iPad international data plans roundup: Japan gets SIM-locked devices, Spain gets a great deal more (updated)
By Vlad Savov 
posted May 10th 2010 7:07AM
posted May 10th 2010 7:07AM
Finally, Japan gets the stiffest deal of all with iPads there officially confirmed to be SIM-locked to Softbank Mobile's network, something that has already earned plenty of ire from the local populace. The carrier does offer a variety of monthly payment plans for obtaining your tablet, though its data tariffs are nothing special: ¥2,910 ($32) for a month's unlimited use if you sign up to what seems like a longer-term plan, or ¥4,410 ($48) for a 1GB allowance if you go pre-paid. There's a third option for spendthrifts, costing ¥1,510 ($16) for 100MB pre-paid, but that's not even enough for you to watch a full Engadget Show, so we'd probably advise against it. You can find price breakdowns for each country after the break.
[Thanks, Bram]
Update: Rogers has killed that lovely third option shown in the image above. Hope you weren't excited about it.
Update 2: Turns out Apple had the wrong details about Vodafone UK too -- you get 1GB of data if you spend £10 a month. [Thanks, Rob]
Update 3: Movistar, Telefonica's consumer arm in Spain, has announced a pretty stonking deal: if you already have a smartphone data plan costing €25 a month, you can get a Micro SIM and 3G data on your iPad for free. Espana totally just won the "best place to own an iPad" contest.
Update 4 (12 May): The perpetually-emailing Steve Jobs has apparently chimed in to say Japan's iPad 3Gs accept international SIMs, so feel free to pick one up and take home on your next trip to Fukuoka. [Thanks, David]
Korea, please.
C'mon KT...
@Draper You're right, it really is.
There's existing plans that are better than these, T-Mobile sim-only for one.
@Draper
I was actually thinking of bringing in a Wi-Fi one and using the KT WiBro EGG... Would be much faster, and since I carry a bag with me 90% of the time, I wouldn't mind carrying a small ass router...
@akbc
Egg has terrible battery life, is a pain in the @ss for a foreigner to get (even F2 and F4 holders), and you lose A-GPS without the 3G version (which makes all of the location based apps a bit less useful). I already have the 3GS on KT, and I doubt they'd be thrilled to let me open a second line of service (even though I was a dependable WiBro customer for 2 years with the WinMo LG KC-1).
Time to cut up those SIM cards.
@fais Out of curiousity, supposed I cut up my Rogers SIM card which would have a 5GB plan for my cell phone. If I stick that into an iPad, would they be able to tell the difference?
I don't understand the policies of data carriers in the USA...In Poland I would do the following:
Get a cheapest contract there is available from any carrier - approx. 5USD per month for 2 years.
Add a data pack for my contract - prices are 5USD for 500MB or 15USD for 5GB. Also,if you use a whole data pack in one month,you can just buy another one. So I get 500MB data plan on my ipad for 10 USD total or a whooping 5GB for 20 USD total.
Trim the simcard myself so it fits the ipad. Voila.
Why is it so difficult for customers in the USA?
@gambiting Knowing how terrible the US market is, I probably wouldn't be surprised if they don't offer any SIM-only plans..
@gambiting
Yes it makes much more sense to buy a separate data-plan, I would probably use one of my current data-plans with modified sim-card.
I pay like 9.80 € and 19.80 € for my current data-plans and both are unlimited its just the cheaper is slower and the other is the 2nd one faster.
@gambiting In the UK you can get a T-Mobile PAYG sim and then add internet for £40/year (~£3/month). Granted it's limited to 40 MB/day 'fair use' but they don't charge you if you go over, and for £3/month it seems like a bargain compared to these.
@qmartman711
And here in Australia, the money-grabbing phone companies are at it:
Telstra (pre-paid)
----------
1GB - $20
3GB - $30
6GB - $60
9GB - $80
12GB - $100
Optus (post paid)
--------------
2GB - $20
3GB - $30
8GB - $60
These data plans are a total rip off for a media device. Once again, consumers will end up with massive bills. It is this very issue that has in part cause the current economic meltdown. People have been entrapped through dishonest pricing from both banks and mobile operators. Banks bounce payments when you're £5 overdrawn, charge you £25, then things spiral out of control. Likewise, the mobile operators offer NO plans below about £35 a month ($50 approx) where it is very difficult to avoid going over your limit so much so that your bill ends up being three times the monthly charge. It is very sad that despite all the technical innovation from Apple and Google, that neither company have been able to help us escape the clutches of the old fashioned, greedy, oil business like telcos and build a new high speed independent network. Google, you have the money, Apple, you have the technology. So make it so! (Goddamit.)
@Oflife There are plans below £35/month. Three are offering the HTC Desire for free on a £20/month 24-month contract, which includes unlimited data. I'm definitely not moving away from them, they've treated me well for the past 3 years as a customer! :D
@Oflife
aargh. Engadget keeps eating my posts.
