Does an iPad use a SIM Card?

[Retired]

Does an iPad that connects to 4G use a SIM card, so if the user wants to change carrier, the card would be changed which would allow access to an alternative carrier, or is the access to the chosen carrier hard wired into the device.

I am not referring to the WiFi version, only the 4G version.

 

[Daniel E.]

Apparently:

https://www.google.com/search?sourc....,cf.osb&fp=df41ee306381e0bb&biw=1241&bih=482

 

[Retired]

So if I get an iPad in the U.S. or Canada, and when I'm in the other Country, I would just substitute the SIM card for the carrier of my choice?

 

[Daniel E.]

I guess so:

iPhone and iPad: How to remove the SIM card

 

[Daniel E.]

I assume this may apply to the newer iPad(s) as well:

http://store.apple.com/ae-edu/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone/iphone4

The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a contract commitment.You can activate and use it on the supported GSM wireless network of your choice. The unlocked iPhone 4 will not work with CDMA-based carriers.

If you don't want a multiyear service contract or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling, the unlocked iPhone 4 is the best choice. It arrives without a micro-SIM card, so you'll need an active micro-SIM card from any supported GSM carrier worldwide. To start using it, simply insert the micro-SIM card into the slot on your iPhone, then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.​

 

[H011yHawkJ311yBean]

If you get a SIM card from one carrier, it will be locked to that carrier. So you might have to get the iPad unlocked. If you got it from Rogers, for instance, but you wanted to use a different SIM chip from Telus, for example, you would have to get the device (iPad, iPhone) unlocked so you could then use it with a different SIM card.

I know if your iPad is not on a Postpaid/contract, then you can get the unlock code from your service provider.

On the other hand if you can't easily obtain the unlock codes (not to unlock your phone or ipad, but to unlock it from the one network) you might have to pay a dealer to get the codes for you. Or you could simply use WIFI while traveling outside of your local area to avoid Roaming Data charges.

See if you get a Canadian SIM you can still use it in the USA, or vice versa. But if you are thinking of switching from one carrier (ie Rogers) to another (ie Telus) then you need to get the device unlocked from the original network it is locked to.

Hopefully that makes sense. If for instance you buy the iPad from Bell and the original SIM would be from Bell, then you are locked to the network of Bell. Another SIM will not work. In order to switch to a different carrier you need to unlock your iPad, which is sometimes harder to accomplish than it sounds! 8P So if you were to avoid long distance and roaming charges when you bought the device in Canada, and you are going down to the States or vice versa, and you couldn't unlock the phone to other networks, you could make do with SMS and Voice calls, and then if you use WIFI (and shut off your data on your iPad just to make sure you aren't sending iMessages, MMS, emails, updates, app usage, GPS, icloud, Locations,etc) you are using someone's hardline cable/phone line HS connection, which is using their HS Plan and you are NOT using whatever your towers/mobile network plan is.

 

[Retired]

JGJB,

Thanks for the additional information that gives me a better idea of what I'm up against. I live in both the U.S. and Canada at different times of the year, so I'm trying to figure out how to make this work during the time I'm in either Country, if it's at all possible.

 

[H011yHawkJ311yBean]

A lot of our customers roam, and we usually tell them the alternative to getting roaming data charges would be to stick with one carrier but just shut off the data on the device (settings >> general >> network >> turn off cellular data (leave 3G services on, as you don't want to lose the ability to sms (textst) and talk on the phone and receive calls)... Even if you just shut off Roaming Data you may still get some roaming (it's rare, but it happens)...

You may also wish to go to settings >> messages >> turn off iMessages while roaming, as well as MMS (multimedia messaging service, picture messaging) and that way you only will be sms.

PS. I don't know about your carrier, but on our carrier (Sasktel) if you send a regular sms/text message that is over 140 characters you may be charged the .75 pay per use picture messaging charge. Also when you shut off MMS, if you leave iMessaging on, you can tell you are texting another iPhone/4G iPad because it will look blue (data) instead of green (sms/text). So if you want to send pictures you can either use email or iMessage, but as soon as you send a picture with text it doesn't count as data (at least on our provider), it counts as picture messaging/MMS. And if you have data off while roaming you should have to use WIFI to send emails or other data anyway.