AT&T vs Verizon Data Plan for iPad 2 - Activation Fees?

And what makes you believe that AT&T will never change its policy? Anyone remember the unlimited plan that AT&T offered when the iPad was first released?

There will not be activation fees.

However, I was told by the Verizon Wireless store salesman and manager that the $20/1GB plan could only be chosen at initial purchase time (and later recanted to "first activation time"), afterwards it could not be selected if one were to upgrade to a larger plan for a time and then move back to the 1GB plan. The generic data plan brochure (it didn't mention iPad 2, just tablets and other devices) did have a note that the $20/1GB plan was promotional. If one were to stay on the entry plan it would stay grandfathered into the account.

A phone call to the VW support clarified that it is promotional, but that customers could switch to it on following months as long as it is available as a new plan. Apparently the original iPad/MiFi bundle had the same thing happen?

The store personnel also insisted that I had to/should let them activate the plan in the store. My question was-- what if I don't want to activate it until I need it for travel? It took a bit of convincing but the lack of a working iTunes workstation convinced them to let me take it home to activate the service when I choose to. The manager insisted that I MUST activate it within 14 days. ***?

I think they are really misinformed about the plans and were getting the new "pay as you go", non subscription plans confused with their other offerings. When I asked the salesman why I should have to activate it right then and there, he said something like "that's the reason we are selling it- so that you will subscribe to our service."

I ended up getting the Verizon iPad, though I'm not impressed with their support system's knowledge of their own plan. I hope it gets better going forward.

Side Note: The store was around the corner and there were NO lines of any kind- I don't think people realized they were carrying the iPads as the major Mall in the area has had news reports about the length of the Apple Store line. Or, could it be that the Verizon version is not that popular?

Scott Nourse wrote:
I think they are really misinformed about the plans and were getting the new "pay as you go", non subscription plans confused with their other offerings. When I asked the salesman why I should have to activate it right then and there, he said something like "that's the reason we are selling it- so that you will subscribe to our service."

They weren't even remotely confused. In fact, they told you exactly why they wanted you to activate at the time of purchase. If you do, the sales rep and the store get paid for it.

+They weren't even remotely confused. In fact, they told you exactly why they wanted you to activate at the time of purchase. If you do, the sales rep and the store get paid for it.+

Meg- yes, perhaps, but got the feeling this particular salesperson was in the "subsidized sale" mind set, which at over $800 the iPad certainly wasn't subsidized.

It doesn't matter to the sales rep if the equipment is subsidized or not, what matters is selling the data service, at least from a commissions standpoint. But, you may be right, you may have gotten a confused sales person. After years of explaining to customers why everything they sell is better than the iPhone (because they didn't have that to sell), actually having Apple products to sell is probably messing with their heads. 😉

Glad I found this thread. I'm still trying to decide between Verizon and AT&T. I was considering Verizon (NOT a fan of AT&T), but I refuse to pay an activation fee every time, if that's the case. I will probably only use the 3G once in a blue moon, but I want it if I need it. Guess I'll wait until they figure out what the heck they're doing!

You do not have to have an activation fee for an iPad on Verizon. Verizon has a $35 activation fee if you were to add the "Mobile Broadband Plan" ($20-1GB, $35-3GB, $50-5GB or $80-10GB) to your current Verizon account your phones are on(if you are a Verizon customer already). You may sign a 2 yr contract if you wish, but it does not bring down the price of the device, so it is pointless to do that. You may just sign up for month to month service, and still have that activation fee.

BUT, if you do not want an activation fee, you just start a new PREPAID Mobile Broadband Plan. It is month to month service, with NO activation fees. However, currently Verizon offers different Prepaid Mobile Broadband than Postpay Mobile Broadband. The Prepaid plans are as follows: Daily - $15-100MB , Weekly - $30-300MB, Monthly - $50-1GB or $80-5GB. Terrible deal compared to postpay options.

Anyway, this is all that Verizon offers, but my friend purchased his iPad2 through Apple's website I believe, and they offered him the $35 - 3GB plan(a contract plan), and it is prepaid(NO activation fee), but the prepaid account is under Apple's name technically(OSA PhoneInTheBox is what shows up), so Verizon bills Apple, Apple bills you. This sounds like exactly what all of you are looking for. Order it through Apple, they take your credit card info and bill you monthly. Apparently they have access to the postpay plans to be on prepaid accounts, so no activation fee.

EDIT: I am now seeing that Verizon is waiving all activation fees for "all tablets purchased from 3/16/11 - 4/16/11." Now, it does specify later on that it is only for Galaxy S tab and Moto Xoom. I have no idea if it does/will ever include Apple's tabs. But what this means is you could go to a Verizon store to activate on a postpay mobile broadband plan and have the activation fee waived.

Also, getting back to the original question about whether the activation fee is applied every time you disconnect/reconnect, even if you do have an activation fee, in the future, you would NOT disconnect service, you would just SUSPEND service. As far as I know, suspending and un-suspending service is free and you can suspend a line indefinitely. So, no, you would not have to pay an activation fee every time you want to stop using, and restart Verizon's data services.

Sorry for the multiple posts...... I take back my comment on line suspensions. If you choose to suspend service and NOT get billed during suspension, you can only do this for 3 months at a time, 2 times a year. This suspension costs $15, and if under contract, will extend your contract the duration of the suspension. I was told it costs $15 for suspension regardless of what type of suspension, but I believe if you just suspend a line but continue billing, it is free, and does not extend your contract. That I am not sure about, but it doesn't really matter for all of you wanting to suspend service and billing.

So, if any of you want to stop Verizon service for longer than 3 months, or more than 3 months twice a year, Yes, you will have to pay an activation fee each time you restart service, because you will be Cancelling service and re-Activating service. That is unless Verizon promises no activation fees all together.

Verizon activation fees are the uncertain factor in Verizon's versions of iPAD. I bought the original iPAD WiFi with Verizon's MiFi. I cancelled it after one month. I kept receiving bills for the MiFi service. After a a couple of trips to the Verizon store and also some emails I have the following information:

The WiFi device can only be kept inactive for up to 180 days in a year. However it needs to be cancelled for the service to be completely disconnected. If it is disconnected and needs to be reactivated then there is a reactivation fee (I believe it is $35 or so) . In other words it is not possible to use Verizon's WiFi iPAD at least the original model on a pay as you go basis according to your needs only. If I knew this I would not have bought the MiFi device at all since to me it does not offer any advantage over a 3G ATT model of ANY iPAD