To make the most out of the new iPad 2, get connected from more places by choosing an iPad with both Wi-Fi and 3G – and sign up for an iPad data plan with a major network. You will be able to surf the web from the side of the road, check your email while you’re on the train or make a video call from the top of a mountain. Click on the logos below to check the best ipad or ipad 2 data plans on your preferred network!
Start by getting an iPad sim card and an iPad data plan. You can order iPad sim cards directly from Apple or get them free from any of the major UK networks, but you don’t need to stick with your current mobile provider for your iPad data plan. Instead, shop around for the best deal that suits your usage profile. Here is what is on offer for all of the major UK carriers:
Three’s iPad data plans are competitive for pay monthly usage. Sign up for a rolling contract and the cost is only £7.50 per month for 1GB; heavier users will be attracted by the monster 10GB plan for only £15 per month. For Pay As You Go, the price rises to £10.49 for 1GB for 30 days, or £20.99 for 3GB for three months; you can of course top up iPad sim cards at any time.
Vodafone’s £3 monthly plan means you pay £3 a month for line rental, plus £2 per day for 250MB of data – but the current promotion provides your first 250MB free. Occasional users can buy 500MB for £7.50 per month – that’s about 7,500 emails, 5 hours Internet browsing or the upload of about 250 photos. Regular users will likely choose the 2GB option for £15 per month. All of Vodafone’s monthly plans provide 1GB of UK data access at any of BT Openzone’s 3,000 Wi-Fi hotspots completely free.
For total flexibility, check out Orange’s iPad Sim Only “pay as you use” plan at 5.1 pence per MB; you won’t pay more than £40 per month, irrespective of how much you use (subject to a fair usage policy). If you prefer to have a fixed cost, you can buy a daily plan with 200MB of data for £2, a weekly 1GB service for £7.50 or the choice of two monthly plans, with 3GB for £15 per month or 10GB for £25 per month. Both the monthly options include unlimited BT Openzone Wi-Fi.
With O2′s iPad data plans, the daily rate is slightly higher at £2.04 per day for 200MB of data but it also offers the compensation of unlimited Wi-Fi. Sign up for a recurring plan and get 1GB for £10.21 or 2GB for £15.32 over 30 days, both with unlimited Wi-Fi. There is a sweetener too with O2 if you go on a recurring contract; they will throw an extra 1GB of data in your first month.
T-Mobile’s Pay As You Go plans offer more at the lowest level with 250MB per day for £2. A weekly 500MB plan is available for £7 and the monthly plan with 1GB costs £15 per month.
Of course, don’t forget to check the3g network coverage before you decide!
