One of the least popular upgrades tot he AT&T iPad 2?s 3G radio will actually end up making a big difference to many users outside the US and to international travelers. The refreshed tablet supports quad-band UMTS, similar to that of the iPhone 4. The original iPad, as well as the iPhone 3G / 3GS, only had tri-band UMTS, omitting support for the 900 MHz band which are common in Asia and parts of Europe. The Verizon model’s CDMA radio, on the other hand, is compatible with very few carrier networks worldwide, which makes it become a poor choice for those who travel around often. One of the complains about the iPhone 3G and its sucessor the 3GS, was that it supported only AT&T’s 850 and 1900 MHz UMTS bands, and the 2100 MHz band used in Europe and Asia. Many carriers in Australia and some parts of Asia however, use the 900 MHz band, especially in rural areas, because lower frequencies travel further and penetrate buildings more easily than higher frequencies do, which means that carriers don’t have to deploy as many base stations. As a result, when the iPhone 4 was launched and included support for the UMTS VII operating band, it because a relief to many users in these areas. Previously, the best services available to users with these carriers were slow EDGE or GPRS services. The GSM iPad’s inclusion of 900 MHz suport, then means that the same device can be used with many carriers in Europe, Asia, and the Antipodes, where Vodafone offers rural 3G coverage using 900 MHz in Asutralia and New Zealand. The Verizon iPhone isn’t a good choice for international travelers as its EV-DO Rev. A radio isn’t compatible with many systems. However, for the people who travel mostly between the US, Canada, and Mexico, the Verizon iPad should work just fine, as CDMA is fairly common in these countries. So what do you think of the upgraded feature in AT&T’s iPad 2? Does this help turn the tide between you getting one and not? Let us know in the comments below! As usual, stay tuned for more tech news and info by following us on Twitter and/or subscribing to our RSS feed. [Source: TUAW] Authors:

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