How to ad iPad2 to have data billed to my iPhone (AT

Pogo, this is not the place to debate the matter — but if you will check, you'll find that you have a remarkably simplistic notion of what a product manufacturer is liable for. As to iHam, I have attempted to be clear on this, but I'll try again. AT&T will set up a postpaid data plan (after three phone calls) — you can't do it on line or through the iPad (they tell me) — and they will bill it to your iPhone account. However, you can't use the iPad to check your data usage or to buy more data — you have to phone AT&T and handle it over the phone. Soooooo, the other alternative is the prepaid option through the iPad. Unfortunately, that requires a separate account using a credit card (which I thought I could avoid by using my existing iPhone account for billing iPad data purchases). But in that approach, no credit card is acceptable if it is billing is linked to a PO box or even a RFD address. The issue is not MY credit card; it's any credit card that is billed to a PO box or rural address. If you put in a street address (where I own a home), the application is rejected (presumably because the credit card information does not correlate with that address) — and this is despite the fact that my iPhone billing goes to my PO box without an issue (e.g., I already have an AT&T account). Back to Pogo — this is not as though one has bought a car in the U.S. that Canada won't allow on its roads. Apple has an agreement with AT&T; they are both intimately involved in this. And my fine iPad has a settings window for establishing an account with At&T and buying data access. For many of us (those with credit cards billed to PO boxes or RFD addresses), however, that can't be done — and no one told us about it in advance of the purchase. With regard to the details of what I have attributed to AT&T in my comments, they are subject to change, for AT&T is clearly a very confused organization and there reason to be skeptical about what I have been told. But the prepaid effort is from my own experience.

Gentlemen, I began this thread under the assumption that someone out there had set up a post paid account that works with and could be accessed through their iPad and could tell me how to do it — Aside from the confusion about the matter as evidenced in this thread, I have learned (in the course of our discussion) that it can't be done. What's more, I have also learned that many of us can't access AT&T data at all through the iPad Settings if you have a PO box or RFD address as your credit card billing address. Many folks are in this boat, and the 3G feature of the iPad is a deal between Apple and AT&T. No disclaimer regarding credit card addresses has been provided. For many, this is like the TV box that can't be used because it can't be billed. And if the provider and the manufacturer had an inter-corporate arrangement concerning the box and the TV, they would BOTH be responsible. If Apple is going to market this excellent device as something that can be used to access data through AT&T, then Apple should make it so or provide the disclaimer — or withdraw from the arrangement. After all, Apple goes much further than merely saying that the iPad "will work with AT&T 3G". But all of this discussion is, at this point, silly. Apple and At&T can fix this — and should do so quickly. If shouldn't be a major issue.

Fortunately, Apple does not see the world or its products in simplistic terms. It is working on the issue:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2417114?answerId=11466145022#11466145022

iHam, your most kind suggestion is very much appreciated. I have tried that but apparently did not wait long enough for the new address to take effect (though the card company emailed that it had). I will try that again. The iPad 3G capability is important to me due to travel. For the same reason and more, so is the PO box! Thanks again. Yes, I did discover that my link is an old one — too bad the issue is still around.

Long issue short — much of it stated above. Turns out you can have a post-paid account with ATT, but it has to be set up by phone, it renews automatically unless cancelled, and it can't be accessed or managed through the iPad — but it is billed together with your iPhone account. However, once you have set this up, you can't change back to a pre-paid account managed through the iPad unless you get a new SIMM card. Setting up the post-paid account imprints the SIMM and prevents setting up a prepaid account through the iPad. And the SIMM can't be scrubbed. As for the PO box for credit card billing issue, I took iHam's suggestion and it works. However, ATT tells me that the prepaid account will renew unless one goes into the cellular data section of settings and cancels — but at this point, I don't know if canceling will cancel the automatic renewing of data purchases or will cancel the account altogether — thus preventing one from moving the credit card back to the PO box (since more data will require a new account application). Soooooo, does anyone know whether canceling the automatic renewal of more data purchases cancels one account or just ends the automatic renewal purchase of more data, leaving the account intact to do more purchasing as desired?

For those interested in or beset by an issue that normal Apple support insists is an ATT matter, be advised that if you get the right folks at ATT, you will be put in contact with an Apple iPad specialist (not an ATT person but an Apple iPad person through an ATT connection). That "Apple person" (at least the one I was fortunate to finally get) sorted out the SIMM card issue (which arose due to my attempt to get a post-paid account). Eudardo S. was very insightful and helpful — which allowed iHam's suggestion to work. Soooooo, with an iPad issue that you are told belongs to ATT, don't too easily accept that — see if you can get connected to Apple iPad support through ATT. You may have the very productive experience that I did.