Newbie question on 3G

[wyneken]

I'm trying to figure out whether I'll be able to use the 3G capability of the iPad. I live in a small town on the coast of Maine and nobody I know uses AT&T around here. If I'm reading the AT&T coverage viewer correctly, my house sits in a spot that has EDGE coverage. In fact the whole coast in this area seems to have this level of coverage (which breaks up pretty drastically as one moves inland), leading me to surmise that AT&T must have a tower on an offshore island somewhere. We've got a million of those.

Does this mean that I can use the 3G capability to get online, but at lower data rates? Or that I won't be able to get online at all?

Thanks. I'm totally new at this.

 

[Hmac]

Do you have broadband internet at your house?

 

[wyneken]

I only have landline DSL service.

 

[ARF900]

I would assume the iPad is compatible with EDGE, but you would still have to pay for 3g. If you dont have access to a wifi network at your house, the iPad would be a very bad purchase for you. EDGE is fine for simple browsing or iPhone optimized sites, but any page with an image will give you grief.

 

[Hmac]

Yes, if you don't get 3G where you live, you'll drop back to EDGE.

You may find that your DSL with a wireless router will make your iPad much faster in your home over wifi than even 3G.

 

[wyneken]

Thanks for these responses. My initial plan was to get a WiFi model. But then I started thinking

• suppose I fall in love with this device and want to take it everywhere

• and end up using it as my primary working tool like our pal Anthony Moody

• and then I remember: Wait -- I'm living in MAINE, where there are three times more moose than WiFi hotspots

• and AT&T actually works around here.

And I thought, Well ... if I buy the WiFi model, then I'd be kind of SOL. But with the 3G, I'll be good to go.

 

[Hmac]

IMHO, since 3G is a non-contract service, I think paying the extra $130 and getting the 3G model is a smart idea jsut to have the flexibility even if you don't pay the $15/$30 month to activate it.

Also, the 3G model has GPS while the wifi model doesn't.