AT&T wants me to give up my original iPhone unlimited plan to add Watch. No thanks. GPS only it is.
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Apple Watch Series 3 LTE Doesn't Work With Prepaid Wireless Plans
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It sounds petty, but I was totally down for a cell Apple Watch when people were talking about it being. $5 add on. More than that is where I draw the line considering I wouldn't use data on it THAT much. Some music streaming and replying to a few texts when I'm at the gym does not need to cost THAT much when you're using my existing data plan.
They try different promotions. Just a month ago they added a third line to my two line account at no charge. Free talk/text/data. All I paid was $25 for the SIM/activation.
I think this article needs to be revised. The Apple Watch S3 can be added to the prepaid T-Mobile One no credit check plan.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-watch-s3-cellular-on-prepaid.2067883/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-watch-s3-cellular-on-prepaid.2067883/
Oligopoly doesn't work like that. B-school 101, with a Congress, bought and paid for, which hasn't done it's duty to keep the market capitalistic since the 1880s.
We should all buy a LTE version then return after 1 week use. During the return, cite "underwhelming, lack of carrier LTE support, etc" A couple of thousand returns should get Apple's attention?
Same here. I know it's only $10 but it's the principal of the thing. Called ATT today to see if they would waive the $10 or give me a promotional/loyalty discount beyond the 3 months and they said NO.
It's ridiculous that it should cost extra at all.
2017 will be the first year I *don't* buy any new Apple hardware.
- It shares the same number as the iPhone it's linked to
- It is not going to be using data (via LTE) at the same time as the iPhone it's linked to is using data
- It shares the iPhone's data limits
- It costs the networks nothing to enable this; they don't even have to provide a SIM!
2017 will be the first year I *don't* buy any new Apple hardware.
Yeah they’re losing me here. I’ve got a series 0 Apple Watch, bought to test the waters of smart watches beyond what my Pebble could do. And it’s good! The series 3 presentation won me over but I’m not changing my phone network to EE, I’m not paying over the odds for something that I don’t really need (would have paid £5 a month for cellular connectivity on my watch considering the watches limitations with that data).
Back to waiting I go. As if I’m changing from my £19/mo 20gb data, unlimited call and text plan with o2 to EE. Pah.
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[doublepost=1505551229][/doublepost]I’m suddenly reminded of when the PS Vita launched with a 3G option. That model flopped more than the WiFi version. People don’t want complicated contracts with ancillary internet devices. I really thought Apple would get that. I do wonder what the sold ratio is for cellular iPads to WiFi ones.
Back to waiting I go. As if I’m changing from my £19/mo 20gb data, unlimited call and text plan with o2 to EE. Pah.
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also the amount of data a watch could use is paltry. There’s Apple Music, yeah, but you’re looking at a few hundred mb of data a month if you use that feature, or tens of mb if not.
[doublepost=1505551229][/doublepost]I’m suddenly reminded of when the PS Vita launched with a 3G option. That model flopped more than the WiFi version. People don’t want complicated contracts with ancillary internet devices. I really thought Apple would get that. I do wonder what the sold ratio is for cellular iPads to WiFi ones.
Thanks for posting that. I'm glad T-Mobile had a change of heart. But still, I agree with others who say it's a bit greedy of telecoms to charge an extra monthly fee for something you're already paying for. Especially since T-Mobile has unlimited plans, what does the Watch really add to your data consumption?
Also, I was hoping Watch 3 would be truly independent of the iPhone. I don't need both.
Are we sure iPhone 6 or later is required? I don't understand why this makes a difference. I currently have an old iPhone 4s on my T-mobile line (though originally had iPhone 6 on the line), and use the line with t-mobile digits app on my Verizon phone. I don't know why the watch wouldn't similarly work with the same T-mobile line via Digits, regardless of the connected phone.
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Imagine if you did not need a phone number. If the whole thing worked like iPad + Cellular. You sign up for a cheap one-month plan with a certain amount of data whenever you want it, then used the device standalone. Watch apps would be more important and useful. You could use the device with iMessage + Facetime Audio and have an interesting alternative to carrying a phone all the time.
I just wanted to say every time I see a photo of the Apple Watch 3 with that red color button I think what were they thinking? It sticks out like a sore thumb. Colored coded to match your watch color would have looked so much better.
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This is just pure greed on the carriers part, yet I'm not surprised.
They are not selling the LTE model in Sweden yet but I ordered from Germany. Hoping the add-on to contract will stay at €5 like when adding a data SIM to the iPad on same contract.
Since the cellular version has double the storage and ceramic back it is not just the cell compatibility I pay for.
Since the cellular version has double the storage and ceramic back it is not just the cell compatibility I pay for.
I agree that $10 a month seems high, $5 would be more appropriate in my opinion but free is a little unreasonable, there are going to be costs for billing & technical support and I am almost certain that there are various contracts and patent royalty agreements that have a real dollar cost to add a device to their network.
Think of the number of patents involved in an LTE wireless connection, don't think they are just collecting royalties on the end user devices or they offered the carriers and their equipment providers licenses for an unlimited number of users.
Think of the number of patents involved in an LTE wireless connection, don't think they are just collecting royalties on the end user devices or they offered the carriers and their equipment providers licenses for an unlimited number of users.
From the Apple web site footnotes:
"Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) requires an iPhone 6 or later with iOS 11 or later"
Good to know. I'm using AT&T prepaid. Just cancelled my Apple Watch LTE order.
Customers who want to purchase an LTE Apple Watch Series 3 model will need a postpaid plan to enable LTE connectivity, meaning it won't be available to those who use prepaid cellular plans. Prepaid plans are often more affordable, but don't support the number sharing features the Apple Watch Series 3 requires.
On AT&T's website, for example, the company says Apple Watch Series 3 connectivity requires the NumberSync feature. NumberSync, which allows one phone number to be used for multiple devices, requires a postpaid wireless account.
Apple Watch Series 3 models on Verizon use the NumberShare feature to allow Apple Watch users to accept calls on either device. NumberShare requires a "standard monthly plan" to work. On T-Mobile, the Apple Watch uses the DIGITS number sharing feature, not available to prepaid customers.
Sprint's website only lists an "active handset" as a requirement, but Fortune this week received word that all four carriers will require a standard monthly plan, including Sprint. Regular monthly plans will be needed for all customers who want an LTE Apple Watch.
Because the Apple Watch Series 3 does not get its own phone number, there's a second requirement on all carriers -- a cellular plan that already includes an iPhone 6 or later.
Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon all plan to charge customers $10 per month to add an LTE Apple Watch to their accounts. Three of the four, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon will be waiving their activation fees, and all are offering three free months of connectivity either up front or through service credits.
The LTE Apple Watch became available for pre-order last night, and the first orders will begin arriving to customers on Friday, September 22, the official launch date for the device. Pricing on the LTE Apple Watch Series 3 starts at $399.
Article Link: Apple Watch Series 3 LTE Doesn't Work With Prepaid Wireless Plans
Don't get your hopes up too much, although I suspect T-Mobile will continue to stoke the fire under Verizon and AT&T.
Don't know/recall which body controls regulations in the US but they should do something about this colluding of above telecom providers, it's clearly the case, all of them are charging the same amount.