iPad data cost by country analyzed and charted
By Donald Melanson 
posted August 2nd 2010 4:14PM
posted August 2nd 2010 4:14PM
Sure, you may already have a general idea of how countries stack up when it comes to iPad data costs, but sometimes there's nothing like a good chart to drive a point home. Thankfully, the folks at Tableau have done just that and, while there may not be a lot of surprises, the differences in cost are certainly striking. As you can see in more detail in the interactive chart after the break, the United States just barely cracks the top five with a minimum cost of $12.50 per gigabyte, leaving it behind only the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and France, which comes out on top at a hefty $25.47 per gigabyte. As for the cheapest iPad data in the world? That honor goes to Singapore, where you can use a gigabyte of data for a mere 51 cents. As PC Magazine notes, that figure is a tad misleading, since it's based on SingTel's cheapest pre-paid plan that gives you unlimited access for three days -- although that itself is still a welcome change from most other countries.
@Stephanie C
COMPLETELY agree with you.
Fine, they want to set up tiers? OK... but don't give me this nonsense that 2GB for $25 is even remotely reasonable... and it's an even bigger rip-off for the 200MB tier.
Like you posted, 6GBs for $25 sounds about right... then maybe 2GBs for $20 and 1/2 GB for $15. Something like that is reasonable, not this crap. And it's not just the iPad, but rather that the whole industry is moving in this direction (especially in the US) and it's all thanks to these company and their cozy relationship with each other.
Collusion is illegal.
@Hazdaz
Not to France, it isn't.
Engadget is not a US only site.
@LeJay
Never said that it was a US-only site, but take a look at who owns Engadget... yeah, the "A" in AOL doesn't stand for Australia or Austria.
@Hazdaz "That's the whole point... yeah, France is expensive, but it's "only" 2X what we pay here in the US... but the US is 25X more expensive than Singapore. That's bigger news."
Wouldn't this mean that France is paying 50x more then? What's your point there buddy? Of course it's outrageous that we (US) are paying more than other countries but not for that I'm going to say screw France, Belgium and the Netherlands......
@Stephanie C
In Switzerland there are options for 5$ / day for 100 MB, or 18 $/ month for 300 MB or 38$ / month for 2 GB... !!!
wi wi le SUUCK
that's all the French I know
@rmbrown09
I'm french and what is this?
@rmbrown09 more like you, you suck lecoq...
Just wait until Brazil comes to the list, no other companies in the world overcharge their customers as much as we do!
I just hope that one day we'll all get the 2GB ($20), 5GB ($30), and 10GB ($40) tiered solution with $0.01 per MB overage and $10 extra for tethering/mobile hotspot that I so desperately want.
This is why I don't feel guilty jailbreaking my iPhone 4 and continuing to pay $30/month for unlimited internet and using that connection to WiFi tether to my iPad or USB tether with my laptop.
Guise ... there is no Mobistar in Luxembourg !
Furthermore, we get a 20€ unlimited data plan from Orange.
Actually, statistically Luxembourg is one of the cheapest countries when it comes to cell phone rates.
So this statistic has lost all credibility in a matter of 3 seconds !
@shin3000
"Mobistar is one of the main actors in the world of telecommunications in Belgium and Luxembourg, active in mobile telephony..."
Mobistar is very active in Luxembourg and has a subsidary VOXMobile that renamed itself to Orange.
By the way, 20 euros is very expensive. It's not unlimited either, that's marketing speak. They have a fair usage cap.
lol a big f*ck you to European's courtesy of apple
@noraider Huh? What does apple have to do with carrier rates?
Yep, we are suckers in Europe; for years in-fact. How many products have we been forced to pay here in Europe. I hope someone is watching this. It is sickening how much mobile providers are raking in from poor Europeans.
The UK ranks in surprisingly low on 3 and Orange, but that's probably because you cannot get ANY coverage when you're using those networks, which is why they're so cheap.
The German figures are completely wrong. They are assuming a 30GB unlimited plan, but both providers (o2 and Vodafone) are just offering 5GB 3G plans. Both plans are with no extra charge after that, but just at 2G speed.
Just wanna add Three Hong Kong does $20usd 3G unlimited.
@Gizmic
What's with all these people thinking they have unlimited data because the ad said so. Probably think your iPads are magical too, because the ad said so.
Fair Usage applies. It's actually quite a low download limit and this has been reflected in the statistics.
@xsacha because it is Unlimited data XD i don't about you guys but I'm getting an average 2-4Mbps downrate on my iphone.
