Why is Verizon not listed as a cellular partner with the Ipad

ShagCA wrote:

about Verizon (http://www.imore.com/how-to-pick-ipad-data-plan):

Verizon will only allow iPads in their database on their network. So, if you activate your iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3 on another carrier first, you won't be able to use it on Verizon later. Not ever. However, as long as you activate it on Verizon first, you can then switch to another carrier of your choosing later, since Verizon is the only carrier with this restriction.

Actually that is false information. With An iPad Air or Air 2 or Pro you can readily swap out SIM cards and activate with any carrier you wish that supports the iPad data device. I have switched iPad Air 2's from AT&T and Verizon and back again on several occasions with no issues at all. iPads in general, and certainly all sold by Apple itself are NOT carrier locked and do not become so with use on a network. With Verizon, the sole limitation is that you cannot access their network with an Apple SIM but need to get a data SIM from Verizon and use it when connecting to the Verizon network. But you can join, leave and re-join the Verizon network at will, just with the annoyance of having to swap out SIMs.

To my knowledge none of the newer iPads have ever been sold as carrier locked (don't know about the first generation iPad as I never owned one), unless purchased from a carrier under some form of subsidized purchase. That included Verizon. And if that was that authors conclusion, then yes, they were incorrect. IPads have, with a few exceptions, pretty much always been mobile across carriers in the USA and world wide (on networks that support them at least). That was the whole point from the beginning - data only devices with month by month contracts that could be cancelled and initiated at will without any commitment to any particular carrier.

Even now with the Apple SIM and AT&T locking the SIM, you can still use any other carrier when you wish to, but you just have to swap the SIM. If you buy a device without an Apple SIM and stick a Verizon SIM in it, you can remove that SIM later and go with another carrier, as needed or desired. Verizon provisions their LTE data network from the SIM, not from the device hardware and a database lookup.

It would be nice if all carriers would just join the Apple SIM group so that could act as intended, a single integrated SIM for all carriers. But, as with most good ideas, a universal SIM only works if everybody plays nice, and seems that you'll never get all carriers to play nice about anything (took a US federal government mandate to finally get them all to cooperate on a single universal blacklist of stolen devices after all).

You would have to get a Verizon SIM to use it with Verizon but you don't need to buy the iPad from verizon. Just pop out the Apple SIM and put in a Verizon SIM to use it with Verizon. You can order a Verizon SIM and just have it mailed to you.

about Verizon (http://www.imore.com/how-to-pick-ipad-data-plan):

Verizon will only allow iPads in their database on their network. So, if you activate your iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3 on another carrier first, you won't be able to use it on Verizon later. Not ever. However, as long as you activate it on Verizon first, you can then switch to another carrier of your choosing later, since Verizon is the only carrier with this restriction.

ShagCA wrote:

about Verizon (http://www.imore.com/how-to-pick-ipad-data-plan):

Verizon will only allow iPads in their database on their network. So, if you activate your iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3 on another carrier first, you won't be able to use it on Verizon later. Not ever. However, as long as you activate it on Verizon first, you can then switch to another carrier of your choosing later, since Verizon is the only carrier with this restriction.

Verizon will now accept the following Apple devices, even if they were original intended for sale on other carriers: iPhone 6/6+, iPhone 6S/6S+, iPad Mini 2, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4. The Pro has not yet been added to the list but I'd guess it probably will be soon. It took a couple of months after release before the iPhone 6S/6S+ were added.

Michael Black wrote:

Actually that is false information. With An iPad Air or Air 2 or Pro you can readily swap out SIM cards and activate with any carrier you wish that supports the iPad data device. I have switched iPad Air 2's from AT&T and Verizon and back again on several occasions with no issues at all. iPads in general, and certainly all sold by Apple itself are NOT carrier locked and do not become so with use on a network. With Verizon, the sole limitation is that you cannot access their network with an Apple SIM but need to get a data SIM from Verizon and use it when connecting to the Verizon network. But you can join, leave and re-join the Verizon network at will, just with the annoyance of having to swap out SIMs.

Was the first activation on Verizon network or AT&T? The article was written over a year ago. There may have been changes since then. It's also possible that the author came to the wrong conclusion that the first activation must be on Verizon network.

Swapping SIM cards is my preference. It was the reason why I chose GSM (phones) over CDMA (they did not use SIM cards back then). It's so convenient to purchase a local SIM card to avoid spending a ton of money on roaming charges.

ShagCA wrote:

You're repeating what you said earlier and I still don't know if your first activation was on AT&T or Verizon network. Btw, all iPad devices (sold at Apple stores) are unlocked. I've purchased 1st gen, 3rd gen, 5th gen iPads from Apple store. None of them is carrier locked. Also, I don't like the idea of using a single universal SIM card. Why use SIM cards if we hate swapping them? That's my opinion. To each his own.

I didnt think I needed to as your link is known to be outdated and misinformed, period. I was not attacking you for posting it, just pointing out it was incorrect.

