Consumers trying to settle between Verizon and AT&T on their raw 4G - enable iPad have an extra consideration to take into account : Only one of those ship’s company will be offer Apple ’s Personal Hotspot feature at launch . That capableness allows users to apportion the fast 4 G connection on their iPads with other equipment , such as a laptop computer or smartphone , via Wi - Fi , Bluetooth , or USB .
Asfirst reported by The Verge , the Verizon iPad will offer the Personal Hotspot feature that Apple gas at its iPad unveiling this week , while AT&T will not .
“ We are exercise with Apple to enable this characteristic in the future , but we currently do not bid it , ” AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel toldMacworldvia email .
If this sound familiar , it should . The Personal Hotspot featurefirst appeared in the U.S.when Apple announced the Verizon iPhone 4 in January of last year , though the capability had existed in iOS since 2009 . Though AT&T was Apple ’s original partner for the iPhone , the carrier did n’t enable tethering for its iPhone customers until March 2011 .
AT&T put up three data plan for the new iPad : 250 MB for $ 15 per month , 3 GB for $ 30 per month , or 5 GB for $ 50 per month . Verizon , meanwhile , has four plan : 1 GB for $ 20 per month , 2 GB for $ 30 per month , 5 GB for $ 50 per calendar month , and a 10 GB plan for $ 80 per month . ( The last of those design is not showing up on Apple ’s site as of this composition , but it does appear on Verizon ’s . )
Verizon ’s plans include the personal hotspot functionality at no redundant charge , Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney confirmed toMacworldin an email . That ’s a different from report fromboth carriers ’ iPhone policies , which require an additional $ 20 per month to enable tethering , albeit while bestow extra data capacity to the existing plans .
