iPad "misbehaves" when used with a MultiSIM - picks up/rejects phone calls

This is a user to user help forum only for technical support issues and questions, so you aren't addressing anything to Cupertino or to Apple here.

Let me get this straight - you are using a micro-SIM card with a data plan only provided by T-Mobile in Germany with your iPad, and you have an iPhone with a line/number with T-MobileMe in Germany. When your iPhone rings, your iPad is picking up and rejecting the call to your iPhone even though you are using a micro-SIM with your iPad provided by T-Mobile that is not associated with your iPhone's line/number and which has a data plan only with T-Mobile.

That is some trick - especially when the iPad is not a phone and is designed for internet access only via the cellular network with an account completely separate from and not associated with your line/number for your iPhone.

"This is a really serious and embarassing bug, please fix it with next OS version."

How is this a "bug"?

First, the iPad ISN'T a PHONE.

Second, the only iPads being sold right now are intended for AT&T.
Not T-Mobile.

Once you've bought an iPad in Germany intended for T-Mobile and you still have this issue, please let us know.

The iPad is designed to work with a micro-SIM with data access ONLY via the carrier's cellular data or internet network.

Don't tell me, you shaved down a regular T-Mobile SIM card used for phone calls and data/internet access via T-Mobile's network with a cell phone?

Or did you get a micro-SIM card from T-Mobile that includes a data plan or data access ONLY via T-Mobile's cellular network specially designed for the iPad?

Where does it say the iPad is marketed for use with ANY provider?
That's something I'm not aware of.

If you get a multi sim not intended for the iPad (such as T-Mo) then you will have issues, BECAUSE IT'S NOT INTENDED FOR USE IN THE iPAD.

Multi sims from T-Mo are intended for phone use, which is why I said the iPad is NOT A PHONE.

In his keynote in January, Mr. Jobs mentioned that the iPad has no netlock. So one could assume that every cellular network running according to the specifications would do, even if it's not specifically intended for the iPad.

T-Mobile MultiSIMs are NOT intended for phone use only, as they can be used in almost any data-device without hassle. The cards work fine in my iPhone, my MDA and my Huwaei E169 USB-Stick (no phone!) for example. The first device causing trouble is the iPad.

You have multiple T-Mobile SIM cards with the same line/number for calls and data? If so, what for?

If not and you remove the multiSIM from the phone it is being used with and use it with the iPad, how is this causing any problems if the phone doesn't have the SIM card inserted?

Well yes, and it's a pretty convenient solution, originally intended for the use with a car phone (fixed install) and a handset (mobile device). On incoming calls, all devices ring...

Today I use it mostly for not having to switch SIM cards each time when I do not want to take the iPhone with me... Using a third card in the iPad would be a nice way to use up a little bit more of the 1 GB included in my cellular data plan.

No! this is a "bug", because the ipad is connecting via the sim-card in an incorrect way. From day one on Apple always is pressing the fact that the iPad is a "data"-device ONLY and NOT a "phone"-device.

There is no intention of Apple to make the ipad do anything else as "connecting to the internet". That's why there is no textmessage app, no voicemail, no phonestuff on the the ipad. That's perfectly ok! But considering this the iPad misbehaves when connecting to a gprs/umts network because it is connecting showing itself as a PHONE AND DataDevice instead of DATA-ONLY.

THAT IS WRONG, because this automatically triggers the telcom provider to sent voice and messaging connections to this device.

Proof: On a jailbroken iPad it is possible to simply switch the device to the correct CGCLASS="CP" setting. With this setting the iPad only connects as a datadevice (e.g. like a usb-umts-stick) and doesn't answer any incoming non-data-connections.

BUT: I don't want a jailbreak! If want a correct working iPad.

And last but not least: the multi-sim-option (meaning more simcards under the same number) is totaly legitimate and is part of the usagespecs for telecom-networks. It is working perfectly well if (yeah, IF) every device connecting to the network identifies itself correctly with its capabilities.

If a device identifies itself as a phone and it actually isn't, then this device has a serious bug and is not correctly configured to be used in a mixed telcom network. Just because "normaly" everybody uses only one simcard, it is no reason NOT to stick to specs.

This is just sloppy work when porting the iPhone OS to the iPad. Simply forgotten! No big deal, but fix it, because Apple is "killing" a whole generation of german t-mobile users (all iphone contracts older than ~12 months can use their dataplan with free multisimcards from t-mobile on different devices!).

Message was edited by: kinonet

If this were a "bug", it would be happening across the board..and that doesn't seem to be the case here.

If the iPad is a data only device, then get a data only sim and resolve your own issue.

Nobody's calling you stupid. If you think that about yourself then that would be a personal issue.


Here in the States, I don't need an extra mortgage to buy a data only SIM with no contract. I simply go to AT&T and give them 30$ a month. No big deal. A buck a day.

Sounds like your issue here with with T-Mo, not supplying you with a data only sim with no contract. Don't ***** and moan because you want something without having to pay for it or without having to sign a new contract because YOUR PROVIDER OF CHOICE doesn't have exactly what you need *right now*.

Perhaps with the iPad is actually released in Germany they will do so. Until then, your issue is with T-Mo, not the iPad.

Of course you can spend additional money on a separate SIM with a data plan here in germany, too.

But I don't get the point, why I should do that??? I already have a few SIMs which share my existing data plan - just let me use one of those.

I agree with "kinonet". It is definitely a bug Apple should fix. Either let the iPad behave like a real data device or implement a complete set of phone-features.

Setting the SIM to data only in the Home location register would be an unnecessary workaround, because then the card couldn't be used for voice + data in the upcoming iPhone 4G anymore. 😉

Or maybe Apple already has an arrangement with T-Mobile to work together with their SIM cards when the device is released in Germany - which hasn't happened yet? I'm sorry your machine is not working as you expected, but there's a reason that they roll out these devices on a country-by-country basis. Once the iPad has been released in Germany, then you should be able to seek a solution - and it might mean getting an iPad-specific SIM from the carrier. Or perhaps it was never designed to work on these shared SIM cards - in which case it's not a Bug, but a design decision.

Indeed there seem to be arrangements with a few telcos - including T-Mobile - here in germany selling data plans "specifically" designed for the iPad.

So it could be a design-decision in favor of those telcos, preventing the use of some existing data plans with the iPad. I doubt that T-Mobile will provide an iPad-specific MultiSIM as they want to sell new contracts...