IPad Microsim

Hi everybody,

Does anybody know if Digicel, Claro or Lime sell micro-simcards to be used in the Ipad2? planning to bring my ipad to jamaica this time...thanx!

One Love, Denise

Not sure about that but there is tonnes of places with free wireless, I use my iphone as a wireless device to post pictures and stuff no problem.

I was going to take mine this reach but it won't fit in the lock box so rather than risk theft I am taking my iPod Touch. Tap into some wireless and good to go

I have never seen any of the companies offer microsims, they all seem to use the standard sim card. As mentioned about, many places do offer free wifi - so if your iPad is wifi ready - you are set to go.

thanks... I assume that digicel sells microsims, as the Iphone is becoming more and more popular in JA?

Digicel does not sell iPhones, only Claro and LIME offer the iPhones. So both these companies should have them available for their iPhones, but both are special plans that are only postpaid, meaning you have to sign up for a service contract when you purchase the phone. Neither company mentions anything about using your own iPhone and connecting to their service.

Here is the link for Claro:

http://claro.com.jm/index.php?option...=75&Itemid=176

and here is the link for LIME:

http://www.time4lime.com/jm/personal/mobile/iphone.jsp

maybe i could order one of these simcards from Mr. simcard
http://www.mrsimcard.com/ipad.html

but maybe i can buy one in Jamaica as shipping to europe (where i live) is very expensive

or i could just buy a simcard cutter on ebay...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-SIM-Cu...-/320791765342

any info would be highly appreciated! i will also ask one of my friends to go ask the digicel people in negril.

Denise,

Digicel does not offer a 3G service, they only have a 4G broadband network. Since the iPad2 is not 4G compatible, there would be no reason to contact Digicel since you wouldnt be able to use their service anyway. That leaves only LIME and Claro. The mrsimcard link above is the link to their offer for Claro's 3G network. It sounds as if that their offer will work, but at us$60 for 7 days of service, that seems a bit on the high side. The 7 day rate from Claro is not quite us$20. Sims cost about ja$700 - less than $10. So mrsimcard seems to making a nice 100% profit for providing their service.

The simcutter would be an option to cut the sim you would purchase from LIME or Claro to fit your iPad. Purchasing a sim from either LIME or Claro is a viable option. Since Apple designed your iPad2 to be both wifi or 3G enabled - this whole 3G issue can be avoided by simply using the free wifi available all over town. I have helped many of the businesses in Negril with their wifi systems.

A short list of places in Negril that offer free wifi are The Caves, Ivans, Seastar Inn, DeBar, Rockhouse, 3-Dives, Swordfish, Chicken Lavish, MiYard, Canoe, Winners, Travellers, Yellowbird, Cafe Goa, Wades Hot Spot, Italian Cafe, Sunrise Cafe, Aqua, Fun Holiday, Sun Beach, Margaritaville and Boardwalk. There are others, but this should give you a good idea of what is available for free by simply getting a drink at any of these establishments.

And by the way, I have lived in Negril for about 20 years now, and know the ins and outs to connectivity issues in Jamaica.

Thanx Rob!

i am not really a wizz kid, so i need all the help i can get. As i am from europe i would mainly want to use the ipad to skype with relatives, and watch some tv/news once in a while on the internet. as i spend 5 months a year in jamaica, and also love to spend time in the "bush" the 3G with islandwide coverage sounded like a dream...

thanx again, guess i'll be getting one of those simcard-cutter-thingy's, so i can still use the ipad when out of reach of a WIFI spot, or want some privacy to skype for example.

Island wide internet coverage is a dream as in it is not reality. There are no island wide 3G internet connections available. Claro has the largest coverage map, but it is not island wide. You may or may not get coverage in the "bush", depending on where that "bush" is. Here is the most current coverage map from 2009.


http://claro.com.jm/index.php?option...d=11&Itemid=37

The "bush" i spend time at seems to have coverage!!! :)

So how about EDGE? the specifications of the Ipad say that it also works on EDGE.. so does that mean that it's slower rhan 3G? on my blackberry i always use the digicel package for 1499, and the display of my phone always says EDGE... never 3G or 4G, so maybe if i cut up a digicel simcard it would work? i am so confused...

Thanks again!

Denise,

You are subscribing to the Digicel Blackberry Internet Service (BIS) plan. This is a much slower EDGE service and it is not the much faster 4G service. As I have mentioned, Digicel does not offer a 3G option. The Blackberry plan is only available for Blackberry phones, thus the name Blackberry Internet Service. It will not work on the iPad2 - it is designed to work with your Blackberry Phone. Blackberry phones are much more popular on the island than is the far less used iPhone.

Cutting your simcard will only make your simcard no longer work with your Blackberry, so that is a bad thing to do.

The fact you are getting a Digicel EDGE connection in the "bush" area does not mean that the Claro 3G high speed internet will connect in that area. Claro also has an EDGE service, so you may be able to use your Claro phone in the bush but not the Claro 3G high speed internet. The only way to know is to actually test it in that area. If the Claro 3G doesnt work, there is no reason to even try the LIME 3G as it has an even smaller coverage area than Claro.

If the 3G is not available in your area, then there is no possible way you would be able to skype because the EDGE internet service is way too slow of a connection.

Please check the coverage map link that I posted because that should give you an idea of whether the 3G is available in the bush area. If your area is covered in the green color - you should be fine. If you are in the yellow, it should also work unless you are right at the border of the yellow and red. If you are in the red areas - chances are the 3G will not work. If you are in a blue area, then there is no coverage at all.

very clear Rob. (or should i say very Claro? ;))


I'm gonna get a Claro simcard and cut it up myself with the fancy machine. I should be fine in Negril with the coverage map, and we will see what happens when in "the Bush". (no disaster if it does not work, "the bush" will provide entertainment!)

One Love, Denise