iPad Air WiFi/Cellular: "Unlocked" or not?

Grooves

Well-Known Member
Feb 29, 2012
152
0
323
Pacific Northwest
In my hopes to save a bit of cash I wanted to buy a refurbished iPad Air (wifi/cellular) from Apple. Their only choices are with ATT as the cellular carrier. Not wanting to use ATT I was hoping to be able to switch carriers at a later date. Many posters online claim that the iPad's aren't locked to a carrier and swapping SIM cards is all that is needed. Today, I talked to Apple on their "chat" line and was told that iPad's are locked to a specific carrier in the US. Now, this is totally conflicting with most of what others claim. Since the iPads aren't subsidized by carriers like the iPhones swapping SIM's for a different carrier is all that is needed. Sprint was the only exception to the rule it seems.

Anyone here swapped carriers on their iPad? Any issues?
 

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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29
405
My experience is different. I have bought multiple cellular iPad and they just work outside the USA on various cellular network. Those I bought (for self and multiple gifting) were ATT. Two came with an ATT SIM. You must however avoid the Verizon versions as they are not GSM the (de facto?) cellular world standard. Those would likely only work on Verizon or perhaps other CDMA2000 networks .. Not as widespread as GSM which is used by perhaps 80% of the world cell phones.
 

Grooves

Well-Known Member
Feb 29, 2012
152
0
323
Pacific Northwest
Yeah, it's quite curious that multiple, 5-6 or more, sources confirm that the iPad Air is "unlocked" in the US (and definitely is outside the US) and that all but the "Sprint" version should work simply by swapping the correct SIM from a different carrier.
I was ready to take the chance but then read a new iPad will be out this Fall and so I will try and wait to see if I can find an alternative then.
 

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