Wifi Only vs Cellular Data Device

When to choose the WiFi-Only device:

• you do not want to use your iPad as a phone
• you're mainly going to use your iPad where there is WiFi access (e.g., at home, conferences, on-campus)
• you're going to download books/texts to your device and use your iPad as an e-reader
• you're going to download media (images/video/music) to your device and use your iPad as a media player
• you're going to travel with your iPad but don't need to get online except when WiFi is available such as at your lodging, conference site, campus or Internet cafes
• you want to spend as little as possible on the iPad itself and you do not want to pay the monthly cellular data service
• you need to shoot photos/video with the camera but can store them on the device and wait to download them until you have WiFi access
• you're going to use Apps that don't require Internet access to work (e.g., music training/composition, drawing, some games, writing, reference, etc.)

Cellular Data Service device

Tablet enabled with cellular data service work in a similar way to cell/mobile phones. There is a fee to purchase the device and also a monthly fee for the cellular data service with a monthly data transfer limit. The higher your data transfer limit, the higher the monthly fee. If you exceed your monthly data transfer limit, there are overage charges which can be very expensive.

The cellular service plan for the device is billed through a carrier, in the case of StFX the carrier is Bell. Depending on the carrier, the iPad model, and your location, you may have various cellular plan options including in some cases the choice of 3G or 4G cellular data service.
 

When to choose the Cellular Data Service device:

• you want to use your iPad as a phone
• you're going to use your iPad away from WiFi access and/or while traveling
• you're going to use your iPad in the field where there is cellular coverage but no WiFi
• you live or work somewhere without Internet access but with cell phone coverage and you want your iPad to serve as a personal hotspot and provide a WiFi signal to other devices such as a computer (iPad with Retina Display and iPad Mini only)
• you need to be able to access books/texts/music/photos/video online as needed without having to download them in advance
• you are OK with paying more for the iPad device and also paying for monthly cellular data service and abiding by the monthly data transfer limits imposed by the data service plan
• you need to use GPS applications when traveling, while in a car or hiking for example
• you need to shoot photos/video with the camera and immediately upload them/put them online
• you need to use Skype/Facetime on the go and cannot wait until a WiFi signal is available
• you're going to use Apps that require Internet access to work (e.g., GPS navigation, restaurant/event/site-seeing locators/recommenders, interactive games or interactive content production, etc.)