The new iPad 3 has surprised all of us with its high performance, battery life and gorgeous display. However, it still has much in common with its predecessors. One common feature is that it comes in more than one version. Those versions vary based on the storage capacity that they put at your disposal as well as based on the type of connectivity that you will be allowed to use. The only difference is that when it comes to the iPad 3 you will have to choose between Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 4G and not Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G. If this is a choice that you can make on your own, and you have decided that the version that includes 4G support is worth the extra money, I want to help you choose the carrier.
iPad 3 Carriers
There's no question that the 4G LTE speeds that the iPad 3 can support can prove to be pretty useful when Wi-Fi networks lack. That's why you should carefully choose between the two carriers that offer the necessary support: AT&T and Verizon. From more than one point of view, these carriers manage to make available similar offers. You will notice almost identical pricing as well as the availability in both cases of month-to-month plans that don't require a contract. However, there are also differences that need to be taken into consideration if you want to choose the best carrier for your iPad 3. You should start evaluating these iPad 3 carriers by first evaluating your data needs.
If you know how much data you need monthly, you will know what carrier plan suits you the most. From this point of view I can tell you that AT&T starts its offer at 250MB that are offered in exchange for $14.99 per month. On the other hand, the least expensive offer of Verizon involves paying $20 per month for 1GB of data. Such an offer lacks on AT&T as well as the following Verizon data plan that involves paying $30 per month for 2GB of data. AT&T offers only the plan mentioned and a 3GB data plan for $30 per month that lacks on Verizon and a 5GB data plan that involves a cost of $50 per month that's also available on Verizon. I think that it has already become obvious that Verizon offers more options, but I also need to mention the large 10GB data plan that lacks on AT&T and costs on Verizon $80 per month. I think that from this point of view you get to choose between a minimal data plan and a data plan that provides the best value for your money.
There is also a difference that will convince some of you to tilt the balance almost instantly towards Verizon. The feature I'm referring to is new to iOS and offers you the chance to setup a personal hot spot. By using this feature you will be able to share the data connection of your iPad 3 with other 5 compatible devices in the same time. The catch is that you will have to pay for the data used on those devices separately. However, if you are really interested you should know that, at least for now, the feature is supported only by Verizon.
Before making a final choice, you should also consider the coverage maps of the two carriers. 4G LTE is a connectivity option that hasn't been available on the market for a long time, so carriers are still working on the infrastructure that's supposed to support it. That's why before going with one carrier or the other, you should check the coverage map of each carrier. You should also consider taking a look at Sensorly's crowd-sourced coverage maps that let you know how good is 4G LTE in the area where you live according to people that have actually used it. However, the numbers indicate that Verizon has the upper hand because it already covers with its 4G LTE network 195 cities while AT&T is still limited at 23. So, it seems that you should choose AT&T only if you live in one of the 23 cities covered and only if you don't often travel.
iPad 3 Carriers
I also recommend to all those interested in 4G iPads to read the fine print of each carrier. For example, if you purchase your iPad from Verizon you will benefit from a 14-day return period with a $70 restocking fee. On the other hand, AT&T makes available the same 14-day return period but a restocking fee of 10 percent. That's why you should actually purchase your iPad 3 from Apple. The iPad's manufacturer has the 14-day return policy and in the same time doesn't charge any restocking fee. The good news is that no matter the source you choose you will never have to pay early termination fees because no contract needs to be signed. So, in the end it's all up to your and your needs. There's also the possibility to wait a little longer, until the two carriers secure their 4G networks.
Friday, May 4, 2012 12:14 pm |
Reviews |
10 views Topics: 3G, 4g lte, 4g networks, AT&T, carrier plan, USD, Verizon, Wi-Fi
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