UPDATED- New iPad 3:UK network deals (Three, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, O2)

NOW UPDATED TO INCLUDE T-MOBILE AND VODAFONE PRICE PLANS.

The hour is nearly upon us; by 8 o’clock tomorrow morning the first New iPad (3rd generation) will have been trotted out of a UK Apple store, back to the home of a beaming new tablet owner. If you’re sitting on the fence about grabbing one, read our initial review; our gut reaction says to go for it, you won’t be disappointed.

But if you’re splashing the cash on a build of the tablet with mobile broadband connectivity options, you’re also going to need a data plan to go with it. Practically all the major UK networks have now made announcements on their pricing structures, and we thought it be handy to put all the info in one place for you so that you get the best deal possible. We’ll also be updating this post with further details as the remaining networks make announcements too.

Note:

With the UK still dragging its heels when it comes to divvying out the 4G spectrum, the iPad 3’s superfast mobile broadband speeds won’t be available in Blighty. All network plans here therefore refer to 3G data plans and their corresponding speeds, but even they should be slightly faster thanks to improved antenna tech in Apple’s newest slate. Either way, they’re future-proofed for when the new network tech does eventually go live.

Three

Three were first out of the blocks with their iPad 3rd gen pricing structures, with upfront costs for the subsidised tablet starting at £99, with each deal offering a generous 15GB monthly allowance.

To grab a 16GB Wi-Fi + 4G version of the new iPad, it’ll cost you £99 plus £29 per month on a 24 month contract. For a larger upfront cost of £159, you can get the same model on a a £25 per month, 24 month contract.

The 32GB Wi-Fi + 4G version will cost £169 up front on a £29 per month, 24 month contract. A larger upfront cost of £229 will put the monthly charge down to £25.

To grab the 64GB whopper, it will cost £249 up front, on a £29 per month contract for two years. Cough up £299 up front, and that monthly charge falls to £25 per month.

Three will also offer their customers pay monthly deals on the new 4G enabled iPad. In this case, the hardware prices are set at the standard £479 (16GB), £549 (32GB) and £629 (64GB) prices. The pay monthly plans to accompany them will set you back £15 per month for 10GB of data, or £7.50 per month for 1GB.

O2

While O2 won’t be selling the iPad 3rd gen themselves, they’ll be offering data plans for customers looking to utilise their network.

Their pay-as-you-go surf plans cost £2.04 a day for 200MB and unlimited Wi-Fi, £10.21 over 30 days (recurring) for 1GB, and unlimited Wi-Fi, or alternatively £15.32 over 30 days (recurring) for 2GB and unlimited Wi-Fi.

Data allowance through O2 is also doubled for every third “top-up” users make, with the packages available to be changed and controlled from the iPad itself.

Orange

Orange are keen to keep their existing customers happy, and will offer cheaper upfront prices for the new iPad if you’re already signed on with their network.

Therefore, existing customers will pay £199 for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad, £249 for the 32GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad and £349 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad. New customers on the other hand will pay £299 for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad, £279 for the 32GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad and £379 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad.

After that, data plans for all models are set at £25 a month for 24 months. That bags you 1GB of anytime data as well as 1GB of “Quiet Time Data” from Midnight to 4pm in the afternoon, as well as unlimited access to the BT Openzone Wi-Fi hotspots dotted around the country.

If you’re in the market for a new phone too, Orange also offer deals that bundle various iPhone models in with the new iPad. Details of those bundles can be found here.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile have now sent Tech Digest the details of their price plans too. A 16GB Wi-Fi and 4G new iPad from the network costs £229 upfront, with a £25 per month plan over 24 months. That gives 1GB of anytime data allowance a month, and an extra 1GB of “Quiet Time” data from Midnight to 10am.

For a 32GB Wi-Fi and 4G new iPad, it’ll set you back £279 upfront, with the same monthly cost and data allowances as with the 16GB model.

If you’re an existing T-Mobile customer, you can get a cheaper deal on the 32GB Wi-Fi and 4G model, costing just £249. The same monthly payment/data allowances as above apply.

Vodafone

Vodafone too have announced their data deals for the new iPad, and offer plenty of options and price points.

We’ll start with the 16GB Wi-Fi and 4G model. On a 24 month, £27 a month plan, you can grab the new iPad for £199, complete with a monthly allowance of 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It’s then £15 for each extra 1GB of data.

Vodafone also offer rolling monthly plans on the 16GB iPad, with an upfront cost of £499. £15 a month bags you 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It’s then £15 for each extra 1GB of data. Alternatively, for a monthly cost of £7.50, you get 500MB UK data, then £7.50 for each extra 500MB.

Moving on now to the 32GB Wi-Fi and 4G model. On a 24 month, £27 a month plan, you can grab the 32GB new iPad for £275, complete with a monthly allowance of 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It’s then £15 for each extra 1GB of data.

Vodafone also offer rolling monthly plans on the 32GB iPad too, with an upfront cost of £569. £15 a month bags you 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It’s then £15 for each extra 1GB of data. Alternatively, for a monthly cost of £7.50, you get 500MB UK data, then £7.50 for each extra 500MB.

Lastly, the 64GB Wi-Fi and 4G model. On a 24 month, £27 a month plan, you can grab the 32GB new iPad for £345, complete with a monthly allowance of 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It’s then £15 for each extra 1GB of data.

Vodafone also offer rolling monthly plans on the 64GB iPad if you don’t fancy being tied for two years to the same deal, with an upfront cost of £645. £15 a month bags you 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It’s then £15 for each extra 1GB of data. Alternatively, for a monthly cost of £7.50, you get 500MB UK data, then £7.50 for each extra 500MB.

All models are available in black or white.

Alternatively, a 30 day SIM only plan is available with usage alerts to your iPad for £15.00 per month offering a 2GB UK data allowance with 1GB of BT Openzone included.

Tesco Mobile

Tech Digest have reached out to Tesco Mobile regarding iPad 3 plans, and will update this post once we get word back from them.

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