Carrier Question - LTE Availability Options

[jeme]

So I know there are only two model numbers or part numbers for the iPad Mini Retina. So with the very limited availability of the LTE models, why would a person just not buy one that is available say Sprint and put a AT&T or Verizon SIM in it as it will work. What would be the down side of doing something like this?

See here and then look at this pic.

http://gigaom.com/2013/11/01/ipad-air-with-lte-tip-you-can-switch-carrier-sims-at-will/

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

I have heard that some carriers are a little difficult about activating a device that you did not buy from them. However, at the end of the day they aren't likely to pass up a customer. I say get whichever LTE you can find and then get the SIM card you want.

For example, my Air and my wife's Mini are both Verizon. I ordered the free SIMs from TMobile and they work for the free 200mb of data.

 

[jeme]

Agreed - I have a Sprint LTE model with another carriers SIM in it. I am trying to determine if there are any downsides to doing this?

 

[deeddawg]

why would a person just not buy one that is available say Sprint and put a AT&T or Verizon SIM in it as it will work. What would be the down side of doing something like this?

Some have claimed it's very difficult if not impossible to get a Verizon SIM if you don't have a Verizon ipad.

So, I'd go with a Verizon unit vs. Sprint.

Otherwise, buying a Verizon ipad 3 or above lets you use it with Verizon, AT&T, or TMobile as you wish since AT&T and T-Mobile SIMs are simple to obtain.

 

[screensaver400]

I have an unactivated Verizon SIM, and I still couldn't activate my Sprint iPad with Verizon. Some have had success, but I wouldn't count on it.

The hardware is the same, it's just that Sprint and Verizon don't want to activate devices that weren't labeled for their networks.

 

[bidwalj]

I have an unactivated Verizon SIM, and I still couldn't activate my Sprint iPad with Verizon. Some have had success, but I wouldn't count on it.

The hardware is the same, it's just that Sprint and Verizon don't want to activate devices that weren't labeled for their networks.

If you provide them with an imed of an verizon ipad, any verizon ipad, they will activate the sim. That's the problem with verizon and sprint.

I have an att retina mini that I'm using on verizon with my old verizon sim. I activated the sim last year on a verizon ipad mini