Is Verizon Testing iPads?

Verizon does not currently offer service for any Apple devices, but a new report suggests it might be at least testing one out.

The Boy Genius Report quoted Wednesday that according to one of its "highly placed sources," Verizon is testing the iPad on its network.

"We have been told that the model they are testing is a CDMA-compatible device, and while our source mentioned LTE in some capacity (possibly another model), we haven't been able to independently confirm that part of it," the BGR report says.

A Verizon spokesman said the company had no comment on the report.

Verizon is one of a few wireless networks that uses CDMA. AT&T is currently the only wireless operator in the U.S. that offers 3G service for the iPad, and it employs GSM technology. LTE (which stands for Long-Term Evolution), which several carriers including Verizon and AT&T are adopting, is a 4G technology that promises peak download speeds of at least 50Mbps.

It's important to remember that companies test devices all the time, and Verizon looking at how any device operates on its network does not necessarily mean it will offer it.

The timing of the source's tip to BGR is interesting, however: it comes the same day that AT&T announced it is changing its mobile-data plans, including the plan for the iPad. Instead of the original choice of $15 for 250MB per month and $30 for unlimited mobile-broadband use, AT&T now says iPad users can pay $15 for 200MB of data per month, or $25 for 2GB each month, with no unlimited-use option.

[via CNET]