Verizon And AT&T Begin iPad Sales Across US

Verizon is telling you now to UNLEASH the iPad while AT&T merely notes that it is Now Available at select stores. Prices for the pad itself are very similar, with 16GB at $629.99, 32GB at $729.99, and 64GB at $829.99 (although on each of these, AT&T seems to be 99 cents cheaper here.) After that though, there's some big differences to be seen, like the fact that AT&T's is selling iPad Wifi + 3G models while Verizon is offering Wifi-only paired with their MiFi 2200 mobile hotspot.

Data plans at AT&T are thus:

Domestic: 250MB for $14.99 a month or 2GB for $25.00 a month

International Plans (Usage limit, expires in 30 days): 20MB for $24.99/mo, 50MB for $59.99/mo, 100MB for $119.99/mo, or 200MB for $199.99/mo.

At Verizon:

Domestic: 1GB for $20 a month, 3GB for $35/mo, and 5GB for $50/mo.

Overage Costs: 1GB plan is $20/perGB, 3GB $10/perGB, and 5GB is $10/perGB.

At AT&T, if you go over your allotted data amount for the month, there's an on-screen alert that says you may either stop all-the-downloadin' or pay for a larger plan for the month. If you choose neither, you simply have to wait until next month to continue your data usage. At Verizon, there's overage costs. Find out more about each plan at: AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

If you're anything like me, you'll be going over these limits very very quickly, with lots of costs to show for it. I pray for the day when there's no such thing as paying-per-byte on mobile devices such as this, just as I prayed for the same thing when I was going month-to-month on free AOL disks back in my early internet days. I got my wish then, and so help me, I'll have my wish now!

[Via AT&T]