Orange opens pre-registration for iPad 3G sim cards

Mobile broadband provider, Orange is now giving customers, keen to hook up the iPad to a 3G mobile broadband connection, the chance to pre-register for the required micro-sim card.

Providing tailored 3G data plans for the iPad Wi-Fi 3G pre-registration for the SIM cards is available at Orange.co.uk/iPad. Offering out a £10 credit with every sign-up, Orange is promising the SIM will be available in time for the UK launch of the iPad.

There are a number of different iPad plans available with both "Pay-as-you-consume" options as well as daily, weekly and monthly data plans.

If you choose to opt for a Pay Monthly deal the cost works out as 5p per MB. Here, the £15 option gives you a monthly usage allowance of 3GB as well as unlimited browsing at Wi-Fi hotspots (including BT Openzone). Alternatively, the larger £25 Pay Monthly deal offers 10GB UK usage every month as well as the unlimited browsing at Wi-Fi hotspots.

If you prefer not to be tied down to a contract, iPad Daily and iPad Weekly deals offer the same flexibility as Pay As You Go mobile broadband dongles. For £2 per day you buy yourself 200MB worth of UK data. Alternatively, the £7.50 per week deal gives you 1GB to play with.

The Apple iPad is now available for UK pre-order following an unexpected delay in shipping. According to the Apple website the Wi-Fi plus 3G models will cost £529 for the 16GB model, £599 for the 32GB and £699 for the 64GB.