Overly expensive data plans weren't a cause of the global meltdown. The root cause was people living beyond their means. To do so, that do stupid things such as using their homes as ATMs, or buy homes with negative amortization (what brainiac came up with that?!?). Luxury items such as the iPhone (and smartphones in general) with their inherently expensive data plans are just a symptom. If everyone tomorrow suddenly decided $30/mo was too much for data and stopped paying for it, data prices would drop.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Apple's genius isn't design, it's marketing. It's convincing people that the iPhone/iPad are "necessities" rather just "wants." With the exception of a few businessmen, no one NEEDS a smartphone. You don't need to check your email, or surf the web, or play games while on the go. I have a friend who has stated he "couldn't live without his iPhone". When asked why, he stated he needs to check his email and run apps. When I point out that he sits in front of a computer all day at work, he really didn't have an answer. For most people, $360+/yr is a lot of money to satisfy a want -- and there are people who go into debt to do it. That's the cause of the global crisis.
there's no unlimited internet on Rogers?
@mikmik111
Nope, damn assholes... instead of unlimited, it's 5GB limit.
@mikmik111
has there every been???
@theoneandonlyradiostation nope - Rogers has never had unlimited mobile data plans. Hell, the 6gb for $30 that they introduced with the iPhone 3G was LEAPS AND BOUNDS ahead of anything they had ever done previously...
I don't think I need an ipad, to be honest, but the data plans here aren't too far from what I was expecting on Rogers... The $20 option to add it to your current data plan (presuming that doesn't get you any additional data) seems a bit steep though. I'd rather pop out the extra $15 and get a whole new 5gb cap, rather than have it suck from my iPhone's data usage allowance.
@antifuse The 6GB of data on Rogers is actually the best offer in North America. AT&T's "unlimited" is capped at 5GB under the fair use policy, and tethering is outlawed. With Rogers' 6GB plan, well, first of all you have 6GB, not capped at 5GB, and on Rogers you can tether or do whatever the hell you want with your data with any plan 1GB and over.
Rogers pwns AT&T for iPhone data plans. However, for the iPad, they are totally ass raping us. AT&T's Unlimited iPad plan is actually not capped, and I think Rogers must've misunderstood that or something. And with the 250MB plan, they are just hoping people will go over so they can charge them $3/MB or something ridiculous.
And no "Unlimited" does not exist via any carrier in Canada even for DSL/Cable HOME internet! It's ridiculous.
@mikmik111 Fuck no, they're assholes with data. It costs me $4-ish to get 20 MB of my no-dataplan prepaid smartphone. I had my hopes up with rogers to be nice with this one, though I guess that was a silly idea.
Now if only they would have those $15 250 MB plans for smartphones... For $15 dollars you get a lovely unlimited email and IM plan for blackberries.
:(
Money grabbing Bstards. WTF will I buy this and pay extra for a dataplan, when I already have an iphone that can do it? Jobs, you're a f***in theif, not enabling tethering on iPad. If I have an internet connection at home, and I buy another internet enabled device, Do I have to pay for another broadband connection? Hell No. So WTF do you think I will for this POS?
@psiberman
you're an idiot if you think it was Steve's decision not to tether. It'd be no sweat for Steve- it's the telecommunications companies that don't want it!
@think before you react
No, you're wrong.
They have the iphone tethering option for other carriers worldwide, just not the USofA. Why? it's simple. iPad Data plans. Why else make the iPad 3G? To cut down on bandwidth on the AT&T's crappy network? No. AT&T has plenty of backbone. But guess what? Whenever you reach a certain amount, you mysteriously get slow speeds and lose connection. I wonder why...
@psiberman
So true, the only possible reason I can think of that you cant tether an iPad to an iPhone for free data is that Apple want to keep the mobile operators sweet for the iPhone 4G.
Either that or Apple are stupid, and that they are not!
@think before you react. Actually I kind of agree with you. (Not the idiot part!). I'd imagine the telco's had something to do with it. BUT there are loads of telco's and only one Apple. If one or two of the bigger ones didn't like tethering I'm sure a few of the ones further down the food chain would have accepted it, just so they could be associated with the iPad. Thats competition for you. Ultimately its Apples decision whether their product includes something or not. They stand up to Adobe re flash telling us its better for the consumer as HTML 5 is an open standard. How about standing up for us in helping us keep a little more cash in our pockets after shelling out for this POS in the first place.
so... the ebay scammer now know which the new business... 3G for Japan :)
@mex
Would be a smart move...if non-Japanese 3G iPads worked on the Softbank network. Of course that all depends on whether you can somehow signup with Softbank. No contract unless you buy an iPad from SB. International iPads not supported.
