Site Totals

61162 Questions Answered 267 Categories

Apple watch activation problems

I ported my number into Verizon a few days ago from another carrier with my iPhone 15 as a BYOD (no issues there). I am now trying to get my BYOD Apple Watch Ultra 2 activated and have not been able to activate the watch on cellular within the apple watch app. After logging into my verizon account when prompted, the page loads for a minute then errors out with the text "Something went wrong" followed by "paring of not allowed" (yes - that is the actual grammatically incorrect error message).

As an alternative I tried to manually add the cellular plan via the Verizon app. After entering the IMEI number for the watch it appears to accept it, but when trying to select my cell phone line to link the number share plan to, I get an error "Your device is not eligible for pairing with your current number. Please give us a call at 1.800.922.0204".

Has anyone experienced anything similar before? I have already talked to two reps who wasted hours of my time and could not figure out the problem, and already made me factory reset my watch which was a complete waste of time.

Comments

vzw_customer_support

We are very sorry to learn about the issues you're encountering ArcticBruin. Have you checked to make sure that the device is compatible with our system? You can check here: https://www.verizon.com/sales/digital/byod.html

~Ivone

ArcticBruin

Yes - it is an apple watch ultra 2.

vzw_customer_support

Thank you for confirming. I have sent you a Private Message for further assistance.

-Natasha

dangallo

Have also been having similar major problems with my brand new Apple Watch Ultra 2. I cannot get the cellular data to work on the watch. I can’t get phone calls on the watch if I’m away from my iPhone. Have spent hours and hours on the phone with Verizon and they still can’t figure it out.

vzw_customer_support

Hello, dangallo, we don't want you to have to spend so much time trying to get your Apple Watch in working order. Are you running into issues getting the watch paired with your phone? If so, are you seeing any error messages?

-Lauren

mascm

Just adding that I am also unable to get my Series 10 Apple Watch added to my Verizon account. I've spent 4+ hours with Verizon on this. I also worked with Apple support who confirmed this is a Verizon issue. To me, the error seems to indicate Verizon has not updated their system with the new device IDs.

vzw_customer_support

Hey there, mascm, sorry to hear you're running into an issue with your Apple Watch! We can definitely understand you're looking forward to getting your new device up and running. Can you let us know what's going on as far as not being able to add the watch to your account? Did we need to send a ticket or anything like that last time we spoke?

-Lauren

mascm

The watch is still unable to be connected to the Verizon account. Currently on hold with Verizon technical support again.

mascm

FYI to anyone else having this issue, insist on speaking to tier 2 technical support. This is a known issue-they will take your info and create your ticket attached to open issue. Verizon will contact back in three days to activate the watch (supposedly...)

asolo

I can confirm having the same problem, at the moment the error is: "device is/are missing." - this is from the Set Up Cellular on iPhone.

I believe Verizon failed early adopters and these new watches are not eligible in thier system. I've spent 2hr on the phone today, removing the old line, creating new one with manual IMEI added by the person on the phone, and more tricks without results.

Would be great to hear that all new devices will be enabled soon instead of handling this on case by case basis.

scottonet

I’ve encountered the exact same problems as described in these posts when attempting to activate a brand new Apple Watch Series 10 Cellular, purchased directly from Apple. After trying to activate the watch myself, followed by 3.5 hours on the phone with various tiers/departments of Verizon support, I got nowhere. They suggested that I go back to Apple. I could not be more disappointed in Verizon support and I’ve definitely lost all confidence in their ability to activate a product that wasn’t purchased through them.

LAM69

Seems like this is a known issue with no workout currently. Would love for them to figure it out as I leave th country in a day and would like my watch to work….

Lnweaver

I have spent 12 hours dealing with this today with no results - still unable to active cellular on my brand new Apple Watch 10. Highly disappointed with Verizon’s customer service as I’ve been transferred roughly 14 times and have had to re-explain the situation each time…and still no cellular.

vzw_customer_support

We're sorry to read that you have not been able to activate your Apple Watch. We're here to help. Do you get any errors when trying to go through the activation process? ~Peter

vzw_customer_support

@asolo
wrote: I can confirm having the same problem, at the moment the error is: "device is/are missing." - this is from the Set Up Cellular on iPhone.

We are concerned to learn about your activation issues with your new device. We understand how frustrating it must be to be unable to activate the device that you have been looking forward to enjoying. You shared you had spoken with us over the phone, has your device been successful in activating so far? What expectations or next steps did we set when you last spoke with us on how we would be working towards a resolution?

