if i do not have a data plan on my ipad wi-fi plus 4G, does it work identical to a wi-fi only ipad?

Other than the obvious things that you need the data plan for like GPS - the 3G/4G iPad will work exactly like the WiFi model. You should only need to connect to a WiFi network and be able to use FaceTime. If you are not using the 3G/4G service - you can turn it off if you want to.

Some 3G iPad owners wait they need the service before they even buy a data plan. You can use the 3G/4G iPad with WiFi only if you want to do that as well.

The 3G models in the past did not support FaceTime over 3G. I am hopeful that 4G cellular data will support FaceTime. Ironically, you can use FaceTime on a hotspot enabled iPhone 4/4S wi-fi connection, which is 3G data, but cannot use the FaceTime on the native cellular data on the iPad/iPhone. The hardware sees it as a wifi connection so its not restricted, even if it is still cellular data. The picture quality is not good on 3G, but is very good on a 4G hotspot. Since the new iPad will have 4G hotspot capability built in, I am very hopeful FaceTime will work on the 4G built in data.

kballa13 wrote:

thanks, an additional question. i know face time does not work with a data plan, if i turn off the data plan can use it then?

If you have a data plan or not, FaceTime will work normally (with wifi).

Demo wrote:

Other than the obvious things that you need the data plan for like GPS - the 3G/4G iPad will work exactly like the WiFi model. You should only need to connect to a WiFi network and be able to use FaceTime. If you are not using the 3G/4G service - you can turn it off if you want to.

Some 3G iPad owners wait they need the service before they even buy a data plan. You can use the 3G/4G iPad with WiFi only if you want to do that as well.

You do not need a data plan to use GPS. GPS is independent of plans. GPS uses GPS satellites. You only need the data plan with respect to GPS if you want real time road conditions, etc. Turn-by-turn navigation and tracking work without a data plan.

kballa13 wrote:

thanks, an additional question. i know face time does not work with a data plan, if i turn off the data plan can use it then? do i need to turn off the data plan or just connect to a wifi connection?

Cellular is automatically bypassed when connected via wifi so, if you see the wifi 'fan' in your status bar then that's what's being used and FT should work.

You don't have to turn Cellular off in Settings for that to happen, but you may as well; if you don't you incur a bit more battery drain as it works in the background and also use up a bit of your data plan connection time.

Yes, it does.

Yes. It will work just like a wifi only pad. When you want the data mobile data in the future, you can sign up then.

The 3G/4G models have a GPS chip built into the cellular antenna. This will provide better, faster Location Services than Wi-Fi only model even without the cellular data being activated.