Apple watch cellular wont connect

Have you taken your phone and your watch to an AT&T store for assistance in adding a cellular plan on the watch?  (Just because you are paying for a watch line on your bill does not mean you have turned on cellular service on the watch itself)

If AT&T has trouble getting cellular turned on, the next step is to take it to Apple and possibly get a warranty replacement. If you've had the watch 8 months you still have 4 months left on your warranty which is provided directly through Apple.

Or follow these directions:

https://www.att.com/support/how-to/wireless/accessory-get-started/

These directions are likely to add an additional line so please watch your bill. You may have to call AT&T to disconnect any additional watch lines that are added to your account in the activation process

Hello @amaoro11, 

We hear you and let's get the help you need. 

As our ACE @formerlyknownas mentioned, please try troubleshooting the steps provied on our support article. Also please find additional steps to utilize data plans on your smart watch.

To find the active data plans- 

1. Go to your myAT&T account overview. Sign in, if asked.
2. Scroll to My devices. You’ll see the usage for each device on your account.

To turn the cellular data, please follow the below steps:

• On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
• Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Cellular.
• Tap Set Up Cellular.

Hope this helps! Feel free to reply for further assistance.

Thanks for visiting AT&T Community Forums.
GaryN, Community Forums Specialist.

No this does not help. I already tried that multiple times. I get an error that says I have more than one watch plan and to call customer service. The rep I got could not figure it out, I asked for escalation since I am paying for this line monthly and do need it at my job (nurse). The escalation was a transfer to asurion. I do not need a replacement for this type of error. There is something wrong on the network end but no one can help. 

Hello @amaoro11, 

We understand and the gravity of the situation, and we would like to provide all the help we can. 

I am going to reach out to you in DM to look at account details and help you further. Please look out for a DM notification from us. Looking forward to speaking with you!

Thank you for contacting AT&T Community & Forums,
Gary, AT&T Community Specialist

Turns out this is a NETWORK-WIDE problem that AT&T has had since December 17th, 2023. They do not have a fix yet, but they insist on demanding a restocking fee if you try to return the non-functioning watch. AT&T KNOWS about this problem and they REFUSE to admit it in public. Last night there were THREE different families all with the same issue who were seeking help at the Walnut Creek, CA store, and the service reps finally admitted it was a known issue, but they had no resolution yet. SHAME ON AT&T for knowingly selling non-functioning Apple Watch SEs and for not admitting that it is their problem!!

@ljohainca 

And yet thousands do work just fine?  

Those are warranted direct through Apple.  Contact them for an exchange 

Just got off the phone with att tech support. This is an issue on the Apple side and not ATT. They need to work that out together but the att tech was able to resolve by manually releasing a new eSIM right before hitting set up cellular service during watch paring on a iPhone. It’s a tedious process over the phone that requires you to unpair and wipe the watch to factory setting but the nice woman got both of my daughters SE second gen watches activated and set up.

Just solved this with Tech on the phone. I had new Apple Watch SE that wasn’t connecting to ATT even though ATT showed that I have a plan. It is for family member. I had to go on Apple Watch app in my iphone. Connect to family member watch. Then go to “cellular”, remove ATT plan. The att tech on the phone then issued a new eSIM. I then had to reconnect to att plan. Took a min to download. But then the the watch immediately connected to cellular service. Easy peasy if you can get a good ATT tech on the phone. Did not require factory reset or even a power cycle. Good luck. 

@ljohainca 

Read the previous replies.

The problem is on the apple side. And oftentimes the only way around it is to get the device replaced.   If you are lucky enough to get someone with AT&T who is knowledgeable on how Apple has this messed up They may be able to help you. Otherwise they're going to make the same suggestion I did which is to get a warranty replacement which has to be directly through Apple.