iPad and International SIM card

You don't want to try and use an AT&T SIM without some sort of lower-cost data plan from AT&T. The costs for using data overseas can be astronomical. Alternative: Buying a prepaid SIM from a local company in Europe and then getting one of the pay-as-you-go data packages. This will cost less than AT&T's plan. Or: Get a SIM from a travel phone company that is designed for data. There is one that caters to IPhone and IPad users. I don't recall a really recent discussion here, but there have been message threads in the past year or so that have discussed it. I can help you find them if the Search feature doesn't produce them. Or: Just use wifi only. Wifi will be available at lots of places and may be free. I have used data on a computer and smartphone by buying a prepaid SIM from T-Mobile in the U.K. I've used it in the U.K., Germany, Italy, and France. This is the course I will take on my next trip. I don't require data-heavy applications, such as watching video, but instead do some Internet surfing as well as use it to send and receive email. For that it works great and I don't have to worry about looking for a wifi connection.

Ash, it really depends on your travel plans. If you are traveling to one country, get a local SIM card. You can even purchase one in the US prior to your departure. This is ideal especially if you want to be up and running as soon as you arrive or, if you don't speak the language and would hence have a hard time setting up the data plan. For example, you can get a SIM card with 10 GB of data for Italy here in the US online http://www.cellularabroad.com/DataSIMitaly.php. However, if you are planning on visiting several countries, another solution may just be to get one of AT&T's data packages. Their prices just dropped considerably for data roaming.

I have been looking at a company at this web site: www.telestial.com which has Micro SIMS for the iPad at $29.00 which includes $10.00 of air time. Its called Passport PLUS SIM. Has anyone dealt with his company? Also what does the included air time mean as for as the amount of data?

Ash, I sent a response to your PM, too. I'm not sure about whether the credit can be used for data, but I think it can. You can see the available data rates on Telestial's web pages. The cost per MB isn't super terrific, but it isn't as bad as what you'd get from a U.S. carrier without a special international package. For example, T-Mobile, which doesn't have a package, charges $10 or $15 per MB. With at least one of its SIM packages, Telestial will sell you a MB for $0.39 in the U.K. The rates are higher for France and other countries, though. France is $0.99 per MB. You can get it cheaper from a SIM from a provider in the U.K. You may still want to consider AT&T, however. I just read something a few days ago about AT&T lowering its data rates. One of the rates I read was $0.25 per MB, a better deal, although you have to buy it in a package of 120 MBs at a time.

I got a sim card for my phone from Telestial last year. I was not able to make a phone call. I emailed them. They replied in great length with instructions, but I was still not able to make a call. Since I got the card for that reason, it was a total waste of my money. Of course you want a sim for your iPad and that is a different thing. I wish I had just used the AT&T plan.

For my iPhone, the AT&T plan for phoning and texting was not too expensive. Texts were about 50 cents each, I think. For my iPad, I just used wifi as it was available at every hotel we used. By the way, I have noticed a trend both here and in Europe -- the more expensive the hotel, the less likely wifi will be free. I find that amusing. I kept the iPad in airplane mode to prevent accidental usage. Just don't use any data without a plan. The charges can be astronomical.

Can you use data on an iPad without a data plan?

Andrea, not sure if you were asking Ash a question about his usage or asking a general question. If it was the latter, yes, IPads work without a phone data connection. Many don't even have the radio circuitry necessary for phone system connections. You pay extra for that feature.

I know this reply is several months late, but it may be helpful to you and others. When traveling in Portugal, France, and Spain recently, I was able to purchase a SIM card to work in the iPad. They are relatively inexpensive (about 20 Euros, depending) and come charged with unlimited data. The problem, for me (since my personal use was for mapping and GPS) is that the connect time is limited - about 10 hours in each case - and, once used up, nearly impossible to recharge, especially if you're on the move. Note that the SIM must be capable of being resized to micro-SIM; and that you must have the iPad "tool" to pop our the card carrier, or use a very slim paper clip. I should also note that Vodafone and Orange had the best prices and the best connection experience. Once the SIM was in the iPad, it worked almost right away. SFR (France) was quite a different story. It took more than a day to actually connect, and then, only after a return to the store (I fortunately was in the same town for that period) where the tech staff checked my iPad with an Orange card, and the sales staff then entered some additional information for SFR. So, for brief email and web-surfing, it worked fine when not near WiFi (WiFi, of course, is never available while in a moving vehicle, and is very spotty, especially in the countryside where I was traveling). Also, explaining to non-technical sales staff that you need more connect time is a lesson in frustration.

