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Montana is a state? Oh wow! LOL! Just kidding! Someone needs to buy Montana, ahaha. Sorry, lol.:)
 
I don't really know how this works - would it be wise to buy a new iPad 3g living in MT? Or should I save $130 and just buy the one with Wifi?
 
I don't really know how this works - would it be wise to buy a new iPad 3g living in MT? Or should I save $130 and just buy the one with Wifi?

I don't think any current providers can use the Micro GSM chip that it would require. Cellular One is the main GSM provider, but I don't know if they do Micro GSM.
 
I don't think any current providers can use the Micro GSM chip that it would require. Cellular One is the main GSM provider, but I don't know if they do Micro GSM.

I don't know why Steve even brought up Micro SIM. There are two types of SIM cards. The first one is the size of a credit card and I don't know if it has ever been used in anything. The second type of SIM card, a "micro SIM" is the tiny SIM card that's used in everything. So Steve throwing Micro in there just added to the confusion. Cellular One will work if they're GSM.
 
haha, well most arent aware that theres a state called montana...
but yeah, at&t's home network does not enter montana, and i think 4 or so other states...chinook is an at&t "partner", though so i could have unlocked the iphone and used it without full functionality, but this news means a legitimate iphone carrier :D

and to tell you the truth, i cant wait to leave montana, but i dont get done with undergrad for another year and a half, so im stuck here...

I like to visit Montana, some of the best fishing in the lower 48.
 
I don't know why Steve even brought up Micro SIM. There are two types of SIM cards. The first one is the size of a credit card and I don't know if it has ever been used in anything. The second type of SIM card, a "micro SIM" is the tiny SIM card that's used in everything. So Steve throwing Micro in there just added to the confusion. Cellular One will work if they're GSM.
He brought up micro sim because that's what the iPad uses, in contrast to regular sim cards.

In answer to the original question, AT&T is supposed to be coming to MT sometime in 2010, as part of its deal with Verizon. There haven't been any official announcement as to when it's happening and when they will be set up and ready for iPhones/iPads.
 
I don't really know how this works - would it be wise to buy a new iPad 3g living in MT? Or should I save $130 and just buy the one with Wifi?

I'd say there is a good chance you wouldn't be able to use 3g at all in MT, unless you can get service on it from someone else besides AT&T. I was there for christmas, my iphone 3GS on AT&T was basically useless... slowest data speeds ever, couldn't send picture messages (same with a few regular text messages), and just being able to make a phone call was a pain...
 
Montana is a pretty big state and I'd imagine that only the large (relatively speaking) population centers will get AT&T 3g very early. My neck of the woods will probably be one of the later areas to get much out of them. We only got regular alltel cell phone service a year ago last Thanksgiving -- before that there was one spot in front of the Kraft mayonnaise jars at the local IGA where it was rumored you'd get coverage. Now I hear Verizon has coverage and the droid works with 3g in town. Of course you go on their website and there's no map for that and you can't buy their service online. But there's a local store and people with the hardware are saying it works around town. So I'm doing some research on droids and droid apps to see if it'll suit me and I'm thinking it will. I'd have bought an iPhone in a NY minute, but waiting for maybes and supposed-tos and should-happens just gets old.
 
sick of all wireless carriers

Frankly I am sick of all wireless carriers, they all charge way too much and all seem to have terrible customer service. I am also tired of waiting for the long-awaited and much-rumored 'Montana iPhone'. I have recently decided to buy a used iPhone off Ebay, get a Skype 'online number' for $60 and use Skype as my new call/sms capable phone service. I of course will have to pay a little money for Skype credit on top of that $60 and I am of course limited to WiFi but that isn't a big problem for me as if I am off backpacking I don't want to be harassed anyways and I have WiFi most everywhere in town. Finally... an iPhone that will work in Bozeman!! (besides Celluar One) :)

p.s. I cant wait to get out of this state either - and go back home to Colorado! ;)
 
problem here is pretty simple less the a million people live in the state with a average of about 6 people for every square mile. Cenus facts get worse from there. but that's a tough state for any large cell company.
 
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