Series 4 Apple Watch Cellular doesn’t work

[Nsjmurray]

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.

[JDVB33]

Hi all

My wife has had a problem connecting cellular since she bought the watch but they eventually sorted it for us.

The process involved them setting up a secondary eSim for the Apple Watch, they texted a link with a secondary phone number and EID number, with instructions of how to enable this second phone number, which worked and tethered the device to my wife's Vodafone cellular network within a few hours. Hopefully this is now a permanent fix. To confirm, this hasn't changed the phone number on her actual iPhone.

Really feel for those of you struggling and would suggest that when speaking to Vodafone, mention the need for a secondary number and eSim; I think we just lucked out that the guy we spoke to had a clue as other people clearly didn't.

Still massively unimpressed with Vodafone and underhand credit check nonsense, which is without clear explanation and extremely shady.

Good luck folks!

[GrandL]

Time for little refresh because Vodafone don’t care about this problem or their staff don’t have qualifications for this job.

Day 112:  

Vodafone decided to don’t call me anymore. They just send me same message but with different date:

Hello

It's Angela from the Vodafone Directors Office. I'm sorry that I don't have an update from our technical team yet in regards to your Apple watch. I'll continue to monitor the issue and will call you on Tuesday 12 February 2019 with an update.

Beautiful lies. I don’t know why they left me with that but it’s just cruel.

[trevwealthall]

wow that’s nearly as bad as me , five months I’ve had similar messages and promises and no calls and it still goes on ..I’m beginning to think it’ll never be sorted 

[gdotp1964]

I wrote to their customer serve director Neil bl*gden (they block his name!) regarding the awful experience and dire level of customer service regarding their failure to fix the issue for me. Needless to say I got no reply......

[trevwealthall]

Be good if Apple knew about this and also if it could be broadcasted as they are still selling a product they know they can’t add data to , mine has been going on for 5 months now and still not resolved and I’m absolutely fed up of spending hours and hours on the phone to them and going into their store ,last on phone to them last night at 9pm which all they said was reset watch and it will be done ...still same they are are joke ..had enough now 

[dlfranks]

I finally got my watch sorted after approx 5 calls a day. Repeated unpair and reset network settings. Wait 24 hours. Wait 24-48 hours. Back office team looking they take 5 days. Your watch is faulty. Speak to Apple support. Been such a bad experience.

Now when I say sorted... it’s 99% sorted. The concerning thing is that my watch dials out using a totally wrong number. It’s not the watch billing number either. What’s more concerning is that it’s another Vodafone customers number! If someone calls that number my watch rings and if I answer it before the lady does I take her call. Needless to say she is not happy either as we have been in contact.

Back to calling everyday and Vodafone don’t think this is a priority and back office team will look in 5 days. I would say it was a data/privacy breach (for the other customer).

[trevwealthall]

That’s bad and not only hers what if our numbers are being used in the same way when they try to connect our watches, last night they told me they had sorted mine and the watch number ended in 57 mine is 84 so you have pointed out they are mixing numbers up somehow..it’s just a nightmare isn’t it 

[dlfranks]

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@trevwealthall wrote:

That’s bad and not only hers what if our numbers are being used in the same way when they try to connect our watches, last night they told me they had sorted mine and the watch number ended in 57 mine is 84 so you have pointed out they are mixing numbers up somehow..it’s just a nightmare isn’t it 

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Don’t forget the watch will have its own number for billing. And then they do magic at the network level to pair them. But apart from showing on your bill to identify that 2nd line you shouldn’t ever see 2 numbers.

in my case, my number I dial/receive from on my Apple Watch is not even mine or my watch billing number. It’s a 3rd unknown unrelated number to me! But another customers... 

[trevwealthall]

Think know what you mean , my phone number ends in 48 my watch shows as one number on account but the actual watch number ends in 84 ....but they tried pairing it with a watch number ending in 57 ..complicated  but outcome is still same ..they tried pairing wrong number 

[gdotp1964]

I think this is correct and the reason they cut me off twice trying to set it up