Carrier T-Mobile LTE and iPad

[asenna]

I saw that t-mobile is doing a free 200mb data plan for tablets http://www.t-mobile.com/landing/free-mobile-internet-data.html

Is it as simple as it sounds? Just bring in my retina mini (any LTE model would work?) buy a sim and get free 200mb with no contract?

 

[ronm99]

I saw that t-mobile is doing a free 200mb data plan for tablets http://www.t-mobile.com/landing/free-mobile-internet-data.html

Is it as simple as it sounds? Just bring in my retina mini (any LTE model would work?) buy a sim and get free 200mb with no contract?

The plan is as good as it sounds. If you bought a non T-Mobile cellular iPad, you may need to go to a T-Mobile store to get it enabled on their network. Some of the networks won't support devices unless the IMEI number of the device is registered with them. (I don't know if this is the case with T-Mobile or not).

I have an iPad Air with T-Mobile, and I've been enjoying my free data, and the LTE speeds have been fast for me!

 

[iPhone1]

I was pleasantly surprised at the speeds of T-Mobile LTE. Was using it recently in a hospital where Verizon coverage was weak but I had three bars of LTE from T-Mobile on my Air. Used about 75mbs just cruising these forums but that is over hours of use.

 

[asenna]

If I have an Verizon mini, they won't deny it like I've been hearing of other carriers? Just add to the system and it's good?

 

[plasticmoz]

T-Mobile won't have any issues working with your device.

 

[Wallace]

Has anyone tried what actually happen when you hit the 200MB per month? Will it really go to 2G or internet will shut off completely?

 

[Pezbaby]

Has anyone tried what actually happen when you hit the 200MB per month? Will it really go to 2G or internet will shut off completely?

On the website, it states they will cut you off.

 

[rui no onna]

Has anyone tried what actually happen when you hit the 200MB per month? Will it really go to 2G or internet will shut off completely?

I'm on the free 200MB plan and I can confirm that it just gets cut off. If you try to open any website on the web browser, you'll get redirected to the account login page where you can add a data pass, etc.

Perhaps the rules might be different for postpaid customers but at least that's what happened on the prepaid account for me.

 

[wxman2003]

If it's free, why are they charging $10 for the nano sim card for ipad, but it's free for the iphone?

 

[ElectronGuru]

There are a hundred threads on this. The $10 can be worked around if you are patient and order the sim from the web site.

 

[AppleScruff1]

If you purchase your iPad at an Apple store and ask for a T-Mobile SIM to go along with your Verizon iPad they will probably give you one for no charge.

 

[wxman2003]

There are a hundred threads on this. The $10 can be worked around if you are patient and order the sim from the web site.

Um, on the web site it is $10. How do you work around that?

 

[katsnd4spd]

It's not free

I bought a rMini with a T-mobile som and the manager refused to set it up for the 200 MB plan. Said I had to buy it through them. I promptly went to att and had a sim installed... No problems. I ordered t-mobile nano sims and none offered the base plan. I get that nothing is for free....but would have switched carriers if this had worked. I hate false advertising and will never use t-mobile!

 

[rui no onna]

I bought a rMini with a T-mobile som and the manager refused to set it up for the 200 MB plan. Said I had to buy it through them. I promptly went to att and had a sim installed... No problems. I ordered t-mobile nano sims and none offered the base plan. I get that nothing is for free....but would have switched carriers if this had worked. I hate false advertising and will never use t-mobile!

Huh? I was able to activate the free 200MB data on a Verizon iPad 3 and Google Nexus 7 FHD LTE just fine. After account creation, I didn't have to sign up for a plan since the 200MB is automatically given.

 

[ratbrain]

I bought a rMini with a T-mobile som and the manager refused to set it up for the 200 MB plan. Said I had to buy it through them. I promptly went to att and had a sim installed... No problems. I ordered t-mobile nano sims and none offered the base plan. I get that nothing is for free....but would have switched carriers if this had worked. I hate false advertising and will never use t-mobile!

dont bother with the tmo store or calling.

i tried calling to get tmo to send me a sim for the plan and i just constantly got transferred around to endless upsells. kept telling me i had to sign up for a mobile share plan.

all you need to do is get a nano sim activation kit sim card. install it into the ipad. you will see a prompt to turn off wifi. then it will ask you for info and thats it. you have 200mb. you get a confirmation notification and after that , the sim card is provisioned and you get LTE speeds and your 200mb cap.

no cc info or credit check or any of that BS needed.

 

[Tork]

Getting the free 200 MB/month is really, really easy. No need to go into a store or call anybody or anything. Either order a T-Mo iPad or iPad mini (which will include a T-Mo SIM for free) or if you already have a non-T-Mo iPad with a SIM card tray, order up a SIM from http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/sim-card -- scroll down and pick the mobile internet nano SIM for an Air/mini/rmini or the mobile internet micro SIM for an iPad 1/2/3/4. Then follow ratbrain's simple instructions to set it up.

T-Mo charges $10 for the SIM, but it's often easy to find a coupon code to enter on the following page to make it free. One ("NOVSIM") expired just the other day, but if you wait around a bit and want to save $10, another one will probably come along. And no worrying about IMEI registration with T-Mo -- only Sprint and Verizon freak out about whether a device is originally registered to receive service from them for whatever inexplicable reason, but not AT&T or T-Mo.

 

[Wallace]

I'm on the free 200MB plan and I can confirm that it just gets cut off. If you try to open any website on the web browser, you'll get redirected to the account login page where you can add a data pass, etc.

