Buying iPad in US for use in UK - how does 3G work?

I'm assuming you live in the U.S. since you can buy in the UK also. You should be able to get a prepaid microsim from one of the UK carriers. Then just replace the AT&T microsim with the new one. You might need to change the cellular data APN settings manually, but other than that it should just work. The iPad itself is unlocked and can work with any carrier.

If you purchase in the US but live in the UK you won't be able to register with AT&T as it requires a US address and credit card. When you get back to the UK you can request a sim from O2, 3, Orange or Vodafone and subscribe with your preferred provider. There are many threads about the pros and cons of each.

It works fine though.

It will work just fine as all iPads are identical. You just have to get a micro sim from one of the four providers of iPad 3G data plans here in the UK.

Bear in mind however after paying US sales tax and possible customs charges you're probably not going to save much is anything at all. You will also have to use a three pin plug adapter in order to convert the two pin ones they use in the US although the voltage itself is universal.

Mr.C UK wrote:
Bear in mind however after paying US sales tax and possible customs charges you're probably not going to save much is anything at all.

If you can get away without customs charges then you will save a fair bit, depending on current exchange rate (when I was in Florida in August it would have worked out at about half price for a 64GB wifi3g)

As for operators in the UK all now carry microsims. I have recently changed from 3 to T-Mobile, although T-Mobile don't OFFICIALLY support the iPad the sim still works fine.

According to current exchange rates excluding sales tax the 64GB Wi-Fi/3G model would cost approximately £540 or a savings of about £160. Obviously this will be less but how much less will depend on the sales tax in the state one is purchasing from. In Florida for example with sales tax it's going to be around £570 or a savings of about £130. In California you're probably looking at around £100 savings. Assuming you don't have to pay customs duties here in the UK then yes it is a large saving. Having said that there is no way it's going to be half the price of what it goes for in the UK even without customs duties so I don't know where you got that idea from.

Mr.C UK wrote:

Having said that there is no way it's going to be half the price of what it goes for in the UK even without customs duties so I don't know where you got that idea from.

Sorry I done my maths wrong, was working on $2 to the £1 not 1.5 and I also looked at 64GB without 3G. Would probably be easy to get through customs with it as they have got to prove you bought it in the US and AFAIK there's nothing on the iPad to show country of purchase (or course I stand to be corrected on this)

Product code will certainly identify origin and the Customs are no dorks !

If you go through green and they stop you you risk, financial penalty plus duties and VAT or even confiscation for false declaration.

Declare goods on import - Red channel

You are allowed to import goods up to the value of £390,00 freely.
goods valued between £390- £630 have in import duty of 2.5% PLUS VAT at 17.5% (and thats on the price after the said 2.5% duty is applied !)
If goods are valued over £630 the element above that threshold is subject customs duties at a higher rate than 2.5% but it complicated by factors such as the type of goods personal usage or gift for some one. The average rates are around 6.4%

A 64GB Wifi and 3G iPad bought in New York list price $829.00 plus sales tax at 8.875% = $73.57 = $902.57
Current exchange rate £1=$1.56 = Approx £577.83- Allowance of £390
Duty payable on £187.83 x 2.5% = £4.69
VAT payable on £192.52 x 17.5% =£33.70

Therefore you need to pay a minimum of £38.39 on importing goods

Your US purchased iPad total real cost now £616.22 excluding your time and travel expenses AND assumes you have bought in no other taxable items over your allowance !

Thats a saving of approximately £83.00 on the Apple UK store price but you still have to buy a micro sim at about £20 plus a months data allowance.

So down to less than £63.00 saving

Further you have to rely on the Global warranty clause if things do go wrong with no UK consumer protection.

A UK bough Ipad has full UK consumer protection plus the Apple 12 month std warranty.
(This must be worth £50 !)

I ask is it really worth it ?

Don't forget that you will save 17.5% by buying your iPad in Duty Free and major UK airports (e.g. Dixons), by my calculations for the $625 iPad (lowest 3G spec), you will save less than £30 (assuming 7.5% Sales Tax in California and 1.56 FX). For £30, it makes no sense to buy it in the USA due to the potential warranty issues already mentioned.

Indeed your best deal may well be buy VAT free at the UK airport on departure and then re-import .
You will then still be covered by UK warranties and consumer legislation AND the main UK retailers WILL exchange faulty goods bought this way as well.

What both of us have identified is the general myth that Apple (and others) rip off the UK customer.

SJ was not making it up when he said some thing along the lines that doing business in the UK significantly adds to cost and therefore price.

By the way Apple are liable for the 6.4 % (or more duty) on all their imports and again they have to pay VAT on the import price after the import duty is added.

Given a corporate desire to maintain margin levels (plus a nominal currency protection levy of around 7.% to 10% ) and UK costs such as NI, Corporation TAX and high property rents and compliance with UK warrantees and a host of other regulations (GB and EU) their UK High Street prices aren't that far out of kilter.

Further the UK people must understand that we have a unified Tax and Duty system and that retail prices by law must be quoted inclusive of taxes.

The US doesn't not have such laws and adding local taxes is a way of life.
Indeed some state levy no tax for out of state purchases as i understand.

Prices for 3G + Wifi in Dixons @ Heathrow T5 last weekend were:
16Gb £513.59
32Gb £581.55
64Gb £678.64

Which is only a sub-3% discount, not the bargain that you would expect!