John, nice ...and timely. I am planning a trip later this year to France and Scotland and am debating best way to get data plan. I've read elsewhere that many people have run into administrative problems, whether dealing with Orange or SFR. Namely, that they require a French address and may take days to "authorize" access. Has anyone encountered any such issues (especially in France)?

"WiFi, of course, is never available while in a moving vehicle, and is very spotty, especially in the countryside where I was traveling). When we traveled Turkey, we had free wifi on the bus while moving.

"...WiFi, of course, is never available while in a moving vehicle, and is very spotty, especially in the countryside where I was traveling..." Lots of buses and high-speed trains offer WiFi.

We're traveling to Italy and Croatia this summer 2013 for 3 weeks. Planning to take I-phone, I-Touch and I-pad. I have Verizon as my carrier. I plan to download travel guides and use the internet to search for travel information. Do I purchase a SIM card in when I get to Europe or should I get it here in the States? I don't plan to get international coverage that is expensive, but hopefully use WIFI when not driving. I am not tech savvy so any advice would be appreciated. Kleen
Portland, OR 2/7/13

@Kleen, A few questions and comments...... > Whether your iPhone will even work in Europe (except for Wi-Fi) will depend on which model phone you're using. Only the Verizon iPhone 4S and later are able to access GSM networks. > If your iPhone or iPad are capable of accessing GSM networks, BE VERY CAREFUL with data roaming (ie: "when driving"), as the costs can be HUGE! I believe Verizon offers travel plans for a small extra charge, but you'll have to check with them. > You won't be able to "purchase a SIM card" in Europe unless your phone is unlocked. You'll have to check with Verizon on that. > If you only plan on using the iPhone for occasional calls, texting and VERY occasional data use, then a travel pack is a reasonably cost effective option. HOWEVER, keep in mind that if anyone back home calls your number, it will be directed to you in Europe, and YOU will pay for the incoming call. You could also receive annoying calls in the "wee hours" of the morning from somebody that didn't bother (or didn't care) to check the time difference > Where you have Wi-Fi access (your Hotel, restaurants or whatever), you'll be able to use any of your devices to access the internet. Cheers!

@Kleen Read RS's advice on cell phones, SIM cards, and online calling services (such as Skypo). Here's the link:
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/cell-phone-europe.htm

May 2012, we travelled parts of England, Wales and Ireland. Shortly after we arrived in London, we stopped into one of the electronics stores that populate the streets called Reload. I purchased a 28 day SIM card for my iPad for £44.99. (Much cheaper than buying a contract at home in Canada!) It was good throughout Great Britain and saved us while traveling in a car. Our GPS failed to function once we drove into Wales and the iPad was our only source of road information. It worked marvelously.
Then in Ireland I bought ~one week of time with a different company called "3" for €10 where they changed the card and set it up for me, same great service as in London. Again, excellent coverage and really useful. Power of course runs down on the iPad when using it all day in the car but charges up just fine at night. Returned to England and switched out the card myself, re-installing the Reload coverage card. By then I had watched the other store attendants do the job and I knew it was fairly simple. I am seeking a similar set up when we visit Germany and Turkey this year.

'Power of course runs down on the iPad when using it all day in the car.' No lighter socket??

As far as the question about Telestial.......I used one of their SIM cards for my iPhone 5 on a recent trip to the US. It worked well and I had no real problems, though I didn't use it often. My only annoyance was that when it got down to $5 left on the card, they kept sending me a text every couple of hours reminding me to top up my card. I had no intention of topping it up, because I was only sending 2 or 3 texts a day and was flying home in a couple of days, and so the reminder texts kept coming. They were annoying and I had to turn off my text message sound to keep from getting "bing"ed every few hours. Still, that wasn't annoying enough for me not to do business with them again. I just bought a Passport Lite card for my upcoming trip to Portugal :) It was delivered promptly, and I expect to have no serious problems with it (I intend it to be used primarily for data for some of my travel apps, and as an emergency phone).

@kleen The easiest way is to buy sim locally in each country.
For Croatia I can share my experience : you go to t-mobile shop, you buy a sim for your iPad you can use in the iPhone too and have voice calls and data. Then you put money on this card you can buy without any contract. Simply you put money on the card (ask in t-mobile shop ) how to do and then you choose the option which quantity of data you need , the largest is option XL which cost 75 kuna ( 10 euros ) and gives you 1 GBytes of data to use on maximum 1 month.