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?
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Userlevel 7
+15
You can thank Samsung for that. That is how their watches are designed. It’s a peripheral.
So the watch 4 cannot be connected as a standalone on Verizon or AT&T either?
Userlevel 7
+15
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.
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.
Userlevel 7
+15
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
I just got mine and set it up without issues? Watch has its own number but makes phone calls as the linked phone.
It seems like samsung’s plague has once again come unto us with lies showing us sweet honey while they sold us snake poison galaxy watch all 4s models.
I spent roughly $ 654.00 plus on these things with so called discount when I tried to activate the standalone plan that I have had for long time,Tmobile and T/sprint and att all of them could not do any better the only resolution was to wait for 72 hours while samsung work on their watches but after 84 hrs I came again to get the same disapointing answer: Sorry Mr Sir,,,, your unfortunateeeee watch won’t work as a standlonely device sooo>>>; you need to use it as a companion to your phone….. Shameless Samsung and these US Carriers are just as thieves as any thief can be except they are stealing using the book.
I had to return the watch and other fake offers I got with them right now, we may not like Apple, but we are being forced to get into it.
Userlevel 1
I am having a similar issue. I have a Sprint business account, I got a call from someone from Sprint that I need to get updated T-M0bile SIM cards for our devices otherwise we will not be able to use the network soon. Went to a local T-Mobile store/repair center [where I have been going for years with Sprint] asked about updating SIM cards, after waiting 45 minutes for an available associate, they changed SIM cards in our Samsung phones. I mentioned that I am considering upgrading my Galaxy S3 smartwatch and getting a new watch with LTE plan instead of only Bluetooth/WiFi, I chose a Galaxy Smart Watch 4 Active [44 mm without classic bevel] that is on promotion for $99 if I sign up for an unlimited wearale plan for $10 a month and agree to keeping it active for 2 years. So I did, I was almost going to do a trade in on Samsung’s website for the Smartwatch 4 Classic LTE 46mm for their Black Friday special of $299, so this seemed like a good deal without the bevel and slightly smaller for $99. The agreeing and signing up, then, pulling my new watch from inventory and waiting for the associate to set it up and pair to my phone took about 90 minutes. Then an hour later I was at home and tried to make a call from phone, got error message that I am not connected to a network, drove back to the store, got on waiting list again, eventually got the guy who was helping me before, he apologized and ended up changing to yet another new SIM card, seemed to work, but I asked him to test watch to make sure the standalone LTE worked without being connected to my cell phone’s Bluetooth. It did not work, he tried to do a factory reset of the watch and set it up again, but still did not work on standalone without my cell phone on. Kept trying different fixes, got help from other associates, and eventually a a manger, they could not make the stand alone LTE work, only Bluetooth with my phone on. The store was soon closing, manager suggested they would send a message to someone offsite to recommend higher tier for a fix, said they would call me first thing upon opening the following day. I had no choice but to say “OK. Next morning arrives, I did not hear from them, at 2 PM I called the store, got put on hold, then somehow was cut off, so I decided to drive there again. Got on waiting list again, a different manager said he knows how to fix it, however after an hour he could not fix it, so asked one of the technicians from the back to try. Three factory resets and reactivations, and 3 hours later they said they can not figure out why it wont work and will need to submit a claim to yet a higher level of assistance and it will take 5 business days. “But the good news is you can use your watch/phone while paired together via Bluetooth as long as you are within 30 feet of phone”. I explained that I already had a Samsung watch that I can do that with and did not need an extra 410 per month wearable, plan. The whole reason to agreeing to two years of $10 a month fees was because I want stand alone capability to go on walks and bike rides without my phone, but still have network access. They said “well you can still pair with your watch via BlueTooth” We went round and round about that, I eventually realized and accepted the level of customer service I was dealing with at this location and can only hope that after 5 business days they either fix it, or they end the contact. I am very disappointed, I like the watch, I just wish it would do what they promised it would do. I was sold on the idea of standalone LTE and now I want it. My wife has it on her phone, same Sprint business account, recent upgraded SIM card, same Samsung watch/phone pairing, her stand alone works, mine does not.
Userlevel 1
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.
N2Wood- Are you using a different phone number for your watch? I am actually returning the 4 watch today because it will not work separately. I bought it for my 11 year old boy to call us, but Tmobile says it cant work with its own number. Which really makes no sense since they sent me a new number with it? Well what the hell is “Standalone” then? I clearly told the Tmobile sales rep on the phone I was buying it for my son to use and adding a line for him. She said it works and its in the mail!
I take it you are making/receiving calls on your watch but they are your original cell phone number?
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.
What did you say to costumer support to get the companion feature removed
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!
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!
Just spent 1 hour with tech support. They say the same thing everytime I call. That the Galaxy watch 4 Classic LTE does not support stand alone operation. Even with it’s own number. Almost 2 weeks trying to get this working. and no success.
Do you have a phone synced to it? It may not work without a phone. But, it will work as an "extension " of your phone. I was gone all day today without my phone and was able to call and message...no problem. I cannot understand why tech is telling you that UNLESS you don't have a phone synced to it
Do you have a phone synced to it? It may not work without a phone. But, it will work as an "extension " of your phone. I was gone all day today without my phone and was able to call and message...no problem. I cannot understand why tech is telling you that UNLESS you don't have a phone synced to it
Yes, it’s synced via the phone.
I am very frustrated with t-mobile I spent 2 hrs on the phone to activate my 2 watches and my so called team can't help me #1 they put my pin in wrong then they transfer me to someone else who then transfer me to digit department then 1 hrs later the line goes dead how can I get my watches activated. Standalone with their own #s I have been trying for 2 days
I am very frustrated with t-mobile I spent 2 hrs on the phone to activate my 2 watches and my so called team can't help me #1 they put my pin in wrong then they transfer me to someone else who then transfer me to digit department then 1 hrs later the line goes dead how can I get my watches activated. Standalone with their own #s I have been trying for 2 days
Same here. Almost 2 weeks and watch only functions tethered to phone
I am happy to update that the watch is finally working as a stand alone. Do not call Sprint’s customer support. They will keep saying that the watch is not compatible to work as a stand alone device. Call T-Mobile Customer support instead. The tech support agent was able to get my watch working and I did not have to hear that my watch was not compatible. He told me to remove all the plans from my watch, then I synced a new plan with the wear app on my phone and the plan that he helped me sync was the correct one to have the watch work as a stand alone. The plan added to the watch is called T-Mobile-410F. I am not sure if it will be the same for every one, but it’s the one that worked for me. At first It was giving me issues, because I was able to make a call, and then when I hung up, the watch would warn that it was overheating, and that I needed to let it cool off by pressing cool off. After doing that it went on airplane mode and you could not disable airplane mode, until the phone cooled off. Since I was messing with it for so long while on the call with the agent, I guess it overheated. I then turned it off, and actually put it on my freezer to make It cool off faster. After that, I turned it on, and placed a call to my daughter’s phone and sent texts from the watch to her. I got the replies and after I hung up the phone, the watch did not go on airplane mode anymore. I then left my Phone at home, and went to Kohl’s to return some amazon items. I called my wife from the store, and it worked flawlessly. So remember, call T-Mobile customer support, tell them know you have a watch with a sprint unlimited LTE plan and it’s own number, and that you can’t make stand alone calls. They will transfer it to the tech support and they will get it working.
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