Can someone with a USA-region 2020 iPad Pro (Cellular) tell me what on-device data plans are available in the cellular settings? I want to know specifically about standalone plans that are available for purchase directly on the iPad. Thanks 🙂
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iPad Pro What data plans are available for purchase in cellular settings?
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Ghost31
macrumors 68040
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i wonder if that att plans that dont say LTE are LTE. If so, that 25gb recurring monthly on ATT seems like a decent deal.
ecschwarz
macrumors 65816
It's LTE—that one was hastily put in place recently to replace the unlimited plan that a lot of people were spinning up and them moving to hotspot devices.
rumz
macrumors 65816
I currently have an AT&T plan “Access for iPad 4G LTE” for $20 ($23.49 w/fees). This plan I got in the store. It includes 22 GBs of LTE, but I have done 100 GBs, but anything over 22 GBs might slow down if the tower is congested.
Personally, the T-Mobile $10 pre-paid/one-time deal is what makes a cellular iPad worth it for me. I don't use a lot of cellular data but I can burn through a lot when I need it. Great value!
Ungibbed
macrumors 6502a
In my area, there’s a data service provider called Truphone.
They offered a free service trial directly on my iPP, on my iPhone at the moment or would have a screen handy.
Anyway, they do piggyback off T-Mobile but have some nice plans that the big guys couldn’t match.
will pop pack here.
They offered a free service trial directly on my iPP, on my iPhone at the moment or would have a screen handy.
Anyway, they do piggyback off T-Mobile but have some nice plans that the big guys couldn’t match.
will pop pack here.
DoubleFlyaway
macrumors 68000
My Verizon plan is identical to this. It's an add-on to my unlimited phone plan. Normally I don't come anywhere near that much usage, but my wifi at home has been TERRIBLE lately, and I have gone over 22 this month.
ecschwarz
macrumors 65816
Yep, if you have an AT&T-postpaid account, it's a pretty good deal. The prepaid version is mostly dead outside of some grandfathered users. It also seems they've been enforcing IMEI checks to make sure the SIM is in an iPad.
I've used this plan more times than I can count—currently on a Wi-Fi-only iPad, but have used it on a previous 5th-gen, my work iPad Pro, and a prior original 12.9" iPad Pro. Even though it's billed as one-time, you can purchase it multiple and it's perfect for not much data. Technically, it's for a few select iPads, but the data should flow to most devices. I actually had a SIM with it on there and put it in my iPhone 11 when I visited Canada—it roamed on Telus, while my main service at the time roamed on Rogers.
Not sure what area you're in, but like GigSky, they're typically designed for passes for global roaming. I think there's a few that are in a sweet spot, but many are more expensive than recurring prepaid plans. Airalo (not sold through the iPad interface, uses Truphone's back-end on some plans) is another that might interest you if your iPad has eSIM—roams on T-Mobile and Verizon in the US, but is technically intended as a global travel option.
I like Truphone for their prepaid voice SIMs—$30 to get started, and $15 of that goes as a credit. In the US, they roam on AT&T and incoming calls/texts are free. Data is a bit pricey so I disabled it, but it's a nice way to keep "service" on some older devices or park a number.
I wish that were available to me. My store didn’t know nuffin’ when I asked about that plan. I’d save a bunch since I have two iPads with cell service.
[automerge]1589403111[/automerge]
I have that T-Mo plan on both my cellular iPads. Unfortunately, coverage is not great on our travel route to our camp (compared to AT&T) and non-existent at the camp. If it worked at our camp, this would be the best plan for me most of the time.
ecschwarz
macrumors 65816
This may be helpful getting it—it still exists and is a standalone plan, but is buried a bit and you have to find someone that knows what they're doing to add it:
I had something similar happen a few year ago when I wanted to get the 250GB "rural" Wireless Home Phone & Internet plan for a family member that was only in certain markets. Same goes with the early days of the eSIM activation cards they use. Typically if there's someone at the store that is willing to humor you, you'll have some luck.
Lobwedgephil
macrumors 603
You should be able to get it by calling. All of my family iPads are unlimited on At&t for 20/month.
I will try. I do have some AT&T SIMs and one of my iPads renews in the next few days.
I forgot to mention that the plan I have is single line plan all by itself. My iPhone carrier is Verizon.
I don’t have AT&T as my cell provider with my phones, but I was able to get an unlimited plan through the iPad recently. I believe it’s now $39.99 a month
ecschwarz
macrumors 65816
Yep, that's the now-unavailable for new subscribers prepaid plan (DataConnect is what they call it). I think it was $5 off if you had it set to auto-renew. Now, whoever has it in an iPad has been able to keep it, but there was nothing guaranteeing grandfathering (a lot of people using it in both iPads and hotspot devices had renewals fail). It's a good deal if you're able to keep it, not abuse it, and leave the SIM in the iPad.
The $20 one is a postpaid option (credit check if you don't already have AT&T) and generates a monthly bill.
rumz
macrumors 65816
How long ago did you sign up for that plan? Does it require a sim card?
EDIT: Read the rest of the posts on this thread— awesome info. I’m in the camp that’s interested in having a secondary connection from a different provider for scenarios as others have mentioned (road trips / camping, etc.) Thought I might take AT&T for a test drive this week— not sure if I will use it enough regularly to get into a postpaid account.
My iPhone is on T-Mobile— interest in AT&T is because I know where I can get it, but my plan has a pitiful amount of data roaming— like 200mb or something.
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My first line I got back in July last year.
This plan also lets you use the iPad as a hotspot, but I believe it is only for 10 GBs.