AT&T Network Expansion Due To iPad?

Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, said he doesn’t see the iPad resulting in many new subscriptions for AT&T because consumers will primarily use Wi-Fi with the device.

“My expectation is that there’s not going to be a lot of people out there looking for another subscription,” Stephenson said during an investor conference, adding that the device would be a mainly “Wi-Fi driven product.”



Apple on Jan. 27 introduced two versions of the iPad: One including 3G and the other without. The Wi-Fi-only version of the iPad is set to go on sale late March, and the 3G iPad will debut a month later, according to Apple.

For the 3G version of the iPad, customers will not be required to commit to a contract. Instead, they’ll be required to prepay for a month — $15 for 250MB or $30 for unlimited data.

When the iPad was announced, we also speculated the iPad would be used primarily on Wi-Fi, since you’d mostly be using it in your living room or a coffee shop. The 3G version will likely be the choice for road warriors who plan to use the iPad often on the road.

I’m torn on whether I’ll get a Wi-Fi iPad or a 3G version