AT&T launched an Unlimited Day Pass today that lets any U.S. iPad owner with an eSIM-equipped device activate 24 hours of unlimited wireless data for $3, no contract, no credit check, and crucially, no requirement to be an AT&T customer. The pass activates directly from iPad Settings. Open the Settings app, tap Cellular Data, add AT&T Unlimited Day Pass. No Wi-Fi connection or separate app needed. The 24-hour clock starts shortly after purchase.
AT&T is the first major U.S. carrier to offer on-demand iPad data to anyone regardless of their wireless provider.
Verizon and T-Mobile customers can buy the pass without switching carriers. The first day is free (limit one per customer).
"Many consumers have iPads that are not connected to cellular plans. We want to give those people, regardless of their wireless provider, the ability to connect their iPads anytime, anywhere with no long-term commitment," said Josh Goodell, vice president of Consumer Product Management at AT&T. The move targets a long-standing gap in the iPad market.
Cellular iPads have existed since the first model, but monthly data plans never made sense for users who only need connectivity occasionally, during travel, when home Wi-Fi goes down, or at airports and coffee shops. The pass currently works on eSIM-capable iPad models only. AT&T plans to expand support to other 5G devices including laptops, drones, and smartwatches.
More information is available at att.com/wirelessdaypass.
