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Series 4 Apple Watch Cellular doesn’t work

Nsjmurray
4: Newbie

So, in typical Vodafone fashion they have come out with a new feature and product that doesn’t work at launch - in-fact it does several unannounced and unauthorised credit checks.

 

So I received my brand new iPhone and Apple Watch today and I have to admit, they look fantastic, after opening the iPhone box and just seeing the magnificence that is the phone I am definitely happy with my purchase.

 

I open up the oddly packaged watch box and start to set it up, everything is fine except for when I got to the mobile data setup section- at first it looked promising a Vodafone log-in screen, “Awesome” I thought, so I logged in and all of a sudden it was asking me to add a subscription for £5 per month.. I thought this was strange as I was already paying for the watch now you’re trying to charge me more for a subscription, I knew it seems to be a mistake so I just glanced at the terms, it seemed normal just about linking them together so it made sense, I went ahead and clicked add subscription knowing that I would just call Vodafone and explain the situation if they tried to charge me more.

 

Anyway, it shows me a loading screen and I’m simply waiting for it to complete the link between my devices.

 

After a short while it went to a blank white screen and then... what’s this... I HAVE FAILED A CREDIT CHECK AND I HAVENT BEEN CHARGED?!?!?

 

So not only did it fail.. Vodafone has performed a credit check, without authorisation just to link it to my existing plan that I was already credit checked on?

 

Good one Vodafone, will be returning the watch and the device and leaving the network for good, this is the final straw, I’ve had nothing but trouble with you for 7 years and I’ve stuck by you, but you just cannot get anything right first time, EVER.

 

wondering if anyone else had this happen to them.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Nsjmurray
4: Newbie

Hi everyone,

 

OP here, I can’t believe this issue is still effecting some people, I get emails almost daily about updates for this, it’s crazy to think it still hasn’t been sorted for everyone.

 

i can now finally say all of my issues are resolved and everything is working fine, you have to be persistent and contact the directors team, standard help from the tech team does not work.

 

Contact Nick Jeffries team and hopefully you will get I resolved like I did.

View solution in original position

1,336 REPLIES 1,336

@SimonTurp

i just put my iPhone on flight mode waited for Watch to pickup cellular made a call to my partner and it came up as my iPhone number not the watch number maybe it takes some time for the one number to work? but for regular text messages read my comment above about that :Smiling: that’s from Apple direct 

 

p.s with iPhone in flight mode, I rang my iPhone number 7 times of which my watch got a call 5/7 times so it’s not perfect but it does work


@SimonTurp wrote:

FINALLY, the open order is now complete.

 

but that’s not the end of my issues.

 

The data plan has activated on the watch successfully, however calls cannot he received on my mobile number when my phone is switched off. Calls made from the watch are under a separate number, which is not supposed to happen as it’s supposed to link in with your current number.

 

I called tech support who told me that Apple have told them the watch will not work if the phone is switched off..... what a load of ##~##. He said he cannot help me and I should call AppleCare. I have spoken to my case handler in apple care who will firstly be filing a report about Vodafone and assured me the watch is supposedly to work without the phone (I knew this already!) if they set it up correctly.

 

Vodafone are absolutely terrible. I would advise anyone with issues to let AppleCare on the phone know so they can file a report about Vodafone, as they are partners with Apple.

 

oh and strangely I got an email back from the people who work on this forum and was told Vodafone do not yet support the cellular functions on the Apple Watch.... why are you retailing it as if you do then?

 

the issues continue....


Vodafone are actually correct here, the phone does need to be on for cellular to work in the watch.

 

you can be miles away from it but if it’s turned off you won’t get cellular.

 

also it is correct for you to have a secondary number, that is how it works.

@NSJmurray well my phone was on flightmode so no WiFi, No Cellular, No Bluetooth and I could make and receive calls on my watch from my iPhone number even tho I have a separate number on my watch plan :Smiling: what you can’t do is receive sms/mms if your iPhone is off/flight mode as it needs to be on for sms to hit Watch... but not near iMessages work just fine if phone is off/flightmode tho 

chistery
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

That makes sense, @beyre83, thanks.

If the phone had to be on for celluar to work, there wouldn't be much point in having a cellular watch.

I probably won't continue with  the plan after 6 months. I use gmail and Google Music mostly, neither of which work with just the watch. I also don't agree with paying £5 to use data I already pay for.


@Nsjmurray wrote:

@SimonTurp wrote:

FINALLY, the open order is now complete.

 

but that’s not the end of my issues.

 

The data plan has activated on the watch successfully, however calls cannot he received on my mobile number when my phone is switched off. Calls made from the watch are under a separate number, which is not supposed to happen as it’s supposed to link in with your current number.

