I am ready to spring for an ipad and am considering the verizon wifi version with a wifi hum and a 3g att version. My question is about data usage. The verizon plan looks more expensive for less time. I wonder on the ATT plans if what 2gb of data time gets you with the ipad. Do most people find it adequate or do they run over? I just want to compare what 1gb vs 2gb gets you. Any thoughts?
Michael

The main issue is another device to carry and charge. I have a sprint mifi and for one, it's $60 a month. Two it only lasts 4hr max. Three it's something you have to carry with you in addition to iPad. Four, it's another charger to lug around. It sucks but some people rather go that route.

Question one is how good is the AT&T vs Verizon service. If both are about equal, you are better off with the AT&T simply because it is more convenient and you will not have to worry about battery life and extra equipment.

I'm in Canada and have a 250 MB data plan with Rogers, and I have yet to exhaust it. I simply use WiFi whenever I can.

I'd personally prefer to have a single device that could get online rather than needing a second device (like the Verizon solution requires). One other advantage is that I can get a local data SIM in another country (e.g. picking up an AT&T one when I go to Buffalo, NY next week) and still use the cellular connectivity in my iPad.

mfruin:

I have had the AT&T 3G version for almost 2 months now. There is little doubt as far as cell service that overall Verizon has better coverage. Of course that depends on your location. I have never had any problems with AT&T coverage and I have not exceeded my 250MB plan either since the iPad defaults to wifi. Also, with the AT&T plan, you get free use of a lot of wifi hotspots, such as Starbucks, that may otherwise charge a fee.
The major reason I went with the 3G AT&T version was because I travel overseas to areas without a lot of wifi. Since my iPad is capable of both GSM roaming and unlocked, I can use 3G in other countries. I don't believe the Verizon version is capable of that.

Good luck,

chesterhound

I'm a moderator at Droid Forums.net and I can't tell you how many people drop their iPhone for Android, not because of it being a better phone but because of the poor quality of AT&T's coverage. Verizon definitely is the best.

what does 1 gb data mean in on line useage dutch7man thanks

Do you already have a smart phone that can do wireless tethering either built in or hacked? I went with the wifi only iPad route and use the wifi tether on my droid to give myself 3G on the rare occasion that I use it. Much cheaper for the iPad and no monthly charge. Just a suggestion.

Originally Posted by dutch7man

what does 1 gb data mean in on line useage dutch7man thanks

It's hard to answer that question. It depends on what you do with your iPad.

I web surf, I play the occasional game, I use an ebook reader client and I read email on it from time to time. However, during the week I have a desktop at my desk with wired connectivity, at home I have wired connectivity (and WiFi if I need it) and when I'm at my second job (I teach part-time at a university) I have WiFi connectivity there, too.

I tend only to use cellular connectivity when I'm in a vehicle (not driving of course), at the cottage (we don't have broadband service there; it's cellular or dialup), and while traveling (if i don't have WiFi at a hotel, e.g.). Still, I am lazy and don't usually bother using free WiFi if it involves logging in through a web portal because it's easier to just use 3G (I'd make an exception if I were planning to burn a lot of bandwidth).

Bear in mind that iOS will not let you download apps, podcasts, etc. that are longer than 20 megabytes - you need WiFi to do this.

The cheapest plan I can get here in Canada is 250 MB (the carriers I use also let me buy 5 GB for a little more than double the cost), but 250 MB have always been enough given how often I can use WiFi.

My recommendation would be to buy the bigger data plan your first month (which is what I did) and use your iPad more or less like you'd like to use it (but use WiFi whenever you are at home and wherever else it makes sense). Watch your usage (easy to do) and see how much data you end up burning. Check again close to the expiry of your plan and if you're comfortably below the cheaper allotment's amount, change to the cheaper plan.

I recently got a Verizon Droid 2 with the 3G Hotspot and will discontinue AT&T at the end of this month. AT&T service for my iPad is routinely poor in this rural area while the Verizon 3G is always 4 bars. The 3G Hotspot on the Droid is not perfect however as it does seem to cut itself off after about 30 minutes of use. With my usage patterns and available home WiFi as my primary connection I should be able to do what I want with my iPad and dump AT&T.