Apple Using an iPad in the USA

[cool_dude]

Hey,

Friend of mine is going over to the USA with his iPad and he was wondering how he could get an 3g internet connection?

He has seen the 3gb pre loaded 'Three' sim cards.... would they work for him?

Anyone done this before?

[faugusztin]

It depends which iPad, and of course we talk about GSM networks (no CDMA).

iPad 1/2 : UMTS / HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz) GSM / EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
iPad 3 : LTE (700, 2100 MHz) UMTS / HSDPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz) GSM / EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

You will have to find out what UMTS/HSDPA frequencies your selected US GSM network uses. Pretty much that narrows it down to AT&T or T-Mobile.

In US you need US SIM card with US data plan, with any non-US SIM card he will either pay insane roaming charges or will have no data at all.

AT&T :
850 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G
1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G
850 MHz UMTS/HSPA 3G
1900 MHz UMTS/HSPA 3G
700 MHz LTE 4G
1700/2100 MHz(AWS) LTE 4G

T-Mobile :
1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G
1700/2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+ 3G/4G
1900 MHz UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+ 3G/4G

[cool_dude]

Thanks for the info faugusztin.

So he'll need an AT&T or T Mobile sim. Will try to look for one... looking for a pre-loaded one like Three do (where you have 3gb instant on the sim).

Anyone else got any more info? Particularly anyone from the USA - can you go into say Walmart/Publix and purchase a preloaded simcard so it can be used by the iPad?

[faugusztin]

http://prepaidwithdata.wikia.com/wiki/USA ?

[IvanIvanovich]

I would just wait until arrive and pick up a prepaid which you can get practically anywhere. Also unless they are going to be out in rural areas, free wifi hotspots are everywhere so they might not really need it that much.