-Andi

vzw_customer_support

We get the activations can be a challenge at times and you have invested much time and still no activation. Here are activation steps. Where in the process are you running into issues? Are you connected to Wi-Fi for initial activation?

Apple Watch - Set Up Cellular Service: https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-215386/

-Deb

wirelessjacob

There is another thread on this here:

https://community.verizon.com/t5/Watches/Series-10-Cellular-Activation/td-p/1777893

Can a Verizon HUMAN please look into this issue? Incredibly frustrating.

asolo

No, activation was not successful. There was no next steps, but rather expressed hope this will self-resolve.

I think this is a wide-scale issue impacting most, if not all people with new watches bought directly from Apple. I would love to hear from someone from the tech team and hard-pair my watch to my account somehow if this cannot be remotely done (by me.)

vzw_customer_support

Hi wirelessjacob. I am sure you are excited to get your new equipment activated. The process can be frustrating. We would like to look into what issues you are experiencing and find options. Have you made any headway on the activation? What troubleshooting steps have been taken up to this point. We will pick up from there.

-Deb

RayInNJ

I’m surprised to read about all these issues with activating the cellular plan of a Series 10 watch purchased from an Apple Store. Today I upgraded my Series 5 watch to a 10 at the Apple Store and had absolutely no issues. I was in and out of the Apple store in less than an hour with a fully functional series 10 including the Verizon cellular plan.
It seems possible (and this is a guess on my part) that many are not removing the cellular plan from their OLD Apple Watch when unpairing it from their iPhone. If you don’t remove the cellular plan and then try to pair the NEW watch with the iPhone it may be causing everyone’s issues.

Again, this is just an assumption on my part but certainly all the posts that say you must purchase your watch from Verizon in order to not have issues activating the watch cellular plan (because the IMEI is already in Verizon’s system) seem to not be a valid reason if you followed the proper upgrade instructions. The Verizon and Apple support instructions for replacing an existing watch are found here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/108372 and here: https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-219982/

The Apple support instructions clearly states in Paragraph 7 as follows: “For GPS + Cellular models, choose whether to keep or remove your cellular plan….If you don't want to pair your Apple Watch and iPhone again, remove your plan.”

AACDC1

How do you manage to reach a human in technical support at any tier? Currently on hold trying to reach a human—has been over an hour (and this is my 5th such attempt). Need to remove my Apple Watch 10 from standalone status (and make it functional—-no texts or calls are registering with the watch)

BillC13

Nope, removed the plan from both old Apple Watches … This is way more difficult than it should be.

crisandjeff

This is still a problem. I purchased a new Series 10 watch from Apple and I'm unable to replace my old watch in the cellular activation step for the new watch. I verified the IMEI is compatible with Verizon's network. This is an absurd issue for Verizon to still be having.

Wendy39

I'm having same issue. I had the Apple Watch Ultra on Verizon with no issues. I ordered from Apple the series 10 titanium watch. I unpaired my old watch, removed my cellular plan, paired the new watch then tried to choose numbershare but kept getting the error, "Sorry, something's not right. Close the Apple Watch app and try again."

I tried chatting with Verizon for 4 hours or longer that day. He finally told me to take it to a Verizon store. I'm not doing that. I don't have time and they won't know what to do. The next day I called Verizon. I spent a long time on the phone with them when I was randomly transfered and had to explain all over again what was going on. They tried everything. I unpaired the watch, paired it again. Restarted multiple times. Always got the same error. A Verizon rep then said the problem is the Apple watch series 10 was not compatible with Verizon. I asked how was Verizon selling the watch then? They gave no answer. I told them to delete my watch line since I couldn't use it.

I then called Apple support who verified the watch can be used on Verizon and said Verizon didn't know what they was talking about, but apple couldn't do anything since it was on Verizons end.

I chatted again with Verizon and asked then to add a new watch line tied to my iphone and they tried again to add my series 10 titanium watch. Still same error , "Sorry, something's not right. Close the Apple Watch app and try again."

I then said forget it and unpaired my new watch and added my old apple watch ultra back with cellular with no issues.

Wendy39

My story exactly. I've been in chat and in phone way to many times with them.

Wendy39

Same here. It's ridiculous!

Wendy39

I did choose to "remove my plan" because it said on the Verizon prompts to choose to remove my plan if I didn't want to use that watch again.

