iPad 3G in India with MicroSim!!

[krk]

I was planning on surprising my dad (in Mumbai) with the new ipad2 3g version. Problem is, I’m not sure what 3g services and prices are available for Mumbai and Thane location.
is it as easy as signing up for a 3g plan with one of the providers (eg. vodafone, MTNL, BSNL) and they provide a 3g SIM (which u need to cut to make it a micro-sim), insert into the ipad2 and voila? can someone give me a rough estimate on prices per month for 3g service in Mumbai? Presently, i’m not sure if my dad has 3g on his mobile, he just has basic cell phone coverage. Just like the US, is it possible to sign up for personal hotspot 3g service if his phone and the provider support it? if yes, what models and providers support it?

3G is available in Mumbai and Thane. Check the websites of respective operators.

To be on 3G often it is with your existing SIM this can be enabled, nothing special or different about the 3G SIM.

It is as simple as calling the operator they would start the 3G service for your existing SIM.
Even new sign ups are identical to signing up for 2G.

In your dads case he would need micro SIM and a separate connection, most operators should be able to provide micro SIMs, if not there are places where they downsize the Regular SIM,( if you don't want to do it yourself.)

Hotspots have not yet picked up so well, assume none exists for all practical purpose.
At home highly recommended to setup wifi hotspot, any wifi modem would do.
iPad supports the "n" variant which is faster, hence look for wifi modems supporting this variant.

 

[Ricky11]

Micro Sim problem in India

Hi.

I am planning to buy IPAD 2 with 3G services.
Please suggest me If i buy this from US then there would be any problem with MICRO SIM in INDIA? Or is there any other problem with IPAD 2 in India?

Please Suggest..................

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Hi.

I am planning to buy IPAD 2 with 3G services.
Please suggest me If i buy this from US then there would be any problem with MICRO SIM in INDIA? Or is there any other problem with IPAD 2 in India?

Please Suggest..................

As you can see from the posts in this thread, there is no problem operating an iPad2 in India. The iPad's microSIM is relatively new so you might be advised, when you're in the US, to purchase a SIM cutter (see Amazon) that can trim the excess plastic off a regular SIM and make it compatible with the iPad. Also, be sure to purchase the AT&T model iPad; the Verizon model will not work in India. Additionally, you'll have seen in this thread that most Members who bought an iPad in the US and then wanted to use it in India subsequently, had to initialise it while in the US on AT&T - so you'll need to sign up there for a very limited data plan - the minimum cost one - in order to get the iPad 3G networking set up. Once it's initialised, as you'll have seen from the other posts, it will work just fine in India on Vodacom or any other carrier.

Tim

 

[ipadoza]

Hi.

Additionally, you'll have seen in this thread that most Members who bought an iPad in the US and then wanted to use it in India subsequently, had to initialise it while in the US on AT&T - so you'll need to sign up there for a very limited data plan - the minimum cost one - in order to get the iPad 3G networking set up. Once it's initialised, as you'll have seen from the other posts, it will work just fine in India on Vodacom or any other carrier.

Tim

Hi Tim,
i have heard from friends who have used the iPad 1st version that they did not need to activate it in the US before using it in India. Can you clarify?

Thanks!

 

[omar tt]

Halo

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Hi.

Additionally, you'll have seen in this thread that most Members who bought an iPad in the US and then wanted to use it in India subsequently, had to initialise it while in the US on AT&T - so you'll need to sign up there for a very limited data plan - the minimum cost one - in order to get the iPad 3G networking set up. Once it's initialised, as you'll have seen from the other posts, it will work just fine in India on Vodacom or any other carrier.

Tim

Hi Tim,
i have heard from friends who have used the iPad 1st version that they did not need to activate it in the US before using it in India. Can you clarify?

Thanks!

I've heard varying stories, but by far the most have been from either people who (a) have activated it in the US and then had no trouble when they got home or (b) from those people who did not activate it in the US and then did have trouble when they got home. I've only ever seen one post from a guy who bought an iPad in the US and then said he was able to activate when he got home to Russia.

Tim

 

[udrrek]

The first gen iPad did not require activation. It worked fine. The second gen iPad has launched in India and is available at the outlets.

 

[mohitoswal]

what is the APN for reliance please?

 

[vb7ue]

what is the APN for reliance please?

SCAM

Just kidding..

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

what is the APN for reliance please?

Have a look here


Reliance GSM GPRS settings - India BroadBand

Tim

 

[araje]

Activating ATT in US before taking to India may not be required

Hi Tim,
I scanned through many many posts over the weekend to understand this 3G issue - locked or unlocked and whether to be activated or not activated with ATT first before taking it out of US to say - India.

It appears that one needs to activate the ipad by connecting it to itunes. Now, if that is done while being in the US then once you come to India it just works fine and you can swap the ATT sim (never used) and use a Airtel/Bsnl sim.
I think the problem is eveyrone is just trying to unbox the ipad in inda, and put a local sim and expecting it to work. There are few people who have never used ATT activation and directly unboxed the ipad for the first time in india and got it working with BSNL - but that is after they followed the itunes activation on wifi.

So, I think once the device is activated, then you should be able to use a local sim. What do you think !? Yesterday, I went to an apple store in PHX and this is what he told me. I have to admit that when I was chatting to support they said its ATT locked - but the store guy corrected it saying what they are really trying to say is that btwn ATT and verizon, its GSM only.

Let me know what you think. I have my ipad coming in a couple of days (still deciding whether 16 or 32 and whether black or white )
I have an indian SIM with international roaming with data. I am going to try that SIM while being in US to see if I latch to ATT - this is ofcourse after I activate the ATT sim with 14.99 plan and then removing it out just to confirm if there is any locking issue. I am expecting that with the Airtel sim that I have, I should be able to latch on to Tmobile on "E" (diff 3gband) or ATT on "H" networks. Lets see !!

I am already using this SIM on my galaxy S phone here. Works data perfectly, so thats my baseline to compare to.

 

[sss249]

hello there, any kind soul out there would help me???
if i'm getting an ipad here in india, will it work with other 3G provider outside india??

 

[vb7ue]

hello there, any kind soul out there would help me???
if i'm getting an ipad here in india, will it work with other 3G provider outside india??

No iPad is locked to any specific provider, unlike iPhones. So if you buy it anywhere in the world, you could move on to any other service provider globally.

 

[sss249]

Thanx a lot for the clarification

 

[Zamiruddin]

Hello,
I will be in India for a month and would like to use my iPad there. I am visiting from Canada. What do you recommend? I will be in Delhi.