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Spryfly Author

Level 1

11 points

Rumor or Fact: iPad Air comes with all GSM & CDMA bands UNLOCKED ?

After reviewing the details of the cellular networks for iPad Air, I noticed that Apple no longer gives two different stats for the Verizon (CDMA) and AT&T (GSM) networks.

I called Applecare and they spoke with their tech services regarding whether ALL bands were unlocked no matter which version (Verizon or AT&T) was purchased. (I was thinking of getting a Verizon iPad and using it with my AT&T sim card because in the past, Verizon allowed their GSM bands unlocked, while AT&T seemed to have the CDMA bands locked up with possible firmware and not able to be unlocked...)

Applecare stated the following: The AT&T iPad Air had the CDMA bands unlocked and the Verizon iPad Air had the GSM bands unlocked.

Has anyone (ie: some of the press who got iPad Airs to play with,) read or seen this in person?

In a perfect world, I would LIKE Apple to just release a cellular version of the iPad and then let the user pop in any sim card they wanted. Could this possibly be it? And maybe the network designations (AT&T, Verizon, etc.) simply refer to the sim card that is with the device? And not the device's limitations for network access?

I have read all the iPad Air review articles (about 12,) and don't see this addressed - has anyone?

Thank you!

iPad (3rd gen) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Oct 30, 2013 1:24 PM

64 replies

Byerspc

Level 1

6 points

Nov 2, 2013 2:38 AM in response to tfoster3

The cheap sims are online only...looks like they are free right now

prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-phone/T-Mobile-Nano-SIM-Card-Prepaid?AID=114 56737&PID=4485850

I bought mine last week

tfoster3

Level 1

9 points

Nov 2, 2013 7:41 AM in response to Byerspc

That link goes to a sim card for a phone. At this link you have a choice of phone or mobile internet:

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/sim-card

The mobile internet sim is 99 cents, the phone nano sim is free.

Am I correct in assuming the sim card for a phone won't work in an ipad, or at least will not provide the free data plan for the ipad?

Byerspc

Level 1

6 points

Nov 2, 2013 7:48 AM in response to tfoster3

I was told it didn't matter. I activated through the iPad and it seemed to work fine and said I had 200MB to use for a month. They have a no plan option which is what I chose on my ipad.

tfoster3

Level 1

9 points

Nov 2, 2013 10:39 AM in response to Byerspc

Thanks, Byerspc. Do you know whether that free data plan includes international roaming (which T-Mobile markets as a big advantage for them)?

dcbri

Level 1

0 points

Nov 6, 2013 2:04 PM in response to Spryfly

I certainly hope the report on CNET is accurate and what I am reading on this forum thread is correct. But I have talked to two Apple employees in two different stores as well as a follow-up call to Apple support and was told differently.

I specifically asked if I purchased an Ipad Air with LTE and an ATT sim, would I be able to at a later date switch to Verizon or T-mobile. The answers ranged from "I am not sure but probably not" to an emphatic no.

Now, I don't know if they were correct in their information, or had not been given up-to-date information, or didn't understand my question, but it seems to me this is a crucial game-changing issue and should br addressed clearly and swiftly by Apple.

deggie

Level 10

167,381 points

Nov 6, 2013 2:05 PM in response to dcbri

You won't be able to switch to Verizon but you could switch to T-Mobile.

Nov 6, 2013 2:07 PM in response to dcbri

If you buy a Verizon iPad Air, you could use it on AT&T or TMobile (but not Sprint).

deggie

Level 10

167,381 points

Nov 6, 2013 2:09 PM in response to dcbri

And if you bu a Sprint iPad Air, you could use it on AT&T or T-Mobile (but not Verizon).

Good afternoon, Meg.

Nov 6, 2013 7:03 PM in response to deggie

I feel as if there should be one more line in this song.....😉

Nov 7, 2013 11:43 AM in response to Spryfly

Apple has this page that should answer some of the questions here.

http://www.apple.com/ipad/LTE/

It clearly shows that the iPad Air and the iPad Mini with Retina display only have one model that supports all bands and all carriers. If you scroll down it lists the iPad 4th Generation and the original iPad Mini with two models each, one supporting CDMA carriers and one supporting GSM carriers. So the hardware is there and the only possible issue would be the CDMA provisioning which I am not familiar with. I plan on using T-Mobile with their free data for now but the version that I want with T-Mobile says that it ships in 5-10 days so I was going to order the AT&T one that ships in 24 hours and then get a T-Mobile SIM. I have no intention of ever using Verizon or Sprint. I don't desire to have the extremely slow EVDO as the "3G" backup.

Nov 7, 2013 2:16 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

Spryfly Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 7, 2013 2:19 PM in response to dcbri

I believe the Cnet report is accurate. Gottabemobile dot com on their website wrote an article with a linked video where the author purchased AT&T and had nano sims from three other iphones. He popped the sims into the AT&T ipad to confirm what would happen.

The verizon sim was the first one in, and he could even log directly into his verizon account and instantly had LTE access. The t-mobile was next, but it was slow. Just as he was about to move on, the sim directed him to a t mobile website. He said this was typical for t mobile in his area. He tried the Sprint and I think that is the one he had the most problems with...

The article is called "Ipad Air Unlocked Partially... Not compatible with all" and its on youtube under the title "Ipad Air 4G LTE Unlocked (Almost)" uploaded by Gottabemobile dot com.

If anyone else sees any articles or video or followup where they actually switch the sims and the results, please post here. Again, in the above article, the author switches in iPhone nano sims, not sims from other activated iPad Airs on other networks...

dcbri

Level 1

0 points

Nov 9, 2013 12:21 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

Just to clarify. If I purchase an Ipad Air LTE from Apple store with Verizon as my carrier (but don't activate it at this time), and then when I get home slip an ATT sim in the Ipad it will load and register with ATT. Next, a few days later I pull the ATT sim (or T-Mobile) and reinsert the Verizon sim I presumely got with my Apple store puirchase I can registrate and activate a Vrtizon plan. Finally then perhaps at a later date go back to the ATT plan. Have I got this right?

Byerspc

Level 1

6 points

Nov 9, 2013 12:46 PM in response to dcbri

Yes

Spryfly Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 9, 2013 2:53 PM in response to dcbri

That's now my understanding too.

Make sure your AT&T card is a nano sim! Because my iPad 3 had a larger sized sim and wouldn't fit in the new Air. I had to use the one that came with my iPad Air. Because I bought the AT&T iPad Air it came with the AT&T nano card installed.

Rumor or Fact: iPad Air comes with all GSM & CDMA bands UNLOCKED ?