What if I don't sign up for cellular data?

[berger]

I just bought my wife a iPad 3g with Wifi. I brought it home, she turned it on, hooked it up to our wireless AT&T Wifi and we are off and running.

Now, when we go out and about, can we set up the iPad to automatically detect a AT&T wifi hot spot and ask for log in.

Anyone familiar with AT&T DSL and the iPad?

With the "Cellular Service" turned on, it says AT&T where the signal strength bars are. When I turn it off, it says iPad.

If I've never signed up with AT&T for an iPad plan, they can't charge me, can they?

 

[Jeeper]

As a U-Verse customer, you can log on to any AT&T wifi (they give you a password, I think), I don't know if they do that for DSL accounts. You can log on to any free public wifi spots though (mind your security on these). 3G you can "turn on & off" whenever, if ever, you want (like a pre-paid, no contract phone).
Enjoy your iPad!

If you try to surf with 3G, it will say "no service" and ask if you want to sign up for some data...

 

[berger]

3G you can "turn on & off" whenever, if ever, you want (like a pre-paid, no contract phone).
Enjoy your iPad!

If I never sign up for anything with the iPad, I am not incurring any data plan charges anywhere, am I?

 

[Jeeper]

Right, if you're just using your existing wifi service or free spots.

 

[wytey]

did you buy the iPad from AT&T as they may have done it all for you kind of like a mobile phone contract

when using wifi, it should show iPad and 3 bars at the top left, if it is saying AT&T I suspect it is using the 3G network

if you want to make sure, take the sim card out

 

[Jeeper]

Since I have a 3G account also, I keep "cellular data" turned off (in settings). Just in case. I don't want to click "yes" by accident. If you don't have a 3G account, you have to fill out e-mail and credit card info (harder to do by accident). When you leave wifi on it will find "avail" services, like your friends or business. They can give you their password to use their net for free.

 

[berger]

did you buy the iPad from AT&T as they may have done it all for you kind of like a mobile phone contract

if it is saying AT&T I suspect it is using the 3G network

I bought it online from Best Buy.

 

[KJSmitty]

I bought it online from Best Buy.

No need to pull the sim card.......

Unless you turn cellular off in settings it will default to 3G when not around a known wifi/hotspot. BUT, unless you signed up for 3G service/an AT&T account with credit card and all, it's not going to work.

 

[Macguy76]

did you buy the iPad from AT&T as they may have done it all for you kind of like a mobile phone contract

if it is saying AT&T I suspect it is using the 3G network

I bought it online from Best Buy.

You can also go to settings<cellular data<turn off cellular data.

The AT&T logo will disappear at the top left of the iPad and will just show iPad in the corner along with your WiFi logo.

I turn on my 3G service when I am going out of town and turn it off when I come back home, as I already have wifi at home and at work.