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iPad with cellular: why?

onepoint said:
Not to mention resale value can only be helped, if anything.
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You're never going to get a dollar for dollar return so unless you actually need/want the feature, it's pointless to pay extra for it.

That said, I regret cheaping out and getting my dad the wifi-only model (paid ~$250 after tax and Best Buy iPad 3 trade-in). My justification was he was only gonna use it at home. My parents just scheduled an overseas trip for next year. Ugh. o_O
 
rui no onna said:
You're never going to get a dollar for dollar return so unless you actually need/want the feature, it's pointless to pay extra for it.

That said, I regret cheaping out and getting my dad the wifi-only model (paid ~$250 after tax and Best Buy iPad 3 trade-in). My justification was he was only gonna use it at home. They just scheduled an overseas trip for next year. Ugh. o_O
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I agree. Just trying to make myself feel better :cool:
 
Well, this thread just proves that there is a demand for the LTE enabled iPads. For me, it's a tool to have when you need it. I like being able to just turn on LTE whenever or wherever I am regardless where my phone is. I pay $5/month for my iPad to be part of my 7 GB data plan. Well worth it IMO.
 
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Need the ipad for client meetings. Cant be mucking about with wifi when I have to be in/out in ten minutes.

There's the opposite of tethering. I use my iPad to tether my work laptop from time to time travelling. Massively better battery life than using my phone.
 
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To tether or not...it's the $64,000 question!

I just pocket the $$$ savings...no point in paying Apple more than I have to. :)
 
For me, it's annoying to have to connect to my iPhone each time I want to use data while out and about. I also don't like that my iPad doesn't have updated messages, emails, notifications, etc when I open it up. It's also annoying that it drains the iPhone battery a lot faster when connected. After going nearly three years without it, I'm adding it back in as it doesn't cost much to add it to my plan.
 
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bufffilm said:
To tether or not...it's the $64,000 question!

I just pocket the $$$ savings...no point in paying Apple more than I have to. :)
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Assuming US data plans with $10 line access fee and annual upgrade schedule, that's more like the $250/year or $10.50/mo question. :p
 
I have 12.9 iPP with cellular and mobile share from AT&T most of the time I stay at the hotel I get slow wifi so I need a reliable LTE so I switch to LTE and get it done.
 
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Count me in as a pro cellular user. I actually recently replaced my non-cellular mini with a cellular version because not having mobile data was driving me crazy. Tethering with my iPhone was never a particularly great experience - it drained my phone's battery, disconnected often enough for it to be an annoyance, and often was a pain to connect. Plus I now love having a second data connection in case my phone dies, access to the GPS and a more reliable Find my iPad should I misplace it.

I think tethering is a great option for many, and I probably would have kept that setup had I not needed to connect my iPad to data when I'm away from wifi so much, but for me, it was just getting too annoying.
 
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I have to have cellular because where we live we have no wifi options other than satellite, which is pricey, unreliable, and not as fast as LTE. I have AT&T unlimited data, but I can only tether 10gb/month. I'd use that up pretty quickly, so I stick with getting LTE pads.
 
My iPad is always with me, I use it everywhere I go, and the only place where I have reliable, fast, easy-to-connect wifi is at home even though I live in a large metro area. The iPad is almost useless to me without a cellular connection unless I only want to read, listen to, or watch something that's already downloaded to the device. I find the wifi only model very frustrating.
 
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clunkmess said:
I have the iPad Pro with cellular and really don't see the point of it. I have the T-Mobile 200MB/month for life deal and the only times i ever needed to use it are when my Wi-Fi went out, and another time i was at a hotel and the Wi-Fi was so slow that it was unusable. And now that i can enable personal hotspot on my iPhone with AT&T, i wouldn't be stranded in a situation with no Wi-Fi.

Im thinking of getting the 10.5" without cellular this time but I'm scared that i might regret it later.

To all iPad owners with cellular, what situations have you been in where you genuinely had use for the cellular?
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Your free data is gone if you switch iPads


Important: As of May 7, 2017, Free Data for Life is no longer available for new activations. If you signed up for FDFL on or before May 6, 2017, you can keep it with your current tablet as long as you own and use your tablet with T-Mobile.



Already a Free Data for Life customer? Find out more about your FDFL
What you get and what you need
You get 200 MB of free 4G LTE data every 30 days if you continue to own and use the eligible device with T-Mobile. Smartphone Mobile HotSpot (SMHS) data is included.





Tablet eligibility
If you purchased a T-Mobile data-only tablet and activated FDFL on or before May 6, 2017, you're all set. You can visit Connect Me to view your FDFL pass and usage.



