iPad upgrades

[hbelkins]

This question is for anyone who may have upgraded an iPad, mainly from 1st generation to 2nd or 3rd ("the New iPad"), but secondarily also from 1st or 2nd to 3rd.

Were you able to transfer your existing data plan from the old one to the new one when you did so? And for those who may have have had the original unlimited data plan, this question especially applies to you.

The scenario: someone's brother has a 1st gen iPad with unlimited data. He's thinking about upgrading to the "New iPad" and wonders if he'll be able to keep his unlimited data under a grandfather arrangement. He would then give his old iPad to his brother, whose wife has misplaced hers but the husband is still paying $29.95 a month for unlimited data on it without a way to cancel the plan since he can't get his hands on that particular iPad. He would transfer his wife's plan to the "new" 1st gen iPad if possible.

[Molandfreak]

This question is for anyone who may have upgraded an iPad, mainly from 1st generation to 2nd or 3rd ("the New iPad"), but secondarily also from 1st or 2nd to 3rd.

Were you able to transfer your existing data plan from the old one to the new one when you did so? And for those who may have have had the original unlimited data plan, this question especially applies to you.

The scenario: someone's brother has a 1st gen iPad with unlimited data. He's thinking about upgrading to the "New iPad" and wonders if he'll be able to keep his unlimited data under a grandfather arrangement. He would then give his old iPad to his brother, whose wife has misplaced hers but the husband is still paying $29.95 a month for unlimited data on it without a way to cancel the plan since he can't get his hands on that particular iPad. He would transfer his wife's plan to the "new" 1st gen iPad if possible.

My dad switched from a plan on a secondary windows phone to a data plan on the iPad because he lost the phone in the woods. It was up for renewal. No problem

[Stratuscaster]

In theory, it should be as simple as calling the carrier, giving them the IMEI/MEID number from the new iPad, the ICCID/SIM number from the old iPad, and telling them "switch it." Then remove the SIM card from the old, install into the new, and done.

However, since the old iPad cannot be found, that would be difficult. I don't see why he cannot cancel that service even without having physical possession of the iPad. Example: if your iPad was stolen, you'd certainly be able to cancel service on it.

At this point, it would be up to someone's brother to convince his carrier to send him a replacement SIM that has been activated with his current plan to put into his replacement iPad. Not impossible, but may not be all that easy.

[realjd]

Just move the SIM from the old iPad to the new one. It's that easy. Unless, however,  he buys an ipad mini in which case he'd need to switch to a smaller "nano" SIM. The carrier should be able to help with that.

For the hand-me-down older iPad, use the SIM from the newer one or go to the carrier and they'll give you a new one. In every other country I've been to, SIM cards are free or extremely cheap (~$5). I'm assuming its the same way here.

As for the lost one, why not call the carrier and cancel service?

EDIT: I just remembered Verizon is still backwards and doesn't use SIM cards. If you use them, you can still do the transfer, you'll just have to do it at a Verizon store. I've also heard that the Apple store employees can handle service transfers and such but you may want to call and ask before going out of your way.

[hbelkins]

As for the lost one, why not call the carrier and cancel service?

The lost one is around somewhere. But if the $29.95 unlimited plan is cancelled, it cannot be re-instituted. Choices are $15 for 250 MB per month, $30 for 3 GB or $50 for 5 GB.

Someone's brother said that he had ascertained that it would be possible to transfer service from the lost one to a temporary replacement simply by logging in under the email address used to acquire service on the missing one, then restarting the iPad. Someone tested this today by logging in to that account on his iPad, and it showed up with the missing device's cellular data number, but he logged back in to his account and did not restart the iPad.

[Stratuscaster]

That cellular number is not only tied to Someone's account, but to the SIM card it was activated on. Carrier "should" be able to move service/number from lost SIM to a new SIM.

[Stratuscaster]

EDIT: I just remembered Verizon is still backwards and doesn't use SIM cards. If you use them, you can still do the transfer, you'll just have to do it at a Verizon store. I've also heard that the Apple store employees can handle service transfers and such but you may want to call and ask before going out of your way.

On iPad Gen3 ("New iPad") and iPad Gen4 ("Newer iPad"), Verizon does indeed use a SIM card. (I know this because I did a 50-unit deployment of iPad Gen4's and 12 of the Verizon SIM cards were defective and needed to be replaced.)

[realjd]

EDIT: I just remembered Verizon is still backwards and doesn't use SIM cards. If you use them, you can still do the transfer, you'll just have to do it at a Verizon store. I've also heard that the Apple store employees can handle service transfers and such but you may want to call and ask before going out of your way.

On iPad Gen3 ("New iPad") and iPad Gen4 ("Newer iPad"), Verizon does indeed use a SIM card. (I know this because I did a 50-unit deployment of iPad Gen4's and 12 of the Verizon SIM cards were defective and needed to be replaced.)

Really? Awesome. I'm glad to see Verizon finally joining the rest of the world. I don't remember how I traveled internationally without being able to pick up a local SIM for an old, unlocked smartphone (previously a crappy old Android phone, now my old iPhone since AT&T unlocks them once they're out of contract).