So my main question is, how does it work when taking an ipad from the US to Switzerland? I was told the tablet is locked into ATT, and therefore I would be paying outrageous fees from ATT for roaming when using 3g in Europe. How do I go about getting around this? Forgive me for my naivite, but I am not very well versed in the IT realm!
I will be relocating to Switzerland this summer and am planning on buying an iPad 2 when it releases this Friday here in the US. I assume the ipad will be used for the following purposes - DVD player for kids during long car rides/plane rides Surfing net in the living room Hooking up to TV with HDMI cable to play movies from iTunes and Netflix Laptop when traveling eReader? Games In speaking to a rep at the local apple store, I think I want a 32 or 64 ipad with 3g. He says this will enable me to have 6+ movies on the iPad. I assume I would want 3g to make it easier to use as a laptop (when I had my itouch with only wifi, finding areas where I could access wifi was a hassle, ie dr's offices, transit, etc).
Just buy it here, they cost the same with the added benefit that here they are unlocked.
Apple store USA: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/hom...co=MjEzNTIwNzE
Apple Store Switzerland: http://store.apple.com/ch-de/browse/...mco=OTY2ODA0NQ
Just a word of caution: If you look carefully you'll see that the US link has the iPad 2, while the Switzerland link has the iPad 1 (whose price dropped when the iPad 1 was announced).
I don't know what the usual iPad price is in Switzerland or if it's worth it to buy in the US and import it, but just wanted to point that out.
As far as getting something unlocked by AT&T...it will never happen.
When we found out we were relocating, I called AT&T and they told us they would unlock our iPhones once we had moved and proved our residency outside of their coverage area. They also told us that they would waive the fee to break our contract because we were outside of AT&T's coverage area. They went back on both of those promises. After speaking to the supervisor of many a supervisor, I finally got the fee waived as the original representative had noted it in my account and they were honest enough to honor what I had been told.
As far as unlocking the phones, they simply told me they never unlock phones. Period. So we wound up buying new iPhone 4s in Switzerland unnecessarily as my husband and I each had a 3GS that was only 9 months old. Not to say I don't like the 4, but it was not ideal.
SO, if you're really set on having the 3G, buy it here. The extra cost will pale in comparison to the hassle you'll have to go through!
Another idea - just get the standard iPad 2 without 3G. If you have an iPhone, you can always use your browser and 3G for things you would have used the iPad for and use the iPad for everything else. That way you'll still have the iPad 2 for the trip over.
Good luck with your move!!
Hi,
I got my iPad in the US and they are not locked to AT&T. Just don't sign up to a monthly deal with AT&T and when you get to Switzerland you just buy a Swisscom microsim (which also has a pre-paid deal).
Very simple, I now have microsims for 5 different countries and bring the iPad everywhere.
Be sure to get 3G, you will use it!
Are you sure? It says on the Apple website that the Ipad 2 is simlocked.
also note that the Orange (maybe Swisscom too) iPhone's allow for the Personal Hotspot which allows you to get the internet from your iPhone easily. Hence negating any serious real need to a 3g iPad. This obviously uses up your data so be cautious. I heard that Verizon was charged $20 per month for this feature in the US. Here it is included.
also note that as your ipad is connected to your iphone's hotspot via wi-fi, face time works!
as far as i know, the iPad doesn't have an optical drive.
where does it say that the ipad 2 in the US is sim-locked?
i believe you have to choose between the at&t or verizon modesl because they use different technologies (GSM vs CDMA), in which case you want to choose the at&t model. Verizon technology doesn't use sim cards.
I realize the iPad does not have a DVD player - we will simply be USING it as a DVD player in the car. ie we will download movies to it prior to trips and watch them as if from a DVD player. You can even buy iPad holders that attach to the headrest of the seat in front of you!
but I am still not clear as to whether or not 3G is worth it and if we can use an iPad 2 bought in the US there in CH.
I don't know how useful this will be for you, but it seems to imply that the ipad 2 3G is in fact unlocked making it possible to use it here. If you can't get it to work here in Switzerland, you can also jailbreak it I guess and make it work.
http://www.ipadincanada.ca/ipad-news...m-us-unlocked/
Its also important to note that your ability to download video and other content is very different in Switzerland. If you use your address and credit card from the US to login to the iTunes store, you can get the same stuff that you can get in the US. If you set it up so that you use iTunes-Switzerland, you can't get as much content. Its annoying. I'm not an expert on this, though, so someone else may weigh in on the subject and make it more clear.
It says on the online store, where you choose which ipad you want:
"Select the model that corresponds with the carrier you'd like to use for 3G service. The iPad you choose is configured to work only with one carrier"
What you say makes sense though.
I bought my ipad 1 in the U.S. over Christmas. The best benefit about that is if you set it up in the U.S. and still have an American credit card linked to your itunes then you have access to so much more ie rentals & purchases of American tv shows etc. It is cheaper in the U.S. as well. I saved 200chf and have the access to all that I wish. Here in Switzerland you cannot download on Itunes store the same tv shows etc..
no sim card needed for my ipad maybe an iphone this would be a problem.
If you already have an iPhone, I'd suggest you just get a regular iPad2 (without the 3G) and use the tethered link to surf the net and e-mail.
forgot about the 3g part. I do not have this on my ipad. It was suggested that it would not benefit me. Then yes this is a problem.
It seems like so far there is no definitive SIM unlocked or locked answer. Some are saying it's locked and others not. The carrier may also be rejecting based on the IMEI. See this thread:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1126149
It's quite confusing. Has anyone actually bought an iPad 2 with 3G in the US, brought it here and used it here with another SIM card?
Regards,
Dan
I think ipad2 or any apple products is a bit cheaper in US than in Switzerland.
going to the US next week and thinking of buying an ipad2. Does anyone had any experience whether it will work here with either orange or swisscom (the 3g version). thanks