The sole purpose of SIM cards has always been a simple means to provide the network information to provision and allow a device to connect to a network. Pre-LTE CDMA networks were always awkward as the network provisioning was flashed to firmware and required a corresponding network database entry for the device to complete a connection. The while point of a universal SIM in the LTE and post-LTE world is that we can indeed dispense with all that crud - nothing in firmware, no network lookup databases restricting access and so forth. Stick one SIM in the device, and it can connect to ANY network, anywhere, regardless of carrier technology or connection protocols. Buy a new device, and all you need do to transfer any and all accounts is swap the SIM, once!

it could be a seemless cellular world then, IF the carriers could just agree to all cooperate equally in the venture.

Personally, yes, I do indeed find owning, keeping and swapping multiple nano-SIMs a PITA especisly since it is, technically, wholly unnecessary.

Skydiver119 wrote:

I had read someone saying that it does work, but only with a verizon specific SIM card. (which makes sense since Verizon uses different technology than the other cellular carriers).

Verizon uses the same technology as Sprint. The reasons for not using the Apple SIM are, I believe, strategic on Verizon's part, not technological.

ShagCA wrote:

You don't have to go through Verizon. Apple online order offers an additional Verizon SIM card (at no charge). When you get to "iPad Pro Accessories" page, scroll halfway down to where it says "Additional SIM to support data services from Verizon." Put a check mark on "Verizon iPad nano-SIM Card (free)". Then add it to cart.

Weird, if Apple was offering the Verizon SIM for iPad Pro, they stopped quickly. That option did not appear on the Apple Store page back on Nov. 24 when we ordered an iPad Pro, and it still doesn't now. The only 2 items listed under "Accessories" were/are the Keyboard and Pencil: http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-ipad/ipad-pro/128gb-space-gray-wifi-cellular. I can't find an option for a Verizon SIM card anywhere on Apple's site, even via search.

Any idea what happened? This means we have to go to a Verizon store, according to Verizon. Annoying Verizon.

ShagCA wrote:

Michael Black wrote:

I didnt think I needed to as your link is known to be outdated and misinformed, period. I was not attacking you for posting it, just pointing out it was incorrect.

FYI,

I did not feel you were attacking me. Wasn't trying to defend my post either. I was curious. So I asked you but did not get a reply.

Sorry, my presence here is hit or miss as I have time to check in and/or post, so my responses are not necessarily the most timely. In my case, yes one of the devices (iPad Air) I've dealt with changing back and forth with carriers was first activated in Verizon (but purchased from Apple). It was subsequently used with a UK carrier, then a Canadian, then back in the USA with T-Mobile (an experiment), AT&T for a bit and currently back on Verizon. It will likely soon be donated to charity use and replaced with a Pro.

Yes, we already have the iPad Pro, I was saying we have to go to Verizon to get the SIM (faster than having it mailed, for me). What I'm wondering is why Apple was offering the Verizon SIM as an accessory prior to Nov 17, according to ShagCA above, but stopped offering it by that date (as kshark1958 and I observed). Or was ShagCA mistaken about it ever being offered by Apple? My gripe with Verizon is that they're the only major carrier that makes you get a separate SIM card.

Olio wrote:

Yes, we already have the iPad Pro, I was saying we have to go to Verizon to get the SIM (faster than having it mailed, for me). What I'm wondering is why Apple was offering the Verizon SIM as an accessory prior to Nov 17, according to ShagCA above, but stopped offering it by that date (as kshark1958 and I observed). Or was ShagCA mistaken about it ever being offered by Apple? My gripe with Verizon is that they're the only major carrier that makes you get a separate SIM card.

People have several gripes with the carriers about how they have actually chosen to participate or not. AT&T locks the Apple SIM to their network (NOT the device, just the Apple SIM itself) once you activate it on their network. That of course makes the whole point of the Apple SIM moot from that point on, in which case, why is AT&T participating at all?

> There's no indication that there's anything else to scroll down to see.

That's why I said "When you get to "iPad Pro Accessories" page, scroll halfway down" on my previous reply. Apparently you didn't read that either.

> It's just not good, clear design. But you were right, ShagCA.

It's Apple, the design is so clean... even the scroll bar isn't there :-)

Michael Black wrote:

Sorry, my presence here is hit or miss as I have time to check in and/or post, so my responses are not necessarily the most timely. In my case, yes one of the devices (iPad Air) I've dealt with changing back and forth with carriers was first activated in Verizon (but purchased from Apple). It was subsequently used with a UK carrier, then a Canadian, then back in the USA with T-Mobile (an experiment), AT&T for a bit and currently back on Verizon. It will likely soon be donated to charity use and replaced with a Pro.

No problem. Thanks for the info. It seems that your iPad 1st activation was on Verizon network. If that's the case, what the article says is somewhat true. Anyway, it may be a moot point now since Verizon may have already changed their policy.

You don't have to go through Verizon. Apple online order offers an additional Verizon SIM card (at no charge). When you get to "iPad Pro Accessories" page, scroll halfway down to where it says "Additional SIM to support data services from Verizon." Put a check mark on "Verizon iPad nano-SIM Card (free)". Then add it to cart.