You can look and go about this a number of ways
All depends on how good a signal you get in your location.

If you have an unlocked smartphone you can buy an Indian SIM card set up with data.
I have a Vodafone sim that I have paid for 1gb of 3G Internet access for 249inr.
You can then set up a mini wifi network usually called teathering or personal hot spot.
You can then use this to get the iPad on the net.
The problem is you may not get a 3G signal and without this skype is too slow.

The other option is to find a local place with free or pay per use wifi. There are lots of places now where you can get on for free.
The downside to this is that you will be among others all soaking up the available bandwidth so again it might be too slow.

Apps like whatsapp work well for instant messaging

Hope this helps but if you have any other questions please ask

Steve

Right, question 1, does your Ipad have a USB port so that a conventional dongle can be connected?

If yes, then easy solution.

If you have the cheaper one without USB, then you need availabilty of wi-fi.

This can be achieved at a hot-spot (there weren't any in Siolim when I lived there, but probably are now, ask at Amancio's down near the old ferry point............

or, you can use a wi-fi dongle, known in UK as mi-fi. These are available in India, but only just. Maybe get one on flea-bay and take it with you? Vodaphone seem to offer them, but their network used to be rubbish in Sioli

(cross posted with steveandjayne)

Also, of course, if you have a decent smartphone, you can use skype on that. I do all the time in UK and it works fine. So if its unlocked, an Indian sim (to suit where you live, Siolim is very variable due to the topography) should allow similar use.

I am not sure about the available networks out in Goa however many (most if not all) Smart Phones have the facility to allow you to use it as a Personal Hotspot and connect your iPad or any other wi-fi device to it and use the phone as a wi-fi access point,
It would work out the cheapest if you use a SIM card from an Indian network provider in your phone, ask for something that provides a larger amount of data.

Kiltman HT Mod wrote:

I am not sure about the available networks out in Goa however many (most if not all) Smart Phones have the facility to allow you to use it as a Personal Hotspot and connect your iPad or any other wi-fi device to it and use the phone as a wi-fi access point,
It would work out the cheapest if you use a SIM card from an Indian network provider in your phone, ask for something that provides a larger amount of data.

Good answer
I said the same yesterday

botany bay wrote:

Right, question 1, does your Ipad have a USB port so that a conventional dongle can be connected?

If yes, then easy solution.

If you have the cheaper one without USB, then you need availabilty of wi-fi..

Ipad's don't have a USB port there are two types wifi which is the cheaper one and the more expensive model which take a cut down 3G sim card and would need a local data package

Alternative is a Mifi which is different to a dongle, I have a Huawei and can recommend them they work great create a local wifi hotspot to which you can connect up to five separate devices, as has already been explained this can also be achieved with most smartphones but a phones battery quickly becomes exhausted

silentman wrote:

botany bay wrote:

Right, question 1, does your Ipad have a USB port so that a conventional dongle can be connected?

If yes, then easy solution.

If you have the cheaper one without USB, then you need availabilty of wi-fi..

Ipad's don't have a USB port there are two types wifi which is the cheaper one and the more expensive model which take a cut down 3G sim card and would need a local data package

Alternative is a Mifi which is different to a dongle, I have a Huawei and can recommend them they work great create a local wifi hotspot to which you can connect up to five separate devices, as has already been explained this can also be achieved with most smartphones but a phones battery quickly becomes exhausted

I beg your pardon, but when the Ipad was launched, a massive 3 years ago, the base model came with no USB connection, whilst for an extra cost USB ports could be had!

As most people I know bought the original and have not slavishly replaced it with "the latest model", I was not aware that Apple have taken the retrograde step of not offering USB connectivity on any Ipads now, thus rendering them more of a toy than they were originally.

The rest, referring to mi-fi (which I also use on a proper laptop) is exactly as I said.

But if the purpose of taking the Ipad all the way to Goa is to Skype home, and the solution for connectivity is your smartphone............. then, as I said, why not use skype on said smartphone?

