Why you can probably skip 3G on iPad 2

See http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-18/tech/ipad2.3g.skip.wired_1_3gs-android-hotspot?_s=PM:TECH

Excerpt:The most recent U.S. iPhones (the 3GS and the iPhone 4, when upgraded to the latest version of iOS) and the vast majority of Android smartphones now officially support wireless-hotspot capability, which turns the handset into a Wi-Fi connection that can be shared with multiple devices, including the iPad 2.

I'ts good to drain both the iPad and phone batteries so that you won't have any connectivity ;-)


I don't really understand why the US carriers are so reluctant with the data stuff, all the whining about tethering, hotspot features and the rest. If you've got an iPhone contract, why can't you get a second SIM for your iPad for a decent price?

Petri raises a good question. Can I add my iPad to my ATT iPhone account, or do I need a second account?

I have some friends who have some old subscriptions when the carrier offered something like up to 5 SIM's. Now they've got one 14e/month unlimited, uncapped data service on it and it can be used on all five devices, simultaneously ;-) Calls and texts go to one SIM only at the time, though.

At some point that carrier realized that this 5 SIM's thing isn't such a good idea but as the monthly costs here are very low (I'm paying 66 eurocents a month basic fee), one can easily keep the old subscriptions alive. For example I had a very nice phone number which I kept alive for years as I had a subscription without a monthly fee.

Second account. You add/delete it in the iPad. I cancelled the service in my old iPad and started it up in the new iPad -- you can start and stop as you wish. Also, I don't agree with the article as the iPad version is cheaper than tethering on AT&T and when you travel abroad you can pick up a cheap local SIM for the iPad.

JEK said:

Also, I don't agree with the article as the iPad version is cheaper than tethering on AT&T and when you travel abroad you can pick up a cheap local SIM for the iPad.

Click to expand...

One of these to go:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/UNLOCKED-HUAWEI-E585-MiFi-MOBILE-WiFi-BROADBAND-ROUTER-/140485423226

when abroad, put the pre-paid SIM inside and start surfing with both your iPhone and iPad over your very own WiFi. One can still use your own subscription and number for calls (at roaming rates) but use the pre-paid for data access, which tends to be unexpectedly expensive.

It's cheap, small, unlocked, charges easily with USB, just works.