AT&T May Find Apple's IPad Adds to Strain on Wireless Network

AT&T, facing criticism for jams in its network in cities like New York, may find the Apple iPad adds more strain than officials anticipated.

The biggest U.S. phone carrier has played down the expected impact of Apple's iPad tablet computer, which goes on sale this weekend in the U.S., saying many consumers will choose to run it on Wi-Fi hot spots rather than on AT&T's wireless network. "AT&T seems to be convinced that most of the time users will be connected to Wi-Fi," said Craig Moffett, a Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. analyst who rates the shares "market perform." "That's a pretty big stretch, given it's a new device nobody's used before."