The success of Apple's iPad and subsequent tablets by other manufacturers has led to new tariff plans for mobile broadband, namely packages specifically sold for the iPad or tablets in general. This research brief analyzes operators' data service plans for iPads and tablets in 14 Western European countries during the second quarter of 2012. The results show that the total number of packages has decreased further, as more operators are offering mobile broadband plans irrespective of the type of device used. Within the specific tablet offerings, volume-based plans remain the norm, and prepaid still only accounts for 24 percent of the market. The most common data allowance continues to be 'unlimited' (although often with a speed reduction after a certain amount of data has been used). Based on the average monthly price, the French operators charge the most, followed by those in Belgium and Ireland. Based on an average cost per GB, France is also the most expensive country, followed by the Netherlands and Belgium. We expect more and more operators to include their tablet offerings in their general mobile broadband offering, leading to fewer and fewer specific iPad/tablet packages on the market.
