AT&T's international data plans for iPad start at $25 for 20MB
AT&T has released official pricing for international data plans for the iPad, which come in at the same wallet-crunching prices as those offered for the iPhone -- $200 for approximately 30 minutes of YouTube streaming.
In total, four "Data Global Add-On" packages are available starting at $25 per month for 20 megabytes of data and scaling up to $200 for 200 megabytes. Users can purchase the plans, which service more than 90 countries, directly from their iPad's Cellular Data settings pane on a month-by-month basis (shown below).
Upon selecting an international data plan, users have the option of specifying the date when they want the plan will go into effect. Unlike iPhone data plans, those for iPad do not auto-renew each month, so they'll need to be repurchased each month. AT&T recommends that users purchase an international plan before departing for a trip.
International data plans for iPad
$24.99/month: 20 MB Data Global Add-On gives you 20 MB of usage within more than 90 countries
$59.99/month: 50 MB Data Global Add-On gives you 50 MB of usage within more than 90 countries
$119.99/month: 100 MB Data Global Add-On gives you 100 MB of usage within more than 90 countries
$199.99/month: 200 MB Data Global Add-On gives you 200 MB of usage within more than 90 countries
For some perspective on what these data plans will deliver content wise, the San Francisco Chronicle recently crunched some numbers based on the domestic 250MB data plan AT&T offers stateside iPad users:
About 35 minutes of YouTube video at standard-definition
OR about 8-10 minutes of YouTube or iTunes video at 720p hi-definition
OR about 70 songs from iTunes
OR a few thousand Web pages and typical email usage
OR more than 4,000 Facebook photos
More generally speaking, 250MB of data should facilitate:
Browsing a few dozen Web pages a day and typical email usage (without downloading big attachments)
Looking at a few dozen Facebook photos a day
Watching a few minutes of YouTube video a week
Downloading a few songs and podcasts from iTunes per month
Downloading a few small iPhone or iPad apps per month, light app usage
Although Apple is using a micro-SIM card in the iPad 3G measuring 12mm x 15mm -- or just under half the size of the standard size SIM card from an iPhone 3GS -- it's possible cut down a full-size SIM card and turn it into a Micro-SIM, as the contacts are fully compatible.
A standard SIM next to the micro-sim used in Apple's iPad 3G | Image Credit: iFixIt.
Therefore, data plans from international wireless operators may represent a more cost-effective alternative to AT&T's international plans, especially those that will be offered with micro-SIMs following the international launch of the iPad 3G at the end of May.
In total, four "Data Global Add-On" packages are available starting at $25 per month for 20 megabytes of data and scaling up to $200 for 200 megabytes. Users can purchase the plans, which service more than 90 countries, directly from their iPad's Cellular Data settings pane on a month-by-month basis (shown below).
Upon selecting an international data plan, users have the option of specifying the date when they want the plan will go into effect. Unlike iPhone data plans, those for iPad do not auto-renew each month, so they'll need to be repurchased each month. AT&T recommends that users purchase an international plan before departing for a trip.
International data plans for iPad
$24.99/month: 20 MB Data Global Add-On gives you 20 MB of usage within more than 90 countries
$59.99/month: 50 MB Data Global Add-On gives you 50 MB of usage within more than 90 countries
$119.99/month: 100 MB Data Global Add-On gives you 100 MB of usage within more than 90 countries
$199.99/month: 200 MB Data Global Add-On gives you 200 MB of usage within more than 90 countries
For some perspective on what these data plans will deliver content wise, the San Francisco Chronicle recently crunched some numbers based on the domestic 250MB data plan AT&T offers stateside iPad users:
About 35 minutes of YouTube video at standard-definition
OR about 8-10 minutes of YouTube or iTunes video at 720p hi-definition
OR about 70 songs from iTunes
OR a few thousand Web pages and typical email usage
OR more than 4,000 Facebook photos
More generally speaking, 250MB of data should facilitate:
Browsing a few dozen Web pages a day and typical email usage (without downloading big attachments)
Looking at a few dozen Facebook photos a day
Watching a few minutes of YouTube video a week
Downloading a few songs and podcasts from iTunes per month
Downloading a few small iPhone or iPad apps per month, light app usage
Although Apple is using a micro-SIM card in the iPad 3G measuring 12mm x 15mm -- or just under half the size of the standard size SIM card from an iPhone 3GS -- it's possible cut down a full-size SIM card and turn it into a Micro-SIM, as the contacts are fully compatible.
A standard SIM next to the micro-sim used in Apple's iPad 3G | Image Credit: iFixIt.
Therefore, data plans from international wireless operators may represent a more cost-effective alternative to AT&T's international plans, especially those that will be offered with micro-SIMs following the international launch of the iPad 3G at the end of May.
Comments
.... based on the domestic 250MB data plan AT&T offers stateside iPad users:
About 35 minutes of YouTube video at standard-definition
OR about 8-10 minutes of YouTube or iTunes video at 720p hi-definition
Hopefully where you stay has WiFi....
Can't really fault AT&T here, don't they get banged over the head for roaming charges, too?
I think internationally the sharing between competitors is costly, so when you roam you pay dearly. Of course, I'm just going by something I remember reading and haven't done any actual research to back any of these statements up.
Someone who does travel internationally care to enlighten?
I suspect that carriers around the world will start offering prepaid data sims for the iPad pretty soon. And since the iPad is unlocked, a better way to travel will just be to buy a prepaid sim and use it while you are traveling.
I hope so. Those prices are incredibly high.
Or you could just physically modify your current sim to fit inside the ipad then have an adapter so it will sit properly when you put it back in your standard GSM phone.
