USA Cell enabled Apple Ultra - does it work in Europe / Asia?

[JWGold]

My Apple Ultra is cellular enabled through AT&T in the USA. My question is, will it work when I travel overseas to Europe and Asia? And secondly, if it does work, will it rack up huge data charges as cell phones have been known to do? While I would like to travel with the Apple Watch, I am contemplating just taking a regular analog watch with me instead.

 

[Shirasaki]

Apple Watch cellular service only works with the country‘s service provider where you purchase the product. Apple Watch can work fine with wifi but no cellular service can be used while travelling.
International roaming could happen in the future but for this version of Apple Watch ultra, no.

 

[JWGold]

I’m trying to wrap my head around how much functionality I would achieve. I generally either turn the cellular data off on my iPhone or use a prepaid International Sim Card. So if the Apple Watch doesn’t get any independent data, and my iPhone is not getting any cellular data, the Apple Watch won’t get any messages, but still displays time and accumulates activity (health) data? I’m thinking it might be better just to take an analog watch.

 

[Cruncher]

When your carrier supports International Roaming then it will not be a problem. The carrier you are roaming with needs to support VoLTE. I was in the US last week with my Apple Watch from Europe and was able to roam on AT&T and T-Mobile without any issues.

 

[tuanlouis]

My Apple Ultra is cellular enabled through AT&T in the USA. My question is, will it work when I travel overseas to Europe and Asia? And secondly, if it does work, will it rack up huge data charges as cell phones have been known to do? While I would like to travel with the Apple Watch, I am contemplating just taking a regular analog watch with me instead.

I can confirm that any cellular Apple Watch cannot work with Europe and Asia. The Apple Watch in the USA uses different cellular baseband.

 

[tuanlouis]

When your carrier supports International Roaming then it will not be a problem. The carrier you are roaming with needs to support VoLTE. I was in the US last week with my Apple Watch from Europe and was able to roam on AT&T and T-Mobile without any issues.

Currently cellular on Apple Watch doesn't support roaming.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Apple Watch cellular service only works with the country‘s service provider where you purchase the product. Apple Watch can work fine with wifi but no cellular service can be used while travelling.
International roaming could happen in the future but for this version of Apple Watch ultra, no.

I think you might be out of date. S5 and above do support roaming. See "International roaming with your Apple Watch" in this article.

 

[JWGold]

I think you might be out of date. S5 and above do support roaming. See "International roaming with your Apple Watch" in this article.

Pretty much exactly why I am asking for someone with recent actual experience abroad. In the end, I will probably just take both my Apple Watch and an Analog Watch, but also don’t want some surprise bill a month later.

 

[Vref]

So a ultra won’t work outside of the US?

GSM / HSPA / LTE

Apple Watch Ultra - Full phone specifications

m.gsmarena.com

If so that’s a major F up

 

[JWGold]

I can confirm that any cellular Apple Watch cannot work with Europe and Asia. The Apple Watch in the USA uses different cellular baseband.

It can’t take calls or make calls using its own cellular data, but will it work tethered to an iPhone? If not, will it still display time and measure activity Levels?

 

[Shirasaki]

I think you might be out of date. S5 and above do support roaming. See "International roaming with your Apple Watch" in this article.

I’m more talking about the ability to use the local sim network and local carrier cost rather than generally expensive international roaming plan unless money is definitely not your concern. I don’t know if carrier switching on Apple Watch to a local one is viable when travelling.

 

[Shirasaki]

It can’t take calls or make calls using its own cellular data, but will it work tethered to an iPhone? If not, will it still display time and measure activity Levels?

I mean, we have wifi only Apple Watch and it works with tethered iPhones Just fine. As such, I don’t see a reason why cellular one doesn’t work in The same manner, international travel or otherwise.

 

[winterny]

I can confirm that any cellular Apple Watch cannot work with Europe and Asia. The Apple Watch in the USA uses different cellular baseband.

This is not accurate.

It depends on the model.

I'm not sure of the specifics on each previous generation, but ... The Series 4 cannot do international roaming between USA and Europe due to non-overlapping frequencies.

The Series 8 and Ultra absolutely can as long as your carrier enables international roaming. I'm not sure about the 5,6,7.

 

[winterny]

I’m more talking about the ability to use the local sim network and local carrier cost rather than generally expensive international roaming plan unless money is definitely not your concern. I don’t know if carrier switching on Apple Watch to a local one is viable when travelling.

Most carriers currently won't allow you to activate a 'foreign' apple watch, that may or may not change over time. But, with that said, there are some carriers that have reasonable pricing for international roaming, eg: T-Mobile USA has very reasonable terms for roaming international -- and in fact, free roaming if you are okay with 2G (or slightly faster) speeds.

 

[JWGold]

This is not accurate.

It depends on the model.

I'm not sure of the specifics on each previous generation, but ... The Series 4 cannot do international roaming between USA and Europe due to non-overlapping frequencies.

The Series 8 and Ultra absolutely can as long as your carrier enables international roaming. I'm not sure about the 5,6,7.

