Eternal optimist Verizon calls iPad launch 'an opportunity' to sell some data plans
By Chris Ziegler 
posted March 9th 2010 6:23PM
posted March 9th 2010 6:23PM
[Thanks, Mark]
posted March 9th 2010 6:23PM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
"Why pay more for the 3G version & get 3G service on an overloaded network with limited coverage?"
Oooo, its on now.. (If it wasn't before!..) :o
@TruUnknowN
I like how they conveniently gloss over the part where it will end up costing $638 more over two years.
($30 extra a month x 24 months - $130 savings on a no 3G iPad = $638)
Plus an external modem you have to carry around whenever you want to use 3G. I think i'll pass.
@Zweben Make that $590 more over 2 years. No idea where I got $638. PS: Edit function please.
@TruUnknowN
Well, it's perfectly fair for Verizon to spin it as a positive for them; after all, the iPad isn't going to cannibalize Verizon (or anybody else's) phone sales, even if it's wildly successful.
I think the 3G iPad is fairly pointless, but WiFi only might be useful... if the OS wasn't so limited, or if some real killer apps come out (above and beyond what's already available for the iPhone).
So to Verizon, yet another consumer device with WiFi access helps them sell MiFi access points.
@UnixSystemsEngineer -- "So to Verizon, yet another consumer device with WiFi access helps them sell MiFi access points."
Exactly. Verizon wants to educate people about the MIFI... so they are piggybacking on the hype of the iPad. An iPad/MIFI makes more sense to me anyway. Here's why:
You could get an iPad and pay $30 a month for 3G data for *ONLY* the iPad.
Or pay $60 a month for a MIFI that you can use with *ANY* WIFI device. That means an iPad, iPod Touch, or every laptop you have.
MIFI wins to me.
@Zweben No
Edit: okay maybe latter
@Michael Scrip and all of them or in the case of an iFamily everyone's iPad and/or iPod Touch
@Zweben
Only reason why At&t is offering it so cheaple, they are counting on the customers allready owning iphone so effecttily they are selling 1 contract twice.
Why not buy a different phone and use it with single contact by tethering the ipad to phone. You'll save a lot more.
@Michael Scrip Verizon MIFI caps at 5GB/month. So the more device you have connecting to MIFI, the faster you'll use up that cap. Moreover, the iPad data plan from AT&T is month to month with no contract.
@Zweben + 4hour battery life on the mifi. I think.
@katsun
I'm not really in the know about these cap limits.. Does the 5GB cap refer to general usage (as in general web surfing), or is it referring to the content that you download? If it is talking about general usage, it seems to me like you could use that up pretty fast.
@Michael Scrip
$60/mo WITH a two year contract WITH a DATA CAP of 5GB for 3G on a device that lasts 4 hours? I could see your point if VZW charged $60/mo for UNLIMITED usage. But 5GB to share between TWO extreme data consumption devices (iPad and laptop) I'd be fly through that data cap in a few days- and that's being THRIFTY with surfing and downloading!
What I see is a wireless carrier- VZW in this case, unwilling to lower prices and be competetive. Instead VZW will try duping customers into thinking they get a better deal using their network and MIFI. Sorry, but NO.
No one with an ounce of tech knowledge would pay for this "deal" by VZW. I'm sorry but your VZW fanboism is showing.
@newone
I'm sorry, but do you enjoy biting the hand that feeds you?
AT&T decided to make an EXTREMELY generous wireless offer for the iPad. $15 for 250MB data and $30 for UNLIMITED data ALL WITH NO CONTRACT? As we can see- VZW isn't even willing to come CLOSE to this- they won't even increase their usage cap from a MEAGER 5GB.
AT&T really dug deep and made an unpredicted offering, and you want to point the finger? Maybe this deal is only for the iPad for now, but people in the future may see they're wireless offerings to expensive and be forced to lower 3G usage prices on other products.
In politics it's called "getting a foot in the door." Which bring me to a side note-
Don't let the government take control of our healthcare! Their foot in the door will quickly turn USA into a socialist nation. Resist the temptation of relying on big government and live independently.
@Zac89
Loading a page in safari, downloading email (don't forget about email attachments too), downloading a song, downloading an app, downloading a movie, renting a movie, watching video through the youtube app, watching video through the rumored Hulu app, in app purchases, rss feeds- EVERYTHING that requires internet when you use 3G is counted towards that 5GB cap.
Paying for the app, magazine, book, movie, etc. does not include the 3G service. If you don't have the needed data, you either won't be able to DL the rest of it, or you'll have to pay some big fees to finish your download.
@ a few of you
Yes... I remembered the cap after I posted. But, are you really expecting to use a MIFI as your *only* internet connection?
Most of you work in a building that has internet for 8 hours a day... and are at home for the rest of the time. But, you might want to occasionally use your laptop in a restaurant that doesn't have WIFI... or anywhere else on any device.
I don't know why you're so against something like a MIFI or one of those USB 3G sticks that have a 2 year contract. They already exist and people use them all the time.
My point was... why add 3G to one thing when you can have the *option* to have it on a few things? It would be nice to have an iPad with 3G... but if you have something important to do from your laptop... you're still stuck looking for free WIFI somewhere.
@Zweben
No kidding. A little 3g card that stays in the device, or another gadget just to make the internet work where i want it to... Difficult decision. I won't be buying an iPad, but I still think 3g would make it sooooo much sweeter.
@Zweben Yeah verizon is fucked up in the head if they think I would pay 60$ a month for 5 gigs versus 30$ for a truly unlimited plan. Verizon CEO must be on crack.
