I felt that I needed to activate a 3G plan in order to make sure that feature actually worked as expected. If it didn't, I wanted to find out while I was still in the return window.
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Do you have a 3G iPad but haven't used any cellular data yet?
- Thread starter eagleglen
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I bought the iPad 3G for those occasions when I might want to be able to use it away from home, such as traveling for work or vacation, but I don't expect that I'll actually use any 3G data until another few months from now when our family vacation is currently planned.
One of the selling features of the iPad 3G was the no-contract 3G service. I like that I can have it if I want it for a short period of time, but I'm not locked into anything long term.
One of the selling features of the iPad 3G was the no-contract 3G service. I like that I can have it if I want it for a short period of time, but I'm not locked into anything long term.
Like a few of the other people that have posted, I brought 3G for more of a 'what if' kind of thing. When I travel on trains to see friends I am normally travelling on a train for a few hours or in a car for a few so I dont need 3G all the time, I have WiFi at home and at Uni which is gonna be the main 2 places I use it. Also Orange over here in the UK are doing a daily and weekly plan. Which means I can spend £7.50 to get data for a week or £2 for a day which is pretty convenient when I dont want data for a whole month.
To the person who said he's waiting to want a tidbit of data enough to pay $30 ... for that type of use, you'd spend $15, not $30.
I use wifi at home, but when I'm out, I often find that 3g is faster than public-access wifi. For example, at my favorite bar, the random wifi I can connect to has typical speeds of about 770Kbps. 3g has typical speeds of 1.3Mbps in the same location.
I use wifi at home, but when I'm out, I often find that 3g is faster than public-access wifi. For example, at my favorite bar, the random wifi I can connect to has typical speeds of about 770Kbps. 3g has typical speeds of 1.3Mbps in the same location.
I ordered 3G without intending to activate it. I figured when I went on vacation at the end of the summer, that maybe I would activate it just for that time period.
But after a week, I just had to try it. I am surprised how good the reception is. Places where my VZW cell phone gets 1 bar, I am getting full bars and good speed. Even in the basement of the hospital yesterday, it had no problems. Pretty amazing.
The big surprise is that the 3G mode sends all youtube videos in very low resolution/high compression (like 320x240), and will not load any app greater then 20MB in size. At least netflix seems to play at a more reasonable compression level.
I guess the "unlimited 3G" is actually limited to chunks of less then 20MB at a time.
But after a week, I just had to try it. I am surprised how good the reception is. Places where my VZW cell phone gets 1 bar, I am getting full bars and good speed. Even in the basement of the hospital yesterday, it had no problems. Pretty amazing.
The big surprise is that the 3G mode sends all youtube videos in very low resolution/high compression (like 320x240), and will not load any app greater then 20MB in size. At least netflix seems to play at a more reasonable compression level.
I guess the "unlimited 3G" is actually limited to chunks of less then 20MB at a time.
Everyone who has not turned on 3G yet, did you turn off your Cellular Data switch in Settings to improve your battery life?
Assuming you did, can you now turn it on and tell me if the 3G signal reappears in the upper left-hand corner? Someone had a thread yesterday where he could not get his symbol to reappear and he could not activate 3G unless he was connected to a Wifi. I turned mine on as a test and I also did not get the symbol, though I did not try to activate 3G yet. I just repeated the test and I still did not get a 3G symbol.
Assuming you did, can you now turn it on and tell me if the 3G signal reappears in the upper left-hand corner? Someone had a thread yesterday where he could not get his symbol to reappear and he could not activate 3G unless he was connected to a Wifi. I turned mine on as a test and I also did not get the symbol, though I did not try to activate 3G yet. I just repeated the test and I still did not get a 3G symbol.
I just tried it for giggles now and it did disappear. I turned off the WiFi and then turned the cellular data option back on and the 3G symbol re-appeared.
A ha! That worked!
So the key is to turn off the Wifi first. THANK YOU!
