Most tablets still are sold with only Wi-Fi. For Apple's iPad. But Now AT&T Wants All iPads To Ship With LTE Built-In.

Most tablets still are sold with only Wi-Fi. For Apple's iPad. But Now AT&T Wants All iPads To Ship With LTE Built-In.

The idea is certainly an attractive one for carriers as it makes it more likely that they will gain mobile broadband customers. For some devices, they will also probably gain new two-year contracts in the process. That’s particularly true for devices that carriers subsidize and offer at lower price points as they do mobile phones. 

President of emerging devices, in an interview at CTIA Wireless. And the carrier is talking with manufacturers about making their product lines consistently equipped for 3G or 4G, he said.

"All devices should have all capabilities built in from the beginning," Lurie said. One reason that hasn't become a reality is that the additional hardware has been too expensive in the past, he said. "The ecosystem was a little out of balance."

But the flip side to that freedom is the extra $130 price tag for 3G iPad 2 and LTE new iPad models.

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