Tech note: Connecting @Apple #Watch 3 LTE 4G Cellular to the phone and data network @optus

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I took delivery of Apple Watch 3 with Cellular (LTE 4G) today. I am in Australia. I am with Optus. There’s a few things about activating the cellular service which aren’t intuitive. And there’s one thing which may stump you.

So, you can activate the Watch (with the right carrier and phone) during the install or later. I did it later. I expected after activating the watch that I would get the signal strength meter on my watch. I signed up with my carrier, got a text message confirmation and the phone said it was connected. But no green dots on the one watch face that has a signal strength meter.

I spoke to the my phone company and Apple. No green dots while the phone was turned on. Everything else was OK. Hmmmm…. The phone company and Apple weren’t much help. We both agreed it was the eSIM waiting to be provisioned. As it turns out, it wasn’t. We all missed something.

Later in the day, I walked away from the phone and out bluetooth and wi-fi range and…… the dots came on!!!!

So… THE CELLULAR SERVICE ONLY ‘KICKS IN’ WHEN THE WATCH IS AWAY FROM THE PHONE OR OFF WIFI.

This of course makes sense as you only want the radio working when it needs to as to conserve battery life. But I thought I would see signal strength on my watch all of the time. I didn’t and thought there was a problem with the watch, a bungle at my phone company (Optus) or the eSIM wasn’t provisioned.

None of the above. Here’s what you want to see on your watch….

On your watch – flick up and you will have the radio button.
When this is WHITE – it means it can see and connect with the cell service but it isn’t, because the iPhone is.
When it is GREEN – it means it is flying solo and using the cell signal and you can make and receive calls and send and receive text. It is unattached form the mother-phone and wifi.

I am yet to find a streaming app, like TuneIn where you can stream the radio and or podcasts.