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Verizon iPad 3 has no LTE coverage unless under contract?

I just spent a frustrating 30 minutes with 2 Verizon wireless reps over the issue of LTE coverage for my iPad 3 at my house.


Basically, I was told that I don't have LTE coverage because iPads are "prepaid" and not under contract. Therefore I can't use the 4D LTE button on their website to determine LTE signal strength or coverage on their map and instead I need to click on The Prepaid button which does not show LTE coverage. The Apple Store website links to the Verizon Map with the LTE button pre-selected and it was the info I used to make the choice away from AT&T.


Has anyone else experienced this situation? I spoke to 2 reps including a supervisor named Tim from the Colorado Center who refused to give his last name.


What do I do now? Is Apple aware of this? Has anyone else experienced this???

iPad, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Jul 20, 2012 2:18 PM

Reply
12 replies

Jul 20, 2012 3:02 PM in response to mannyme

Are you saying you don't get LTE coverage? Or that you can't check LTE coverage on the map? My Verizon iPad is on Prepaid and I get great LTE coverage. What I can tell you about the prepaid service is that, if you are not in an area where Verizon owns the towers, you won't get service at all. If you had the monthly billed service, you would be able to use towers owned by Verizon's roaming partners.


If you use this map:


http://www.verizonwireless.com/wireless-coverage-area-map.shtml


You can determine if your area has 4G LTE coverage that you can use. Click on 4G and refresh the map. You can, on the prepaid plan, get 4G coverage anywhere that's covered by the top category in the legend: Verizon 4G LTE. It's the darkest color. You will not get coverage in any of the areas labled "Extended".


Best of luck.

Jul 22, 2012 12:01 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

Thanks Meg for you interest in my plight. I will attempt to clarify further.


At my location of interest, I get only 2 bars and 95% of the time my Verizon iPad 3 only gets slow 3G service. Every once in a while, at random and for short periods, LTE service latches on but doesn't last long. Allowing Data Roaming makes no difference.


In order to determine what was wrong I first called Verizon to make sure it was not a temporary problem with one of their towers. If they had told me their equipment was in top shape and confirmed that my signal was supposed to be strong in my area (as per their coverage map) then my next stop would have been the Apple Store down the street.


I am familiar with the map at:


http://www.verizonwireless.com/wireless-coverage-area-map.shtml


That is the map linked-to by the Apple Store and the one I used to make sure Verizon offered strong LTE coverage in my area. I live in the middle of a major metro area (33143, Miami-Dade, Florida) and selecting the "4D LTE button" button on the Verizon wireless coverage area map indicates complete, darkest color, top tier, strong coverage for my area and miles around. Based on this information I decided to purchase my iPad 3 with the Verizon circuitry.


The surprise started when the Verizon rep stated that their internal system showed no LTE coverage in my area for Prepaid plans AT ALL. As proof they indicated that as a Prepaid customer I could NOT click on the 4D LTE button on the Verizon wireless coverage area map because that button only applied to contract customers. I had to click on the Prepaid button and that was the end of that. This was confirmed by the supervisor called Tim from the Colorado Branch office. No further recourse.


So I am upset and a bit confused at the moment. At the time of purchase Apple sends me to a Verizon map with the 4D LTE button pre-selected ... but that's not the button you are supposed to use according to Verizon. I am in the middle of a prime city with top Verizon LTE coverage (alledgedly) but can't access it unless I get a 2-year contract. Can this be considered bait and switch? Any class-action lawyers out there?


I just want my LTE.


Caveat Emptor?

Jul 22, 2012 6:15 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

As per Verizon there are only 2 data options available to iPad users:


1) Prepaid (monthly billed service, prepaid is what Verizon calls this plan) - you signup for Cellular Data through your iPad Settings app, choose the level of monthly data you want and enter a credit card. The plan auto renews monthly unless you cancel it before the end of each billing cycle. You can cancel at any time because there is no long term contract.


2) Contract - you call Verizon and accept a 2-year agreement. This option can't be done through the iPad Settings interface.


You are making it sound as if there is a 3rd option. There is no third option from Verizon. The Prepaid option IS the monthly billed service....

Jul 22, 2012 7:10 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

You are incorrect. What Verizon calls Prepaidis monthly billed to a credit card.


You will not be able to open a Verizon Data account through the iPad Settings->Cellular Data interface if you don't agree for your credit card to be billed monthly. Your account will not be created. There is no "one month" option at all. You can however, cancel at any time.


Maybe you did this a long time ago and just don't remember?

Jul 22, 2012 7:23 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

Meg St._Clair wrote:

So switch to the monthly billed service. There's no contract and you get a larger coverage area.

Pre-paid and monthly rolling contract (now called share everything plan) customers enjoy the same 4G LTE coverage. There is no second tier for pre-paid cutomers.


Don't listen to the Verizon reps, they are just trying to sell you a monthly rolling contract so they can get their bonuses at the end of the month.

Jul 22, 2012 7:20 PM in response to mannyme

Yes, the pre-paid is billed monthly to your credit card. However, with option 2, you get an actual bill (either paper or electronic) that you have to pay. But, there is still no contract.


To make it clearer to you, let's try this. There are two options. One you can set up through the iPad and one you have to set up either through a store or over the phone. Option #1 has a smaller coverage area as it uses Verizon's prepaid footprint. Option #2 uses the regular network footprint, including any networks that Verizon has roaming agreements with. It will also allow you to roam internationally (with the appropriate roaming fees). Option #1 requires that you bill to a credit card. Option #2 gets you a bill that you can pay with any legal tender (though you can also have it autobilled to your credit card if you chose). Option #1 can be managed from settings on the iPad. Option #2 cannot. Both Option #1 and Option #2 can be cancelled at any time. Option #1 had no activation fee. Setting up Option #2 requires a $35 activation fee.


So, I dont' really care what you want to call them. There are stil only two options, neither of which has a contract.

Jul 22, 2012 7:22 PM in response to dchao99

dchao99 wrote:


Meg St._Clair wrote:

So switch to the monthly billed service. There's no contract and you get a larger coverage area.

Pre-paid and monthly rolling contract customers enjoy the same 4G LTE coverage. There is no second tier for pre-paid cutomers.

This is not correct. Prepaid customer CANNOT use the Extended 4G network. I have the prepaid service. I can personally attest to this fact.

Jul 22, 2012 7:41 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

"Extended 4G network" simply means Verizon's partnerships with other carriers in these areas. Nothing to do with pre-paid plan or monthly rolling plan. In these places you have only 3G access, under the same condition, you will get 3G access even on the monthly rolling contract.


If you could show me a link from VZW that shows me there is a difference in the coverage between pre-paid and rolling contract, I would appreciate.


You are right, both option do not requires a long term contract.

Jul 22, 2012 8:36 PM in response to deggie

I am not arguing. But base on my knowledge in this industry, I do not believe there is a difference in the level of service between the two plans. We are using same SIM card. and there is no Pre-paid only SIM card, There is nothing on the SIM card that tells your iPad to look for this "extended" network. And we are all using the same VZW software on the iPad with the same APN settings. The only difference is in the billing back-end system.


Go and do a search, many long term VZW customers could not get this extended 4G coverage either.


https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/559784

Verizon iPad 3 has no LTE coverage unless under contract?

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