 

I called tech support who told me that Apple have told them the watch will not work if the phone is switched off..... what a load of ##~##. He said he cannot help me and I should call AppleCare. I have spoken to my case handler in apple care who will firstly be filing a report about Vodafone and assured me the watch is supposedly to work without the phone (I knew this already!) if they set it up correctly.

 

Vodafone are absolutely terrible. I would advise anyone with issues to let AppleCare on the phone know so they can file a report about Vodafone, as they are partners with Apple.

 

oh and strangely I got an email back from the people who work on this forum and was told Vodafone do not yet support the cellular functions on the Apple Watch.... why are you retailing it as if you do then?

 

the issues continue....


Vodafone are actually correct here, the phone does need to be on for cellular to work in the watch.

 

you can be miles away from it but if it’s turned off you won’t get cellular.

 

also it is correct for you to have a secondary number, that is how it works.


They're not correct... Apple have advised if set up correctly then incoming calls to your phone number should work no matter if the phone is on or off. You are also correct the Watch does have a secondary number assigned however the Caller ID should be set to your primary number so any outgoing calls show up as your standard number. This is confirmed by both Vodafone & Apple, hence the whole "Vodafone OneNumber". Also other people on the forum have been able to do this fine. I even turned off Bluetooth and WiFi on the phone and called it and only the phone recieved the call not the watch, even though the watch had full cellular connectivity.

 

Vodafone have messed up big time here.

I would still try flightmode so no cellular on iPhone either then calling your number with only watch on cellular let me know :Smiling: might take a couple of goes as I say it worked 5/7 times I rang my number with phone essentially off that it go to the watch 


@SimonTurp wrote:

@Nsjmurray wrote:

@SimonTurp wrote:

FINALLY, the open order is now complete.

 

but that’s not the end of my issues.

 

The data plan has activated on the watch successfully, however calls cannot he received on my mobile number when my phone is switched off. Calls made from the watch are under a separate number, which is not supposed to happen as it’s supposed to link in with your current number.

 

I called tech support who told me that Apple have told them the watch will not work if the phone is switched off..... what a load of ##~##. He said he cannot help me and I should call AppleCare. I have spoken to my case handler in apple care who will firstly be filing a report about Vodafone and assured me the watch is supposedly to work without the phone (I knew this already!) if they set it up correctly.

 

Vodafone are absolutely terrible. I would advise anyone with issues to let AppleCare on the phone know so they can file a report about Vodafone, as they are partners with Apple.

 

oh and strangely I got an email back from the people who work on this forum and was told Vodafone do not yet support the cellular functions on the Apple Watch.... why are you retailing it as if you do then?

 

the issues continue....


Vodafone are actually correct here, the phone does need to be on for cellular to work in the watch.

 

you can be miles away from it but if it’s turned off you won’t get cellular.

 

also it is correct for you to have a secondary number, that is how it works.


They're not correct... Apple have advised if set up correctly then incoming calls to your phone number should work no matter if the phone is on or off. You are also correct the Watch does have a secondary number assigned however the Caller ID should be set to your primary number so any outgoing calls show up as your standard number. This is confirmed by both Vodafone & Apple, hence the whole "Vodafone OneNumber". Also other people on the forum have been able to do this fine. I even turned off Bluetooth and WiFi on the phone and called it and only the phone recieved the call not the watch, even though the watch had full cellular connectivity.

 

Vodafone have messed up big time here.


I don’t dispute that they have messed up as I started this thread for that reason.

 

lots of misinformation being thrown around here and unfortunately we just have to wait and see at this point.


@beyre83 wrote:

I would still try flightmode so no cellular on iPhone either then calling your number with only watch on cellular let me know :Smiling: might take a couple of goes as I say it worked 5/7 times I rang my number with phone essentially off that it go to the watch 


Did already try this :Sad_face: So maybe they didn't link correctly. On the phone to Vodafone but they seem clueless and still saying that they do not support cellular on any apple watch lol! Tech support managers say they have no information or diagnostics they can do as it is not supported...

chistery
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

Just make sure that your watch is not in fligthmode, as setting it on your phone can set your watch too, if you have it enabled to match your phone in the settings.

With my phone in flightmode, the watch is still showing a green phone symbol, and calls go to voicemail. Only turning off bluetooth on my phone (as flightmode leaves it enabled) does my watch show disconnected, and a minute later the green cellular dots appear.

That is strange that flightmode on your phone leaves Bluetooth on??? mine is definitely works I turn WiFi off on my watch to force cellular too :Smiling: but as you know works just fine it’s a bit random can’t believe Vodafone don’t know there ##~## from there elbow lol