And HK having internet Tethering on IOS 3.0 launch
go check the broadband prices (HKBN) $12USD for 100M enough said how behind is America but can't blame em since thats a large area to cover.
GO SINGAPORE, WE OWN
I'm surprised more of the tech sites besides GearLive and Wired haven't came out and called AT&T and Apple on their bait and switch over the data plans.
AT&T you expect it. They give their customers the shaft every chance they get. But Apple, not so much as a apology or the very least, an explanation.
It would have been nice for more of the tech blogs not to sweep it away like it never happen and defend the little guys. Wishful thinking I know.
Hmm. I still have my unlimited data plan on my iPad in the US. So my cost goes down the more data I use and it approaches $0 as I approach unlimited bandwidth.
Well if you go with 3 here (Denmark) there is a special ipad offer, which is rubbish but you can get other subscriptions that are a lot better from 3. If you can make due with a 2 mbit/s / 384kbit/s solution and a loft of 20 gb then it will cost you $35 a month. Thats $1,75 per gb.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the iPad is only good for 7.2mbit/s right?
Well if you want to get the faster 21 mbit theoretically (marketed as 16 mbit to be fair) option then it's a wooping $52,46. That gives you 20+ gb of surfing. But the best part, unlike the UK 3 is AWESOME here. 21mbit 3g coverage pretty much everywhere even the rural areas. Almost always a guarenteed 5+ mbit download on my iPhone 3gs.
@gummianden
Yeah the iPhone and iPad are only 7.2mbit as far as I know - so the network is faster than the phone is capable of. It's cause they don't have these fast networks in the US. If you get a European phone it will have 21mbit/s.
You don't have to give AT&T a dime even if you buy it in the US...because Apple sells it without a carrier lock. It comes with an AT&T micro-sim in the tray, but you can put whatever 3FF you want in it without a problem. I just used mine in Brazil with a Vivo micro-sim (much cheaper than the rip-off hotel wi-fi they had in Rio).
@Draper
No carrier lock, but the US version has only the 850 band which only works on ATT.
why get a 3G ipad when you can do wifi tethering with your cell phone? i got an unlimited data plan on my cell pone (HTC desire) and with the froyo update this weekend here in holland, the wifi speeds i get from it are blazingly fast, and free! and the wifi-only ipad is cheaper as well. win win.
@JFH
i agree , it would be interesting to see what the rates are in france in say two years , i would bet they might be alot lower , As the EU has said many times it wants carriers in its members countries , offering close to the same rates ,and its already brought in standard roaming rates,
i can see the EU setting tighter caps on what mobile companies can charge soon.
The Canadian rate isn't representative.
Rogers/Fido offers 6GB/$30 for three months after each new iPhone rollout. After that, it goes back to the usual 500MB/$30.If you get your iPhone or iPad during the three months - you'll get a 3 year contract at that rate, wait three months and not so much.
This overview is over-simplified. For New Zealand you need to commit to the 3GB a month for $50NZD to get that "low" rate. The only other plan is a measly 250MB for $20NZD a month and there is no such thing as an unlimited mobile data plan in this country.
For Fr, B, NL, Lux... where is the EU commission on competition now, or even where is the upside of the whole EU union concept? What are the Brussels EU politicians doing? Off course, they don't need to bother as their phone bills are paid for...by the tax payer.
There couldn't be any more borders as shown with this chart. B, NL and Lux. are some of the most dense populated areas, so infrastructure per user should be lower than Germany. It is a disgrace that these countries with the remnants of state owned phone infrastructure and monopolies keep getting away with this while neighboring Germany ranks with the very best.
Funny how a tiny country like Austria has 4 carriers offering it and other and quite big ones like France, US and Canada have like.. 1? No wonder prices are so low...
Good comparison. It's good to take a look at the bigger picture.
There's another thing, though... I have an iPhone with Movistar, in Spain, and they offer a data plan for the iPad for 0€, if you already have your iPhone with them. They give you the same plan for the iPad... for free!
Also, I noticed that you mention Orange and Vodafone in Spain, but not Movistar, but Movistar were the first to have iPads. The others have iPhones (and iPads, i assume) since two or three days ago.
I think these figures are quite strange. I live in France and I do not pay anything near that. I do not have a iCrap but I have friends that have. There's no special (unfavourable) rates for iCrap owners as far as I was aware. Whoever made this "survey" didn't do a very thorough job it seems.