Perhaps the rules might be different for postpaid customers but at least that's what happened on the prepaid account for me.

Thanks for the feedback!

Another question: does anyone know if you can get "free" AT&T, Verizon or Sprint sim card? I ordered the iPad T-Mobile version but it would be nice to have a backup sim card for another carrier.
However, I don't want to pay for the sim card itself (at least not much) and use it as a "pay by usage" plan.

 

[thelookingglass]

So for those of you who've been using the 200MB, have you found yourself purchasing more data?

 

[deeddawg]

Um, on the web site it is $10. How do you work around that?

You buy the free nano SIM... It's the one with the giant magenta FREE

BTW, there's the cool tool called "Search"... Free or 99-cent T-Mobile SIMs are fairly frequently available. Sometimes with big magenta letter spelling out FREE, sometimes with a coupon code line NOVSIM.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1670338/

 

[deeddawg]

Another question: does anyone know if you can get "free" AT&T, Verizon or Sprint sim card?

As for AT&T: I walked into a corporate store, asked for a micro SIM to use with my ipad for prepaid data and walked out five minutes later with a SIM at no charge. I'm sure they'd have been happy to set it up for me but I was on my way somewhere and didn't bring my ipad in from the car. Set it up on $25/90day/1GB plan the next day.

Verizon & Sprint appear to be a bit of a pain to get service with if you don't have a Verizon or Sprint ipad. Search the forums for other discussion, but the general sense is that if you think you'll use one of the two, buy that branded ipad so it's whitelisted in the respective system.

 

[rui no onna]

Another question: does anyone know if you can get "free" AT&T, Verizon or Sprint sim card? I ordered the iPad T-Mobile version but it would be nice to have a backup sim card for another carrier.
However, I don't want to pay for the sim card itself (at least not much) and use it as a "pay by usage" plan.

AT&T is pretty lax with their SIM cards although policy may differ from store to store. My local AT&T store charges $25 for the SIM but the service rep will waive it if you buy anything else from them (e.g. case or prepaid credit). You can also find AT&T SIM cards on ebay for around $2-5. I opted for the ebay route myself since for me, the measly $2-4 savings (after parking fees) just isn't worth the hassle of driving to the AT&T store and trying to find parking.

You can also get Verizon SIM cards from ebay for $4-6 but good luck trying to activate that on your T-Mobile iPad (although if you have a friend with a Verizon iPad, that would solve the activation issue). Sprint, it appears, is still being anal about activating based on ESN/MEID so you can pretty much forget about Sprint.

 

[wxman2003]

You buy the free nano SIM... It's the one with the giant magenta FREE

BTW, there's the cool tool called "Search"... Free or 99-cent T-Mobile SIMs are fairly frequently available. Sometimes with big magenta letter spelling out FREE, sometimes with a coupon code line NOVSIM.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1670338/

Maybe look a little closer. That is for the iphone. The other nano sim, called the internet only sims is $10. That one is used with the ipad. And NOVSIM code has expired. Next time actually look before posting your stupid response.

 

[deeddawg]

Maybe look a little closer. That is for the iphone. [...] Next time actually look before posting your stupid response. People like you are arrogant SOB idiots.

Before lashing out at people trying to help (even if with a little snark) maybe consider that they might know what they're talking about.

The SIM you claim to be "for the iphone" is working just fine in my ipad as well as many other people's.


BTW, you really should check the "Rules" up at the top of the screen: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1672419/

Forum Rules

Instantly Bannable Offenses

These offenses can result in temporary forum suspensions or permanent bans. If you get a warning, heed it!

1. Insults. Direct personal insult of another forum member (e.g., "You are an idiot.") and other name-calling.

 

[Wallace]

AT&T is pretty lax with their SIM cards although policy may differ from store to store. My local AT&T store charges $25 for the SIM but the service rep will waive it if you buy anything else from them (e.g. case or prepaid credit). You can also find AT&T SIM cards on ebay for around $2-5. I opted for the ebay route myself since for me, the measly $2-4 savings (after parking fees) just isn't worth the hassle of driving to the AT&T store and trying to find parking.

You can also get Verizon SIM cards from ebay for $4-6 but good luck trying to activate that on your T-Mobile iPad (although if you have a friend with a Verizon iPad, that would solve the activation issue). Sprint, it appears, is still being anal about activating based on ESN/MEID so you can pretty much forget about Sprint.

Very good idea to look at ebay. How would you call such a SIM card (e.g. "tablet nano sim prepaid"?!) and what if the guy used it before? Would this be a problem?
When I try to activate the ebay AT&T card, do I have to call AT&T for activation or just put it in the iPad and do the setup from there?

...could I also use an old iPhone 4S sim card? I know that I have to cut it to the "nano" size but is it possible to re-use it or is an old AT&T SIM card "locked for life" after activation?

 

[wxman2003]

Before lashing out at people trying to help (even if with a little snark) maybe consider that they might know what they're talking about.

The SIM you claim to be "for the iphone" is working just fine in my ipad as well as many other people's.


BTW, you really should check the "Rules" up at the top of the screen: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1672419/

Why did you even reply to me the first time? You told me to use an expired code, and did not say a word about using the iphone sim, when clearly the link showed 2 different nano sim cards. And yes, I did search, and I found that link yesterday. It's one thing being snarky and actually providing an answer, and another when being snarky and providing no answer.