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Time is running out on 14 day return! Vzw or AT&T

A

Aces2412

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 21, 2012
116
1
Near DC
Okay I have never been so indecisive about something, Verizon or AT&T. I changed my mind 10,000 times. But today if nothing stops me I'm going back to the Apple Store trading my ATT for Verizon. The big factor was Verizon has 4g LTE in most airports. Also in DC Verizon is stronger getting through buildings. Well there 3G is... With AT&T I will miss their 4g hspa but I have noticed during prime times it's slower than vzw 3G. Which brings me to my last point. When Apple comes out with the iPhone 5 with LTE all those folks that are on the unlimited AT&T plan activate their new iphones they will clog the network. AT&T seems to be suffering from lack of network space which was the reason for the tmobile purchase attempt.

So I will stick with big red. All my $ goes to them anyway fios and 2 iPhones.

Also does anyone know if you can buy a virgin AT&T sim and some how activate it to use in the vzw iPad?
 
What are you asking? Sounds like you made a decision already. I prefer my AT&T iPad. It's smoking in San Diego. Plus the pricing is far better than Verizon. $30 for 3GB is far better than $20 for 1GB.
 
Last edited:
Verizon all the way. If worst comes to worst, you can stick an AT&T sim and get HSPA+ service from them, but Verizon is the way to go.
 
I was in the same place. Last Friday I returned my ATT and went with Verizon. We don't have LTE here yet but I know Verizon will have it way before AT&T. Also Verizon LTE is available in places I travel to and I like the 1G $20.00 plan. I have AT&T with unlimited data on my iPhone 4 and will probably go with Verizon when the 5 comes out for the reasons you mentioned above.
 
Returned my AT&T for a Verizon on Saturday. AT&T is pretty good here in Kansas City, but so is Verizon. Granted with AT&T you can fall back to Hspa+ but I like the reliability of the Verizon network. Using this as a test to switch to Verizon when the new iPhone arrives.

Happy with my decision..
 
andyblila said:
What are you asking? Sounds like you made a decision already. I prefer my AT&T iPad. It's smoking in San Diego. Plus the pricing is far better than Verizon. $30 for 3GB is far better than $20 for 1GB.
Click to expand...

Not if you don't regularly use more than 1 gig, as in my case since the bulk of my time is spent using it on wifi.
 
There is no "right" answer to this question. Everyone travels to/lives in/works at different places throughout the nation. Choose the carrier that works the best and fits your budget.
 
Att is not as bad as people say here, but I went with Verizon: 1. faster growing and large LTE coverage 2. 20/1 plan 3. tethering 4. I have ATT iphone, VZ gives me more flexibility.
The only thing for me is VZW has worse customer service compare to ATT, but if go to the store it is the opposite story. It took 2 hours to activate my internet, they helped me in 1 min in the store.
Nothing is perfect, but I don't want to pay 120$/year more for wireless data :)

Advice: when you return your ATT ipad, ask for refund and buy VZ ipad, you will have another 14 days to try
 
Went with Verizon

I went with Verizon on my new IPad even though I have ATT on my Iphones because I could use the sim from my MiFi in my IPad...Although ATT doesn't have LTE coverage outside of Philly the speeds were pretty good....however....the LTE speed on Verizon was great..so it was a no brainer to take the sim out of my MiFi and put in a Verizon IPad....the company I work for pays for my MiFi....workes great and allows me to have the best of both....
 
Starfyre said:
Verizon all the way. If worst comes to worst, you can stick an AT&T sim and get HSPA+ service from them, but Verizon is the way to go.
Click to expand...

I've read that if you insert an AT&T sim into a Verizon iPad you will not see the option to purchase AT&T data plans. The card has to be activated at the store first. Is this correct?

If it is true, that a significant factor to consider. Anyway, please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
I've had AT&T on my phones and iPad for years. I bought the 3rd gen iPad for AT&T because i have a grandfathered unlimited plan.

I ordered a verizon ipad from Best Buy yesterday in the same config I have now for AT&T. As long as i get a decent signal at my house on verizon I'm returning the AT&T ipad and selling off my unlimited data plan.

I too have been through this a million times in my head.
 
barkomatic said:
I've read that if you insert an AT&T sim into a Verizon iPad you will not see the option to purchase AT&T data plans. The card has to be activated at the store first. Is this correct?

If it is true, that a significant factor to consider. Anyway, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

It can be activated online, but you need an IMEI number from either an ipad2 or iPad 1. AT&T will not allow their sim to be associated with a Verizon iPad. Also, you won't be able to maintain the AT&T service on the iPad itself, you'll need to go online every time.
 
Blorzoga said:
It can be activated online, but you need an IMEI number from either an ipad2 or iPad 1. AT&T will not allow their sim to be associated with a Verizon iPad. Also, you won't be able to maintain the AT&T service on the iPad itself, you'll need to go online every time.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a bit of a pain, I don't have another IMEI number from an iPad 1 or 2. I guess I'll stick with my AT&T new iPad I guess.

