Using iPad4 in Europe

[kitjv]

I plan to get the new iPad4 (AT&T version) from the Apple store here in the U.S. Please correct me if I am wrong in my understanding. This iPad is unlocked & comes with an AT&T SIM chip. When traveling in Europe, I will be able to swap out the SIM for a country-specific SIM for use on that carrier's network in that country. Is my understanding correct so far?

Again, correct me if I am wrong, in the U.S. the iPad will operate on AT&T's 4G network only. It will NOT work on any 4G network in Europe. However, it will operate on any 3G network in both North America & in Europe. So, the question I have is: do most cell carriers in Europe use 3G or 4 G networks? Thank you for your help.

Th

 

[MattIM]

I plan to get the new iPad4 (AT&T version) from the Apple store here in the U.S. Please correct me if I am wrong in my understanding. This iPad is unlocked & comes with an AT&T SIM chip. When traveling in Europe, I will be able to swap out the SIM for a country-specific SIM for use on that carrier's network in that country. Is my understanding correct so far?

Again, correct me if I am wrong, in the U.S. the iPad will operate on AT&T's 4G network only. It will NOT work on any 4G network in Europe. However, it will operate on any 3G network in both North America & in Europe. So, the question I have is: do most cell carriers in Europe use 3G or 4 G networks? Thank you for your help.

Th

Hello kitjv, I have not been to Europe in the past two years but I did have my AT&T iPad with me when I visited the UK and France. I was able to buy a sim card in the UK with a prepaid data plan from Orange(?) and then when I was in France, I bought another sim card from the French telecom. I do not know if things have changed that much in two years, but that is what I had to do to access the Internet in places where wifi was not available. England and France are very well connected, you have to go out to the countryside to get away from wifi! Even two years ago, I barely used the plans I bought with my sim card.

Perhaps someone else in the forum with more recent experience traveling and iPadding in Europe could chime in?

 

[kitjv]

Thank you, Matt. Your comments help to confirm my understanding. While I was in Spain last month, I did use an unlocked mobile phone which worked seamlessly. However, since I had my iPad2 (Verizon version), I did not have the opportunity to use it on any cellular network. That is why I am considering the purchase of a retina AT&T iPad.

 

[Danny102]

Hi there, I live in the UK. All UK networks offer a 3G service as far as I know. Everything everywhere or EE (Which is Orange and Tmobile) Offer 4G. Now im not sure if that will be compatible with your iPad but I do know the service is available to UK iphone 5 owners.

 

[kitjv]

Thank you, Danny. It would be nice to know if networks in continental Europe are predominantly 3G or 4G.