The rumor that the iPad 3 will have an LTE radio is picking up steam. LTE offers Internet speeds that approach home broadband speeds. Is this something you’re interested in? Are you willing to pay extra for it? Let’s examine the factors that should go into your purchasing decision.
As an example, take a look at this Verizon LTE vs. T-Mobile HSPA+ 42 comparison I did last year. In the Los Angeles area, I almost always get download speeds above 10Mbps, upload speeds above 5Mbps, and ping rates below 100 milliseconds. There are many times when I get much better results. These are outstanding speeds for a mobile connection.
That said, I wouldn’t be willing to pay extra for these speeds on an iPad 3. I wouldn’t pay extra for the hardware and wouldn’t pay extra for the monthly service. I’m perfectly fine using my iPad 2 on a WiFi connection or tethering it on my Galaxy Nexus when I’m on the road. I envision using the iPad 3 the exact same way.
The X-factor is shared data plans. It’s a bit silly that families can share a bucket of minutes, but have to pay for data individually. The carriers realize this and will eventually move to shared data plans. Verizon mentioned this several times in 2011 and is expected to unveil new plans this year. It would make sense for carriers the launch shared data plans alongside the iPad 3, no? Depending on your situation, shared data could save you some money and make it more economically feasible to add an LTE iPad 3 to your account.
All things considered, how do you feel about the iPad 3 possibly having an LTE radio?
Article source: http://www.padvance.com/story/do-you-want-lte-in-your-ipad-3