Edited to add:

WOW, I feel really dumb! All the options I've tried, the countless hours I've spent on the phone with Verizon and they couldn't help me. Your comment did! I read again the links you posted and I thought I was supposed to choose to remove my plan since I was not using my "old" watch again but instead I was supposed to unpair my old watch and choose "keep cellular plan".

I tried it again just now work keep cellular plan and my new series 10 titanium works now! Thank you so much!!! Verizon couldn't help me but you did!

Catzndogs

I’m having the same problem with activating my Apple Watch series 9 on Verizon’s cellular Service. When trying to set up cellular in the watch app, it either takes me in a loop where trying to activate or it says it can’t connect to Verizon server. No option to activate watch in Verizon app. Tech support on Sunday 10/6 told me it was a “known issue” with Verizon’s app that should be resolved Monday. It’s Thursday now and it’s still not working.

Catzndogs

Ok so I was able to activate it using number share instead of the watch having its own number. Strange and not what I wanted, but cellular works.

vzw_customer_support

Happy Thursday! Being on top of your account is crucial, especially if you are managing your devices. Our goal is to help you in the best way possible.

For Apple Watch set up info, click on this link: https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-215386/.

We sent you a Private Message. Please review at your earliest convenience.

~Gilbert

nhmtnbkr

I have this same problem and I'm more than irate over it.

Ported my number back to Verizon two days with an Ultra Watch and and a new Ultra 2 watch that I bought two+ weeks ago. Setup the Ultra Watch fine on Number Share, but cannot get the Ultra 2 watch set up as standalone at all.

eSIM setup works fine on their end as does having the IME register in their system, but every time I try with them to get get the watch to set up standalone it fails and keeps trying to set it up as a Number Share, which it can't do because I already have the other watch setup on that. I spent 4 hours with Verizon Tier 2 tech support yesterday and another 4+ hours today, to utterly no avail. I don't want Family Share on the second watch because it's reduced features.

The last tech today told me to go to Apple, which by the sound of the comments above is them pathetically passing the buck and I'm just going to end up back at Verizon again. The tech this afternoon said it was because iCloud wasn't passing the information for the watch to complete the setup.

Not sure if Apple and/or Verizon is to blame for this, but it's criminal that it's occurring without a fix when people spending hundreds on a watch and more with Verizon's service. At this point I wish I could return the watch, but I can't because it's outside the return window. If I keep having this level of aggravation and wasted time, I may end up just selling the watch.

My patience isn't infinite for such glaring incompetence on Verizon's part to support new watches they claim they do, or Apple to ensure their systems pass requisite information. There's no excuse for this, these kinds should have been worked out before new models and OS' launched.

I have neither the time nor inclination to waste days on this when I'm a busy working professional, or just don't want my free time ruined by idiocy that shouldn't be occurring.

nobleras

Verizon support: instead of apologizing and asking the people in this forum did we follow process actually read and consider that this is a persistent issue and inform us that you all are working to get it resolved. issue out the people with cellular watch plans an official statement as to the updates/progress on the matter. You all are losing favor with long standing customers by behaving this way.

OverW

I am having the same issue. @ Verizon, can an engineer please reach out to me for a resolution? I have been on hold for 5+ hours, visited the store, and tried with multiple devices.

vzw_customer_support

We want to make sure that all of your devices are connected and working how they should. We are sending you a Private Note so we can get things working.

-Cait

Mam9317

I cannot stress enough how much this article helped me: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253756707?sortBy=rank. I talked to SIX TECHS until I found this article and had to literally beg and plead to get a senior advisor to help and they were able to register the IMEI number. Verizon - your techs need trained on this!!! You are losing business because people are giving up!!

swmidwife

Currently very frustrated with trying to switch my cellular plan on my apple watch 6 to my apple ultra 3. Was on the phone for hours and transfferred to many different people and then ultimately told "the system won't let them do it, maybe try a store". I voiced this was not an ideal resolution so they transferred me again and then hung up the call. Very very frustrated

vzw_customer_support

swmidwife We are here to help. This is not the experience we want for you. We will be sending you a PM to discuess this further.

-Harry

sh5345

Was this issue resolved? I am experiencing the same problem with updating my Apple watch. Have now spent over 8 hrs on this and still get cellular “not on use” on my watch.

vzw_customer_support

We want to ensure you are able to use all of your devices seamlessly. Many have found https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-219982/ to be helpful in completing activation. We will send you a private message to help in your success.

-Toni

Child Item