The Apple iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G is a truly unique device with a unique user interface and unique and innovative capabilities and as a result it performs best on a tariff tailored to meet its capabilities. Given its large screen, intuitive interface, portability and impressive battery life it is a device that lends itself to use for primarily internet-related tasks.
As most activities carried out on the iPad are likely to involve a certain degree of data transfer – web browsing, e-mail, downloading applications from the App Store etc – it is important to ensure that you avail yourself of a data plan that will adequately meet your needs in order to avoid excess data charges.
The beauty of the iPad SIM only deals is that they have a particularly short contract length in general which means that you can change your tarrif regularly if your usage increases or decreases, or you find that your chosen network operator doesn’t offer quite as widespread coverage in your most frequented areas as you’d perhaps anticipated. Some operators offer contracts as short as 1 day and Pay As You Go options are also available.
Many of the tariffs offer free bundled Wi-fi at either or both BT Openzone and The Cloud Wi-Fi hotspots, which will in general prove to be faster and more reliable than a 3G connection.
iPad deals are unusual in that they do not include voice minutes or texts as these devices do not have voice or SMS capabilities.
| Network Operator | Package Name | Contract Duration | Included Minutes | Included Texts | Added Extras | Monthly Cost | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
500MB + unlimited Wi-Fi | 1 day | 0.2 GB | Unlimited Wi-Fi | MicroSIM | £2.04 | see deal |
|
1GB + unlimited Wi-Fi | 30 days | 1 GB | Unlimited Wi-Fi | MicroSIM | £10.24 | see deal |
| 2GB + unlimited Wi-Fi |
30 days | 2 GB | Unlimited Wi-Fi | MicroSIM | £15.32 | see deal | |
 |
1 month 1GB | 30 days | 1GB | 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi | MicroSIM | £10.00 | see deal |
|
1 month 2GB | 30 days | 2 GB | 2GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi | MicroSIM | £15.00 | see deal |
|
12 months 5GB | 12 months | 5 GB | 2GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi | MicroSIM | £25.00 | see deal |
 |
iPad 250MB anytime + Unlimited BT Wi-fi | 30 days | 250MB | Unlimited BT WiFi | MicroSIM | £5.00 | see deal |
|
iPad 1GB anytime + Unlimited BT Wi-fi | 30 days | 1GB | Unlimited BT WiFi | MicroSIM | £10.00 | see deal |
 |
Pay As You Go + 1 | 0 days | 1 GB | PAYG – valid for 30 days | MicroSIM | £10.49 | see deal |
|
Pay As You Go + 3 | 0 days | 3 GB | PAYG- valid for 3 months | MicroSIM | £20.49 | see deal |
|
Micro-SIM Only + 1GB | 30 days | 1 GB | – | MicroSIM | £7.50 | see deal |
|
Micro-SIM Only + 10GB | 30 days | 10 GB | – | MicroSIM | £15.00 | see deal |
iPad SIM only benefits
The SIM only offers for the iPad range from Pay As You Go to short-term contracts and this means that you are only tied to the contract for a short time – generally around 30 days. This gives you the flexibility to terminate the contract quickly if you need to and to switch tariff or even network as a more competitive data deal becomes available.
On the other hand, you can continue to get the SIM only deal for as long as you like because the contract will continue to roll month by month until you choose to stop it. Some other SIM only contracts last for up to 12 months, and the benefit of these is that you typically get a better deal if you commit for a longer period – these long-term SIM only deals typically include better deals on mobile data and internet browsing, and may also be cheaper than corresponding shorter contracts.
It is worth taking into account the fact that the iPad houses a Micro SIM which is smaller than the standard SIM card for other smartphones. This is the reason why you will see dedicated iPad and iPhone SIM deals because the hardware is different. However, there are adapters that can be used which will allow Micro SIMs to be used in standard phones.