New Verizon iPad Can Work with AT&T Network

If you have purchased a Verizon iPad Wi-Fi + 4G LTE, you will get a pleasant surprise at the same time, at least for now - you can also surf the web on AT&T’s network on your Verizon iPad, although the tech giant could have opted to restrict the device's operation on other networks.

jsnuff1, one commenter of MacRumors, discovered the fact on Friday morning, after he bought the Verizon version of iPad. And then he announced in the MacRumors forums and posted a video of his iPad running on the network in the meanwhile.

jsnuff1 inserted an AT&T micro-SIM of his iPhone 4S in the new iPad, and then updated the device's carrier settings to support connecting to AT&T.

“I was one of the first to obtain a Verizon iPad and can happily confirm that this is allowed,” jsnuff1 wrote. “I used my ATT iPhone 4S sim card and took out the Verizon sim, and data worked! You must apply the AT&T APN carrier settings before this works though.”

According to Mashable, the AT&T SIM in the Verizon iPad won't get true 4G speeds. That's because the AT&T data cards can only connect to the carrier’s 3G, HSPA+, and EDGE networks, instead of 4G LTE.

The reason why the Verizon iPad can run on other carrier’s networks, is understandable. There is a micro-SIM card slot on the iPad, which is designed for international roaming purposes, especially where the Verizon’s network isn’t available.

However, a Verizon iPad will be limited to non-LTE bands (EDGE, 3G, HSPA+ 4G) on AT&T. The Verizon iPad hardware supports only the 700 MHz band for LTE to match the carrier's technology, while the GSM version sold for use on AT&T's network supports both the 700 MHz and 2100 MHz bands as used by that carrier, according to MacRumors.

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