Tablet owners are shunning 3G and loving Wi-Fi

December 13, 2011 By Mike Flacy

With many consumers purchasing tablets as gifts this year during the holiday shopping season, a recent study points to Wi-Fi usage as the clear winner when mobile tablet users want to connect to the Internet.

Based off a year-long study conducted by The NPD Group’s Connected Intelligence, the percentage of tablet owners that utilize Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet has increased over 2011. During April 2011, 60 percent of tablet owners stated that they only use Wi-Fi to go online, but only five percent had plans to invest in a mobile 3G broadband plan within the following six months. By October 2011, Wi-Fi only users had grown to 65 percent while users that utilize both Wi-Fi and cellular data, users that only use cellular data and users that don’t use any Internet connection shrunk.

According to VP of Connected Intelligence Eddie Hold, he stated “Concern over the high cost of cellular data plans is certainly an issue, but more consumers are finding that Wi-Fi is available in the majority of locations where they use their tablets, providing them ‘good enough’ connectivity. In addition, the vast majority of tablet users already own a smartphone, which fulfills the ‘must have’ connectivity need.” According to a study conducted by market research company Informa Telecoms and Media, the amount of public Wi-Fi hotspots is expected to skyrocket by 350 percent over the next four years and will likely reach nearly six million hotspots.

Tablet owners are going to have less of a reason to purchase expensive cellular data plans as the amount of Wi-Fi locations increase over time. Cellular companies are also likely having a difficult time convincing smartphone owners to purchase a second data plan for a tablet. Owners of the 3G-enabled version of the iPad 2 have to pay between $15 (250MB) to $25 (2GB) a month for service with an additional $10 for each gigabyte beyond that cap. Verizon Wireless users can choose from a 2GB plan for $30, a 5GB plan for $50 or a 10GB plan for $80 a month. Similar to AT&T, each additional gigabyte beyond the cap costs an additional $10 a month.

Showing 16 comments

Mike Marra at 9:20pm 14th December 2011 My dad is pissed that for each smartphone, add 30 bucks a month because you need SEPERATE plans.....stupid Verizon....and everyone else.... Also, why do you need to add $10 per extra line? Why not do like say, $30 the first time, and that's it. I wish smaller, cheaper carriers, like MetroPCS had better phones.....
mxypltz at 9:02am 14th December 2011 Finally glad to see that consumers are starting to realize better alternatives to wireless carriers costly data plans. Been loving burgeoning WiFi for years and so much so, I never fell into the buy an iPhone only for to be obsolete a year later and then have to buy another iPhone trap. I'll stick with my Android GoPhone (using WiFi) and maybe finally join the iPad hype somewhere around iPad 3.
1. Zackery R. at 10:55am 14th December 2011 A year later? you mean 5-6 months at the most. haha Apple loves making new products before you can even get to know the current model. Then making you stuck with a outdated model.
  1. TechFreak at 11:02am 14th December 2011 That's not even true. The iPhone gets an update every year. Android phones every 3-6 months. Thats a FACT.
    Zackery R. at 11:13am 14th December 2011 ah I misread, i meant new model's of iphone being made a lot. Did not mean update. sorry! But the androids getting lots of updates sounds nice.
    TechFreak at 11:44am 14th December 2011 No worries, and yes Androids getting lots of updates does sound nice!
  2. Stormyltc at 10:44am 29th December 2011 Apple has been releasing new versions of it's software (not talking about monthly updates), and new versions of it's hardware on a once per approximately 12 month cycle since the company was founded. They have never, to date, created replacement models 5 to 6 months after introducing a new piece of hardware. Rumors have always projected updates, but they have always been wrong. BTW: a roughly 1 time per 12 months new model has always been the standard for most every everything.
2. TechFreak at 11:02am 14th December 2011 You are joking right? The iPhone gets updated once a year max. Motorola, HTC and Samsung are updating their phones every 3-6 months!
Christian Dillon at 9:02pm 13th December 2011 Could not agree more. In hindsight taking the more expensive 3G option on the iPad2 was a mistake. Never used it, never will. Wi-Fi is as good as free at home and at work. If I am on the road I can simply Wi-Fi tether to my phone and problem solved.
1. TechFreak at 9:19pm 13th December 2011 How much is the extra 3G plan? Like $10/mo? How much more was the 3G version of your iPad 2 than the non?
  1. Mike Marra at 9:22pm 14th December 2011 1: Depends on plan and carrier. Base on AT&T: $15 Verizon: $30 2: $130 more.
    TechFreak at 11:14pm 14th December 2011 Wow that can be quite the addition to a cell phone plan.
    Mike Marra at 9:34pm 21st December 2011 I heard Verizon might have "Family" data plans. That would be good for me, it would make me be able to convince my parents to get smartphones for them and me. If Verizon doesn't do something stupid like 5 gb for $50 on a data plan for 2....
Mike Marra at 8:59pm 13th December 2011 The data plans should be shared, like minutes on a family plan. How much does the data cost to Verizon and AT&T etc.?
1. TechFreak at 9:19pm 13th December 2011 EXACTLY. No reason to have two separate plans whatsoever. Or at least let me tether my iPad to my phone.
TechFreak at 8:19pm 13th December 2011 I would agree with this. Spending extra for another 3G plan for a tablet is ridiculous. If I am already paying for a data plan for my cell phone, I should be able to use that with a tablet. People are not made out of money.Plus for me, WiFi is just fine. Most coffee shops offer free WiFi, I have it at home and most airports offer it. That's good enough for me.