@TruUnknowN I personally think the iPad is a completely pointless device, but if I did get one it would be without 3G.
First of all, the pricing of the data plans is less of an issue than the reliability of the network. Sure, $30 per month with no contract and the more expensive 3G version of the iPad is still cheaper than the WiFi-only version and a MiFi with a $60 per month data plan- but what good is paying $30 per month when you're lucky enough to get GPRS to stay connected, let alone 3G, on AT&T's crappy network? The 3G iPad will probably be a much better option in Europe, where the 3G networks actually work well enough.
Secondly, you don't have to factor in the cost of the MiFi and extra data-only contract if you just use tethering. You could tether the iPad to a Pre Plus(which is actually supported by Verizon) or you could tether it to whichever hacked WiFi-sporting smartphone you have. You would have to deal with the 5GB cap, but I doubt anyone would be using the iPad enough in such places to even worry about it.
@Zweben - Exactly! Its call the "STENCH OF DESPERATION!"
1. Pay more
2. limited to 5gb
3. get locked in for 2 years
4. And it ain't real WiFi since it will be riding over sloooow azz EVDO!
EPIC FAIL ALL AROUND!!!
PS It would have better for them not to even bother because it shows how "Fruit desperate" they are. Instead they should fire the jack-azz that came up with this lame kludge solution...
@think before you react The foot 'got in the door' in 1965 when Soviet Agents passed Medicare through their proxies in Congress.
Frankly, I agree though - I'd much rather keep paying an additional 10% a year in Health Insurance premiums - A decade from now, when I've lost my house to pay for medical bills not covered due to a pre-existing condition, Cigna's CEO will walk by my cardboard box on the side of the road and give me his spare change.
In addition, the Red Trucks that the Fire Department uses (and paid for out of our tax dollars) are a clear indication that the Soviet Union is alive and kicking in towns across America.
@think before you react
I dont work for at&t, or even in a country where at&t offers service, so I cant bite their hand. You apparently didn't follow, or even try to follow my reasoning.
At&t knows that pretty much all ipads will be sold to people who already own a iphone. These people can use either iphone, or ipad to connect to net. If they aren't using the ipad they will be using iphone which uses at&t's network. So they will sell "cheap" contract for people that allready have a contact on at&t.
As for how cheap that offer is, I live in a country where you can get under 12€ truly unlimited dataplan with calls etc.
And guess how much it would cost me if I bought iphone to get a contract for ipad? 3,90€. That's because the telco offers second sim card for the same number for that price. So for 15,90€ I could get unlimited dataplan for my phone and Ipad if I were to buy it. Now compare that to 30$ at&t plan and the 60$ phone plan. You will be paying 90$, or 65€ for same service, over four times as much as it would cost here in europe.
too bad they couldnt snag a deal directly from apple like ATT, nice try but no go.
@uck instead of negotiating with apple why dont they just offer verizon mini sim cards so that people can put them into there unlocked 3g ipads as all ipads are unlocked they just come with a at&t sim already in which can be swapped out for another carriers sim as long as it takes the form of micro sim or whatever its called
@MactasticMendez
um, because verizon is cdma?
@Qrk
It is a lesser known fact (even to me until recently), but CDMA does support a SIM card.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-UIM
Our wise carriers just didn't build their networks that way.
@ready 2 rumble
The ipad is GSM based... Verizon is CDMA based.
@Qrk
uhhh.. both 3G on Verizon and AT&T are based on CDMA technologies...
@Qrk sorry i didnt know that as i live in the UK and all our carriers use sim cards be it for 3g or 2g networks
Apple and Verizon.
They should be happy together.
Both are overrated and expensive.
I'll stick with HTC and Sprint for the moment.
@hellojoaquin but Verizon provides something worth the cost while Apple provides iCrap
@hellojoaquin I endorse this comment.
@University of Pi
I second that!
@hellojoaquin I like Verizon. They haven't lied to my face about cost like AT&T did.
Sprint? Isn't that the "discount" CDMA-based network that's constantly roaming on Verizon's areas so you're constantly using your minutes?
@Elranzer
No.
Sprint is the network that roams on Verizon's network for free.
And we don't waste any minutes like you Verizon customers.
We have unlimited plans.
How do you connect the MiFi to the iPad? I thought the iPad was garbage and had no connectors.
@Aurailious
It has once connector, that other connectors can be connected to.
@Aurailious
The Mifi, or similar devices from Sprint can connect to the ipad via wifi. Similar if you have a regular data card with a Cradlepoint with any provider.
@HardToBelieve
The connector can attach connectors to the connector? I thought that the connector can only connect one connector at a time, not multiple connectors. So, what if you wanted to attach a connector to the connector while already having a connector connected?
Garbaaahhge. Need to stress the second a with a long ahhh sound on garbage. Makes it sound like more garbaahhge.
That was pretty brilliant.
@Aurailious
lol.
@Aurailious you plug the connector splitter into the connector for connectors to connector together
@HardToBelieve
yo, I herd you like connectors...
Wheres the mention that AT&T doesn't make iPad owners sign a contract for service?
@Evan http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/01/apple-creation-0369-rm-eng.jpg
Way to look at it Big V.
@Lord Vader You don't know the power of the Verizon side!
@Lord Vader Well the power module is now online so I suppose we could test her out
@Lord Vader But.. but... I thought you and AT&T were best buds? http://www.metaholic-musings.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/death-star-att.jpg
@androidboi: Backflip. MiFi. No iPhone. No iPad. Slower network. No simultaneous voice & data.
Verizon. So. Much. Fail.