ipad data access @ oshkosh

Marc CYBW

Marc CYBW

Pre-Flight
Joined
Jun 7, 2008
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93
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Calgary
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Display name:
Marc CYBW
I have an iPad2 with 3G and wifi but no sim card. I imagine I can access a wi-fi on site but would like to use it away from the site and at the various stops along the way.

Can anyone recommend a pay as you go vendor?

Thanks
Marc
 
If you have the GSM/UMTS iPad you pretty much have to go with AT&T.
All iPad plans are pay as you go. You enable your 3G services you start paying. You disable it, you stop.
 
Or if you happen to have a tetherable smart phone, you can use wifi to access data through that.
 
Funny, I have 3G enabled iPad I use with Foreflight and it works great, except it can't pick up WX or winds aloft on the fly (pun unintended). Weather isn't crucial enough for where I fly to warrant a mobile weather add on so I just use my iPhone for quick updates.
 
Marc CYBW said:
I have an iPad2 with 3G and wifi but no sim card. I imagine I can access a wi-fi on site but would like to use it away from the site and at the various stops along the way.

Can anyone recommend a pay as you go vendor?

Thanks
Marc
Click to expand...
Many places such as McDonalds and a lot of fast food places have free wi-fi. Starbucks is another one.

Mike
 
flykelley said:
Many places such as McDonalds and a lot of fast food places have free wi-fi. Starbucks is another one.

Mike
Click to expand...

Don't think I haven't been tempted to buzz a Starbucks for a quick weather update.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Funny, I have 3G enabled iPad I use with Foreflight and it works great, except it can't pick up WX or winds aloft on the fly (pun unintended). Weather isn't crucial enough for where I fly to warrant a mobile weather add on so I just use my iPhone for quick updates.
Click to expand...

The AT&T 3G doesn't much seem to work at all at any altitude (nor was it designed to). Oddly enough my new 4G iPhone works a bit better.
 
flyingron said:
If you have the GSM/UMTS iPad you pretty much have to go with AT&T.
All iPad plans are pay as you go. You enable your 3G services you start paying. You disable it, you stop.
Click to expand...

One caution with AT&T is that they have pre-pay and post-pay SIMs. I purchased my iPad from AT&T and, they shipped it with a post-pay SIM (imagine that.). When I asked them about the pre-pay plan, they offered to swap the SIMs, but told me that they could not activate the pre-pay plan on a post-pay SIM.

Regarding free WiFi, I have been underwhelmed. Most places where it's available seem to either throttle it significantly, or have lousy backend connectivity.


JKG
 
flyingron said:
The AT&T 3G doesn't much seem to work at all at any altitude (nor was it designed to). Oddly enough my new 4G iPhone works a bit better.
Click to expand...

I have no issues whatsoever with mine. Seems to work fine below 7.5 k, at least over metropolitan areas.
 
> Regarding free WiFi, I have been underwhelmed.

I live on free WiFi. I've found it to be mostly acceptable ... except for hotels, after
~4pm. Heck, I even ditched my cellphone entirely; and use VoIP over (free) WiFi.

For anyone interested, I've created a Garmin waypoint file with ~66,000 businesses
offering free WiFi:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30753
 
rainsux said:
> Regarding free WiFi, I have been underwhelmed.

I live on free WiFi. I've found it to be mostly acceptable ... except for hotels, after
~4pm. Heck, I even ditched my cellphone entirely; and use VoIP over (free) WiFi.

For anyone interested, I've created a Garmin waypoint file with ~66,000 businesses
offering free WiFi:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30753
Click to expand...

You can live on free WiFi if you're willing to sacrifice convenience, accessibility, and reliability. Most of the free WiFi that I've encountered has been S-L-O-W, at least compared with AT&T 3G. I pretty much depend on data access more than voice, and I can say that my iPad would be significantly less useful were it not for cellular data access.

I've tried WiFi at hotels, McDonald's, Panera Bread, Sam's Club, etc., and actually the hotels have probably been the best experience, but ironically, the more expensive hotels usually charge for it. Bottom line is that "free" if worth what you're paying for it.

That being said, cellular networks will grind to a halt based on high usage as well, but I think that carriers have generally improved backhaul in frequent high utilization areas--but that may not include OSH.


JKG
 
Sac Arrow said:
Or if you happen to have a tetherable smart phone, you can use wifi to access data through that.
Click to expand...

IF you have phone reception, that is FAR from a given at AirVenture and most likely you will be roaming.
 
AirVenture does have quite a few areas with free WiFi brought in for the event. It S-U-C-K-E-D the first year but was much improved last year.
 
TMetzinger said:
AirVenture does have quite a few areas with free WiFi brought in for the event. It S-U-C-K-E-D the first year but was much improved last year.
Click to expand...

That was how I was making phone calls on T-Mo last year using the Wifi calling service.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Don't think I haven't been tempted to buzz a Starbucks for a quick weather update.
Click to expand...

More like turns around a point since you gotta get through the terms and splash screen :)
 
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