So my question then remains, specifically will a cellular enabled Apple Ultra on the AT&T Network work in Europe, and if so, will I get some warning that I am about to incur some huge data charges or will this be some huge surprise on my bill?

 

[Cruncher]

Currently cellular on Apple Watch doesn't support roaming.

That is not true. It was enabled with watchOS 9.1 on many carriers around the world! I am not sure how it is in the us.

From my side I was successfully able to roam with my Carrier (Swisscon) in Germany (Telekom), Austria (T-Mobile), Thailand (dtac) and USA (At&T and T-Mobile) since last October!

EDIT: I am using the Apple Watch Ultra Edition which was bought in Europe.

 

[tuanlouis]

That is not true. It was enabled with watchOS 9.1 on many carriers around the world! I am not sure how it is in the us.

From my side I was successfully able to roam with my Carrier (Swisscon) in Germany (Telekom), Austria (T-Mobile), Thailand (dtac) and USA (At&T and T-Mobile) since last October!

EDIT: I am using the Apple Watch Ultra Edition which was bought in Europe.

I am not aware of roaming capability that is available on watchOS 9.1.

However, it is still not possible for a USA model cellular Apple Watch to use European or Asian cellular service. It's due to baseband difference.

I am quite sure about this.

 

[hwojtek]

I am not aware of roaming capability that is available on watchOS 9.1.

Why you deny it, then?

However, it is still not possible for a USA model cellular Apple Watch to use European or Asian cellular service. It's due to baseband difference.

Not true.
Take a look at the table and find the channels (frequencies) from the USA and rest of the world that overlap. These will be the frequencies the Apple Watch will use while roaming internationally (if roaming has been enabled with the original operator, subject to signal availability on these frequencies).

Apple Watch - Carriers

Apple Watch with cellular. Go with just your watch — make calls, get messages, stream music. See if Apple Watch works with networks in your country.

www.apple.com

 

[curdy]

Why not get a local SIM or E-SIM for your iPhone and then turn off cellular on your Apple Watch? I feel like this would have the Watch work as a wifi only watch and you shouldn't incur any roaming charges from your iPhone or Apple Watch.

I use my Apple Watch Ultra without cellular in Canada and only have it paired to my iPhone as I always have my iPhone with me. I don't see how this would be any different in using your iPhone with a local SIM or E-SIM.

 

[tuanlouis]

Why you deny it, then?

Not true.
Take a look at the table and find the channels (frequencies) from the USA and rest of the world that overlap. These will be the frequencies the Apple Watch will use while roaming internationally (if roaming has been enabled with the original operator, subject to signal availability on these frequencies).

Apple Watch - Carriers

Apple Watch with cellular. Go with just your watch — make calls, get messages, stream music. See if Apple Watch works with networks in your country.

www.apple.com

Roaming and Using European and Asian local cellular services are difference. In another word, it is not possible at the moment to install esim of local European/Asian operators on the USA Apple Watch cellular models. I am quite sure because I have several LL/A cellular Apple Watch here and none of them can install the esim of local operators.

I said that I was not aware that roaming is supported from watchOS 9.1.

 

[hwojtek]

Roaming and Using European and Asian local cellular services are difference.

That's exactly what "roaming" is. Using local services with a non-local (e)SIM.

In another word, it is not possible at the moment to install esim of local European/Asian operators on the USA Apple Watch cellular models.

There is no point in replacing the eSIM in the AWU if roaming is enabled.

I said that I was not aware that roaming is supported from watchOS 9.1.

Which is why "not possible" is a wrong answer.

 

[tuanlouis]

That's exactly what "roaming" is. Using local services with a non-local (e)SIM.


There is no point in replacing the eSIM in the AWU if roaming is enabled.


Which is why "not possible" is a wrong answer.

I said not possible to use local european and asian e-sims on the USA cellular apple watch.

 

[hwojtek]

It seems to me you confuse roaming with eSIM install, how the Apple Watch picks up the frequencies it uses for cellular and generally you managed to create noise instead of valuable input. Over & out.

I can confirm that any cellular Apple Watch cannot work with Europe and Asia. The Apple Watch in the USA uses different cellular baseband.

 

[jlc1978]

I can confirm Apple watches do not work on cellular in Europe. My plan supports roaming and the iPhone works fine but the watch will not connect to cellular service. I tried and it does not work.

 

[Cruncher]

did your carrier support Roaming on Apple Watch? If yes, did you activate Romaing on your Apple Watch?

See Apple Support Page:

International roaming with your Apple Watch​

With watchOS 9.1 and later, international roaming is available on cellular models of Apple Watch Series 5 and later, Apple Watch SE and later, and Apple Watch Ultra.
To get international roaming on your Apple Watch, contact your iPhone carrier to add your watch to your iPhone cellular roaming plan. For international roaming to work on your Apple Watch, your carrier must support VoLTE and roaming. Not all carriers support international roaming on Apple Watch and coverage in other countries is determined by your carrier.
To turn on international roaming, open the Settings app on your Apple Watch. Tap Cellular, then turn on Data Roaming.

Source: HT207578