Apple’s iPad will make its long-awaited sales debut in more than 2,000 Verzion stores tomorrow. The nation’s largest wireless carrier will be offering the tablet bundled with its MiFi mobile hotspot.
With the hotspot, Verizon wireless users can create a WiFi “cloud” to share a 3G connection with up to five devices.
A MiFi 2200 hotspot, which is small enough to fit in a pocket, will be bundled with the 16GB WiFi version of the iPad for $629.99; with the 32GB edition, for $729.99; and with the 64GB model for $829.99. Purchases of the iPad bundles can buy a 1GB data plan from Verizon for $20 a month; a 3GB plan for $35 a month and a 50GB plan for $50 a month. Only customers buying the iPad-MiFi bundle can take advantage of those data rates. Although a service agreement must be signed when a bundle is purchased, the wireless plans are renewed on a month-to-month basis and there are no termination fees.
The MiFi 2200 sells at Verizon’s online store for $269.99, but with a two-year agreement and online discount, it can be obtained for free.
Although the iPad will be sold at Verizon’s wireless stores, the 3G version of the device won’t be offered by the carrier.