3g USA iPad troubleshooting Edge network in India

[ipadindia]

I'm posting this from India, on my own 3g iPad bought in USA, so I do know a few things about using an iPad on 3g outside of USA. A friend brought over a similar iPad 1 bought in USA (with ATT SIM inside) and wanted to get network access on the local ISP here where I live, near Pune India.

This is a bit weird. I put my working local SIM into my friend's USA iPad, and couldn't log onto the local (Idea Cellular) network using the exact same APN, Username and password settings I use. The only difference I can notice between our iPads is that she had never activated the 3g in USA using ATT. I did use ATT for a few weeks before coming to India, and I haven't had any trouble with 3g on other networks. Is there something else required to get 3g active?

I noticed in the settings that her system doesn't include a "Carrier" tab as mine does. It has "Cellular data" and "Data roaming" turned on, but though the system recognizes that there is a SIM inside, it doesn't seem to even try to find the network here. In the "General" -- "About" section it says "Network not available" Do you have to go through the ATT activation process before leaving USA to get 3g working? Seems a bit strange if so since others on this forum seem to have been able to take a USA iPad out of USA and successfully log onto foreign 3g networks without ever activating an ATT account in USA first.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I'm posting this from India, on my own 3g iPad bought in USA, so I do know a few things about using an iPad on 3g outside of USA. A friend brought over a similar iPad 1 bought in USA (with ATT SIM inside) and wanted to get network access on the local ISP here where I live, near Pune India.

This is a bit weird. I put my working local SIM into my friend's USA iPad, and couldn't log onto the local (Idea Cellular) network using the exact same APN, Username and password settings I use. The only difference I can notice between our iPads is that she had never activated the 3g in USA using ATT. I did use ATT for a few weeks before coming to India, and I haven't had any trouble with 3g on other networks. Is there something else required to get 3g active?

I noticed in the settings that her system doesn't include a "Carrier" tab as mine does. It has "Cellular data" and "Data roaming" turned on, but though the system recognizes that there is a SIM inside, it doesn't seem to even try to find the network here. In the "General" -- "About" section it says "Network not available" Do you have to go through the ATT activation process before leaving USA to get 3g working? Seems a bit strange if so since others on this forum seem to have been able to take a USA iPad out of USA and successfully log onto foreign 3g networks without ever activating an ATT account in USA first.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

You have undertaken a very thorough investigation and have come to the correct conclusion!! Yes, you need to sign up with AT&T first of all.

If you read through the thread below, you'll see (as usual) I'm making some entirely spurious suggestions (no change there!) and then, the poster, finding out by visiting the store that they did need to sign up....

http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-help/17319-no-service-coverage-area-help.html

Not sure what can be done from India.

Tim
Scotland

 

[ipadindia]

Thanks for the info and suggestions. She lives in Moscow some of the time and could probably get some help at the Apple store there. I think that's what I'll suggest, since there aren't true Apple stores in India. There are stores that sell Apple products here--iPad 1 arrived here just in time for iPad 2 be released in USA ;-) But they don't seem too savvy at these places, whereas the true Apple stores seem to find solutions.

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Thanks for the info and suggestions. She lives in Moscow some of the time and could probably get some help at the Apple store there. I think that's what I'll suggest, since there aren't true Apple stores in India. There are stores that sell Apple products here--iPad 1 arrived here just in time for iPad 2 be released in USA ;-) But they don't seem too savvy at these places, whereas the true Apple stores seem to find solutions.

There’s some subtle low-level stuff in the iPad! In the UK iPads are sold entirely unlocked most (all?) places. When I bought mine (at an Apple store) there was a microSIM slot, but no SIM. You got those from whatever service provider you chose! No need to ‘sign up’ - simply insert the SIM and away you go! APN etc all set up automatically from the SIM.

Clever stuff!

Tim
Scotland

 

[krk]

This seems weird, my assumption is the IPads are not subsidised by the service provider like AT&T and can work with any SIM.

If this is true that AT&T has not subsidised the device what right do they or anybody has to cripple the device.
They only have the their own SIM card which they can assign to a specific service or feature. The IDEA SIM should have worked identical as in your IPad.

In India I purchased the 3G IPhone which was officially released in India and was carrier locked to Airtel for 12 months. On expiry of 12 months neither Airtel nor Apple India would own up the unlocking of the IPhone.
It was many months of back and forth mails and escalations later did my 3G IPhone get officially unlocked.

It is another matter on what basis the device was carrier locked in the first place, without any subsidy being offered. I payed bloody Rs 36100/- (USD 7xx) to be carrier locked ?????

Further over time I could see that the 12 months lockin period with Airtel was changed to undefined duration on Apple website.

Probably it is a matter of taking AT&T and Apple to task as I did with Airtel & Apple India.

The Apple premium resellers in India are absolute duds, do not ever imagine one bit of Apple genius / Bar experience as in US. The best bet is to call Apple India helpline directly.

 

[ipadindia]

3g USA iPad issues

That's helpful to know about the iPhone in India. I've sometimes thought about getting one, but it would have to be *truly* unlocked in order to be of use to me.

