iPad Owners With Original Unlimited Data Plan Get Unlimited, Unthrottled 4G

Wednesday March 7, 2012 12:21 PM PST by Jordan Golson
The original 3G iPad came with an unlimited data plan from AT&T -- it was only available for a couple of months, before AT&T implemented its current capped data plans.

We're told that the handful of customers who still have unlimited iPad data plans from the first iPad will get to keep those plans if they get a new iPad with 4G. Additionally, their data won't be throttled for the time being -- AT&T's throttling policies only apply to smartphones, not tablets.

That said, AT&T's contracts -- including those for iPad data plans -- do allow for the throttling of unlimited plans, but we're told that AT&T has no current plans to do so.
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Hellhammer
84 months ago
They say that it's unthrottled now so people won't make a big fuss out of it. Wait a few months and heavy users suddenly get lower bandwidth.
Rating: 9 Votes
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DiamondMac
84 months ago
Enjoy it now. I am sure in 2-3 months AT&T will claim that their networks just can not handle anymore people with unlimited plans going above 2gb....but if they want to pay a bit more....then their networks will magically be able to handle it.
Rating: 9 Votes
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gothamguy
84 months ago
"for the time being" = until March 16th when the thing actually ships.
Rating: 5 Votes
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Fofer
84 months ago
As someone who felt squeezed by AT&T's bait-and-switch on this, one month after I bought in, and has begrudgingly maintained iPad 3G service for two years now just to keep this unlimited plan, I am HAPPY to read this!

I hope it's true. And stays that way for awhile. This will sway me back in AT&T's direction, I was about to get a Verizon iPad 3 as an upgrade instead.

So how does one transfer the grandfathered unlimited account to the new iPad? Is it sufficient just to swap the sim cards?


I don't think that'd work as apparently LTE uses a new MicroSIM?

//www.macrumors.com/2012/02/10/att-rolling-out-lte-micro-sim-cards-sparking-speculation-on-ipad-3-link/


Last year I had to login to the AT&T iPad account and change the IMEI. (AT&T servers were down so I had to do it myself)


How did you do this? There's nowhere on the iPad UI as far as I know. Is this via a phone call, visit to AT&T's website, what?

Thanks for any info.
Rating: 3 Votes
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utwarreng
84 months ago
By that same token, I expect my unlimited 3G plan for my iPhone to turn into an unlimited/unthrottled 4G plan come this fall.
Rating: 2 Votes
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Blorzoga
84 months ago
I don't believe it for a second. AT&T will definitely end up screwing its customers as usual.
Rating: 2 Votes
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Imahottguy
84 months ago
I called CS and they said that all I need to do is go to att.com/ipadlanding choose "edit user and payment info" and then "update device information". There one can edit the IMEI and ICCID info for the iPad. Once the changes have been made, power cycle the new iPad and viola. Your unlimited service has just been transferred from one iPad to another. Oh yeah, and you do get unlimited 4G as well as 3G. They also told me that currently there is no deadline for when one would have to do this. In my situation, I cannot afford a new iPad for like 4 months, they said that is fine, as long as I keep paying.

$30 for unlimited 4G? Yes preeze.
Rating: 2 Votes
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ks-man
84 months ago
There have got to be far fewer grandfathered unlimited iPad users than iPhone users so definitely don't expect this to be the same path when the iPhone goes to 4G LTE.
Rating: 2 Votes
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Biff...
84 months ago
I just upgraded to an LTE phone from my iphone 4s. My unlimted data stayed in place, plus I was given the option to add 200 msg for an extra $5.
Rating: 2 Votes
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Bheleu
84 months ago
It's official, straight from AT&T

http://forums.att.com/t5/Apple-iPad/Transfer-data-plan-from-iPad-to-iPad3-new-iPad/m-p/3075727/highlight/true#M563

Well sorta, read the fine print at the end of his tag... Still coming from a Community Manager instead of a news website is a better source in my opinion.

Re: Transfer data plan from iPad to iPad3 (new iPad) ?
Options
03-09-2012 06:34:08 AM

We will continue to offer an unlimited data plan to grandfathered customers who currently have an Unlimited Data Plan for iPad for $30/month.
*
If you don't have an unlimited data plan, you have a choice of postpaid or prepaid (session based) data plans for iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G.*Both plan types include free unlimited Wi-Fi connections at over 29,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots nationwide.
*
Here's the pricing:
*
Data Amount Monthly Price
250 MB $14.99
3 GB $30.00
5 GB $50.00
--------------

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