topic Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error in Pay Monthly

Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Benlfc — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 16:52:09 GMT

I’m getting the below error when trying to setup my Apple Watch plan.

”We believe you have an existing watch plan but we are having difficulty locating it. Please call 202 for free from your O2 mobile, quoting reference code 901.”

Had Apple Watches since O2 starting selling them, I’ve had a couple of issues over the years but nothing that haven’t been sorted within no time at all, more so because O2 used to have a dedicated team that dealt with Apple Watches which they no longer have, also staff working within the community that were also able to resolve issues there and then. Now this issue has been going on since I got the watch in September, I’ve been back and forth with customer service, back and forth with the faults team (second line and third line), open faults being closed without a resolution and without communication, faults having to be reopened and the latest one being open since the 27th October with absolutely no contact about it yet except for @Dave-O2 via private message here in the Community.

I’m now hearing this is affecting other people and not just me, I’m hoping if that’s the case with the number of people in the community then there’ll be others here with the same issue, the question is are there?

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

madasaf1sh — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:22:25 GMT

@Benlfc

Its been a problem for years, with some people, but my new Apple Watch was setup without any issues on the day it arrives, although I will note this was a new connection.

But to be honest its not been that bad recently, the odd one or two..

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Gristy100 — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 16:21:42 GMT

Hello Mr xxxxx. , As you contacted O2 customer services to ask about a cellular sim only plan which gets connected with the apple watch even if the watch is not purchased with o2 And the advisor said it cannot be provided which is true. Regards o2. - from O2 but I’m sure this is wrong

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

jonsie — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 16:29:40 GMT

Complete bullsh💩t

You don't have to buy the watch from O2 to take out a data plan

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

H2O — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:23:27 GMT

Exact same issue here 7 weeks 02 have been avoiding fixing it.

I’m having exactly the same experience with tickets being randomly closed. Having to wait again for another 5-7days, being told not to head to a store. Then getting told to head to a store.
going to the store where they just raise another ticket. 2nd line calling me asking the same questions again then after 30 mins telling me someone will be in touch in 5-7 days.

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

pgn — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 06:00:08 GMT

@H2O

Have you followed the guidance in ? It directs you to the Social Media Team for assistance in most instances, reachable via Facebook or Instagram https://www.o2.co.uk/abouto2/social-media

Also have you tried a different O2 Shop? Some are more customer-oriented than others - https://stores.o2.co.uk/

If persisting online, 2 things to note - you sometimes hit a MyO2 limit regarding total devices, and may fare better if either O2 purge dead accounts you may have in your MyO2, or if you ask them (insist!) to completely reset the eSIM in your phone, if you are using one. . Again, the Social Media Team are best placed to do either of these for you. Good luck

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Benlfc — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:05:31 GMT

@H2O last phone call I had with the second line support team was Friday, the day after I spoke to someone from the team for about the 9th/10th time, I actually thought the call on Friday was a follow on from the call on Thursday as the advisor on Thursday told me they’d contact me back Friday but in fact the call I got Friday was from another 2nd line faults team advisor asking me the same questions as the advisor the day before did, there seems to be absolutely no communication between them. My cases have been being closed by the 3rd level faults team who have called me about it in fact it’s always been the same one advisor from that team (Mark Silcox) and he has always advised he would call me back but never has and when I call to chase it I’m informed it’s been closed so it then either gets reopened or a new case logged and I’m right back at the beginning.

On Thursdays call the setup process actually let me go all the way through with it but I then got the error message with error code 14 and that’s where I am at now with it, waiting for someone to call me back, the case is showing as on hold in MyO2

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

H2O — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:36:33 GMT

Sounds promising, did they mention if they had any idea what this error 901 is yet?
still waiting for a member of 3rd line to get back, but your experience sounds close to mine.

tickets getting closed by 3rd line as resolved when no one has reached back. People calling me asking the same questions then making me wait another 7 days.

was hoping to have it resolved by Thursday before I was on a work trip, 7 weeks ago I thought that was realistic but here I am.

hope you get the error 14 fixed. At least that’s a reported error code. I know they’re going to call me when I’m on the train with terrible signal 😕

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

H2O — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:43:30 GMT

Hey pgn, good ideas there, the o2 store I went to did seem fine, but I might try one in the next town if I’m getting nowhere. I do seem to have a stuck eSIM profile that’s been on my account screen for about 2 years, if pressed it just says it’s expired and never leaves. So for sanity sake if they can purge that kind of stuff even if it doesn’t fix the watch issue it may help my sanity.

ill see if they get back within this time frame if not I’ll try am the other store.

as for social media team I tried on Facebook and X but didn’t get a single reply, not sure if they’re inundated with people like the phone lines seem to be, but trying to get in touch with o2 recently seems to be a job in itself.

