Simple hack runs Verizon's LTE iPad on AT&T's 3G network
A workaround has purportedly let Verizon iPad owners use AT&T's 3G data in just a few steps--for now.
We all know that a Verizon iPad 4G and an AT&T iPad 4G won't ride on each others' LTE networks, because they've each locked the models that they sell to their networks alone. But what if you could work around these business-shielding limitations to surf 3G on another carrier's network?
That's exactly what one owner of Apple's new iPad is claiming has happened with the Verizon iPad. MacRumors forum member jsnuff1 noted that inserting an AT&T micro-SIM card into the device and updating the iPad's carrier settings to support an AT&T connection will hook you up to AT&T's 3G network, which also includes HSPA+ and EDGE. (MacRumors' video below.)
Most users would rather take advantage of LTE speeds, presumably why they purchased a connected device instead of a Wi-Fi-only iPad, but a backup connection to an alternate carrier's network could come in handy if you're traveling outside Verizon's range.
In the unlikely event that Verizon leaves this hole unplugged, users who bought an LTE-ready iPad and have an active AT&T micro-SIM account could potentially avoid paying Verizon's monthly data fees.
AT&T and Verizon declined to comment.
Apple included the micro-SIM slot to accommodate international roaming, not hacking into multiple data networks. Even though industrious tinkerers have discovered a workaround, it's a good bet that Verizon won't idle for long before closing the loophole.
Verizon, a CDMA network, does not use SIM cards or micro-SIM cards in its devices.
[Via The Next Web, Mac Rumors]