Apple SIM card and switching carriers

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Level 1

102 points

Apple SIM card and switching carriers

Just received my new iPad Air 2. Loving it so far, but a little upset about the Apple SIM card sitution.

This SIM is supposed to let you switch cell carriers whenever you want. Great for shopping carriers and switching to the best plan for the location you travel to. Especially great for international travel - you can switch to a local carrier for data based on the country you are in.

Unfortunately, ATT and Verizon - the big US carriers - are crippling the functionality.

Verizon will not support the card at all. If you want to use Verizon for cell data, you have to get a Verizon SIM. That locks your iPad exclusively to Verizon.

The choices are then ATT, T-Mobile and Sprint. However, if you select ATT, you get a message that activating will alter your SIM and permanently lock it to the ATT network. If you ever want to change, you will need a new Apple SIM (is that available?)

Now we are down to T-Mobile and Sprint. If they offer coverage in your area, that may be an option. At least then seem to support the card and allow you to switch carriers. I have to check around and see if T-Mobile has coverage in the area I frequent (I know Sprint does not).

Anyone have any workarounds to this? Seems like the carriers really want to kill what is a very good idea.

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), 20GB Ram

Posted on Oct 24, 2014 11:20 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 24, 2014 11:57 AM in response to Joe M21

I think the idea of "switching" and "jumping around" to different carriers may have been a very misguided opinion from some prople ... and maybe from some article writers.

INSTEAD ... I believe the "true story" here is that Apple made it easier for you to choose the right carrier for yourself from among several choices. "THAT" is the real story here, not that Apple wanted to design something that made it so people could "jump around" from month to month.

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Answer 2

Joe M21 Author

Level 1

102 points

Oct 24, 2014 6:09 PM in response to Star Traveler

I have to disagree. Apple's website states:

"If you’re out of Wi‑Fi range — in the park, at the beach, on the road — fear not. iPad Air 2 with Wi‑Fi + Cellular models let you connect to more high-speed LTE networks in more places, for faster downloads and easier sharing."

This strongly suggests that the iPad is capable of switching to a different carrier to provide a connection based on the local coverage.

Every one of the several articles I have read on the topic clearly states that switching is the big benefit of the Apple SIM. I cannot find one article the suggests otherwise. While the authors may certainly be misguided, I find it hard to believe there isn't one writer who knows the "truth" and is willing to expose it.

The fact is that both Sprint and T-Mobile DO allow you to switch carriers. In a Sprint area - use their network. In a T-Mobile area next month, switch to theirs. This is simply a play by AT&T (and Verizon for choosing to not support the card at all) to avoid losing data customers.

I did go to an AT&T store today. They provided me an ATT sim card so I could use an AT&T data plan without "locking" my sim card. They gave me the original sim card back so I could swap it out if I ever need to use an "unlocked" network.

When I get to my "remote" location in a few weeks, I will check out the T-mobile signal. If they have decent service in my area, I will use the original sim card as a regular t-mobile customer. This will also allow me to use my iPad for data when I go abroad with local providers, and avoid expensive "international roaming" fees.

To my thinking, the "true story" is that Apple made it easier to choose the right carriers - for the place you are now as well as the places you will be in the future. For those of us who do the pre-paid data plans (no contract) this is a boon. Again - it is unfortunate that ATT and Verizon are doing what they can to cripple the functionality.

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Answer 3

Justice7

Level 1

4 points

Apr 12, 2016 2:31 PM in response to Joe M21

I have an iPhone and iPad and both take sim cards and i have been able to switch out my att and mobile cards with no issues. not sure if you understand that mobile and att are GSM. verizon and sprint are coma. yes apple devices have both technologies built in so the change IS possible. but, switching SIM card is what does it. You DO need a SIM from whatever carrier you choose. switch out the card and DONE. as for "more LTE networks" it really is referring to frequencies (wavebands)... NOT carriers. as each carrier uses multiple bandwidths and thus the iOS device will have better reception than an older one not tuned to those "network bands". does that make more sense?

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