I also had it in mind to ask Apple in USA about this weird requirement to "unlock" an "unlocked" iPad in order to use 3g out of country issue when I get the chance. It seems to be entirely a software issue. Before I bought mine the sales rep at the Apple store in USA told me the software was "locked to ATT." After using mine outside of USA I assumed he didn't know what he was talking about, but now I realize he must have known something valid even if he didn't know all the details or didn't want to elaborate.

Another little-known detail I learned from that same sales guy about iPads bought in USA is that Applecare bought for them authorizes repairs anywhere in the world--an important consideration for me. Applecare for an iPad bought out of USA is only valid in the country where the iPad was purchased--not always so good for frequent travelers.

 

[ipad2india]

I'm posting this from India, on my own 3g iPad bought in USA, so I do know a few things about using an iPad on 3g outside of USA. A friend brought over a similar iPad 1 bought in USA (with ATT SIM inside) and wanted to get network access on the local ISP here where I live, near Pune India.

This is a bit weird. I put my working local SIM into my friend's USA iPad, and couldn't log onto the local (Idea Cellular) network using the exact same APN, Username and password settings I use. The only difference I can notice between our iPads is that she had never activated the 3g in USA using ATT. I did use ATT for a few weeks before coming to India, and I haven't had any trouble with 3g on other networks. Is there something else required to get 3g active?

I noticed in the settings that her system doesn't include a "Carrier" tab as mine does. It has "Cellular data" and "Data roaming" turned on, but though the system recognizes that there is a SIM inside, it doesn't seem to even try to find the network here. In the "General" -- "About" section it says "Network not available" Do you have to go through the ATT activation process before leaving USA to get 3g working? Seems a bit strange if so since others on this forum seem to have been able to take a USA iPad out of USA and successfully log onto foreign 3g networks without ever activating an ATT account in USA first.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Hi...
can you tell me if the issue is similar with the iPad 2...
This is my situation. I bought an iPad 2 At&T from the US.
I planned to bring it to India and switch it on...I have a Tata Docomo and BSNL micro-sim ready for the iPad2.
Will this work directly or should I activate the AT&T service in the US and then bring it down to India for easy access? Please let me know...I have 4 days before i leave from the US...

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

We are getting contradictory information on this - with some users reporting that they had to activate the iPad in the US before returning home (most reports) but with one user reporting he bought an AT&T iPad in the US and had no trouble when he got home to Russia.

So I guess, if I were you, I'd play safe - buy a cheap AT&T pre-paid SIM and activate it in the US.

Tim

 

[ipad2india]

Thank you Tim
Just one more question...when i spoke to the Apple executive who sold me the iPad2, he said that the device was locked to At&T. When i checked, no iPad2 was ever sold dependent on a carrier. So can i just treat the Apple executives word as 'misinformed'...?
By default, it is unlocked right?

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Thank you Tim
Just one more question...when i spoke to the Apple executive who sold me the iPad2, he said that the device was locked to At&T. When i checked, no iPad2 was ever sold dependent on a carrier. So can i just treat the Apple executives word as 'misinformed'...?
By default, it is unlocked right?

I think he might have been referring to the issue of having to initialise it first in the US. For sure, other than that possibility, it's not locked to AT&T.

Tim
PS sorry I was so slow in answering this question

 

[lifehaker]

Roaming Charges

Hey Guys,

Found this really useful . One more piece of information... I went to the apple store today and to clear my doubts about the same thing. The guy told me that i could get an AT&T (GSM) IPAD and is good to activate it in the US to be on the safer side but he also warned me that I could end up getting roaming charges for AT&T. I was confused. Is this even possible?

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Hey Guys,

Found this really useful . One more piece of information... I went to the apple store today and to clear my doubts about the same thing. The guy told me that i could get an AT&T (GSM) IPAD and is good to activate it in the US to be on the safer side but he also warned me that I could end up getting roaming charges for AT&T. I was confused. Is this even possible?

He is right and wrong. It is indeed safer to activate it in the US using a pre-pay microSIM. Then you can go through the initialisation process in the US and get your iPad fully set up. Once you return to India, take the AT&T card out - cancel the AT&T contract (if you opted for monthly payments) and put in a local SIM card (Vodacom, say). Now you have no contact with AT&T at all. They will not charge any roaming fees because you are using the Vodacom card - it's the SIM card that determines who is going to charge you not the iPad. So the fact that the iPad was initially used on AT&T will make no difference - you'll incur no further AT&T charges.

Tim

 

[ht24]

I have a counter question. The one in which you were able to use 3g, could you use indian sim card (idea, airtel, vodafone or anything..) to make calls? I know i will have to use headphones with mic. but could you use it with that sim card slot?

 

[JeffM]

Thanks for this thread guys. I was having similar problems using my US purchased ipad2 in Kenya. I had not activated the 3G AT&T service prior to leaving the US, so when I plugged in my local Kenyan orange network sim card, the top left corner of the screen displayed that I had Orange 3G service, but I was unable to access safari/Internet/email - the message was "you have not set up a cellular data account." So after a lot of troubleshooting I found this post, and was glad to see I was not alone. I went into my local Apple store, and the rep solved the problem quite easily. All you have to do is go to settings>Cellular data>APN settings, then enter the APN. Here in Kenya on the Orange network it is bew.orange.co.ke and you don't have to enter a username or password. That's pretty much it. My iPad's working great and the 3G service here is lightning fast. Hope this helps someone else, I know how frustrating it can get. Great forum!