Buy Apple Watch S5 from Sprint and use on AT&T?

[martiansoldier]

Sprint currently has a promotion (50% back in bill credits) on the Apple Watch S5 for those who have cellular service with them and add a new device plan. A friend of mine currently has cell phone service with Sprint and has an AW S4 GPS+Cellular without service and wants to add data to her watch via Sprint. So, we considering buying the AW S5 with new device plan to take advantage of Sprint's ongoing promotion, but she'll switch the device plan to her current S4 and I'll take the S5 and eventually add AT&T service to it. My understanding is that AW are all unlocked and free to use with any carrier. If anything, I foresee some pains with getting the device service transferred from the new AW S5 to the existing AW S4.

Am I right in assuming that this is doable?

 

[Lobwedgephil]

That seems pretty messy, might be doable though. Just have may be an issue transferring service from the new watch to the old series 4.

 

[martiansoldier]

That seems pretty messy, might be doable though. Just have may be an issue transferring service from the new watch to the old series 4.

Thanks for the reply. That's what we are thinking too.

 

[mrwilly25]

Probably won't work because the S5 will be on a installment plan and that usually means the IMEI is locked to the carrier.

 

[mk313]

I don’t have anything useful to add, but I would be interested to see if it works out for you. I think, if there is an issue, it will be (like you said) in transferring the line to the Series 4. I know that Sprint gives you the discounted rate, but will charge the remaining balance (I’m assuming the full amount, not the discounted rate) if Hulu cancel the plan. I’m not sure if that includes transferring the line or not.

 

[martiansoldier]

Probably won't work because the S5 will be on a installment plan and that usually means the IMEI is locked to the carrier.

My understanding is that all Apple Watches come unlocked and will work on any carrier in the US. If what you are saying is true, then my understanding is that I will not be able to use the cellular feature of the watch until it is unlocked. While this is not an immediate concern for me, I think at some point when I want to get cellular service activated on the watch via AT&T, I may have to jump through some hoops.

 

[ricktat]

You can say you lost the watch and its fine for you to put a different watch on the account. The problem will be activating on AT&T since there are still installments. If the installments were paid there would be no issue at all... But the bill credits creates a mess.

This could fall under more of a blacklist than a locking issue.

I see this working if you don't want it on the AT&T plan.

Also... unless you really think you will need the cellular feature on the watch. You may never even use it. Maybe a runner... or someone at the gym a lot.... but of the 18 months I used the watch on cellular.. I used it like one time when I was in the pool. Waste of $14 per month after taxes.

 

[martiansoldier]

You can say you lost the watch and its fine for you to put a different watch on the account. The problem will be activating on AT&T since there are still installments. If the installments were paid there would be no issue at all... But the bill credits creates a mess.

This could fall under more of a blacklist than a locking issue.

I see this working if you don't want it on the AT&T plan.

Also... unless you really think you will need the cellular feature on the watch. You may never even use it. Maybe a runner... or someone at the gym a lot.... but of the 18 months I used the watch on cellular.. I used it like one time when I was in the pool. Waste of $14 per month after taxes.

Good to know. My initial plan was to buy a GPS only AW S5 but this appears to be a better deal that I would find for a GPS only version.

 

[mk313]

Good to know. My initial plan was to buy a GPS only AW S5 but this appears to be a better deal that I would find for a GPS only version.

If you don’t need the always on feature, I’d offer to buy the Series 4 from your friend for the price she’d pay for the 5 (assuming it is still in good shape). You’d still end up with a way better deal than you’re likely to find on another Apple Watch and she’ll be able to upgrade for free. She does need to keep the sprint service active for the full 24 months though so if she just wants to try it out, it’s not going to work.

 

[PirateP]

You have to have the series 5 cellular service activated on the Sprint account. This sounds like giant mess to me.

 

[martiansoldier]

UPDATE FOR THOSE INTERESTED:

My friend and I went ahead with the plan, and ordered the Sprint AW S5 with LTE. I paired it with my phone and activated it without cellular and watch worked as intended. My friend then tried to set up Sprint cellular on her AW S4 over the phone, but the phone CS agent was so slow that we ended up driving to the closest Sprint corporate store where they set up her cellular service in about 15-20 minutes and also confirmed that credits were set up on her account as intended.

I have since activated AT&T cellular service on the watch and seems to be working seamlessly as well. Overall, it was nowhere close to a mess or hassle that most thought it would be.

 

[mk313]

Glad to hear that it worked, though also pretty surprised that it did. Thanks for the update. Glad it worked out for you.