Do we need the 3G on the ipad? or is wifi sufficiant.

[defianty]

This is difficult for me! I got the wifi version because I have an iPhone 3GS and didn't want to pay twice for something I've got already but I don't seem to have very good 3G reception around here, where I work or live. I know others do but I live in the country and mainly get 2G. I'm on O2/Tesco because it was the cheapest deal at the time, probably still is but maybe someone could suggest another supplier who knows which works well in my area! I have checked all of them on their coverage maps and this suggests the opposite to me! Confused!

I'd like an iPad 2 with 3G but would this work for me! When in Yeovil, which is the local town for me, it works brilliantly in the shop, but when I get home, zilch! That was a 3G dongle for my laptop. I wasted money on that I'm afraid so went BT instead. Any suggestions?

from Somerset UK on my iPad using IPF app

Take a look at the 3 network. They quote the best coverage in the UK. There's a coverage map on their website. If your covered check out the micro sim deal I got from eBay in the post above. At that price I wasn't going to be that upset if it didn't work everywhere. HTH

 

[DM51]

WiFi is faster than 3G, and if WiFi is available the iPad will default to it, which is good. The great advantage of 3G is it's mobility. If you are away from WiFi you can still use your iPad, even though it will sometimes be very sloooow if you can only get an EDGE or GPRS signal instead of a 3G one.

The other great advantage of the 3G version is the incorporation of GPS location linking to a number of apps - everything from maps to local weather reports to searches.

I don't suppose I am actually connected to the net by 3G more than 1% of the time, but I wouldn't want to be without it.

 

[Hayles66]

Take a look at the 3 network. They quote the best coverage in the UK. There's a coverage map on their website. If your covered check out the micro sim deal I got from eBay in the post above. At that price I wasn't going to be that upset if it didn't work everywhere. HTH

3G said that I had good access outside my house but not in, pretty useless then if I'm in doors but I expect and hope it will change when I get the new iPad. When I went near Bristol airport with my 3GS, I got great 3G signal and I was very impressed with the speed so I'm not knocking it but I think it's because I'm in a valley that it gets worse. I work in Local town which is on the hill of valley and that doesn't get 3G either! I've tried accessing the wifi of the school but it is limited for me - the only excuse I got given by the IT technicians is that the science dept asked for the wifi transmitters( not sure if that's what they are called) to be turned off due to the dangers/risks of constant danger emissions. They get it wired to them now. Not sure if I've explained this well but here's hoping 3G comes here soon.

Edit. I've since checked again and it looks like T-mobile is the best of them all, bit of a surprise to me actually!

from Somerset UK on my iPad using IPF app

 

[DM51]

3G ... good access outside my house but not in, pretty useless then if I'm in doors

but if you have WiFi at home, that doesn't matter at all - your ipad will default to WiFi, which is faster than 3G anyway. See my post above.

 

[SweetPoison]

WiFi is faster than 3G, and if WiFi is available the iPad will default to it, which is good. The great advantage of 3G is it's mobility. If you are away from WiFi you can still use your iPad, even though it will sometimes be very sloooow

I have a question: I know that my 3G kicks in when I am not at home ~ like when I am out in the field. I need it. Slow as it can be.

But ~

Shouldn't 3G kick in at home too, if my wifi is out? Last night I was kicked off the internet three times, as something was up with Comcast.

So I went to my ipad in bed and thinking that 3G would kick in but it didn't. It just kept struggling with the wifi and annoying me to hell.

Why didn't 3G kick in? Because I was at home?

 

[Hayles66]

but if you have WiFi at home, that doesn't matter at all - your ipad will default to WiFi, which is faster than 3G anyway. See my post above.

Yes, you are right, but I need to use 3G at work and it's in the same area. It's useful when I can't get access to computers. Not all schools have the luxury of computers in each classroom for student use, only the teachers computer is available and that is limited to us staff only. I get your point though! Thanks for reminding me.

from Somerset UK on my iPad using IPF app

 

[Hayles66]

I'd like the answer to that as well, thanks for that question Marie!

from Somerset UK on my iPad using IPF app

 

[DM51]

It should kick in whenever WiFi is not available. You should be able to see the cell service provider's name at the top left of the screen, next to the signal strength bars. The WiFi signal is next to that (looks like concentric ripples spreading upwards from a point).

You can test what happens by turning off WiFi and/or Cellular Data in settings.

 

[defianty]

I have a question: I know that my 3G kicks in when I am not at home ~ like when I am out in the field. I need it. Slow as it can be.

But ~

Shouldn't 3G kick in at home too, if my wifi is out? Last night I was kicked off the internet three times, as something was up with Comcast.

So I went to my ipad in bed and thinking that 3G would kick in but it didn't. It just kept struggling with the wifi and annoying me to hell.

Why didn't 3G kick in? Because I was at home?

