People who buy an iPad out of pocket often find themselves stranded when they are unable to connect the iPad wirelessly. This is often the case if you leave home and wish to use your iPad while you are on the move. You will be able to access the wireless facility via Wi-Fi hotspots, but there will come a time when you need access to the internet and you are not in a wireless zone. It is for these times that you need to consider buying an iPad sim card.
iPad Sim Card Types
Consumers often purchase an iPad without a sim card simply because they have a mobile phone contract and feel that all that is required is for them to remove the sim from their mobile and use it in their iPad. This is only possible if the sim in your mobile phone is compatible with your iPad. The iPad uses a micro-sim and most mobile phones use a normal sized sim card which means that the two are incompatible. Some of the newer model cell phones use a micro-sim card, but using this could cause technical problems. The iPad Mini uses a nano sim and there are no mobile phones that utilise this technology.
Contract
There is generally no contract involved with an iPad sim card deal as your service provider has no device cost that needs to be recouped. The more popular deals linked to the sim card only are rolling contracts on a monthly basis. This type of contract offers several advantages:
You will be able to terminate the contract with one months notice in advance
You will have the option of changing your service provider at short notice. This is particularly beneficial to you if there is a price war between providers
If you are unhappy with the service or coverage your current provider offers, you will be able to change your contract without having to worry about the cost of trying to get out of a lengthy contract
Data Allowance
The amount of data offered with an iPad sim card deal varies depending on the type of contract you opt for. Pay as you go services are wholly dependent upon your desires. You will choose how much data you wish to purchase. You should be careful when doing this and not go for a high amount of data that you may not use within a specified time. Your data allowance is generally valid for a certain length of time only. When you top up you should confirm the time period with your service provider. The normal validity period is 30 days from the date of purchase, but you should confirm this. You may be able to find special deals linked to the amount of data where service providers offer you double the amount of data for the same price.
Your data allowance on a rolling contract will be dependent upon the service provider you use and the contract price. The least you will be offered is about 500Mb, with a maximum of approximately 10GB. These data limits are the average amounts available from the top providers, however, there are the lesser known service providers who may offer you higher limits and better deals.
Penalties for Exceeding your Data Allowance
You should make sure that you get the deal that best suits your needs. Heavy internet users should make sure that they get a suitable data allowance and relevant speed of internet that will allow them to do all the tasks they would like to do on the internet. If you do not use the internet that much, you will not require the same amount of data as a heavy internet user. Keep a tab on the amount of data that you have left as you will be charged a penalty if you exceed your monthly data allowance. The excess charges are often charged per Mb or GB used, depending upon the amount that you have gone over your limit. Currently, the excess charges are set at around £15 per GB.
If you have a prepaid sim card service, you will not be liable for penalties if you exceed your allowance as you will simply not be able to access the internet if you have depleted your data allowance.
Connection Speed
If you are a regular or heavy internet user, you will need a reasonable speed and stable connection when you are accessing the internet. The coverage that your service provider offers is crucial as the average speed for this type of connection is generally at 7Mbps, and if the coverage that is offered is poor, your connection speed will be drastically reduced. You should confirm that you will be receiving a 3G connection rather than the slower and older 2G type. The 2G connection is unsuitable for most iPads, and certain providers will offer you this connection only. To enjoy the technological benefits of your iPad, you need a strong connection such as 3G.
Costs
As a consumer, the last thing you would expect to have to pay is a set up fee for a sim card. Most people expect an installation or set up fee for a router for an at home broadband connection, and are quite surprised when they need to pay a set up fee for an item that is simply placed into your device. Not all service providers levy this charge, but you should be aware that there are those who do and they may or may not inform you about the charge, and it will simply be listed in the small print of the contract.
To ensure that you do not get charged for any extras, you should confirm the cost of your sim card deal with your service provider and ensure that your written contract is in line with the verbal agreement. If you do not do this, you may suffer a financial loss due to the extras that are sometimes added to your contract without your knowledge.
Getting an iPad sim card was easier than Sam Jones first thought. Looking online at the likes of uSwitch, it was clear where he could find one as part of a good deal
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