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Apple Watch iOS 10.2 Issue - No Data or SMS/TXT with Cellular/LTE (Wi-Fi OFF)

After updating my Apple Watch Series 4 to iOS 10.2 DATA/SMS does not work on LTE/Cellular, however, it can receive incoming and outgoing phone calls. DATA/SMS only works when Wi-Fi is turned ON and connected to my iPhone 13 Pro (on iOS 17.2).


Once the cellular plan was added back to the Apple watch:


I turned off WI-FI on apple watch.

Turned off the iPhone.

Restarted the apple watch.

Did a test of outgoing and incoming phone calls (that works)

Did a few tests of outgoing and incoming text/sms messages (that didn't work)

Tried to connect apps like Spotify/Maps and got network connection error and would not pull up data


I've also done a reset of the apple watch and also went to settings > general > reset > erase all settings. I also un-paired it with my iPhone and paired it again, then went through the steps of adding the cellular plan back on the watch. This also didn't work, same results I can receive/send phone calls but no data/sms/txt when only connected via cellular/lte.


So I'm not sure if this is a bug on iOS 10.2 for Apple watch as the watch was working on cellular data just fine without wifi or being connected to the phone.


I've tried to troubleshoot this with my provider Visible several times and they are telling me that since the normal troubleshooting methods are not working; the issue could be that my iPhone 13 Pro is on a physical sim card and that I need to switch to an eSIM as the phone and watch share the same simcard.


I don't think that is the case, because I've always had the physical simcard on the phone and they were able to connect my cellular plan for the watch before and it worked until the update to the 10.2 iOS on the watch.


Anyone else can provide me with some help or maybe experiencing this? Here are some screenshots of my watch.









Apple Watch Series 4

Posted on Dec 13, 2023 1:22 PM

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2 replies

Dec 13, 2023 5:51 PM in response to N186MR

You are correct about your cellular service provider, Visible. They have given you incorrect advice.


  1. It does not matter whether you have a physical SIM card or an eSIM installed in your iPhone.
  2. The Apple Watch and the iPhone do not share the same SIM.


You hare having issues with Data and SMS texting on your Apple Watch. I recommend that you contact another person in Visible’s support team who is knowledgeable and get them to address this issue.


Axel F.

Dec 13, 2023 8:06 PM in response to Axel Foley

Thanks for your response and the points you brought up were also what I was thinking. I was feeling dubious about their explanation as the watch had worked in the past after I had troubleshooted it with a more knowledgeable agent.


Then all of a sudden this particular Visible agent I was quick to respond to switching over to eSIM on the iPhone will fix the issue. I told them no I’m not ready to switch over to eSIM that since there is no guarantee that it would fix the issue.


I will try to connect with another agent and hopefully be lucky that they are far more experienced and understand the issue better.

Apple Watch iOS 10.2 Issue - No Data or SMS/TXT with Cellular/LTE (Wi-Fi OFF)

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