Sadly I'll probably end up picking one up from SB. As much as I hate to commit to a 2 year contract.
SIM free indeed Mr. Jobs...SIM free indeed....
@mex
using that is possibly illegal... if they come without Japanese registration mark...
the limits in Germany are for full speed access. After usage of the 5GB or 3GB, download speeds are getting reduced, but the plan is otherwise unlimited. In Austria you'll get real unlimited HSDPA for 25 Euros @drei.
Apple device users should be well used to being locked into extortionate prices.
why would they notice this rip off.
check out Mr Nuclears post to see what it is really like to be bent over and raped for data transfer on a network paid for by taxpayers
@smeee
Ah no, Telstra customers are though.
In Germany the data plans are in fact a bit odd. At the high prices they are unlimited. No lies there. But they will reduce your bandwidth once you reached a certain quota.
For the Japan plan the ¥2,910 ($32) ones is a 2 year contract. Also it seems if you buy a 3G or Wifi model from Softbank not Apple direcetly you will get 2 years free access to Sofbanks wifi sites. I am going to get only wifi as many of the places I go to here in Japan have free wifi so I can avoid the contracts. Softbank already gets me for my iPhone.
@AaronJones ... plus, if the Softbank iPhone launch is any guide, foreigners working in Japan with Alien Registration Card, work visa, etc, and even with REALLY good jobs (ie good credit, stable monthly salary) can only buy the device outright in one single payment on a credit card and cannot have 2 year contracts (on the basis that, naturally, as soon as you buy your iphone / ipad you will jump ship and leave your job and house and family! Stupid). I guess it depends on what you want the ipad for (for the record, I pre-ordered 2 of the 64GB beasties).
@mojopagoda Really? I have lived here in Japan almost 7 years and have never had a problem getting a phone on a 2 year contract, like you mentioned with softbank or when it was j-phone or vodafone. I may end up getting wifi Ipad then in the future the softbank pocket wifi if they never turn on iPhone tethering.
@AaronJones
Can you please tell me which places that you go have free WiFi in Japan?
Great. I guess iPhone 4G is going to be locked in Japan too.
Damn! Shows that corporate greed is definitely not limited to the U.S.
Thankfully, Apple struck a deal with AT&T for our benefit.
$30 for TRUE unlmtd is a steal!
These ridiculous data plans mean 3G is out of the question for me.
...and I'm not too happy about this on the Wi-Fi versions:
£338.99 + 17.5%VAT = £398.31
£429.00 is overpriced by £30
£406.93 + 17.5% VAT = £478.14
£499.00 is overpriced by £20
I was hoping to get an educational discount, but no joy on the pre-orders. I'm thinking I might just wait for version 2.
@Downpour
Why do you care about £20 or £30 overpriced when the price itself is just an arbitrarily overpriced version of the manufacturing cost. Besides, it's not just VAT: taxes in general are higher in the UK, and doing business here isn't all that cheap. Plus they probably shipped them all out to Europe, so they've got to ferry them over here, and that costs more (you get the picture).
Actually, I think O2's data plans are pretty good. £2 per day is perfectly fine, and they give you a pretty large amount of data for that time. 1Gb per month is all I ever used on my iPhone (if that), and £10 per month isn't a bad price for constant internet use for casual occasions (you can always switch to WiFi for heavy streaming movies).
@Downpour You need to add import duty to that, as well as VAT.
@ctafield Actually, I forgot to mention, if you go via QuidCo, you can get 3% off, bringing the 16gb Wifi down to £316.
I think Apple's diagram is wrong as it shows BT OpenZone being free with Orange... which it won't be, it should be against O2.
@ctafield Surely they have to import it into the US?
@KarlW r u an idiot your would pay £2 per day, £730 a year for an iPad connection, r u stupid?
@qmartman711 Wow is a understatement more like WTF is better
@qmartman711
No need for data-plan here because Scandinavian are not getting iPad before august or september.
@Mr Nuclear The worse is the fact the high model will already cost about €800 are they serious this cost more then most laptops on the market. With not even a third of the features for what "10 hours" of battery life.
@qmartman711
Poland, Play
100 mb - 5 PLN = 1.62941 US$
500 mb - 15 PLN = 4.88823 US$
1000 mb - 25 PLN = 8.14705 US$
Prices are in the "Pay As You Go" offer. :)
I thought I would cheap out and get the 250MB plan. In just over a week, I've almost used that already. I never used that much data on the iPhone - yay for even fuller web.
@Mr Nuclear
True the rates may be higher at the moment in Australia, but remember that traditionally Telstra has the highest rates for mobile broadband service with Optus a close second. Interesting though that VHA (Vodafone and 3) are still not releasing their rates ... however given past performance on mobile broadband service, I think 3 may come through as a winner. But till then, it is still unfortunate to see quite costly plans for what is quite limited data.