Call 911 without data plan?

[Flood4]

Hi, we offered an Apple Watch to my mother. She has a cellphone with a call plan, but without data.

If she fall outside of her wifi range, call the watch call for help of it absolutely needs a data plan?

Thanks
(Damn, iPhone 7 not supported, I’ll also need to buy her a phone she will use 5 min/weeks).

 

[Apple_Robert]

The watch would need to be connected to Wifi or in close proximity to the phone in order to call 911.

 

[Flood4]

The watch would need to be connected to Wifi or in close proximity to the phone in order to call 911.

Yes it’s the situation I have in mind : ex: in a car, with the phone, without wifi, without data plan. So you confirm it can call emergency using the voice plan only?
Thanks.

 

[kitKAC]

Yes it’s the situation I have in mind : ex: in a car, with the phone, without wifi, without data plan. So you confirm it can call emergency using the voice plan only?
Thanks.

Maybe not....

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/108374

Emergency SOS requires a mobile connection or Wi-Fi calling with an internet connection from your Apple Watch or nearby iPhone.

EDIT: Mobile connection should be voice, so it should be fine. Ideally, you should get a plan for the Watch so she can call for help without needing the iPhone at all.

 

[chabig]

Nobody needs a data plan to make a phone call. Calls to 911 are voice calls.

If she is near her phone, like in a car as you described, any Watch can call 911.

If she isn’t near the iPhone, only a cellular Watch has the radio to call 911.

If the Watch is for her safety, pay $100 more for the cellular Watch. As long as it is with her she can call for help, even WITHOUT a mobile plan.

 

[jz0309]

^^This.
OP what country are you in? That might change things

 

[Howard2k]

^^This.
OP what country are you in? That might change things

This.
In the right country and with a cellular watch there is no phone needed.

 

[cateye]

It's worth noting that any cellular-capable phone is required by law in the U.S. to be able to call 9-1-1 even if it doesn't have an active cellular plan (voice or data) or a SIM card installed(*). Apple's documentation on whether this applies to a cellular Apple Watch, separate from its connection to an iPhone, is somewhat unclear, only saying that it can work that way, but may not in all circumstances. I suspect the law that governs phones does not directly apply to smart watches so it's more a patchwork of areas that have been upgraded to accept emergency calls from unregistered smart watches and areas that have not.

(*) = it does, however, need to be able to see a cell tower with sufficient strength, as with any phone call. It's not magic.

 

[Flood4]

^^This.
OP what country are you in? That might change things

Canada. Good to know. Thanks

 

[Saturn007]

What is the definition of a “mobile connection”?!

Cateye's post was the clearest and most nuanced I've read on this matter.

I suspect the law that governs phones does not directly apply to smart watches so it's more a patchwork of areas that have been upgraded to accept emergency calls from unregistered smart watches and areas that have not.

We have two cellular Apple Watches — one paired to an iPhone that's on Tracfone, the other paired to an iPhone that's not associated with any cell company or service.

Tracfone does not have any plans for an Apple Watch.

It remains unclear to me whether one or both would call 911 in an emergency situation. Several people here at MR declare they will; hope that’s true.

It also remains unclear whether the watches will make the call if Airplane Mode is on. One would hope that an hard fall and emergency — and Emergency SOS — would override Airplane Mode. We've had the SOS go off and had to cancel it a couple of times while in AM, so I presume that's the case.

Lots of people who speak to this issue mention a U.S. requirement (or law) that ALL cellular-equipped devices must be able to call 911, whether they are attached to a cell phone company or not, and whether or not they are on a cellular plan. No one seems to cite the specific law, however.

Apple's web pages remain a morass of information, exceptions, and obscure terms.

For example, Apple declares this — a HUGE caveat:

“Some cellular networks may not accept an emergency call from your Apple Watch Series 5, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch Series 7 (GPS + Cellular), or Apple Watch Series 8 if your Apple Watch isn’t activated, if it isn’t compatible with or configured to operate on a particular cellular network, or if isn’t set up for cellular service.” (Emphasis added)​

​

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/watch/apdfe3c02513/9.0/watchos/9.0

One day, I’ll chat with — and call — Apple support and see if I can get a definitive answer about all this. For example, I'd like to know what “compatible with” and “configured to operate on” a network involve — and what “set up for cellular service” means! With luck, they'll provide an explanation in writing.