$10 a month my butt!

[deeddawg]

It should be $5/month max, particularly when you’re already paying for an expensive unlimited data plan.

T-Mobile has two watch plans - unlimited high speed data for $10/mo or 500MB high speed data for $5/mo -- after autopay discount and including all taxes & fees.

I pay $10. It use to be $5 but sometime over the last 3 years they upped it. I need to check my plan.

Check your plan to see if you're on the 500MB or unlimited plan.

Interesting but do you actually use and pay it? Reason I ask is, I thought I saw that advertised too, then when I went to ask about setting it up they would not do so without a bunch of fees, similar to what OP described for Verizon.

Yes, for multiple years. My bill on T-Mobile Magenta 55+ plan is $75 per month. Total cost, all in. $70 for two lines then $5 for my watch line.

Basically it seems to me that most watch cellular users in the USA must be on one of the 3 big telecomes already, paying 50-100 or more already for phone. People like me who never avoid those companies like the plague are SOL since most smaller companies don’t offer watch service at all.

Check out Visible - they're a US prepaid carrier that offers an Apple Watch plan.

 

[ndouglas]

T-Mobile has two watch plans - unlimited high speed data for $10/mo or 500MB high speed data for $5/mo -- after autopay discount and including all taxes & fees.



Check your plan to see if you're on the 500MB or unlimited plan.



Yes, for multiple years. My bill on T-Mobile Magenta 55+ plan is $75 per month. Total cost, all in. $70 for two lines then $5 for my watch line.




Check out Visible - they're a US prepaid carrier that offers an Apple Watch plan.

Thanks for the info, your setup / plan sounds like a good deal!

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

T-mobile has a watch plan for a flat $5/ per month

Parroting this.

 

[sniffies]

Trying to remember when was the last time I wanted to leave house without my iPhone.

One sec...

Oh that's right, now I remember, it was never ago.

 

[parseckadet]

So maybe this is not Verizon's fault. Maybe the blame goes to the required fees and charges by local and state entities. Also, because these required charges and fees can vary greatly across the country, Verizon can't in advance advertise what they are when promoting their $10 plan.

I know I won't be a popular person defending Verizon. I can't believe I'm defending them!

Considering that T-Mobile is able to do exactly that, advertise plans at a flat rate including all taxes and fees, it is absolutely Verizon's fault. And AT&T's.

 

[ndouglas]

Considering that T-Mobile is able to do exactly that, advertise plans at a flat rate including all taxes and fees, it is absolutely Verizon's fault. And AT&T's.

Seriously, remember when 1- or 2-year contracts were common? It was like “oh they have to do that….“ —Noo they don‘t!

Just my opinion of course and maybe some folks are happily in such contracts still. I remember being very stuck re: fees and stuff to even get out of my AT&T contract, way back when they were the only way to get an iPhone in the US.
Glad that has changed and that long contracts are somewhat becoming less common.

 

[deeddawg]

Considering that T-Mobile is able to do exactly that, advertise plans at a flat rate including all taxes and fees, it is absolutely Verizon's fault. And AT&T's.

Even more so when you consider T-Mobile offers a $5/month watch plan inclusive of all fees and taxes. It's 500MB of high speed data and then unlimited low speed data. I've been on the plan for a few months and never go anywhere near the 500MB - probably would have to stream music over cellular to hit the cap.

Seriously, remember when 1- or 2-year contracts were common? It was like “oh they have to do that….“ —Noo they don‘t!

Just my opinion of course and maybe some folks are happily in such contracts still. I remember being very stuck re: fees and stuff to even get out of my AT&T contract, way back when they were the only way to get an iPhone in the US.
Glad that has changed and that long contracts are somewhat becoming less common.

To be fair, in those days the carriers subsidized a good chunk of the phone cost and embedded that subsidy into the service price; ETFs were the mechanism to recoup that subsidy if someone left.

Nowadays the service cost is separated, so there's no lock in if you BYOD or buy the device outright.

However, contracts still exist in the form of device installment plans, and subsidies exist in the form of monthly credits offsetting some or all of the installment billing. ETFs still exist in the form of having to pay off the installment plan balance and losing the remainder of the monthly credits. Worse, both AT&T and Verizon set the term at three years instead of the former two.

 

[jole]

This is a great topic!

I agree about $10 being too much. Should be more like $5 or less.

