Series 4 watches won't connect to Sprint

Question

Series 4 watches won't connect to Sprint

We bought two of the series 4 watches and paired them with our iPhone XS Max phones. We have now had them for 10 days and neither watch will connect to the Sprint cellular network. We had no issues enabling cellular during the pairing and subscribing portion of the install. I have now spent countless hours with Apple support, Sprint support and Apple even called Sprint and we verified all of the settings. Two days ago Apple replaced both watches to no avail. They just won't connect to the network with zero cellular data transferred over 10 days. We even drove to the Sprint store and they were unable to help us other than asking to unpair, unsubscribe, repair, resubscribe over and over and over again.

It seems like there must be an issue with watch os 5.1.1. It doesn't appear there is any problem with the hardware or the settings. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how we might resolve this issue? We're ready to just return the watches and get our $1200 back.

Thanks.

Watch Series 4 (GPS+Cellular) Alum 44mm, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Nov 14, 2018 4:24 AM

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Answer 1

Branta_uk

Level 7

32,434 points

Nov 14, 2018 9:22 AM in response to Cattlerancher

Clearly there's a problem, but your report so far doesn't offer many clues where to look. You say it connected during initial setup, but there is no mention whether you are getting a basic connection but no data, or (something different). It seems strange that you have two devices with problems but there is not a barrage of complaints from other Sprint customers - could this be something unique to your case or environmental, like maybe a tower problem or setup on your account and provisioning?

Please use Set up cellular on your Apple Watch - Apple Support as a checklist and guide to what you should see at each stage, and troubleshooting. This gives us a shared reference so we all have the same script when trying to help. Then post back and let us know how and where it appears to fall over. Don't try to interpret, just describe your action and what you see with your eyes.

A few common problems...

check Control Center to make sure Cell data is enabled (green or white background on the button).

Remember cellular only comes to life on the watch as a last resort, so you need to have the watch fully disconnected from your iPhone and WiFi before cellular activates.

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Answer 2

Branta_uk

Level 7

32,434 points

Nov 14, 2018 10:47 AM in response to Cattlerancher

Update: I notice in https://www.apple.com/watch/cellular/ that Sprint has a reference to footnote #3, which says "UMTS not supported". UMTS is aka 3G - is it possible you don't have a 4G/LTE signal around you?

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Answer 3

Branta_uk

Level 7

32,434 points

Nov 15, 2018 3:47 PM in response to Cattlerancher

A quick look at https://www.apple.com/watch/cellular/ shows only T-Mobile or AT&T Support Apple Watch on UMTS (3G) services.

Please also be aware that Verizon has a long history of refusing to activate devices originally sold by a competitor. You would probably be forced to buy new iPhones and Apple Watches.

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Answer 4

Nov 14, 2018 1:13 PM in response to Branta_uk

We tried it at the Apple store before they replaced the units. They have a strong 4G/LTE signal at the storefront in Galleria Roseville California. Our cellular indicators would not turn green with the phones turned off and WiFi on the watches disabled. They decided to give us new watches but after pairing them and resubscribing to Sprint during the install they also had the same problem. The cellular button never turns green and does not show any dots. Turn the iphone back on and it is showing LTE. Question though, does Verizon support 3G on the watch? We are so fed up with the situation that is one of the options we were considering (ditching Sprint and converting to Verizon).

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Answer 5

Nov 15, 2018 3:53 PM in response to Branta_uk

During the pairing install of the watch to the iphone XS Max we are asked to type in our Sprint pin. it asks us to accept the terms and rate and then it populates the IMEI and ICCDID in the watch ap. Looking at the control panel on the watch the cellular toggle button is white. It never changes color unless we turn off cellular (becomes gray). When we go away from the iphone outside where there is a strong cellular LTE signal and no WiFi the icon never turns green or displays any dots. When we attempt to make a call it says call failed, disconnected.

I have an ongoing case that describes some of what support Apple has provided

Case # ****

Jason was helping me but he is not returning calls or reply emails for some reason.

[Personal Information Edited by Host]

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Answer 6

Nov 15, 2018 5:44 PM in response to Branta_uk

We've decided were moving to T-Mobile. We purchased the iphone XS Max phone at the Roseville Apple store and the watches from the Apple online store so we are not using devices "originally sold by a competitor". Jeesh, we've only had the new phones for a month and the new watches for two weeks of ****. Previously we were using the iphone X and the series 3 watches.

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Answer 7

deggie

Level 10

167,183 points

Nov 15, 2018 6:03 PM in response to Cattlerancher

To elaborate on what Branta_UK said, he wasn't referring to the fact that you purchased it at an Apple Store he was referring to the fact that you purchased Watch's that were on designated for the Sprint system. It has nothing to do with Apple. I don't believe you will have the same issue with T-Mobile.

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Answer 8

Nov 24, 2018 5:49 PM in response to deggie

We received our T-Mobile SIMs last night and after getting the two iPhones connected we were able to easily add the cellular option on the watches. They work as advertised now. I can turn off my iPhone, disable WiFi on the watch and still make an outgoing call with the watch. The cellular button turns green and I get two green dots for signal strength. It appears the problem was all on the carrier side with Sprint. They couldn't help us to get them to work even in strong LTE environments like their store. We are finally happy and complete with all the debug and frustration.

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Series 4 watches won't connect to Sprint

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