O2’s website scarily advised allowing 14 days for delivery (at the time I was optimistic the iPad itself would arrive long before the 14th day) so I ordered one from 3 as well in the expectation that at least one would arrive in good time.
Today the postman brought both cards so, while my iPad may not be arriving anytime soon, when it does finally materialise I’ll at least be able to connect to the web when not near a WiFi signal.
If you have’t yet received your card, you might like to know that O2 are shipping their’s in very Apple-like white booklet (pictured above)though inside is a rather drab blue envelope marked ‘Pay & Go’.
Also in the package is a diagram showing how to insert the SIM into the iPad and a terms and conditions booklet in pretty tiny print plus a leaflet directing users to o2.co.uk/ipadtariffs and o2.co.uk/ipadtariffs/support
Meanwhile 3’s ships in a cardboard sleeve pretty much like those used for free CDs and which states that connection is subject to a credit check- this always strikes me as odd for rolling 30-day contracts, after all, it’s not like a data plan doesn’t allow the network to cease service once any paid-for allowance is reached or expires.
Assuming O2’s services really are being offered on traditional pay as you go terms I suspect a lot of people are likely to opt for their deals rather then go through the hassle of calling up and submitting to a credit check – especially when you consider that because you can mange an O2 3G plan directly through the iPad, the network already has the selling point of convenience on their side.