Seems like at T-mobile it is $5 / month. From their rep, I got impression that you can sign just to that $5 plan even if you are not T-mobile customer: not as convenient due to watch having a separate phone number.

 

[Susie4170]

If you run or do any kind of sport, then the cellular plan is absolutely worth it. I love being able to go for a run and leave my phone behind.

 

[tivoboy]

I agree with most here, 10$, should be “$10” and nothing more.. the fees and taxes etc. are annoying. If t-mo has a $5 all in plan well that is significant and awesome.!

But, I would note that this is essentially a fully INDEPENDENT cellular connected device. It’s gets its own data, the EID is targetable independent of the phone EIR or DID and it can receive calls independent of the primary ACCOUNT associated device - ala it’s ANOTHER INDEPENDENT cellular device on the accounts, registrations and reporting for that carrier. it’s not really an extension of your primary (phone) device, it’s being enabled at some reduced cost based on the fact that one HAS a cellular device - and yet for the telco they have most likely the same requirements from the FCC, the federal, state and local tax authorities AND the emergency services org’s to comply with ALL the same services for a primary cellular device; taxes and fees that understandably go along with a regular full pre or post paid cellular phone plan.

The taxes see very high in some jurisdictions, but that is probably NOT based on the base fee, but more a % but more importantly a minimum fee for a CELLULAR CONNECTED DEVICE. Ppl who have a $10 fee and $6 “tax”, A) I would doubt that is ALL tax, most likely a $1.99 911 fee, then another flat rate fee and THEN some % fee (but probably not based on $10 but more a minimum fee for connected devices.

I’m not sure how/when this could change, but the freedom of cellular (for some, not me) should have some cost more than just a nominal fee or very minimal fee.

I miss the days when I could have my “handi” AND my car have the same # for calling and receiving and pay about $50 a year to have the trucking figure it out.. yeah, that was what, 25 years ago (or more) so I’m sure we’ve figured out something more efficient than that?

 

[carbphrek]

T-Mobile has two watch plans - unlimited high speed data for $10/mo or 500MB high speed data for $5/mo -- after autopay discount and including all taxes & fees.



Check your plan to see if you're on the 500MB or unlimited plan.

————- thanks I checked and the 500 mb is offered. Never knew it was there in the drop down box. I do not stream music/boos/podcasts off my watch so I’m thinking of dropping back to $5.

 

[Tdude96]

If you run or do any kind of sport, then the cellular plan is absolutely worth it. I love being able to go for a run and leave my phone behind.

That's going to be my primary use-case when I get a cellular watch. Walking workouts, it was okay to carry my phone, it didn't bother me terribly. Now that I've started integrating running into my workouts, the phone is a major nuisance. I tried one of those armband carriers and disliked it, so cellular watch it'll be.

 

[Susie4170]

That's going to be my primary use-case when I get a cellular watch. Walking workouts, it was okay to carry my phone, it didn't bother me terribly. Now that I've started integrating running into my workouts, the phone is a major nuisance. I tried one of those armband carriers and disliked it, so cellular watch it'll be.

I am on the T-Mobile plan that is only $10 no taxes/fees, though. If it were more, I might reconsider. $10 is worth it to me to not have to stuff my phone in a hydration vest or legging pocket for recreational activities.

Congrats on starting running. Great way to burn calories and manage stress!

 

[Itinj24]

I never leave without my phone but I also always have a cellular plan on my watch. For me, it’s not the workouts or runs or anything like that. Biggest thing for me is having a backup comms device right on my wrist. It saved me big time at least once and that was worth the price of admission.

Sure you may leave the house with your phone all the time but it doesn’t necessarily mean it will stay with you or that you’ll have it when you go home. Things can happen.

 

[deeddawg]

Biggest thing for me is having a backup comms device right on my wrist. It saved me big time at least once and that was worth the price of admission.

Sure you may leave the house with your phone all the time but it doesn’t necessarily mean it will stay with you or that you’ll have it when you go home. Things can happen.

Reminds me of the time my wife accidentally took my phone with her on an overnight trip…. Whoops! 🤣

Had my watch fortunately.

 

[Itinj24]

Reminds me of the time my wife accidentally took my phone with her on an overnight trip…. Whoops! 🤣

Had my watch fortunately.

Would now be an ex-wife for some people I know 🤣.

My iPhone unexpectedly bricked about 5 mins before my wife called me to pick up the kids cause she was stuck in traffic. If not for my cellular watch, they’d be stranded at day care for two hours longer.

