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3G traveling question, probably stupid

C

Chaggi

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 23, 2008
53
0
Seoul, South Korea
I work in a really travel intensive industry and I'd like to get an iPad for myself simply cause I hate carrying around my 15" MBP all the time.

However, having internet/3G is a big deal for me. I know that I can really connect to WiFi anywhere, but as far as 3G goes, if I pick up an iPad in America, could I use the 3G in any other country ??
 
You can use it anywhere where there is a 3G signal, if you're willing to pay AT&T's exorbitant roaming rates. If you want to pick up a local SIM so you pay less, you'll have to check out the situation in each country you are planning to visit. A lot of countries do have cell service providers that offer some kind of prepaid or short-term plans you can use with a 3G iPad.
 
Look into picking up a local SIM card wherever you travel.

I have been in Italy for a month, and obtained a SIM card from Vodaphone, which cost me 15 Euros for the month, with a bandwidth limit of 500MB/day. If I go over that, it's 3 Euros for 500MB more per day. I haven't come close to going over.

I can cancel the contract at any time with no penalty or surcharge.

This is a better deal than any of AT&T's tiered plans!
 
I've found traveling internationally with the iPad to be remarkably liberating, and there are ways to accomplish just about anything you need to do. The first time you deal with the local SIM issue can be frustrating, especially if you are short on time, but it's becoming more routine all the time as more carrier stores' personnel become exposed to American iPad travelers. If you are told it is impossible by one employee at one store, try asking supervisors or visiting other carriers' stores. Learning which is the best carrier for coverage and price in the areas you're going to before you get there eases a lot of the hassle. Also, getting one of the ATT international data plans for the month, even for 50 meg, is worthwhile for those times when you haven't yet acquired a local SIM card, or when you're not going to be in a country long enough to make getting one worthwhile. When used carefully, the ATT plan can be very convenient.

The greatest concern to me is not connectivity now, but rather having a plan if the iPad needs to be synched while traveling; but that's another thread.
 
In the UK you can walk into any high street phone shop and buy a "3" microsim loaded with 3gigs of data that lasts 3 months for £20 GBP approx $30 USD. No messing about registering. Put the sim into the iPad and it works.

If you only want 1 gig of data that lasts 1 month it costs £10 GBP / $15 USD

Speed is really good and signal has always been 5 bars wherever I have used mine.
 
Wait you can put SIM cards in an iPad?

Also, I mainly travel to South Korea... I know they're really restrictive about their stuff, I probably can't use a 3G connection there...?
 
Chaggi said:
Wait you can put SIM cards in an iPad?

Also, I mainly travel to South Korea... I know they're really restrictive about their stuff, I probably can't use a 3G connection there...?
Click to expand...

I'm in South Korea a lot too, and am there right now with my iPad. It's not possible to get a local sim for the iPad now. technically, you could if you jumped through all kinds of hoops and get a local to buy it for you, but then you would also be stuck with a contract.

I get the AT&T roaming plan and use it just for for e-mail and texting, the occasional web search when I'm outside of wifi. There is wifi in a lot of places, but I need to stay connected If I'm on the train or in a park or something. Used with caution, 20 MB for 25 bucks a month, will handle all my e-mail and texting needs.

Good luck to you.
 
I was in Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Limon, and some place in Panama, and got zero roaming capabilities there. So it would depend on the city and country you plan to visit. I was only able to use my iPad online at a restaurant that offerred free WiFi. I could have used it in the cruiseship, but their rates were very high, plus I was having too much fun to care about the internet. :D
 
sushi said:
I would need to double check, but countries such as Japan you cannot get/rent a microSIM.

Hopefully, that will change someday.
Click to expand...

for me, this is a real pain as I travel frequently to Japan and would love to be able to buy or even rent a microSIM card for my iPad. at the moment it still seems impossible. someone please prove this to be false :)

best I've been able to find for visitors to Japan so far is the ability to rent a PocketWiFi (it's like the MiFi in the U.S.) for 5500 yen/3days
 
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DisneySMAX said:
In the UK you can walk into any high street phone shop and buy a "3" microsim loaded with 3gigs of data that lasts 3 months for £20 GBP approx $30 USD. No messing about registering. Put the sim into the iPad and it works.

If you only want 1 gig of data that lasts 1 month it costs £10 GBP / $15 USD

Speed is really good and signal has always been 5 bars wherever I have used mine.
Click to expand...

This is awesome. Now I just need to plan a trip to the UK!
 
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