I am planning on buying an ipad but I am not sure if I'll be able to get a signal everywhere in Thailand. If I go to Surin or Buriram or Chaiyapoom, for example, can I be reasonably sure that, after turning it on, I'll get a signal? Or will it be a bit dodgy. Does it depend on the service provider? Thanks from an illiterate ipad user.

I don’t know how or how much you want to use the ipad, but my kid has one that’s wifi only, and it seems that with wifi at home, and free wifi at most every place we go it seems like a waste to have a monthly service for the ipad.

Also, if you have an iphone, you don’t need a separate account for the ipad as you can use the iphone a hotspot.

I like the phone much better than the pad.

As long as it is the 3 G version then you will need a micro sim from either Dtac or AIS

As long as it is the 3 G version then you will need a micro sim from either Dtac or AIS

true do one too - i bought one for my iphone.

you'll also need to live in an area with 3G connection

I live in northern Surin province, out in the rice fields about 5 km off a provincial road which connects the 2 provincial towns Tha Tum and Rattanaburi. There is 3G everywhere even out in the fields where I live. Amazing. There is no cable Internet anywhere here, but with 3G and my iPhone 4S I have Internet also on my main computer via Personal Hotspot, look at the speed I get:

The 3G version of the iPad 2, and the LTE version of the new iPad, can accept uSIMs and support GSM data (2G: GPRS/EDGE: ~ 256 Kbps) and 3G data on all service providers here: TOT, CAT My/TrueMove H, AIS/One-2-Call and DTAC/Happy.

TrueMove H and TOT have the most 3G coverage while AIS/One-2-Call and DTAC/Happy have the most 2G coverage (they also have 3G coverage). You may wish to talk with neighbors to see what they are using, or review the coverage pages or experiment.

http://www.i-bkk.com/ilocation/viewer/

http://www.truemove-h.com/en/3gwifi_network_coverage.aspx

http://www.ais.co.th/mobileinternet/3g/coverage/

http://www.dtac.co.th/3g/coverage.php