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Carrier Why no UNLIMITED DATA option for iPad?

B

BlueMoonForever

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 2, 2012
303
16
Why do carriers discriminate against the iPad and not offer unlimited data, preferably T-Mobile and Sprint? Couldn't one just pop their T-Mobile sim card into the iPad to get unlimited data?

Andd with the 200mb free data, how does that work? What's an active T-Mobile internet account?
 
T-Mobile will block data from working in the iPad if you drop in a sim card from a phone.

Carriers like AT&T and Verizon used to offer unlimited data plans for the iPad but that was when the iPad first came out. Many people still have those plans active today.

You could probably buy one of those plans on eBay but you will likely pay several hundred dollars for one.

I can take my T-Mobile unlimited phone sim card and put it in my Nexus 4 and tether all day long to my iPad. You could do something like that. You just need a phone like the Nexus 4 that allows tethering and it will not count towards the tethering allotment.
 
most carriers have got away from unlimited data because of jailbreaking and teethering, people were paying for data on one devicve and using it to connect every device they own
 
T-Mobile will give you unlimited data on an ipad if you have a postpaid plan. So switch to postpaid from prepaid if that's important to you. Just as with the phones it's 2G data once you've used your allotment of high speed data.

As for high speed data -- I believe every carrier will give you as much data as you wish to buy.
 
People would abuse the data. iPad uses data like a PC whereas phones typically consume less data than tablets.

Not sure about Sprint, T-Mobile technically does offer unlimited iPad data. You just get slowed to 2G speeds after consuming your allotted data like the person said above. If you need extra, they're happy to sell you more high speed data.
 
CEmajr said:
People would abuse the data. iPad uses data like a PC whereas phones typically consume less data than tablets.

Not sure about Sprint, T-Mobile technically does offer unlimited iPad data. You just get slowed to 2G speeds after consuming your allotted data like the person said above. If you need extra, they're happy to sell you more high speed data.
Click to expand...

T-Mobiles data plans are not unlimited. Only the data plans for phones are unlimited.
 
JackieInCo said:
T-Mobiles data plans are not unlimited. Only the data plans for phones are unlimited.
Click to expand...

I have a 3gb/mo T-Mobile data plan on my iPad rMini. If I exceed the 3gb/mo allotment, I have 2G-speed unlimited data for the remainder of my billing period.
 
onepoint said:
I have a 3gb/mo T-Mobile data plan on my iPad rMini. If I exceed the 3gb/mo allotment, I have 2G-speed unlimited data for the remainder of my billing period.
Click to expand...

I have the $30 2.5GB plan. When I use it all, the data stops. I have also tried the $40 3.5GB plan. The data stops on that one as well when I use it all.

They don't have unlimited data on the data only plans, it's just the phone plans. They prompt you to buy another month when you run out.
 
JackieInCo said:
I have the $30 2.5GB plan. When I use it all, the data stops. I have also tried the $40 3.5GB plan. The data stops on that one as well when I use it all.

They don't have unlimited data on the data only plans, it's just the phone plans. They prompt you to buy another month when you run out.
Click to expand...

My apologies, I meant to say 2.5gb.

From T-Mobile's tablet/hotspot mobile data site:

What happens if I go over the limit of my high-speed data?

At T-Mobile we don't charge overage fees. Once you have used all the high speed data allotted on your data option, your data speed will automatically convert to up to 2G web speeds for the remainder of your billing cycle. At the beginning of your next billing cycle youll be back to nationwide 4G data.
Click to expand...

link: http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/mobile-internet.html
 
JackieInCo said:
I wish it worked that way but it hasn't in the seven months I've been using them on my iPad.
Click to expand...

You may want to give them a ring? It's been working that way for me -- once I hit my allotment (after getting the 80%, 90% used warnings) the speed gets throttled to virtually useless. That being said, it's sufficient for bare-bones background updating, etc.
 
onepoint said:
You may want to give them a ring? It's been working that way for me -- once I hit my allotment (after getting the 80%, 90% used warnings) the speed gets throttled to virtually useless. That being said, it's sufficient for bare-bones background updating, etc.
Click to expand...

That must be for the auto renew that you go to 2G once the data runs out. I have never done the auto renew.
 
deeddawg said:
T-Mobile will give you unlimited data on an ipad if you have a postpaid plan.
Click to expand...

JackieInCo said:
That must be for auto renew. I have never done the auto renew.
Click to expand...

JackieInCo said:
That must be for the auto renew that you go to 2G once the data runs out. I have never done the auto renew.
Click to expand...

onepoint said:
There's the difference we were looking for :)
Click to expand...

As I stated earlier, it's for the postpaid plans. (and thus by implication, it's not for the prepaid data)
 
I've got the 200 MB from T mobile and it was pretty easy to set up. I got a free SIM card from their site during a special offer. I technically have an account with them, but I'm not paying anything.
It sucks that the free 200 is only good for a year. After that, I'll probably just buy data as needed.
 
eastercat said:
I've got the 200 MB from T mobile and it was pretty easy to set up. I got a free SIM card from their site during a special offer. I technically have an account with them, but I'm not paying anything.
It sucks that the free 200 is only good for a year. After that, I'll probably just buy data as needed.
Click to expand...

its free 200mb for life of the tablet
 
I tether my phone to my iPad and other devices for an additional $30/month on my unlimited data plan.

I called and realized I use about 25gig of data a month…the overwhelming majority of it from tethering.

I have asked verizon if they have unlimited data for tablets and got a pretty fast 'No'.
 
BlueMoonForever said:
Why do carriers discriminate against the iPad and not offer unlimited data, preferably T-Mobile and Sprint? Couldn't one just pop their T-Mobile sim card into the iPad to get unlimited data?

Andd with the 200mb free data, how does that work? What's an active T-Mobile internet account?
Click to expand...

They do not offer it as people would abuse it and hog the bandwidth. Plus the carriers would like to make money!
 
BlueMoonForever said:
Why do carriers discriminate against the iPad and not offer unlimited data,
Click to expand...

ATT and VZW do not offer unlimited data, they have grandfathered plans but no new plans are unlimited. While sprint has jumped on the unlimited data bus, I didn't think T-Mo did though I could be wrong.

If you want to use sprint with unlimited data, tether your phone and use it that way, granted not an ideal situation but its doable
 
maflynn said:
AWhile sprint has jumped on the unlimited data bus, I didn't think T-Mo did though I could be wrong.
Click to expand...

What T-Mobile offers is unlimited 2G (EDGE) data once you've used your allocation of high-speed (LTE/4G) data for the month. Note this is only for postpaid accounts and doesn't apply to prepaid.

Neat concept really; you're not completely cut off and can still get email and so forth.
 
BlueMoonForever said:
Why do carriers discriminate against the iPad and not offer unlimited data,?
Click to expand...

Money.

They feel that iPad users would use more data and thus cost them more so it's not worth it to them. Whereas the phone generally doesn't use that much data, they believe, so it's worth the PR bonus to have those plans to look good
 
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