New iPad users slowed by expensive 4G network rates

In the week since customers have gotten their hands on the new iPad, complaints have piled up. Owners have said Apple’s newest tablet overheats, has WiFi connectivity issues and takes a long time to recharge, to name just a few of the problems.

By Cecilia Kang, WashPost
Published: March 22

Apple’s new iPad was supposed to usher in a new era of watching movies and television shows on the go. The “Retina Display” screen was so stunning, better than a high-definition TV, that some analysts wondered aloud whether owners would finally cut the cord to expensive cable services.

But hold off on the cable-cutting revolution. Apple’s vision for mobile entertainment has hit a snag.

Users quickly are discovering the new iPad gobbles data from cellular networks at a monstrous rate. Some find their monthly allotment can be eaten up after watching a two-hour movie. That has left consumers with a dilemma: Pay up for more data or hold back on using the device’s best features.

The quandary exposes a disconnect between the innovators of the latest mobile gadgets and the cellular companies that are struggling with strained networks and are now charging customers for each byte of data they consume. As smartphones and tablets have soared in popularity, Verizon Wireless and AT&T, the industry leaders, have stopped offering new customers unlimited data plans.

(More here.)