Apple Watch eSIM issues

[Gubbins172]

Hi got an Apple Watch 6 and it will not connect to my Data Plan...on setup its saying the smart watch has had problems downloading the eSIM

All software is up to date

IPhone 12

Apple watch 6

unlimited data watch plan

All the Tech team keep saying is we'll reset the eSIM, turn off the watch and phone and re pair the watch....im sick of doing this now...its going back if its not sorted soon

Thanks

[Leanne_T]

Thanks @Mdredmond1 

In this case, our Tech Gurus will need to get this looked into further for you.

Please let me know how you get on after speaking to them 🙂

Leanne.

[SMartyn]

Hi 

did you get a resolution to this issue?

I had an iPhone 6 and my I watch was paired fine and mobile data working, but I’ve just purchased a iPhone 12, so I had to unpair my I watch and pair it to my new I phone.

the mobile data is now not working, it shows, “set up data plan” when I click that I get the a message to say “you smart watch has a problem downloading the esim” and then it shows “unable to configure data plan”

I've called EE 5 times and feel I’m being fobbed off! Each time they say they will activate something and that it will take 4 hours! I’ve been trying for over 24 hours now and extremely frustrated!

I’m wondering if this is a problem with iPhone 12 / I watch 6 compatibility as the thread appears to suggest that users are having this issue with these models.

hoping someone can help!

[Gr36]

I am having same issues as everyone else. 

bit with series 5 and 12 mini. All was working well until I tried to repair with new phone. 

data plan still on watch from previous phone but still won’t “download esim”

There are some changes going on in the background related to digital e sim so I’m wondering if something is broken. 

[James_B]

Hi @SMartyn and @Gr36,

I'm sorry to hear you have had problems setting up your Apple Watches. If you are still experiencing the same issue this morning, please get in touch with Customer Care so our Tech Gurus can help.

James

[Mdredmond1]

I did manage to resolve this, but it took multiple 1 hour plus phone calls to get it sorted.

In a nutshell, my problem seemed to be caused by the watch incorrectly downloading the esim from EE (I don't know what the cause is - some advisors seemed to think it was due to connecting via wifi initially). Once this has happened, the only way it is going to be resolved is by EE doing a specific sequence of actions their end.

The trouble is, most of the people in the phone centre have no idea how to fix this, and instead suggest doing a wipe and re-pair the phone and watch (I did this maybe 10 times, and they still insisted on me trying it everytime I phoned).

I think if this happened again, I would (politely) ask the person if they are familiar with this issue from the start of the phone call, and if not ask to be escalated up to level 2/3. 

By the time I was put through to someone who was familiar with this problem, they fixed it (their end) without wasting time re-pairing the watch in about 20 minutes. After that, I could set up the watch correctly and was good to go in about hour (from memory).

What seemed to take ages was finding someone who knew how to fix this. Reissuing the esim and waiting 4/8/12 hours didn't work for me at all and just wasted time.

Hope that helps. It's frustrating, but I managed it in the end, so I'm sure you can 🙂

[SMartyn]

Hi there

thanks so much for taking the time to reply, I am literally at my wits end with this.

do you know who you spoke to at EE to resolve the issue?

several phone calls to EE and the same steps that you mention, but it’s still not working!

I now have a case open with the level 2 tech team, but again I’ve wasted several hours today trying to get this sorted. The guy I’m dealing with now has advised he needs to pass to another level, their developers, who will need to speak to apple?

My watch is now showing

Your Smart Watch has had a problem downloading the eSIM, click "Done" below to try the download again.

It can take up to 4 hours. Your phone will notify you when the activation is complete.

When I click done , I then get “unable to configure data plan”

Thanks 

sarah 

[James_B]

Hi @SMartyn,

As your issue had to be escalated via a support ticket, it may not be exactly the same issue experienced by @Mdredmond1.

I would recommend not making multiple attempts to download your eSIM as this may interfere with work going on in the background to resolve the issue for you.

Our Tech Gurus will get back in touch as soon as your account is ready for re-pairing of your watch.

Thanks

James

[SMartyn]

James

it is your tech agents that are requesting me to download this multiple times!

Im following the instruction of the tech team, this is using up multiple hours of my time!

if you care you look at my case, it is ID 15344948

whatever is being done in the “background” has now affected my sons I-watch also, which was working perfectly fine until I had to call

your tech team about my watch. The issues with my watch only started when I had to repair to my new iPhone.

I would really like this issue resolved as we now have 2 I watches that are not working which we are paying contracts with EE on.

Thanks

[James_B]

Hi @SMartyn,

Sorry, I thought you were making additional attempts to pair your watch after this was escalated to our support teams.

I'm afraid we can't access your account via the community to check the status of your ticket.

James

[Mdredmond1]

I think this thread demonstrates that EE perhaps do not have the best grasp of this issue, and there is definitely room for improvement in the training of their advisors. 

I can confirm that what @SMartyn describes is exactly the issue I had. I required escalating repeatedly (with mixed results,  but I did get it fixed eventually).

@SMartyn - best I can suggest is try again on a different day, and see if there’s anyone around who is knowledgeable about the Apple Watch? Alternatively you could return it if you’re in your cool down period, and buy it from one of the other networks?