Apple Watch International Roaming

[A1000]

In the recent Apple device launch https://www.apple.com/uk/apple-events/ @~16mins  Apple announced that international roaming is coming to watches from series 5 onwards.

Vodafone is included in the 30 launch carriers - does anyone know any more about when this is likely to be available?

Thanks

[Ed_Naos]

I used to have it in UK, the. Went abroad and even that the option switch was there, it did not work. 

I removed the eSIM from the watch to re-install it just in case and it did not let me add a plan anymore. 

[Denny787]

No, I was in Italy this week and I didn't have the option.

Anyway, the lack of knowledge at Vodafone uk is unbelievable.

[Denny787]

This is interesting, if I turn off the second line on my iPhone and I go into mobile data into the watch app it does not say anymore that the mobile plan can’t be used while roam internationally.

However I still don’t have the roaming option into the watch mobile services.

[Ed_Naos]

My take is that maybe if you buy the watch from Vodafone it may work. 
If bought from Apple…. They haven’t tested this yet and the solution is not implanted yet 

[Denny787]

Not sure about that but considering it took them a year at the beginning to figure out that without and EID the esim would not work, we are probably a year away from roaming being digested .

[Ed_Naos]

Quite right!

[AlastairP]

I am going to pose two different answers to my own question here.
Who is right & who is wrong?  

Apple assure me that I should have a “Data Roaming” toggle on my Watch & that this should appear whether at home or in a roaming country. 
Yet Vodafone told me this in a very definitive way:

Alastair: Ah, so are you saying that the roaming option on my Apple Watch will only appear when I go to a roaming country?

Alastair: I will not have my phone with me!

Jayashree: As we get a roaming options when we roam in phones the same will be on apple watch too as it is with esim so you can activate once you land there

Alastair: OK, can you be sure of that or should we escalate this enquiry. The Watch working standalone when I am out there is critical to me.

Jayashree: Yes don't worry it will surely work

Alastair: And you are confident that I should not already be seeing a data roaming option in my Watch menu?

Jayashree: Yes

Alastair: while in Uk…

Jayashree: Yes when you land and the raoming starts you will get an option

Jayashree: Roaming*

Alastair: well then, that is fantastic news! Thank you.

Jayashree: Thanks a lot

[Denny787]

I was in Italy this week and I had no roaming option.

Again; they have no idea what they are talking about.

[Ed_Naos]

I had the roaming toggle, yet the watch would not roam. I would see the spinning circles that is trying to connect (while roaming) and it would time out. 

We are a minority so don’t think this is a priority for Vodafone to fix / test this.  I have been at it for a while and I get similar clueless chats / advice from their agents as above. Don’t think is the agents fault, but product development at Vodafone. 

[Denny787]

I’m in Ireland, no roaming option. Vodafone IE