If you brought your own eligible (data-only) tablet to T-Mobile, and activated FDFL on our network on or before May 6, 2017, you're all set. You can visit Connect Me to view your FDFL pass and usage.





Things to keep in mind
  • Free Data for Life can only be used on that specific tablet.
  • FDFL is not available on tablets that launch after May 6, 2017.




FAQs
What if I want a new tablet? Do I get to keep FDFL?

Free Data for Life isn't available on tablets that launch after May 6, 2017.
 
Got a 12.9 w/LTE for GPS and to house my T-Mo 200megs free for life SIM.

I used navigation exactly once, laughed at how silly it was on the 12.9. Never really used the 200mb data since as soon as you start doing stuff, it gets sucked down the pipe in record time and boom, you are out.

I just end up easily tethering to my iPhone.

That said, didn't go LTE on the new 12.9 preorder this time. Wifi is fine. YMMV.
 
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While we are on the topic of cellular vs non-cellular, do cellular iPads get more notifications than non-cellular regardless of your notifications settings?

This will affect my decision since the iPad is mainly for gaming for me, would strongly prefer to have no notifications if possible
 
In the Netherlands. If you have a contract for your smartphone most carriers will give you the option to buy an additional simcard to slot into your iPad for a one time fee of €15.

The sim card then feeds of your phone's internet plan. So that means if you have a contract for unlimited internet for your phone you can use that same internet for your tablet for a one time fee of €15.

No need to have a separate plan/contract for your iPad and thus no additional monthly fees.

This will be my first time buying an iPad and I'm upgrading my iPhone in the fall and I'm definitely considering getting the LTE 10,5" iPad Pro. Might as well have always on internet. Like others said, Find my iPad, Better GPS, School/work wifi restrictions there are definitely some arguments in favour.

Tethering just seems like a hassle, enable it every time and draining your phone battery.
 
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Gildarts said:
In the Netherlands. If you have a contract for your smartphone most carriers will give you the option to buy an additional simcard to slot into your iPad for a one time fee of €15.

The sim card then feeds of your phone's internet plan. So that means if you have a contract for unlimited internet for your phone you can use that same internet for your tablet for a one time fee of €15.

No need to have a separate plan/contract for your iPad and thus no additional monthly fees.

This will be my first time buying an iPad and I'm upgrading my iPhone in the fall and I'm definitely considering getting the LTE 10,5" iPad Pro. Might as well have always on internet. Like others said, Find my iPad, Better GPS, School/work wifi restrictions there are definitely some arguments in favour.

Tethering just seems like a hassle, enable it every time and draining your phone battery.
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In the UK on EE you can 'share' your mobile data with an additional sim card for the iPad, but they charge and extra £8 per month, which is rather poor.
 
I had an iPad with cellular and used the cellular all the time. When I'm on the train ( it was above ground for most of my trip to school) or whenever I'm out. Makes it convenient and had used my shared data plan when I had it.
 
subjonas said:
I don't undestand it either. I'm always on a quest to lower my monthly spending, and for me constant internet on a tablet would be very redundant and wasteful (with wifi at home, work, cafes, and phone hotspot everywhere else on the rare occasions that I need it). I guess people have different needs though. The idea of replacing home internet with ipad internet is intriguing, but wouldn't work for me at the moment because of my work requirements.
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WiFi at cafes at etc are usually open and that means everybody could see what you're doing. I don't trust them at all.
 
clunkmess said:
To all iPad owners with cellular, what situations have you been in where you genuinely had use for the cellular?
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I have a cellular mini 4. I need it rather often, in the following situations.

(1) While traveling. Very convenient to be able to get information and communicate without having to desperately seek a free wireless network (with all the risk this may entail).

(2) Generally while being out and having to look up something.

(3) At work when for some reason their wireless connection does not work or does not fit my usage.

Please note that I don't have a mobile phone. My cell data use is based on prepaid cards, therefore the amount of data is limited; but so is the cost also.
 
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I bit late to the thread but I will get the cellular version so I can split my coverage. I'm on the T-Mobile One plan so pretty much covered from a tethering standpoint but I have a VZ SIM in my iPad. That way I have a decent chance of coverage (in the states at least.)

FWIW
DLM
 
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abdulkar.im said:
In the UK on EE you can 'share' your mobile data with an additional sim card for the iPad, but they charge and extra £8 per month, which is rather poor.
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Just cruised all the carrier sites in the Netherlands. It seems they wised up and decided to leech their costumers for all they're worth. A very unfortunate development...

There are now no carriers left in the Netherlands that offer this service. Only those with existing plans are still eligible for that service.

Due to new EU regulation they've updated all their plans (it's now mandatory for carriers to allow calls/text in whole the EU at no additional cost).
 
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