Apple Watch

[Jonbe]

I think I’ve made a mistake. I get a call from virgin asking me to sign up to their Ooph tariff. Along with this I got a free u/l SIM card. I was told that they are now working with O2. Great I thought, no problems as I’m already with them.  Ow I’m almost up and running, but not quite. NO APPLE WATCH CELLULAR SERVICE !!!!!! Really ? Why are these providers not providing? 

[enlli]

Virgin have only just released eSIM cards for phones in the last month. It may be a while before a system is in place for watches.

As to O2, Virgin Mobile will not be using their services at the moment as they have a 5 yeard deal with Vodafone to supply signal. The two networks are run separately 

[japitts]

Virgin Media have recently completed a corpoate merger with O2, but their MVNO offer continues to be hosted by VF & EE for now. Historically it was EE, it's in the process of migration to VF. In time there will be a move towards O2's network, but that's many years away yet.

Apple's website lists all the operators that the iWatch is supported on - https://www.apple.com/uk/watch/cellular/ - virtual operators that use EE or O2's network, aren't supported, you need to be a customer of the provider specifically named.

[pedal999]

This is ultra frustrating.  VM are offering iPhone / Apple Watch bundle @

https://www.virginmedia.com/mobile/pay-monthly/apple/iphone-12-and-apple-watch?intcmpid=mobiledeals_... 

which specifically says "Wireless service plan required for cellular service. Apple Watch and iPhone service provider must be the same"

On the basis of this, I contacted VM via webchat, and was assured that I could get cellular connection on my watch using an eSIM, and as the offer was saving me considerably over Vodafone, I signed up for an eSIM Only yesterday, before being aware of this forum.

 Like OP I now have been mis-led, both by the misleading webpage above and the webchat.   Watch App on my phone now clearly states "Virgin does not currently support Apple Watch"

I know I have a cooling off period, but as I hadn't activated cellular with Vodafone, I will still be making a considerable saving over my previous contract even if I stay with VM though frustrated.    

Does anyone know if VM supporting cellular connectivity on Apple Watch is on the roadmap / horizon at all - would help my decision whether to stay or exit under cooling off period.

Thanks in anticipation.

[japitts]

---

@pedal999 wrote:

Does anyone know if VM supporting cellular connectivity on Apple Watch is on the roadmap / horizon at all - would help my decision whether to stay or exit under cooling off period.

---

No-one on here will really know any better than you, to be honest. Bear in mind that at a corporate/high-level, the mobile side is currently likely pre-occupied with the EE > VF migration, and then will probably start to look at future plans for a VF > O2 migration.

As to what additional services they might want to work on "in the middle" but then have to migrate.. answers on a postcard.

IMO - you choose a provider based on what they can offer you now. Not what they might be able to offer you in the future.

[enlli]

The write up for the watch looks very much like a cut and paste job

[Tom_F · Accepted solution]

Hi Jonbe & pedal999, thanks for getting in touch. 

I'm really sorry to hear that you were given wrong information with regards to the service we can provide for Apple Watches.

Unfortunately they aren't devices we support at the moment, and we haven't had any communication about supporting them as things stand so regrettably that's not something we can help with and would have to recommend exercising your right to cancel within the cool-down period if signing up was based on that.

However if you get back to me via PM we can look further into the conversation you had and ensure feedback is provided, to try and prevent similar instances of frustration & disappointment going forwards.

Tom 

[Jonbe]

Why is this such an issue. This service is offered by O2,EE and also Vodaphone. 

[enlli]

Which are all full blown networks and not a Virtual network like Virgin. No Virtual network to date offers the service.

The system where a second SIM with a different identity acts as the phone sim takes some setting up in the background.

Virgin have only a 10th of the subscribers as the big networks and so the demand for the service will be a lot less, and may not be as cost effective. A higher % of subscribers on less expensive phones does not help

If you want all the bells and whistles you have to go with the big ones