for the data and other times just wifi. Also is there a difference between ATT and Verizon mini does the verizon one have more LTE bands or no? Thanks so much guys.

 

[deeddawg]

Can someone answer this for me if I get the retina mini LTE say with ATT do I have to do a data plan? I don't have to sign up for anything right?

Only if you buy it subsidized from AT&T. Otherwise just add a prepaid data plan when/if you want it.

Also is there a difference between ATT and Verizon mini does the verizon one have more LTE bands or no? Thanks so much guys.

One comes with a Verizon SIM, the other comes with an AT&T SIM. Same hardware underneath.

Between the two I'd buy the Verizon unit as it appears to be difficult to get Verizon to let you use a non-Verizon ipad with their service. Fall-off-a-log easy to use a Verizon ipad with AT&T or T-Mobile.

 

[hachiman]

I think I answered my own question. Instead of one iPad and just one T-Mobile sim...

Sounds like a hassle. Hmm.

 

[macornomac]

Only if you buy it subsidized from AT&T. Otherwise just add a prepaid data plan when/if you want it.



One comes with a Verizon SIM, the other comes with an AT&T SIM. Same hardware underneath.

Between the two I'd buy the Verizon unit as it appears to be difficult to get Verizon to let you use a non-Verizon ipad with their service. Fall-off-a-log easy to use a Verizon ipad with AT&T or T-Mobile.

hmm isn't verizon coma though or no?

 

[Bheleu]

Unlimited Data User

Per DataUsagePro App, I vary between 20-30GB of data each month.
Here is my last few months:
Current, 3 days left: 18393.76, 21982.65, 25189.27, 30433.61, 16501.47...

LTE is faster than Wow cable service so I tend to leave it on cellular. If you have access to good wifi, just leave your cellular off; however, I like the comfort/security of going thru a cell tower instead of going onto someone's wifi network where they could mine/monitor your data.

 

[deeddawg]

hmm isn't verizon coma though or no?

Yep. and since the ipad3 all ipads have both CDMA and GSM circuitry, with Verizon ipads shipping with a Verizon SIM. May actually have started with the ipad2, but I believe the radio bands were different. I just know my experience with my Verizon ipad3 and using a TMobile SIM. I have an AT&T SIM as well but haven't activated it yet.

I have no idea how or why the Verizon SIM is required to enable the CDMA side for use on Verizon, but that is how it works.

 

[hachiman]

Per DataUsagePro App, I vary between 20-30GB of data each month.
Here is my last few months:
Current, 3 days left: 18393.76, 21982.65, 25189.27, 30433.61, 16501.47...

LTE is faster than Wow cable service so I tend to leave it on cellular. If you have access to good wifi, just leave your cellular off; however, I like the comfort/security of going thru a cell tower instead of going onto someone's wifi network where they could mine/monitor your data.

What service did you use? I don't see any option for unlimited data.

Also, is there a way to prioritize which one I will be using? Like if I get lazy and left both wifi and cellular on, it would take data from the wifi only, unless I am out of wifi range.

I set my iPad to only connect to the networks I own.

 

[shadowyman]

Per DataUsagePro App, I vary between 20-30GB of data each month.
Here is my last few months:
Current, 3 days left: 18393.76, 21982.65, 25189.27, 30433.61, 16501.47...

LTE is faster than Wow cable service so I tend to leave it on cellular. If you have access to good wifi, just leave your cellular off; however, I like the comfort/security of going thru a cell tower instead of going onto someone's wifi network where they could mine/monitor your data.

also curious about the plan. i don't know any plan which lets you use this much.