Let's say you have an iPad 3G and you're somewhere without any internet connection. Can you still order and connect to 3G service when you have no active internet connection? I assume that it would connect to 3G long enough to place the order and then immediately resume 3G connectivity.
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will you be able to add 3G data when off wifi?
- Thread starter btownguy
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You don't need internet to order internet...that would defeat the purpose
Actually... you would, otherwise how will the credit card info actually make it to at&t's servers? Well, unless the 3G service works for just ordering of course. Doubt it though.
That's like thinking you already need to be on WiFi to be able to get on WiFi at a hotel/coffeeshop.
I'm sure the bright minds at AT&T and Apple have figured out how to allow you to use the 3G connection in order to get to through the 3G registration and payment process.
I'm sure the bright minds at AT&T and Apple have figured out how to allow you to use the 3G connection in order to get to through the 3G registration and payment process.
It is something i have wondered about also...and the sims could be set up that way...you can "call" ATT from a phone the service has been cut off so why couldn't that process work with just a registration site?
Actually, I'm not so sure ordering 3G with no wifi will be possible, at least for the first time. Reason being, in order for data to work over a cellular network, an account as to be created in at&t's system and it needs to be provisioned with an APN. I don't think at&t will have a pre-made account for every single ipad 3G that ships.
There's an iPad thread for just about everything.
The OP has a very reasonable question.
My money is on that it won't (for the reasons stated above) and people won't be happy about it. But if you are on the road, and forgot to add it before you left, just find a McD or Starbucks to activate it. It would be nice if the activation occurred via a digital telephone call, thus negating the need for 3G to activate (as said, certain telephone calls are permitted without an account being active).
The more I think about it... I can't see how ordering 3G without wifi will be possible at all. As I previously mentioned, an APN is needed for the data connection to work. When you decide you don't want the service anymore, the APN is removed in at&t's system hence the reason data will no longer work.
So unless there is a way in the future to order the 3G service via phone, it won't be possible to do it without at least a wifi connection already established.
I'm sure a lot of people are going to be confused with this because neither Apple or at&t has made this little tidbit clear to everyone.
So unless there is a way in the future to order the 3G service via phone, it won't be possible to do it without at least a wifi connection already established.
I'm sure a lot of people are going to be confused with this because neither Apple or at&t has made this little tidbit clear to everyone.
It is a reasonable question, but I don't think Apple is tripping off a few MB of usage to pay for more MB of usage.
I'm sure AT&T isn't either.
I would be heated if I'm on the road and there's no wifi around AND I haven't paid for my month's 3G usage yet. There better be a way or the iPad will be taken back quicker than you can say uncle.
My tmobile phone without any data plan will direct me to a page to add an internat plan when trying to access the internet, so I don't see why AT&T can't do the same. It would be a deal breaker for me if I could not order 3G if I had no wifi around me.
I'm sure it will work like any of the pay WiFi services do -- you'll get redirected to a signup page where you put in your CC# info, account number, etc. etc.
That is what Vodafone does in Europe with their "Websessions" PAYGO service.
ADDED: The APN is just basically a URL and its not unique to a user. There is no reason it couldn't be preloaded in the iPad. It will be interesting to see what sort of "profile manager" (if any) the iPad comes with.
That is what Vodafone does in Europe with their "Websessions" PAYGO service.
ADDED: The APN is just basically a URL and its not unique to a user. There is no reason it couldn't be preloaded in the iPad. It will be interesting to see what sort of "profile manager" (if any) the iPad comes with.
i' bet two, yes two, free iPad apps that you can log on to a registration page with 3 g and setup an account
and i'll know Friday am
and i'll know Friday am
Have you ever owned an at&t laptopconnect card to use for data when wifi isn't available? If you didn't have service would you be able to order without calling in to activate/re-activate? Just because it has a sim card doesn't make a difference. The sim card is simply the key to access the network. You'd need an Access Point to continue.
The "access point" is the cellular radio in the iPad and the nearest GSM tower.
It'll work.
The APN will be stored on the device. When 3G is on and your iPad tries to connect but you have no credit then the telcos server will reject the connection to anything but what's known as a "white listed" address. When you sign up on the device to pay for the service a connection is made to the white listed address, the billing details are updated and the connection is enabled.
It works the exact same way with my PAYG Wireless Broadband card. When I have no credit on it the only site I can access is the O2 Billing Site. Once I pay there then they enable access to any site.
Not so sure. Yes the APN "settings" are stored on the device, but not the actual APN that would need to be provisioned on the network. Like I said, I can maybe see this being possible if at&t created a new way where once you've already created an account and just want to re-activate later on, but what about first time users who don't even have an account established in at&t's system?
You're confused about APNs. An APN is basically just a web address that the device resolves to connect to the packet data network. It's the access point to a data network, the rest of which exists.
Have you seen these screenshots before?
from http://mygadgetnews.com/2010/03/12/ipad-3g-data-plans-announced/
That shows you the interface of how you set up the data plans. The iPad will have all the network details, and the payment will be enabled over 3G.
No way Apple would launch without allowing you to do this.