My viewpoint was if you have the hardware capable to do the job and for the minimal outlay of a sim you would probably buy its worth a punt as you don't know how good it's going to be till your there.
You could just use the phone but if you have the larger screen it's better.

I have to use my phone as a router because the signal where we stay is better one side of the balcony than the other. Using the phone this way gives freedom to be comfortable but as said reduces battery life.

Safe to say we are all correct until the OP tells us more

Thank you all for your tips and help. I havent bought the IPAD yet , it will be a xmas present so that will help me choose which one now

Good luck and enjoy your holiday.

Please let us know how you get on?

Steve

Botany Bay none of the iPads have had a USB you can pay extra for a sim model but defiantly no USB
You can however creat a USB port by using an Apple Camera Connection Kit. In Theory you should be able to attach a Dongle but I think I would test before going in case it doesn't work.

Botany Bay none of the iPads have had a USB you can pay extra for a sim model but defiantly no USB

Absolutely correct, there is and NEVER has been a USB port on iPads no matter what generation, the only options available were internal memory size and whether they were Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi plus 3G using a Micro SIM.

Kiltman HT Mod wrote:

Botany Bay none of the iPads have had a USB you can pay extra for a sim model but defiantly no USB

Absolutely correct, there is and NEVER has been a USB port on iPads no matter what generation, the only options available were internal memory size and whether they were Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi plus 3G using a Micro SIM.

Thank heavens you confirmed what I thought was the case! I was beginning to think That I was going doolally and was wondering why I didn't buy the one with a USB port if that had been option!

SM

Obviously my mates had all bought usb adaptors then?

Sorry for confusion

Silentman - I have bought a Huawei mi-fi with the intention of using it with my Ipad in Goa. I've tested it over here in the UK and am very impressed. Great little gadget.

Which Indian sim is best to buy to use in it?

Is it unlocked?

I use a Vodafone sim in my iphone.
I had to chop it to fit in the phone.
Not being a mi-FI kind of guy I don't know if you can use a normal sim?

The reason for me including this is that I can and have topped the card up online at Vodafone.in
For 1mb of 3G data it cost about 250inr

I have an unlocked Vodafone Mobile Wi-Fi (MiFi) R205, it is made by Huawei, basically it is just a small mobile router that fits easily in to my pocket and uses a normal size SIM card that I purchase locally.

I have used it in Egypt, Malta and several other countries including Turkey however that well know technological third world country - SPAIN proved almost impossible this year, despite trying numerous mobile phone shops O2 (Telefonica) Orange / EE and several Vodafone shops in several towns nowhere was able to supply me with a PAYG SIM.

As a last chance I went in to yet another Vodafone shop in Puerto Banus and they were able to give me one, however compared to ALL the other countries I have used it in Spain worked out very expensive at €28 for 1GB of data which isn't much if you are skyping or FaceTiming etc.

They are great if you can get a cheap local SIM that gives plenty of GB's data, for example we paid £9 in Egypt for 7GB.

laurakaren if you haven't yet purchased the iPad your 2 options are buy one with Wi-Fi and 3G or Wi-fi only, Wi-Fi and 3G models are much more expensive than Wi-Fi only and you can get the same results by using free Wi-Fi from a hotspot or by using a personal modem or using your phone as a hotspot and usually the cheapest way is by using a local SIM.

Do you use a normal sim making sure it has a data plan or do you get a sim designed for a dongle?

roma wrote:

Silentman - I have bought a Huawei mi-fi with the intention of using it with my Ipad in Goa. I've tested it over here in the UK and am very impressed. Great little gadget.

Which Indian sim is best to buy to use in it?

roma

I am in Goa at the moment got hold of an airtel sim card, it was available to use straight away they had one already registered, I got a data plan but its only 2G works ok with Ipad using my smartphone but is very slow.

Unfortunately it wont work in my Huawei mi-fi which am told needs 3G will be getting an Idea sim in 3-4 days
as needs to be registered am told Idea coverage is good where I am in the south will let you know how it works out,

thanks again Folks, it seems I have a few decisions to make