Using a cellular Apple Watch with a data-only plan?

[Arctic Moose]

I've seen variations of this question asked before, but I haven't seen any satisfactory answers.

I am on a phone plan provided by my employer that will not allow a watch to be added to the plan.

I have a cellular broadband plan (from a different provider) with additional SIM cards that I use for laptops and iPads that also offers eSIM.

Is there any way to use such an eSIM with an Apple Watch? I understand that I wouldn't be able to take phone calls, all I want is to be able to access online content without a phone or wifi nearby.

 

[Arctic Moose]

Update:

This document seems to imply if I get two eSIMs for my mobile broadband plan I could put one in my iPhone and the other in the Watch:

Use Dual SIM with Apple Watch GPS + Cellular models - Apple Support (ME)

Add multiple plans to your Apple Watch, then choose which one your watch uses.

support.apple.com

It isn't entirely clear if this will work for data-only plans though without the primary phone plan (with a phone number) added to the Apple Watch.

Anyone tried this?

This is so frustrating. Are there any good reasons for these hoops? Why can I not just add whatever eSIM I please directly to the Apple Watch? It seems to work for Family Setup, so it does not appear to be a technical restriction:

An Apple Watch that you set up for a family member can use a different carrier than your iPhone uses.

Set up cellular on Apple Watch - Apple Support

With a cellular connection on Apple Watch, you can make calls, reply to messages, receive notifications, and more — even while you’re away from your iPhone.

support.apple.com