If I took my AT&T iPad say to Canada could I pop in a sim from Rogers and select a data option from them on the iPad itself? Or, would I have to go through the same workaround?
 
I'm struggling with this same issue--I live in Dallas and own some land in Bluff Dale which is SW of Fort Worth, between Grandbury and Stephenville; so I drove out there Sunday with both iPads to see on coverage.

Neither was LTE out there, and oddly the AT&T iPad fluctuated from 3G to Edge and still more oddly, gave me a message that I used up my data on the 250 MB plan (I hadn't). My iPhone is also AT&T and I had 3 G coverage at the same spot.

The Verizon iPad worked on 3G, and speedtest.net showed about the same speed as my iPhone.

In LTE coverage areas, AT&T and Verizon are about the same on download (I've never got the mega speeds others report--I typically see speedtests in the 13-15 Mbps range) and AT&T is faster on uploading.

I'm leaning toward none of the above (returning both) or if I'm keeping one, the Verizon because of the flakiness the AT&T iPad exhibited in the boonies. And the Verizon is a fairly impressive "mifi" with the personal hotspot enabled.

If the data plans were identical across the board, it would be an easier choice. I don't plan on paying for LTE every month, and when I do, I think I can get by on 1GB for $20; I know the ATT 250MB for $14.99, just will not be enough for those times when I'm traveling and want LTE.

I guess I am accepting higher Verizon data costs for coverage between 1 GB and the 5 GB monthly plans (it will take AT&T years to catch up to where Verizon is now and Verizon will have even greater LTE coverage this year).

That said, all of the LTE data plans are very stingy either way.
 
Aces2412 said:
Okay I have never been so indecisive about something, Verizon or AT&T. I changed my mind 10,000 times. But today if nothing stops me I'm going back to the Apple Store trading my ATT for Verizon. The big factor was Verizon has 4g LTE in most airports. Also in DC Verizon is stronger getting through buildings. Well there 3G is... With AT&T I will miss their 4g hspa but I have noticed during prime times it's slower than vzw 3G. Which brings me to my last point. When Apple comes out with the iPhone 5 with LTE all those folks that are on the unlimited AT&T plan activate their new iphones they will clog the network. AT&T seems to be suffering from lack of network space which was the reason for the tmobile purchase attempt.

So I will stick with big red. All my $ goes to them anyway fios and 2 iPhones.

Also does anyone know if you can buy a virgin AT&T sim and some how activate it to use in the vzw iPad?
Click to expand...

Why would you use your 4G in airports, when most airports have free wifi?!

:confused::confused::confused:
 
TrentS said:
Why would you use your 4G in airports, when most airports have free wifi?!

:confused::confused::confused:
Click to expand...

Because airport Wifi hotspots are notoriously slow, oversubscribed, and riddled with ads. 4G LTE is usually 5-10 times faster. The only connection that is faster than 4G LTE is at my house or at the office.
 
Airport wifi

barkomatic said:
Some do and some don't. I was at JFK this past December and they wanted something like $25 to use wifi. I think LaGuardia charges too.
Click to expand...

Wow. I usually do not travel alot, but last week I flew out to Sacramento. Kansas City, Denver, Sacramento and Phoenix all had free wifi, and all of them ran very well on my iPad 3.

:)
 
barkomatic said:
That sounds like a bit of a pain, I don't have another IMEI number from an iPad 1 or 2. I guess I'll stick with my AT&T new iPad I guess.

If I took my AT&T iPad say to Canada could I pop in a sim from Rogers and select a data option from them on the iPad itself? Or, would I have to go through the same workaround?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure. I don't know if the "account page" on the ipad will work with other carriers or if you have to go online. and I'm not sure if there is another workaround ragarding the IMEI number. I only know that AT&T has specifically prevented the IMEI numbers from Verizon iPad from operating on their network. It doesn't mean the iPad itself won't work, just the number. As long as you insert an activated sim, AT&T doesn't care that it's in a Verizon iPad. It must be some contractual agreement between AT&T and Verizon to keep them from poaching each others customers.
 
TrentS said:
Wow. I usually do not travel alot, but last week I flew out to Sacramento. Kansas City, Denver, Sacramento and Phoenix all had free wifi, and all of them ran very well on my iPad 3.

:)
Click to expand...

Add DFW (Dallas Fort Worth) to major airports that do not have free wifi--that is my home airport; and I often fly to LaGuardia (which as noted is not free). Every time I read of all the freely available wifi for free, it never seems to be in the airports I'm stuck in for extended layovers/weather delays :D And that is precisely when some free wifi would be much appreciated.
 
Great! Another returned iPad. The geek at my store said they already got refurbs. You people are adding a $100 to all of our devices.

Why did you not think before you bought in the first place?:mad:
 
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