Q: Why can't I register a cellular data plan for a Verizon ipad 3?

I intend to, but in the meantime I'm trying to figure out why the problem exists and if there are any workarounds. The research I'm doing suggests turning the plan off may very well kill the sim card and cause all sorts of headache. I'm hoping I can find other ideas seeing as how we're approaching the six-month mark and this appears to still be a common problem.

I like to do a little research before I jump into hour-long tech-support phone calls, thanks.

This is a repost incase someone else runs into this problem and turns to the Apple forums for help.

Back from Verizon.

Short story: It works. Kinda. I can now access/manage my dataplan from the ipad. Also, I think they called me an idiot. And they definitely implied that this was all my fault. Yes, Verizon -- it's not your network or your defective sim cards or your false marketing ploys that are the problem. It's me.

Long story: I explained the situation and stood by calmly as three Verizon reps tinkered with the ipad and mumbled about how they "just had to do this last week" (for another customer -- imagine that!) When I commented that I had read on the Apple forums that many people were having this same problem, one rep immediately responded with "No, that's not true. It's very rare." (OK, but didn't you just say you did this last week?)

When I asked why the problem was happening, I was told: "Well the problem is that you just don't know what you're doing. If you know what you're doing then this situation doesn't happen."

Uh. Huh.

"You see, you should have signed up for the dataplan when you first turned the system on."

But I didn't want a dataplan then. I thought the whole idea of going no-contract with a tablet was so I could turn the dataplan off/on as I needed, whenever I needed, for a flat rate?

"Well you still should have turned it on."

But I didn't receive any documentation with the product that told me I had to accept a dataplan the first time I turned it on or else this key feature wouldn't work. This is false marketing. How was I to know this would happen if I didn't turn it on immediately?

"You still should have turned it on."

My bad?

Here is their solution:

Option 1: Replace the sim card (they should swap it for free, since this is their f!!** up after all). Make sure the ipad acknowledges the new sim. Activate the dataplan from the ipad. Things will flow swimmingly now. HOWEVER, if you should EVER cancel the dataplan (you know, like the marketing leads you to believe you can), it kills the sim card and you'll have to go back in, re-explain the situation and get a new one. Bummer.

Option 2: Replace the sim card. Opt for a much more expensive, no-contract dataplan managed via Verizon.com. They tried to swindle me into this because it's "such a great deal," but no way was I going to pay $50 for 4GB when I just wanted 1GB for emergencies as I travel this month.

And oh yeah, when I cancel it I'll have to return and go through the whole song and dance again to turn it back on. They said *nothing* about there being a 60-90 day window to do so without killing the sim, however.

Oh, and Verizon? Not a fan.