Any Apple Watch cellular providers in the UK ?

It’s ok I already know the answer. It’s zero. Although I do need to qualify that statement with the additional word unconditional. I did some research, but not enough as it stands, into which providers would allow me to set up my new AWU with a cellular plan that I already had in place for my phone. There are, to my knowledge, only three providers that will do this, EE, O2 and Vodaphone. However unless you buy the AWU from them with a 2 year contract and attached plan you can forget setting up your AWU for cellular in the UK. I recently joined EE due to their excellent coverage. Sim only as I’ve got a fairly new iPhone but on a repeat monthly DD payment. I tried setting up cellular and was told by EE on the phone that I would have to sign up to a 12/24 month contract in order to set up cellular. I went into an EE shop to enquire about the best 12 month contract and setting up cellular. The store manager asked me where I had bought my watch. Well not from them. Forget it then, it’s not happening. Not unless you either bought the watch from the provider, or are willing to take out a 24 month contract with a watch cellular plan attached for an extra £7 a month. Same with O2 and Vodaphone apparently. So there you have it. I have a cellular watch but am unable to set up a cellular plan unless I sign my life away for 2 years. Does anyone else have similar or different experiences.

Apple Watch Ultra

Posted on May 24, 2023 11:01 AM

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4 replies

Mar 11, 2024 7:36 AM in response to guycribb

guycribb wrote:

I just bought an Applewatch ultra 2 with cellular use over a 24 month contract with uk provider EE. They told me I could use it abroad. I’m abroad now and it doesn’t work on cell coverage- only as Bluetooth from my phone. So I’m sending it back- it’s useless to me I needed it for safety at sea where my phone was ashore and I was afloat just with my watch. If anyone knows of a uk provider who can also have overseas calls from a watch, please tell me. Thanks

Note that, under ideal conditions, the farthest you can be from a cell tower and still receive calls is about 45 miles. So, depending on what you mean by "at sea", having cellular service might not be useful.

Mar 10, 2024 6:16 AM in response to BigAl1870

I just bought an Applewatch ultra 2 with cellular use over a 24 month contract with uk provider EE. They told me I could use it abroad. I’m abroad now and it doesn’t work on cell coverage- only as Bluetooth from my phone. So I’m sending it back- it’s useless to me I needed it for safety at sea where my phone was ashore and I was afloat just with my watch. If anyone knows of a uk provider who can also have overseas calls from a watch, please tell me. Thanks

Mar 11, 2024 9:49 AM in response to guycribb

guycribb wrote:

I just bought an Applewatch ultra 2 with cellular use over a 24 month contract with uk provider EE. They told me I could use it abroad. I’m abroad now and it doesn’t work on cell coverage- only as Bluetooth from my phone. So I’m sending it back- it’s useless to me I needed it for safety at sea where my phone was ashore and I was afloat just with my watch. If anyone knows of a uk provider who can also have overseas calls from a watch, please tell me. Thanks

Also, did you mean cellular roaming when abroad? If so did you sign-up for Apple Watch roaming service with EE?


Or did you mean, go to another country, and get a new iPhone/Apple Watch cellular plan? If so, which country?


And when you say abroad, what country? There are radio frequency restrictions depending on the the country. For example if you mean China, then they get a different Apple Watch model.

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Any Apple Watch cellular providers in the UK ?

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