Q: Cellular data requires WiFi?
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Dec 3, 2013 1:38 PMby Texas Mac Man,Go to a resturant like McDonnalds, Starbucks, etc and use their wifi, or use a friend's wifi.
I friend's wifi would be best because it should be secure, whereas the resturant locations are not. You shouldn't transmit your credit card, personal info info using an open/free wifi.
 Cheers, Tom
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Dec 3, 2013 4:04 PMby ahostmadsen,Say, I'm in the middle of nowhere (though with Verizon cell service). I would like to start data access. But I cannot do it because I don't have WiFi. Or I stay at a luxury hotel that charges a fortune for WiFi -- instead I want to use my cellular plan. But first I have to buy the hotel's expensive WiFi to start my cellular service. Or, like what happened to me last night: my home internet service broke. I wanted to start cellular on my iPad to access internet. But I couldn't do it because my home internet was broken. Clearly a catch 22.
It used to work in iOS 6. You could access your account info without WiFi, and then add a data plan, after which you could use cellular data.
The catch 22: you want to use cellular service when you have no WiFi. But you cannot start cellular service because you have no WiFi. But once you get WiFi, you no longer need your cellular service.
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Dec 3, 2013 4:20 PMby ahostmadsen,James Ward4 wrote:
You only need WiFi to do the intial set up of cellular services.
That's exactly what I'm saying. So, you need to know in advance that you will not have WiFi. For me, I don't want to pay for cellular if I have free WiFi. So, I only add cellular if I find myself out of WiFi range. And that used to work. But no longer.
Another example: you are traveling. When you get to the airport, you want to set up cellular service. But first you have to buy WiFi in the airport. But then you no longer need cellular.
I cannot be the only one using cellular on an adhoc basis when I cannot access (free) WiFi.
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Dec 3, 2013 4:57 PMby ShagCA,Not sure if this is carrier specific. I signed up with AT&T cellular data with WiFi connection (at Starbucks) switched on. It might have worked just fine without WiFi connection to the web but I didn't try it that way. That's because I signed up with AT&T right after registering my new iPad (over WiFi, of course) while on the road.
Recently, I just swapped my SIM card with t-mobile nano SIM. I signed up with t-mobile while my WiFi is OFF. New t-mobile account created without any problem. No WiFi needed. I started browsing the web immediately and realized that my WiFi was OFF several minutes later.
Logically thinking, it does NOT make any sense if you need a connection to the internet in order to sign up. That cellular connection is the connection to the provider's network.
To OP, is it possible that the cellular signal isn't strong enough to let you view your (existing) account or sign up? I highly doubt you'd need WiFi connection to sign up the first time.
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Dec 3, 2013 5:12 PMby ahostmadsen,Logically thinking, it does NOT make any sense if you need a connection to the internet in order to sign up. That cellular connection is the connection to the provider's network.
To OP, is it possible that the cellular signal isn't strong enough to let you view your (existing) account or sign up? I highly doubt you'd need WiFi connection to sign up the first time.
Exactly. You shouldn't need internet connection to sign up for internet connection (when used on an adhoc basis, that is). And it used to be that way. Also, Verizon etc. wouldn't want obstacles for people to sign up (i.e., spend money).
I checked my cellular connection. I have 5 dots, so it ought to work.
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Dec 4, 2013 9:04 AMby ShagCA,Helpfulahostmadsen wrote:
Logically thinking, it does NOT make any sense if you need a connection to the internet in order to sign up. That cellular connection is the connection to the provider's network.
To OP, is it possible that the cellular signal isn't strong enough to let you view your (existing) account or sign up? I highly doubt you'd need WiFi connection to sign up the first time.
Exactly. You shouldn't need internet connection to sign up for internet connection (when used on an adhoc basis, that is). And it used to be that way. Also, Verizon etc. wouldn't want obstacles for people to sign up (i.e., spend money).
I checked my cellular connection. I have 5 dots, so it ought to work.
Then I don't know why you were unable to sign up over cellular connection. You're right, cellular provider should not make us jump through hoops to sign up (give them money). I am using iOS 7 and I have no problem signing up with t-mobile without using WiFi connection. So the answer is no, it is not true that you need WiFi connection in order to sign up for a cellular account.