If your internet access at home was down your iPad would still connect to the wifi. In future go into your settings on the iPad and turn the wifi off. You'll just use the 3G then. HTH

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Take a look at the 3 network. They quote the best coverage in the UK. There's a coverage map on their website. If your covered check out the micro sim deal I got from eBay in the post above. At that price I wasn't going to be that upset if it didn't work everywhere. HTH

3G said that I had good access outside my house but not in, pretty useless then if I'm in doors but I expect and hope it will change when I get the new iPad. When I went near Bristol airport with my 3GS, I got great 3G signal and I was very impressed with the speed so I'm not knocking it but I think it's because I'm in a valley that it gets worse. I work in Local town which is on the hill of valley and that doesn't get 3G either! I've tried accessing the wifi of the school but it is limited for me - the only excuse I got given by the IT technicians is that the science dept asked for the wifi transmitters( not sure if that's what they are called) to be turned off due to the dangers/risks of constant danger emissions. They get it wired to them now. Not sure if I've explained this well but here's hoping 3G comes here soon.

Edit. I've since checked again and it looks like T-mobile is the best of them all, bit of a surprise to me actually!

from Somerset UK on my iPad using IPF app

One of the advantages of the '3' network is that it's 100% 3G - so no GPRS or EDGE anywhere. So if you're connected with '3' you get a great data rate and, like others, I've found their coverage to be excellent.

I was sorry to hear, Hayley, that your school won't allow WiFi because of 'emissions'. A couple of years ago I acted as an expert witness for a mobile telecoms provider who wanted to situate a basestation on top of a school near where I work. The PTA objected and the Council prohibited the installation of all mobile basestations on public buildings. The mobile operator took them to court and I acted as the expert witness on their behalf.

During a school vacation, we temporarily erected a basestation on the school roof and I measured the 'emissions' and compared them to those allowed by the NRPB (National Radiological Protection Board) that sets the national safety standards for radio frequency (RF) emissions in the UK. The emissions from the basestation were minuscule but what shocked us was the emissions from all the PCs in the school's PC classroom.

However, my employers - the University - never one to miss a commercial opportunity, approached the mobile operator and suggested siting the basestation on University property instead! So now the University receives a very tidy annual income from the service provider (about £30,000 per year - wouldn't the school have liked that!) and the school receives nothing.

But the 'sting in the tail' was that they sited the basestation immediately adjacent to my office - which may explain a thing or two about my state of mental health...

Tim

 

[DontUnderstandMyIpad]

I have a question: I know that my 3G kicks in when I am not at home ~ like when I am out in the field. I need it. Slow as it can be.

But ~

Shouldn't 3G kick in at home too, if my wifi is out? Last night I was kicked off the internet three times, as something was up with Comcast.

So I went to my ipad in bed and thinking that 3G would kick in but it didn't. It just kept struggling with the wifi and annoying me to hell.

Why didn't 3G kick in? Because I was at home?

The iPad will always use Wifi over 3g, if both are available. This is built on the assumption, that you, the user, would rather use the generally faster and cheaper Wifi connection, instead of 3G. This is a very neat idea, but the iPad fails to recognize, whether the Wifi is actually connected to the internet. So if your provider network is down, the iPad is still connected to the local wifi network, trying to get inet access, which of course won't work. In those cases, you have to manually disable Wifi, than you can also use 3G at home.

Whoops, three responses while typing.

 

[Hayles66]

Oh, yes, that does explain a lot Tim

I'm always confused about this stuff! What I'd like to know is, if I get my dream ipad2 and go with T-mobile, what would that give me, just 3G or just 2G or both? I'm getting really confused!

from Somerset UK on my iPad using IPF app

 

[SweetPoison]

If your internet access at home was down your iPad would still connect to the wifi. In future go into your settings on the iPad and turn the wifi off. You'll just use the 3G then. HTH

No ~ I don't think so. When our internet is down here, you cannot connect to wifi.

 

[SweetPoison]

It should kick in whenever WiFi is not available. You should be able to see the cell service provider's name at the top left of the screen, next to the signal strength bars. The WiFi signal is next to that (looks like concentric ripples spreading upwards from a point).

You can test what happens by turning off WiFi and/or Cellular Data in settings.

I always forget this part. Thanks!

I have a question: I know that my 3G kicks in when I am not at home ~ like when I am out in the field. I need it. Slow as it can be.

But ~

Shouldn't 3G kick in at home too, if my wifi is out? Last night I was kicked off the internet three times, as something was up with Comcast.

So I went to my ipad in bed and thinking that 3G would kick in but it didn't. It just kept struggling with the wifi and annoying me to hell.

Why didn't 3G kick in? Because I was at home?

The iPad will always use Wifi over 3g, if both are available. This is built on the assumption, that you, the user, would rather use the generally faster and cheaper Wifi connection, instead of 3G. This is a very neat idea, but the iPad fails to recognize, whether the Wifi is actually connected to the internet. So if your provider network is down, the iPad is still connected to the local wifi network, trying to get inet access, which of course won't work. In those cases, you have to manually disable Wifi, than you can also use 3G at home.

Whoops, three responses while typing.

Guess this is right ~ because it failed to recognize it last night.


Sorry, OP! Didn't mean to hi-jack your thread!

 

[DontUnderstandMyIpad]

No ~ I don't think so. When our internet is down here, you cannot connect to wifi.

That is odd.

When the provider's internet goes down temporarily, it has no affect whatsoever on the local wifi network at home. So for clarification, when you say the providers internet goes down, that means, your wifi network at home disappears? Because what should happen is, that all devices are still connected to the home wifi, but just can't get an internet connection.

Guess this is right ~ because it failed to recognize it last night.

Sorry, OP! Didn't mean to hi-jack your thread!

This does answer the above question