So I just got two LTE galaxy watch 4's to use when I don't want to carry my phone with me (while exercising). After spending two hours at a T-Mobile store and another hour on the phone with a technician, they escalate and another tech comes on and advises me that the galaxy watch 4 cannot be used as a standalone on t mobile. It can only be used when connected and near the phone its paired with! WHY would T-Mobile sell an LTE watch that can only be used when connected to the phone? That is called a Bluetooth watch! Very frustrated with them wasting 3 hours of my time, when this could have been mentioned when the watches were ordered. And even then, why sell LTE watches instead of Bluetooth watches? Has anyone one had this issue?

UPDATE: Bottomline is they fixed it at the store. I never got a call back regarding the claim that was submitted, so I again drove to the T-Mobile store and signed in, waited about an hour and re-explained the whole situation. A technician did what I expected he would do, which is do a factory reset, eventually one of the associates that was working with me 6 days earlier got involved and told me that they have not yet received a response from the claim that was submitted, He did some research in their system and told me that what he just learned is that there are many complaints about Samsung Smart Watch 4 not being compatible with their system and they do not work with stand alone LTE plans. I expressed my disbelief and asked "Then why did you sell me one with a stand alone wearable plan for $10 per month if the company knows it wont work?" He agreed that it should not happen but that is the situation with this new watch. I said "then why does the same additional watch that I added to my wife's Samsung cell phone work on our same business plan, but mine does not?" He was perplexed by this and looked into the provisions and settings of each of our watch/phone settings in their system and found that my settings had 3 features included, that my wife's watch did not have. It took a few tries to copy and replicate the same settings as my wife's settings, and the whole process including the conversations and research took about 90 minutes, but he finally got it to work. I wish I could tell others here exactly what settings were changed, but it was on their commuter screen and I could not view it. I do remember him telling the manager in the process that he removed the "companion" feature in my settings, but that was only 1 of the three features that were taken out. I am happy that my new Smart Watch 4 now works stand alone, I can take walks, runs, bike rides and leave my phone at home, and still be able to make/receive calls, and texts and record my workout data that syncs to my account. I am now very satisfied.

I have the exact same issue. Just received two Galaxy 4 watches yesterday, have 2 separate lines but have been unable to make calls on the LTE network. A phone rep from T-Mobile told me the exact same thing, that the phones don't work as standalone devices. I find it unbelievable that we can purchase these devices through our carrier, which are made to be LTE capable, and not be able to use them that way. It doesn't make sense.

Thanks N2Wood you cracked the code! The key is to tell customer support to remove the companion feature from the account, On their end. Once they remove that just reboot the watch. If you see lte on the upper display your good to go. Big thanks to Thomas from tmobil customer service in Kentucky. Best CSR ever. Now my watch has a different number than my phone! No phone leash at all!P.S. worked on this for 5 hours and 6 CSR ugh hope this helps everyone to avoid that hell.

I have 2. Both work seamlessly without the phone. They both have their own #. But are synced to their respective phones. They need to check the settings for you to be used as a standalone. I am very happy with ours. Only issue the battery life is shortened when not hooked to phone. Absolutely love the freedom it gives us!

You can thank Samsung for that. That is how their watches are designed. It's a peripheral.

Anyone else having problem activating galaxy watch 4 as standalone?

ghostlee13
LTE Learner
Hace 4 años
Have a look here: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/android/samsung-galaxy-watch4/getting-started-samsung-galaxy-watch4
magenta6712764
Network Novice
Hace 4 años
I just got mine and set it up without issues? Watch has its own number but makes phone calls as the linked phone.
Ranjen617
Newbie Caller
Hace 4 años
I bought 3 watches each with unlimited plans. I've spent over 50 hours on the phone with them. No resolution to date and cannot return watches. They were bought for the very purpose of being standalone devices. Third watch I've been told cannot be launched on the Wearable app per network even if they could add service. Only allow for two watches on app and through them.

Keep in mind I bought all three through the carrier will high expectations and promises. I've also been told I'm in a 24 month contract for keeping service in which I'm not receiving service.
societydmg
Newbie Caller
Hace 4 años
No, I never tried DIGITS. I'm not sure it would work for me as I came over from Sprint. I'm on the T-mobile network now but I don't think I can use DIGITS.
JennyRae0209
Newbie Caller
Hace 4 años
It's definitely strange…
My husband and I both own a Samsung Galaxy watch. Both pay 10$ each on our own (separate) plans, both watches have their own number.
They both work when within Bluetooth range of our phones as well as when away (say we forgot phone at home or something).
Are you unable to use the watch unless it is paired via Bluetooth? Does it not "forward" to your main device's number?
What about the DIGITS thing?
societydmg
Newbie Caller
Hace 4 años
I have the exact same issue. Just received two Galaxy 4 watches yesterday, have 2 separate lines but have been unable to make calls on the LTE network. A phone rep from T-Mobile told me the exact same thing, that the phones don't work as standalone devices. I find it unbelievable that we can purchase these devices through our carrier, which are made to be LTE capable, and not be able to use them that way. It doesn't make sense.
syaoran
Transmission Titan
Hace 4 años
My mother has one up in Canada. I know she has to have her phone with her for it to work, even without being paired by Bluetooth.
Artay
Roaming Rookie
Hace 4 años
Correct! And I am paying for plans/lines for each individual watch, which they now say can only work while connected or near the phone. Which explains my frustration.
syaoran
Transmission Titan
Hace 4 años
Artay wrote:

So the watch 4 cannot be connected as a standalone on Verizon or AT&T either?

Edit: Looking more into it. AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and US Cellular are listed as possible for the Galaxy Watch 4 LTE to run off of LTE independently. If Samsung's wording is any hint though, it requires its own plan and more than likely, an eSIM.
Artay
Roaming Rookie
Hace 4 años
So the watch 4 cannot be connected as a standalone on Verizon or AT&T either?