I appreciate the information here though. Thanks

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

pgn — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 06:22:25 GMT

@H2O wrote:
as for social media team I tried on Facebook and X but didn’t get a single reply

For FB, Messenger is the way to go - the public timeline or wall in FB seems not to get their attention at all.

O2 are unable to give support via X, been that way since last July or so, so not even worth trying that platform.

Never tried on Instagram, the only remaining platform monitored by the O2 Social Media Team, @H2O

Thanks for the nice reply 👍🏼

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Benlfc — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 09:05:37 GMT

@H2O I don’t think they know, in fact they don’t know. My experience is exactly the same as yours. 3rd line support will contact but they won’t contact you back even though they say they will. The ticket will be closed you can bet anything on that

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Benlfc — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 18:18:34 GMT

@H2O had yet another call from the 2nd line support team the other day, yet again no movement and no nearer solving the issue, I now get reference 14. Heard nothing about the complaint I raised and because it’s now over 8 weeks since raising it I can take to the Ombudsman, unfortunately they’re closed till the 5th of Jan

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

MI5 — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 18:21:56 GMT

@Benlfc

Reference code 14

If you had received a SMS that states setup has been completed, please restart your watch. If you still get this error or you didn’t receive an SMS, the watch eSIM will need resetting, so please contact our Social Media team here

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Benlfc — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:32:58 GMT

@MI5 I know what you’re told to do where reference 14 is concerned, the issue is it doesn’t make a blind bit of difference and when you get in touch they have no idea either. Hence why I as well as others in this thread had gone back and forth with the 2nd line/3rd line support team

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

jonsie — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:45:58 GMT

As far as I'm aware the fix for this is for customer service (or someone who knows what they are doing) is to delete all esims associated with the new watch plan and any others associated with previous watch plans

Once that's done, THEN issue a new watch plan and esim

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Jolly53 — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 13:33:03 GMT

Same issue and I’m being passed from pillar to post even been into the shop I don’t know what else to do

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Benlfc — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 22:15:39 GMT

@Jolly53 staff in the shop will just call customer service whilst you’re there. When I’ve been on the phone to the 2nd/3rd line support teams I’ve told them others are having the same issues, disgraceful how they’ve still not sorted it.

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Benlfc — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:39:42 GMT

An update on my case. The complaint I raised with O2’s Complaint Review Service (CRS) was never responded to after 8 weeks therefore I took it to CESAS. I was asked by CESAS what I wanted as a resolution, I stated I wanted the issue fixing, a refund of the airtime and device plan costs since getting the watch (£148.54) and £200 compensation. O2 responded after only 10 days although they never responded to me after 8 weeks!!! They came back with an offer of £95.96 refund for the airtime (nothing for the device plan costs) and £75 compensation so £170.96 in total credited to my O2 account, compared to the £348.54 I asked for. I accepted the offer because I knew CESAS would deem it reasonable even if I had declined it and I’d run the risk of getting nothing, they now have 20 working days to provide the credit.

They stated the following in respect to the actual fault “The existing HELIX IT ticket is presently with O2’s Core Voice Support team for a technical resolution.” and the incident is still showing as “on hold” in MyO2 Communications History.

I’ve heard nothing since the last call about the fault which was weeks ago.

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Benlfc — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 17:22:48 GMT

New update. I’ve had a call today with a complaint department (I think) who has issued a replacement watch without the need for me to return my current one first. Now just have to wait for it to arrive to see if this fixes the issue

Re: Setting up Apple Watch plan and getting an error

Benlfc — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 13:10:41 GMT

Fingers crossed this will be the final update.

The call I got on Friday from a complaints team member was actually a member of the Executive Resolution Specialist team. He’s called me back today as I have received the replacement, initially the setup of the mobile service did not work he then proceeded with a companion reset and it worked immediately, I now have a watch that works to its full potential and hopefully it stays like that. I’m hoping I’m also going to be provided with a refund of the device plan payments I’ve made to date 🤞🏻