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The utter and abject failure of my encounter with T- Mobile support of the Cellular option provided by Apple Watches.
The utter and abject failure of my encounter with T- Mobile support of the Cellular option provided by Apple Watches.
Original problem: Lost the ability, that originally worked, to make or receive cellular VOICE calls when out of range of cell phone, or when cell phone was turned off….. EVEN THOUGH I was still on the T-Mobile LTE network and had the use of text and GPS. After working with T-Mobile tech, I lost the ability to add a cellular plan to watch (getting Error code 406.)
The watch works as normal, when able to go thru the cellular phone. But without being able to use the phone as a conduit, the calls always fail.
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max / Apple Watch Series 7 / All with current software
- Two hours on the phone with T-Mobile Front end and backend support 4/3
- Two hours at a T-Mobile store with representative and backend support 4/4
- Two hours at the Apple Store
- ALL WITH NO ONE WITH ANY CLUE WHAT WAS WRONG
- Apple sent my Apple Watch off to the regional repair location 4/5
- New replacement Apple Watch Series 7 with Cellular received
- Problem persists on new watch
- Another 3 hours on phone with T-Mobile backend support
- New error in addition to old problem
- T-Mobile error "The maximum number of devices allowed to be paired to this phone has been reached. To continue you will need to unpair a device."Error code 406"
- T-Mobile representative was unable to figure this out ……
- Back on the phone to Apple L2/L3 support… confirms message is referencing T-Mobile configuration or processes.
- Another call to T-Mobile
T-Mobile backend support unable to make any inroads toward a solution, advised they are sending me out a new cellular phone. My cellular phone has consistently been the only thing working properly, so I am hesitant to change anything with that regard.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE. I love Apple products, but their partnership with T-Mobile is a ghastly abomination of inadequate training or processes that are too complicated for their employees….
It’s been a week since my ordeal began, and there is no end in sight… My advice, STAY AWAY FROM T-MOBILES implementation of the cellular capabilities of Apples watches.
DIGITS is a failure, either by complexity, process, or employee training and expertise.
Here is another update by trying to visit the retail store to fix. You get long stare and attitude and so much false info. 1. Reps say you cannot pair more than one phone to a iPhone. There so many articles on how you can do those. 2. Apple watches are not made for childs and elderly. Again, Apples specifically calls out this use case on their website.
At the end of the day TMO retail is horrible and only wants to lie to get you on same plan or device you don't want.
@JimOS
I would appreciate hearing of the resolution to your issue. I've just been through a 2-day nightmare with TMobile. I have had conflicting information about their "cellular" service and what it does and does not do. I know it worked with my old Apple Watch with the same cellular plan but for some reason with the new SE Watch it no longer works. I won't bore you with all the frustrating details, but for 3 TMobile tech agents not to know that others have had this same issue is a breakdown of communication within TMobile. I finally deleted my "cellular" plan from TMobile and now relying solely on the Wi-Fi for my Apple Watch connection. Crossing my fingers that will work well enough but not what I wanted the watch for in the first place. I have been with Sprint over 20 years and now with TMobile. I never had this kind of problem with Sprint. Sad.Sorry, I have no idea what they did, but it took like 10 minutes or less once I got someone who knew what the hell they were doing.
