Ipad 3g

[Artisttyp]

I just received an ipad 3 g but as usual there are strings attached. As most people know ATT no longer offers unlimited data plans. They make you sign up for either a 2oo mb? Or 2 GB plan.

What are people's experiences with these plans? Should I just put the money towards a wifi code when I get to where I am going? I would be surfing the web posting on ISG etc.

I've also read about mifi / myfi that certain carriers offer but these cap out at 5gb right? Verizon offers mifi but their service was worthless in SA. Does anyone currently use a service they are satisfied with that roams in SA?

Anybody?


Also worth noting is you get access to ATT wifi spots with unlimited wifi service when you sign up for any plan. These wifi spots apparently DO NOT exist overseas...true or false ?


* I'm dying to get back to BA!

[TheMan8]

Hi,

Not sure how technically proficient you are, so sorry if I'm pitching this at the wrong (high or low) level!

If you are abroad just take out the ATT sim and buy a local one. In SA for example (I assume you mean South Africa) you can buy Micro-Sims ready for ipad use. You first need to put it into another cellphone to activate the data plan but after that it can be used on the ipad. The key is that you cannot send or recieve SMS messages from the ipad so you first need to have another phone that accepts micro sims (Iphone 4 is the only one I know of) or buy a micro-sim to big sim adapter so that you can first activate data plans on a normal phone before transferring the sim to an ipad.

Otherwise, if you cannot buy a microsim in the country you are visiting, you can buy a regular one and use nail clippers to chop it down to size. There are plenty of instructions available on the internet that teach you how to use it.

In Argentina you can buy a movistar chip and then use data plans to work with your ipad via 3g.

Otherwise, wifi in Argentina is fantastic.


I just received an ipad 3 g but as usual there are strings attached. As most people know ATT no longer offers unlimited data plans. They make you sign up for either a 2oo mb? Or 2 GB plan.

What are people's experiences with these plans? Should I just put the money towards a wifi code when I get to where I am going? I would be surfing the web posting on ISG etc.

I've also read about mifi / myfi that certain carriers offer but these cap out at 5gb right? Verizon offers mifi but their service was worthless in SA. Does anyone currently use a service they are satisfied with that roams in SA?

Anybody?

Also worth noting is you get access to ATT wifi spots with unlimited wifi service when you sign up for any plan. These wifi spots apparently DO NOT exist overseas. True or false?

* I'm dying to get back to BA!

[Artisttyp]

Hi,

Not sure how technically proficient you are, so sorry if I'm pitching this at the wrong (high or low) level!

If you are abroad just take out the ATT sim and buy a local one. In SA for example (I assume you mean South Africa) you can buy Micro-Sims ready for ipad use. You first need to put it into another cellphone to activate the data plan but after that it can be used on the ipad. The key is that you cannot send or recieve SMS messages from the ipad so you first need to have another phone that accepts micro sims (Iphone 4 is the only one I know of) or buy a micro-sim to big sim adapter so that you can first activate data plans on a normal phone before transferring the sim to an ipad.

Otherwise, if you cannot buy a microsim in the country you are visiting, you can buy a regular one and use nail clippers to chop it down to size. There are plenty of instructions available on the internet that teach you how to use it.

In Argentina you can buy a movistar chip and then use data plans to work with your ipad via 3g.

Otherwise, wifi in Argentina is fantastic. Thank you for your informative post. I am rather new to the ipad world but have some knowledge about it's use from surfing the web.

I understand that the ipad has a micro sim and not a standard sim card. I will look into an adapter. The thought of cutting the SIM with a nail clip makes me uncomfortable.

When I travel I use an unlocked quad band GSM phone. Otherwise I use a blackberry with an unlimited plan which serves me well. My unlocked GSM phone to my knowledge does not have a micro sim. I don't need an iphone since I prefer my blackberry for mobile use. Are there more choices regarding micro SIM phones besides iphone at a reasonable price and unlocked? Would it make sense to buy these in south america or in america?

I wanted to buy an iphone and have it unlocked but you can't even finish the checkout process without signing up for a contract. No contract no phone. Unlocked iphones are going for $400/500 on ebay.

I am trying to figure out if even the unlimited data offered at att wifi spots would be of use to me. I'd rather be using DSL in the comfort of my own home.

Can you believe my building in NYC charges the same as ATT for wifi AND they have the same 2GB cap. It's hysterical.

I have both an ipod touch 4 and an ipad. At first glance the ipod touch 4 seems to be more useful. It does more or less what an ipad does. If you don't have wifi access it is still handy as an ipod or gaming system and it fits in your pocket.