Carrier Best iPad cell carrier to use intermittently in USA

[Domino8282]

Hey all, my cell phone carrier is Xfinity Mobile but for some dumb reason they don’t support bring your own device for iPads. Which of the supported carriers do y’all think has the best combo of coverage + price for intermittent prepaid use in the USA (basically just for a few weeks here and there on vacations when I don’t feel like tethering)?

 

[rui no onna]

T-Mobile $10/5GB/150 days

 

[FMRWin10Boy]

AT&T. $20 per month, no contract. Unlimited data usage.

 

[mk313]

Hands down agree with the t mo recommendation.

 

[rui no onna]

AT&T. $20 per month, no contract. Unlimited data usage.

Unless you have the old grandfathered plan, I think that's only available for AT&T postpaid customers.

 

[Domino8282]

Thanks guys appreciate the recs. I’m assuming that using T-Mobile doesn’t lock down the eSIM so that if I go overseas, for example, I can’t switch and use another carrier. I remember hearing that at least one carrier (Verizon?) locks down the eSIM to where you can no longer use it with another company. Maybe that’s wrong. Or would you just pop in a prepaid Nano SIM if you went overseas?

 

[rui no onna]

Nano SIM slot is always unlocked on iPads.

ATT and Verizon only lock the eSIM for iPads purchased/financed from them. If you buy unlocked and activate with ATT or Verizon, the iPad remains fully unlocked.

ATT and Verizon impose carrier visibility rules which limits you from signing up directly for a plan via the iPad's Settings with an unactivated SIM but you can always pop a SIM with an active plan and that'll work.

No such issues with T-Mobile.