7 replies to this topic

[ady]

Mobile/Tablet Q guy's

 

does anyone know if any tablet can use mobile data sim cards or is it just certain ones ?

 

I'm asking this for alanb who's a new member here and also a good friend of mine, I haven't the foggiest but I said how helpfull you lot are...

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

Ady

[Daryl]

As far as I am aware Ady mate, the iPad (white version) uses a mobile data sim card, but not as a phone package. What I mean by that is you can't insert your mobile phone sim card into an iPad device and use the internet data from it... As far as I know, you have to purchase a mobile data simcard package for the iPad tablets.

 

As for Android tablets, I cannot help there mate sorry.

[Jaks]

I have been looking into this as I want to get a Nexus 7 3G, Three do a rolling monthly broadband type thing for iPad mini's and things like that, you get 10gig for £15

[Bencrest]

Mobile/Tablet Q guy's

 

does anyone know if any tablet can use mobile data sim cards or is it just certain ones ?

 

I'm asking this for alanb who's a new member here and also a good friend of mine, I haven't the foggiest but I said how helpfull you lot are...

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

Ady

 

Is he asking if every tablet out there can be used with a SIM? If so, definitely not, you need to get a 3G tablet (for example, most lower priced tablets are sold as 'Wi-Fi', you need to buy one that does 'Wi-Fi & 3G'

 

Sorry if that's not what you are asking!

 

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if some tablets were SIMlocked (much like a phone) so they can only be used on specific networks. These can probably be gotten around by unlocking the tablet, but this can cause more harm than good and I'd suggest inexperienced users don't dabble in jailbroken / rooted / hacked tablets!

[Daryl]

Don't forget also that newer tablet computers are now also being released for the new 4G mobile data too... the iPad 3 and iPad Mini re the first two that spring to mind (White edition).

[Bencrest]

Don't forget also that newer tablet computers are now also being released for the new 4G mobile data too... the iPad 3 and iPad Mini re the first two that spring to mind (White edition).

 

I wouldn't factor that into a decision at all, 4G is restricted to limited areas and seems way overpriced from EE at the moment

[Daryl]

I know mate... I was just stating that the newer iDevices from Apple now support the 4G data too - perhaps when the auction finishes for the airwaves and the other companies add their prices into the arena, we will see more competitive competition.

My iPhone 5 runs on my wifi at home, but uses 3G with my network provider (3) when I am not able to access any wifi services - I certainly haven't any complaints with the services from it... but tablet PC data packages might have different settings compared to phone services from network providers... I used to have a 3 dongle when my parents lived on the coast that I could use on my computer down there, and the download speeds were considerably faster than my 3 network services on my phone.

However, the snag there is, on the iPad devices, you cannot use a dongle because there is no USB support - you are limited to the SIM card, which I personally think are slower than dongle services at providing Internet coverage.

[robertmckenzie25]

If you have a decent phone ie An IPHONE and its a contract (dont know about PAYG) you can set it to be a hotspot for your tablet and your phone will act as a router but you are better doing this if you have unlimited data allowance take your phone into a phone shop and ask them to show you how to set it up most phones these days allow you to do this i have the new motorola razri and i do it with mine