topic Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled? in Mobile Services

Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

JBloomfield — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 16:17:23 GMT

I've got:

A smart benefit on my main plan that enables data roaming in Europe.

A plan for my smartwatch so that it can be used on 4G, which works perfectly in the UK.

So why when I go to Europe does EE not allow the watch to roam and connect to the same European networks that my phone does?

I thought this might have been a technical issue (signal band support or similar) but other networks (vodafone, for example) DO offer roaming for smartwatches and it works just fine. It seems like EE just don't allow this for seemingly no reason even though I'm paying for the two things that should make this work just fine.

I'd either like some proper justification for this or I'd like the feature to be enabled. I can't see any logical reason to not enable this - data should be data regardless of which device is using it!

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

Schockwave — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 16:43:41 GMT

Hello @JBloomfield ,

Welcome to the community,

Smartwatch will not work on cellular when roaming, but will work via bluetooth, so you would need to keep the phone within close proximity for it to work whilst roaming.

I have Apple Watch and know that roaming does not work unless I have my phone in proximity as it will work via bluetooth.

I doubt you will get anymore information here, this is not customer service, but a public forum.

Are you sure that other networks enable smartwatches to work cellular when roaming?

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

Chris_B — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 17:36:07 GMT

@JBloomfield if EE choose not to allow roaming on a smart watch it’s up to them you’re not paying for the option for roaming on the watch and your contract is for UK usage and that’s how it was sold and purchased by yourself. Any add ons you purchase to use your phone tariff outside the UK are only for the phone not the watch.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

marcpuricelli — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 15:58:05 GMT

Completely agree. This drives me insane. I spent countless hours talking to EE trying to get an answer but they refuse to give an explanation. Consumer hostile behavior and I'm looking forward to dumping them as soon as my contract expires.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

marcpuricelli — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 16:00:51 GMT

Why defend EE so much Chris? You work for them? There's absolutely no reason to deny paying customers to enjoy their watch abroad if we're paying for roaming and the apple watch add on. I would even pay extra for it if that was the problem. But EE doesn't even give us the option, rendering the device useless in my opinion. Apple allows it, other carriers allow it, this is just pure stupidity, laziness, or incompetence on the part of EE. As so many companies in the UK, screwing the customer seems to be an absolute priority. Can't wait to leave this disastrous country.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

Chris_B — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 16:03:13 GMT

@marcpuricelli Apparently it’s in the works. And they don’t have to give you any dates when that option will be available as nothing has been officially announced.

But your tariff for the watch wasn’t sold to you with an option to have roaming enabled on that tariff.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

marcpuricelli — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 16:05:59 GMT

Thanks for sharing. I hope you're right. I m considering paying 300 quid to cancel my contract early as O2 and Three just confirmed to me they do this no problem

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

michael23578925 — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 11:06:51 GMT

EE don't offer this. They always reply with bs about using Bluetooth....which is infuriating as it's not the question asked.

Vodafone offer this. Maybe time to leave EE if they don't want to enable a feature that, let's face it, you're already paying for.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

Chris_B — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 12:36:31 GMT

@marcpuricelli Your paying for what ? Your contract is for UK usage and you’re paying for that and that’s all
You not paying anything in order to roam with the watch and the watch wasn’t sold to you with anything stating you can use it on a roaming network.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

michael23578925 — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 14:58:36 GMT

Very defensive of EE there @Chris_B ! Do you work for them?

Many people pay extra roaming fees and expect roaming abilites as part of their contract, either included in the cost or available at extra cost.

Given the data loads of a smart watch being next to nothing and the massive amounts they charge for the addition - doesnt seem quite commensurate with the tone of your post....

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

Schockwave — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 16:52:22 GMT

@michael23578925 , @Chris_B does not work for EE, you can see if anyone is a staff member or customer like most of us are.

Roaming fees are per apparatus, for example if you have a phone and IPad, you would normally choose phone and either hotspot or wifi your IPad, so watch will work with bluetooth, it is down to EE to decide on what can have roaming, and quite frankly I would have thought having roaming on the phone more important, just because other networks have roaming on their watch, according to what you have written, EE do not have to.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

michael23578925 — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 17:20:15 GMT

@Schockwave

Your argument really falls down in the fact that a tablet, laptop etc can have their own independent SIM. Your watch cannot not and has to be tied to your phone SIM.

Damn every one here really must have shares in EE or something if not paid directly. Quite something guys.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

Schockwave — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 17:27:24 GMT

@michael23578925 , none of us customers have shares, what a stupid statement, I would still have to pay roaming on the tablet, so not cheap, if you are not happy, then you know what to do, you always try to make the suggestion to EE, that they may consider it.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

marcpuricelli — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 09:26:46 GMT

OK EE, I'm out of patience.

It's been 6 months since you told us roaming was coming to the Apple watch.

Obviously, I think this is a stupid, consumer hostile decision, but most of all, I'm mostly disappointed by your lack of honesty.

Why lie to us? Just say the truth, at least that's respectful.

And if the real policy inside EE is "we won't say it's never coming, but we currently don't give a flying ... about it and don't plan to do anything at all" that doesn't count as a "we're working on it". That type of PR speech is dishonest.

Therefore, I have no choice but to cancel my watch add-on.

I'm also looking forward to cancelling all my EE plans ASAP, including my own and my wife's.

Re: Smartwatch 4G roaming - Why is this not enabled?

MrCable — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 10:26:02 GMT

Before coming to EE, we were on Vodafone and whilst their T&C's state that Smartwatch roaming was NOT a thing, our Galaxy Watch 4 LTEs DID work in Belgium (and Spain, if I remember correctly). We came to EE seeing it as the most expensive network because it offered the most facilities - was a real shame to see this wasn't an option.