However, Apple and AT&T will be all too smart and find ways to disable this feature. The only alternative is to jailbreak your ipad and stick either your current iphone or existing AT&T sim card with appropriate data plan to fully access and make calls from the ipad.
Why the F$%^ not???? At least have a mode where you can have the iPhone tether to the iPad while disabling all data features of the iphone! I do not understand the mandatory additional data plan. It is so ridiculous.
AT&T should let us swap out our sim cards from our phones and use them in our iPad whenever we want. Assuming the iPhone 4G will incorporate this new micro-sim, what is the downside of popping out our sim cards and swapping them from our iphones and ipads? Only one device would be accessing the AT&T network at the same time...
Or you could just physically modify your current sim to fit inside the ipad then have an adapter so it will sit properly when you put it back in your standard GSM phone.
However, Apple and AT&T will be all too smart and find ways to disable this feature. The only alternative is to jailbreak your ipad and stick either your current iphone or existing AT&T sim card with appropriate data plan to fully access and make calls from the ipad.
Why the F$%^ not???? At least have a mode where you can have the iPhone tether to the iPad while disabling all data features of the iphone! I do not understand the mandatory additional data plan. It is so ridiculous.
How is swapping your sim card from iPhone to iPad saving you money. This is overseas charging, so the best cost-saving measure would be buying a sim overseas in the country you're visiting and using it in the iPad since it's unlocked. When you return, swap the sim out again.
Someday, we will have a worldwide EU market for data. Just before we land the first manned Mars mission.
While I paid the $25 for 20 MB when I went to London to see my daughter, I was just there for 7 days. I used up all but a tiny amount, being very careful.
With the iPad, I would have gone to O2 (what I mean is that next time I will) and bought a sim with a pre paid plan.
One good thing. When our 2 year plans here are up, and we buy the new iPhones in September, AT&T will unlock our older 3G models (at least, that's what I've been told), so we can do that when we get to London.
Someday, we will have a worldwide EU market for data. Just before we land the first manned Mars mission.
I'm not that confident. It will be sometime after a colony is established there.
And then THEY will have a different plan.
I'm not that confident. It will be sometime after a colony is established there.
And then THEY will have a different plan.
No, it will be after Lieutenant Ellen Ripley returns from LV-426. The second time.
And then THEY will have a different plan.
No, it will be after Lieutenant Ellen Ripley returns from LV-426. The second time.
And then THEY will have a different plan.
Ahhh! Now you're talking Si/Fi. We're talking about real serious space stuff here.
Forget it, the iPad is still locked to AT&T..you will have to jailbreak it.
The iPad is NOT locked to AT&T. That's been made pretty clear.
Hopefully where you stay has WiFi....
Can't really fault AT&T here, don't they get banged over the head for roaming charges, too?
I think internationally the sharing between competitors is costly, so when you roam you pay dearly. Of course, I'm just going by something I remember reading and haven't done any actual research to back any of these statements up.
Someone who does travel internationally care to enlighten?
I travel internationally a lot and only use phone roaming if absolutely necessary. In most countries it's so ridiculously cheap to buy a pay as you go SIM card that I just keep multiple cards for each country I visit (and obviously have an unlocked phone).
I never use wireless data when I travel (being on the road is actually a blessed relief at many times as I am less contactable so can just focus on whatever customer I'm dealing with), though I hope something similar to how I use my phone will be possible with the iPad.
Forget it, the iPad is still locked to AT&T..you will have to jailbreak it.
No, it isn't.
Buying a pre-paid SIM ranges from $2 to $20 in different countries. In Thailand $50 total will give me about 400MB of data transfer. In Australia, $100 gives me about 60MB. For short trips, the roaming plans are reasonable... much more than the $25/MB that AT&T slaps you with on the iPhone.
I travel internationally a lot and only use phone roaming if absolutely necessary. In most countries it's so ridiculously cheap to buy a pay as you go SIM card that I just keep multiple cards for each country I visit (and obviously have an unlocked phone).
I never use wireless data when I travel (being on the road is actually a blessed relief at many times as I am less contactable so can just focus on whatever customer I'm dealing with), though I hope something similar to how I use my phone will be possible with the iPad.
When you travel in Europe, how exactly does roaming work? Here in the States we have one very big country, with national carriers, so unless some coverage is missing, roaming is unusual.
But in Europe, the countries are small, and there are a LOT of them. Same thing with carriers by out standards.
How far do you have to roam before coverage from one carrier becomes a problem so that you need to invoke roaming, or a different sim?
When our 2 year plans here are up, and we buy the new iPhones in September, AT&T will unlock our older 3G models (at least, that's what I've been told)...
Good luck with that. I have been told that AT&T has no mechanism to unlock iPhones, nor does Apple. Contract or no contract... makes no difference.
No, it isn't.
Buying a pre-paid SIM ranges from $2 to $20 in different countries. In Thailand $50 total will give me about 400MB of data transfer. In Australia, $100 gives me about 60MB. For short trips, the roaming plans are reasonable... much more than the $25/MB that AT&T slaps you with on the iPhone.
Is that $100 Australian, or $100 American?
Because AT&T charges $25 per 20 MB. That comes to $75 per 60 MB.
Good luck with that. I have been told that AT&T has no mechanism to unlock iPhones, nor does Apple. Contract or no contract... makes no difference.
Not what I was told.
When you travel in Europe, how exactly does roaming work? Here in the States we have one very big country, with national carriers, so unless some coverage is missing, roaming is unusual.
But in Europe, the countries are small, and there are a LOT of them. Same thing with carriers by out standards.
How far do you have to roam before coverage from one carrier becomes a problem so that you need to invoke roaming, or a different sim?
Generally country to country.
International data rates aren't an AT&T issue, it goes on everywhere. Canadian carriers charge the same outlandish fees.