Apple Watch owners are reporting frustration with Verizon over activation glitches when trying to set up cellular plans for their devices. The issue seems to be particularly prevalent for those who purchased their Apple Watch from retailers other than Verizon, including Apple itself. On various online forums, users have shared their experiences.
One user on an Apple discussion forum stated, “I am unable to connect my brand new [Apple Watch] to Verizon cellular via the app. I contacted Verizon, and they were unable to connect my Watch to the network.” A similar complaint was posted on a Verizon community forum, with the user saying, “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.”
Another user shared their personal experience, saying, “I ran into a similar hiccup trying to activate an Apple Watch through Verizon. After buying a Watch Series 10 from a local Apple Store, I took it to Verizon to get help removing it from my old iPhone 14 and setting it up with my new iPhone 16 Pro.
I was assured that the transfer would be simple enough for me to do it on my own. Nope. I tried several times to activate the watch with my new phone but kept running into vague ‘Something went wrong’ errors. Just as I was ready to call Verizon, I gave it one more try, and this time the activation worked.”
The root of the problem appears to lie in how Verizon handles IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) numbers.
Verizon Apple Watch activation problems
When Verizon receives a product like an Apple Watch directly from Apple, the carrier records the device’s IMEI number in their system. During the activation process, Verizon matches the IMEI number, assigns an eSIM, and establishes the cellular connection.
This process works smoothly for watches purchased directly from Verizon. However, when an Apple Watch is purchased from another vendor, its IMEI number is not present in Verizon’s system. This leads to a failure in matching the IMEI number, assigning an eSIM, and ultimately, the cellular activation process.
In some cases, even Verizon support may not be able to resolve the issue directly, requiring the involvement of Verizon Engineering support to manually add the IMEI number to their system. In response to these reports, a Verizon spokesperson stated, “We are aware that a limited number of customers who have purchased Apple Watch may experience issues when attempting to activate cellular service. We have made the changes necessary to enable those activations and encourage customers to attempt again.
Our customer service teams can assist if customers experience any further issues.”
For those encountering activation issues with a cellular Apple Watch on Verizon, the recommended course of action is to contact Verizon support and clearly explain the problem to the representative. If needed, customers can also try to escalate the call directly to Verizon Engineering support for a more immediate resolution.
