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Marconelly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 5, 2008
391
223
Let's say you activate your LTE watch, but then a week later it breaks, so you replace it for a new one. Has there been any explanation about what happens then in terms of activating the new watch to have the LTE access? Do you have to pay for the provider for the activation again, or do you just continue using the new watch like nothing happened?
 

Cascades42

macrumors 6502
Jan 25, 2016
347
198
UK
I would suspect it'll work the same way it does with an iPhone - if you have to pay an activation fee for a replacement iPhone then you will probably have to for a watch.
 

fischersd

macrumors 603
Oct 23, 2014
5,365
1,936
Port Moody, BC, Canada
Never heard of a carrier dinging you an activation fee when you're replacing your phone. You're activating an account. Just because the unit is damaged, that doesn't force you to light up a new account. The only difference here is that the eSIM can't be removed from the Watch. (it's similar to how Verizon and other carriers were CDMA previously - the ID was burned into the phone, not a SIM card like the GSM carriers).

I'd refuse to pay another activation fee - that would make no sense whatsoever.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,119
10,106
I highly doubt it because its being used as a "line" on your account. The activation fee is to start up the line, not per device.
 
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Marconelly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 5, 2008
391
223
I highly doubt it because its being used as a "line" on your account. The activation fee is to start up the line, not per device.
Never heard of a carrier dinging you an activation fee when you're replacing your phone. You're activating an account.
That is true with the phone, but also more clear-cut, because with the phone, you're activating a SIM card. Then when you get a new phone, you just put that sim card into it, and it continues working. With the watch, I guess it's not as obviously clear cut, because the sim is tied to the watch itself, so it seems like you could be activating a new one every time you get a new watch.
 

edhchoe

macrumors 65816
Oct 28, 2011
1,398
899
dave posted a ATT terms and agreement excerpt on one of the threads on the forum and it said one watch per line.
The second watch will be charged as I read it whether it would be the only watch linked or not.
 

bgib2610

macrumors member
Feb 15, 2014
30
23
SoCal
I replaced my AW S3 + Celluar today (T-Mobile) at the Apple store. It was really easy. Deactivate celluar from the iPhone Watch app. Unpair watch. Pair new watch. Activation fails during setup (seems normal) skip and came back 20 minutes later. It knew I already had a watch line available and asked if I wanted to use the available line or create a new. Selected the available line and back in business. Since the line stays active on the carrier the entire time I suspect no additional fees. Now in regards to the 3 free months not sure yet!
 
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Marconelly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 5, 2008
391
223
That sounds promising, that it already knew you had a line available. So it seems like they won't charge you twice after all.
 
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