The allure of high-speed mobile data on the new iPad is great, but is it feasible with today’s restrictive data plans?
The new blazing fast 4G LTE connectivity on the iPad is being referred to as a “speed trap” in a Wall Street Journal report, a phrase that is catching on throughout the blogosphere.
Here’s the problem – when you go to activate your LTE-equipped iPad with either AT&T or Verizon, you have to choose what you want your monthly data allotment to be. These plans generally range from around $20 to $50 per month, with no one offering more than a 5 GB cap.
Of course, users are free to access as much data as they want, but if they exceed their monthly limit they’ll start paying through the nose – around an extra $10 for every gigabyte.
The harsh reality is that LTE eats up data rather quickly, in order to provide a high-fidelity experience for applications like live video streaming.
One user reportedly ran through his entire 2 GB monthly limit in just a couple hours of streaming a March Madness college basketball game.
It’s sort of a catch-22, since carriers love the idea of offering the fastest and highest-quality mobile networks, but those data limits put huge boundaries on what users are actually able to do with that powerful network.
The only major carrier that still offers unlimited data packages is Sprint, and even though it is building up its own LTE network, it will never be compatible with the LTE connectivity in the new iPad.
This isn’t the only complaint the new iPad is facing. Users are also noting that it can heat up to excessive temperatures when playing intense mobile games or applications.
In addition, there’s a growing number of consumers who say the new iPad’s WiFi connectivity is worse than the iPad 2. Nevertheless, the new iPad set sales records in its launch weekend and the vast majority of users are considerably satisfied.