 

[ndouglas]

Yes that‘s why even though I’m okay not having the $10/mo or whatever/month plan, I keep my eyes open for it for a future date. I can understand why even using it in these cases —-^ like 2x/year would make it “worth the price of admission.”
On the other hand it reminds me that almost everyone around me of nearly all ages has cell phones on them, so in an emergency, I may very well be okay.

 

[Itinj24]

Yes that‘s why even though I’m okay not having the $10/mo or whatever/month plan, I keep my eyes open for it for a future date. I can understand why even using it in these cases —-^ like 2x/year would make it “worth the price of admission.”
On the other hand it reminds me that almost everyone around me of nearly all ages has cell phones on them, so in an emergency, I may very well be okay.

Yeah true but the kicker in my scenario was that I too was stuck in traffic lol. Albeit, much closer to the kids pickup point than my wife but I would’ve completely missed that call while sitting in my car, completely unaware of what’s going on. Of course, we can’t predict when a crisis will strike and where we’ll be at that exact moment in time so I enjoy the peace of mind.

 

[ndouglas]

I miss the days when I could have my “handi” AND my car have the same # for calling and receiving and pay about $50 a year to have the trucking figure it out.. yeah, that was what, 25 years ago (or more) so I’m sure we’ve figured out something more efficient than that?

I agree with your many good points in this post. At the end of the day, I am not however so sure we’ve figured out something more efficient though, when you put it that way. 🧐😏

 

[gsmornot]

My hope is a pay per use plan. No charge for under 100MB then $1 per 100MB after the first. My bill would be $0 per month. I kept a running total over the years and since the first day of the first watch I have used less than 100MB total. I keep the plan for the occasional call or emergency but really hard to justify the price charged for the data. I treat it like an insurance plan more than a data plan.

 

[ymarker]

I pay $5/mo (tax included) on T-Mo for the cellular watch for my kid. I'd rather he have the watch than a phone in his younger years. At some point I realize the phone will come into play as well. I had not expected the watch to last long so got him a used series 6 at a substantial discount.

 

[Momof2.1107]

I’m thinking of doing the same for my daughter, but she’s had a phone since she was 7, and now that her brother attends school with her, I figure to let her keep her phone to have easier access to call in an emergency.

 

[mk313]

It used to be $5 for smartwatches and similar devices. Carriers hiked it to $10 when the cellular Watch came out, just because they could.

I'm not a big defender of the carriers, but I think they they were probably worried about getting stuck in a situation like AT&T did with the original iPads. They had an unlimited plan, that you could cancel & restart whenever you wanted, but then people used a lot more data than they planned, so they quickly, had to get rid of the plan.
I'd imagine they wanted to make sure they didn't run into a similar situation with the watch. You'd think there's no way people could use the watch for more than you plan, but then people come up with use cases you didn't plan on.

You now see many of the carriers offering lower priced plans around $5.

And, at least with T Mo, the $5, 500 MB plan would have covered me for every month's worth of data that I ever used, except for 3 months (I've had a cellular watch since Series 3), so the $5 plans are likely good enough for most people in most cases. I do like that T Mo's plans include all taxes & surcharges. I'm stuck on the $10 plan (to move to the $5, I'd have to switch my phone plan to a more expensive one), but it's ok as it's totally worth it for me

 

[tivoboy]

My hope is a pay per use plan. No charge for under 100MB then $1 per 100MB after the first. My bill would be $0 per month. I kept a running total over the years and since the first day of the first watch I have used less than 100MB total. I keep the plan for the occasional call or emergency but really hard to justify the price charged for the data. I treat it like an insurance plan more than a data plan.

I hope you're right, but I just don't see it. As I noted in an earlier post, there are many fees that are fixed and/or required to enable a cellular plan on any network. While T-MO seems to be making this a in margin option or actual loss making option (they do eat fees and taxes for most plans) I doubt the other majors will do that. They want to at least break even.

I'm hoping, but not holding my breath.

 

[canyonblue737]

My surcharges + taxes on Verizon are $5.06 and I’m on their higher plan that discounts accessory lines in half so it’s actually about $10 a month for me.

what plan is that? I ask because I'm on one of their highest plans, 5G Do More, and looking at other plans include 5G Get More and 5G Play More... I don't see anything but $10 watch fees. is it grandfathered? thanks!