Verizon will support Personal Hotspot with 4G LTE iPad at launch, AT&T won't
Verizon has announced that customers who use a new iPad with 4G LTE on its network will be able to use the device's Personal Hotspot feature, but AT&T officials have said they plan to enable the feature "in the future."
A spokeswoman for Verizon told CNet on Thursday that the iPad's new mobile hotspot feature will be available on its network at launch. Verizon was the first carrier to support the Personal Hotspot feature that debuted with the iPhone 4 last year.
AT&T, meanwhile, will not support the third-generation iPad's Personal Hotspot functionality when it launches next week. A spokesman for the carrier indicated the company is "working with Apple to enable this feature in the future," but offered no timetable for when it might become available.
AT&T began supporting the Personal Hotspot feature on the iPhone last March. The service will operate the same on the new iPad: users will be able to share their cellular data connection with up to five devices over Wi-Fi.
What is unique about Personal Hotspot on the new iPad, though, is the fact that Apple's third-generation tablet supports high-speed 4G LTE networks. Apple boasted when introducing the new iPad on Wednesday that it will be able to achieve download speeds of up to 73Mbps over LTE networks.
One noteworthy omission from Apple's iPad unveiling this week was Sprint, the third-largest wireless carrier in the U.S. Though it doesn't yet have a 4G LTE network, Sprint began selling Apple's iPhone after forging a deal with the company last year.
But Sprint was not named as an official iPad carrier partner this week, leaving AT&T and Verizon as the only options in the U.S. In a statement to Fierce Wireless, Sprint said it has "nothing to announce at this time" regarding availability of the iPad on its network.
International 4G LTE partners of Apple for the iPad launch are Rogers, bell and Telus, all based out of Canada. Apple said on Wednesday that support for the Personal Hotspot feature via the iPad must be approved by the carrier.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
I wonder if by the end of the decade we'll have free unlimited high-speed data everywhere.
Stop wondering. We won't.
None of the plans are very good. I almost went with Verizon this time but the pricing is better with AT&T (don't need tethering) and both offer adequate LTE in my area. Plus, if I take it outside the country I'm good to go.
Verizon model also works outside the US. And they added a new 1GB/$20 plan today.
Verizon has much much larger LTE network, hotspot at launch AND is no extra charge, and it also global roams.
Verizon has announced that customers who use a new iPad with 4G LTE on its network will be able to use the device's Personal Hotspot feature, but AT&T officials have said they plan to enable the feature "in the future."
And there you have it. I remember how long it took AT&T to add tethering/hotspot support to the iPhone.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to order "The new iPad (TM)"
What isn't mentioned is whether it will incur an additional charge (as with the iPhone/ATT) if you wish to enable sharing.
Verizon stated that they will NOT be charging for tethering the iPad to another device.
You pay for so much for a set data amount each month. Regardless of which device uses it. Not to mention the more you tether the more likely you are to go over and either 1)they charge you overage fees or 2)they get you to move to a higher plan. Both are more profitable.
AT&T should take note.
What isn't mentioned is whether it will incur an additional charge (as with the iPhone/ATT) if you wish to enable sharing.
From the article:
As with other tablets that Verizon carries, the monthly data plan will include portable hotspot use, unlike the stipulation for smartphone hotspot use, which costs an extra $20 per month. Verizon's monthly data plans for the iPad will span 1GB of data for $20, 2GB for $30, 5GB for $50, and 10GB for $80.
Also, I would much rather have HSPA+ for backup compared to Verizon's awful 3G data speeds. I'm in Chicago where we have AT&T LTE, but I expect the availability to increase tremendously in 2012.
http://www.dailytech.com/ATT+LTE+Bea...ticle22787.htm
Seems like a no brainier if you're not stuck to a carrier for some reason.
Verizon has much much larger LTE network, hotspot at launch AND is no extra charge, and it also global roams.
But if you use in a mostly in a major market that offers both the pricing is similar and AT&T typically has a notably higher speed. That was worth more to me.
Had I known about Verizon tethering yesterday I would have considered Verizon more seriously but likely would still have gone with AT&T given the performance to price difference in my market.
I ordered my new iPad with AT&T 4G. While AT&T's 4G network is not is as large - yet, tests that I've seen have shown that AT&T's 4G LTE is much faster (50% faster) than Verizon's.
That article and comparison tests are irrelevant as clearly a brand new empty network will be faster than a network with people actually using it. When the loads are similar then compare. Anatech has speed tests on Verizon hitting 60Mbs. They both are using LTE and in the end should be about the same. AT&T should be faster on 3G though.
But if you use in a mostly in a major market that offers both the pricing is similar and AT&T typically has a notably higher speed. That was worth more to me.
Had I known about Verizon tethering yesterday I would have considered Verizon more seriously but likely would still have gone with AT&T given the performance to price difference in my market.
As I pointed out to someone else, both are using LTE, and AT&T's LTE network is virtually empty, try again when loads are closer to similar. I typically see 18-20Mbs down on average on Verizon's LTE on my devices. Considering my home Wifi is 15, anything beyond that seems like gravy anyway.
2 GB for $(however much).
Or, at the very least, "carry-over" bytes.
this is why I didn't get the At&t version this time around, the att experiences is becoming more problems then its worth.
The secret for getting good service from AT&T is to go down to the store and order the top plan for everything they have with a business account. Sure, it costs around $200 a month for an iPhone, iPad and LTE data hotspot for my MBP. Of course, I have grandfathered unlimited on everything but I never have any issues. They are always very pleasant to work with any time I have called them. Since we have lots of other services with them they really go out of their way to be helpful.
What isn't mentioned is whether it will incur an additional charge (as with the iPhone/ATT) if you wish to enable sharing.
Yes they do, and it's an enormous sum for just being able to use other devices on your data. It should pull from your existing data plan but they charge you an additional $50 to tether. Ridiculous. That is with the iPhone plan, so not sure if the iPad will be different, and if it is indeed free on an iPad plan, why not make that available to iPhone users too.
The secret for getting good service from AT&T is to go down to the store and order the top plan for everything they have with a business account.
Getting good customer service because you are a biz customer willing to pay full boat doesn't actually qualify as a "secret".
The bigger issue for me (in NYC) is: can they ever improve data rates here, regardless of how much I spend? I understand this is a problem for a number of metro areas. This factored into my Verizon choice.
I find both are about the same with regards to customer service - its the geographic variability that makes choosing hard.