So, all the news about the Apple SIM that comes with the new iPads is interesting – it means that the end-user can automagically provision (or re-provision) their device on the wireless carrier of their choice, without having to go to the store and get a new SIM card and swap it. (The lone holdout, of course, is Verizon. Stupid Verizon. Get with the program!)

This news has been rattling around in my head for a bit, and the other night I put it together – T-Mobile has a free 200MB of data free, for life program for tablets. Since T-Mobile is one of the carriers that’s authorized on the new Apple SIM… could that mean that any new cellular-enabled iPad, out of the box, can be used on a cell network for free? I decided to ask.

The T-Mobile Support account got back to me:

Looks like they didn’t quite get what I was saying, so I tried again, and here’s their reply. (Yay for 140 character limitations!)

Still didn’t get the message across. Not surprising, the new Apple SIM is not that well known, and the devices aren’t in the wild in bulk yet, so I tried a double-tweet.

The answer took over an hour to come back this time… and is very positive and authoriative.

What does this mean? It means, potentially free 4G/LTE coverage for new iPads, RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. Someone, please give this a try. If this does work, it means that Apple and T-Mobile just moved the bubble yet again.