Trip to South America - 3G tablet

[Zotaccian]

So, My friend is going for a vacation to South America and he needs ~10 inch tablet with 3G for use there. What frequencies does the tablet need to support and isn't the best way to buy the tablet and then when in America he should buy prepaid 3G for use during the time he is there? I also said to him that I believe there are free WiFi spots here and there so it can be that not having 3G may not be that bad?

Advices are appreciated, I know what kind of 3G tablet one should buy here where I live (if i order from China for example I know what to get) but not what works abroad.

And yes, I think iPad is too expensive for him so we might be looking a China tablet.

 

[balamw]

So, My friend is going for a vacation to South America and he needs ~10 inch tablet with 3G for use there.

South America is a big place. Each country has it's own networks, but bands 5 and 2 (850/1900) seem to have good coverage almost everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UMTS_networks#Americas

For an iPad, that's AT&T bands.

I was in Ecuador last summer and found public WiFi networks to be widely deployed, most often where zi had 3G I could also find WiFi, but your mileage may vary.

B