I must go find that thread to tell the OP what I've learned.
I haven't activated mine as well. I have been using my Verizon MiFi. I would love to activate it but haven't been in a situation to do so. I guess if I didn't have a miff I wouldve turned it already.
I haven’t activated mine either. However, I primarily bought the 3G model for the GPS module and for those just-in-case scenarios mentioned above. I’m sure when we go on our family vacation later this summer I’ll activate it for that month. We tend to always drive, so it should come in handy.
I will most likely on turn the 3G on when traveling - that was the idea. So no, I haven't used mine yet.
Like others, I haven't activated it yet, but will tomorrow. My daughter is playing in a soccer tournament on Saturday and Sunday and I have 3+ hours between games so it will be the perfect way to kill some time. I am also going on business trip the week after next and then on vacation over Memorial day. The real question will be - will I turn it off after the month is up?
Had the Wifi-only version since launch. Swapped it out for a 3G when the 3G was launched and bought a second one for my lady. Neither one of us have activated the 3G service because we haven't yet had the need to do so over the past two weeks.
Going away on a trip for a few weeks and expecting to use Wifi at our destination but if that fails for whatever reason we'll switch on the 3G. It's worth the extra few bucks just to have the option to do so.
Going away on a trip for a few weeks and expecting to use Wifi at our destination but if that fails for whatever reason we'll switch on the 3G. It's worth the extra few bucks just to have the option to do so.
I'm still afraid to take mine outside of the house so there will be no 3G testing for a while yet.
It's ok. If you put the iPad on a leash it won't run away...
Yeah, well future-proof until 4G networks come out. Technology items are NEVER future proof... The way I see it, its probably worth it if you have a use for 3G or a data plan NOW or you don't have another data plan on your phone.
I ended up getting the Wifi since it was available first (not wanting to wait another month), and will probably get the next gen model with whatever dataplan/feature it contains.
Getting an iPad 3G and not activating the 3G part is like buying a Corvette and driving the speed limit...
With all those cops around it's hard to open her up. in other word with all the wifi availability it's nonsensical for them to activate the 3g
once the cops are gone then....
No 3g use yet for me, and it will probably be pretty rare. I wanted to be prepared for those situations where I will use it, like being stuck in a hotel that charges for wireless.
I haven't even activated my 3G. I mainly use it at home and really don't see a need for 3G. Should of gone with wifi . Oh well I guess I just have that option should that time arrive where I do need 3G.
. Oh well I guess I just have that option should that time arrive where I do need 3G.I have 3G. I knew i needed it. At my casual use so far(no vacations/trips) I have used like 1.7GB of data.
This model of the iPad was the only option for me. Nothing less
Very happy i waited for 3G.
(oh yeah, might as well throw it out there. I do not have a smartphone).
This model of the iPad was the only option for me. Nothing less
Very happy i waited for 3G.
(oh yeah, might as well throw it out there. I do not have a smartphone).
I got my iPad yesterday with 3G, only because it was the last one the Apple store had in stock in my neighborhood. Went to several BB's, nothing in stock.
I may have to use it though, I just can't seem to get the internet to work on my home wireless network. It just won't connect.
I may just wait until Sprint comes out with their 4G phone next month, then just use the shared WiFi feature on the phone.
I may have to use it though, I just can't seem to get the internet to work on my home wireless network. It just won't connect.
I may just wait until Sprint comes out with their 4G phone next month, then just use the shared WiFi feature on the phone.
Put me in the camp that has 3G but haven't activated it yet.
Just one day after i traded up for it, the Spirit jailbreak came out and i started using my iPhone 3GS as a Mifi device.
I think i will probably only use the 3G in cases where i have absolutely no choice. But it's nice knowing that i have that option.
Just one day after i traded up for it, the Spirit jailbreak came out and i started using my iPhone 3GS as a Mifi device.
I think i will probably only use the 3G in cases where i have absolutely no choice. But it's nice knowing that i have that option.