Galaxy Watch 5 Pro lte

[Ricky1750]

Hello, I have received a Galaxy Watch5 Pro LTE, everything is working when connected over Bluetooth and I wanted to enable the watch to Connect when away from the phone.

I see there are several (really one, very detailed) explanations on how to make it work, so I went to an O2 shop, got the esim and installed it in the watch, but not much luck:

When the watch was away from the phone I coukd connect to the network (show O2 with good signal, cloud icon, have data as can download etc), I would not receive incoming calls or text when phone was called, but could send and receive (although the sender would be the watch esim number and would receive text on the watch esim nimber only). No way to make calls from the watch (error is "emergency calls only") but would receive calls (on the watch esim number). Asked for support O2 sent me another esim, swapped and activated, now everything works when connected to the phone, when not connected I have data working, I can send text (and they appear with the phone  ikber as sender) and receive text when the phone gets one. I don't receive calls when phone gets one or make calls (error is "Only emergency calls can be made").

I followed the guide step by step, except for one bit (Next go to your mobile and in settings, advanced, turn on the switch to use your mobile data on other devices) because there Is no such option on the phone (wondering if that is a Samsung phone option, I have a pixel 5).

Before I keep trying with O2 support, do you think there is something missing in the phone/esim setup/provisioning or are calls supported only if you have a Samsung Phone? Since the watch was receiving calls with the first esim I guess it should work but at this point it seems O2 is struggling to fix it.. thanks!

[Ricky1750]

Hello, checked with Google support and according to them the watch should work, the only features that are not supported are ECG and blood pressure measurement, plus some other minor ones that are not affecting calls.

They asked me to try if the esim has an number of its own and if calling it works. I tried calling the sim number I see in "my O2" from a different phone and I got the call on the watch and was also able to talk without any issue. I assume that as I can receive calls on the watch on a number there should not be anything on the watch configuration preventing it to communicate with O2 network to make/receive calls.

[Ricky1750]

Funny fact, i understand by reading around  I should not be supposed to call/receive calls on the watch unless the phone is connected to O2 network and I can receive calls on the watch esim number even of switch the phone off

[MI5]

@Ricky1750 

On O2, the phone needs to be on and connected to the network to route calls and texts through to the watch. You are bypassing the phone by calling the watch sim directly.

It does sound like a setting issue on the phone that is preventing the handoff though.

[Ricky1750]

That makes sense, I wonder why it works for text but not voice calls (I have altro tried to enable/disable WiFi calls). Looking around the option what I noticed is that on the phone the esim/phone plan shows two devices (phone and watch) while on the watch it only shows the watch in the plan.

Is there any chance the way O2 uses to manage the number sharing between the phone and watch requires that option that appears to be available on Samsung phones and not on Pixel?

[MI5]

@Ricky1750 

The fact that you had calls working before does not indicate a phone type issue.

It has to be a setting or something not enabled either on phone, watch or your account.

[Ricky1750 · Accepted solution]

I had them working as this time, i.e. bypassing the phone number. Unfortunately apparently the key is the Samsung Galaxy advanced option.. if you look at my screenshot there is a Google Cloudsync feature enabled.  According to Google support this does the same the Samsung option does, unfortunately to text only (which is why it works), it doesn't work for calls.

So the optione are apparently:

A) Use a Samsung phone (or one that has the advanced setting option)

B) Use an esim on the watch without sharing the number with your phone

C) Use an operator that allows to share the number and plan over multiple esim (this would also allow to use the watch with the phone completely disconnected).

Thanks for the support!

[TM3]

Hi Ricky, did you ever find a solution for this? I am having the same problem - Samsung swear it should work on a Pixel phone...

[KamM]

Hi , I'm with O2 and have a Pixel 6 phone.   I bought my Samsung Galaxy watch pro5 LTE from O2 recently and a new eSIM plan at the same time and was assured by the O2 store that I'd be able to send/receive calls and texts away from home, without having the phone on me.  I know I could have bought the watch cheaper from Samsung but I thought that buying from O2, with the new line, would be better as they would have experience of phone compatibility etc

I can send and receive texts, I can also receive phone calls, as long as they are made direct to the watch, on the eSIM number.  However, when I try and make a phone call from the watch, it say "Emergency calls only".  I went back to the store, now someone else says, that I need a Samsung phone for this to work, which is incorrect - Yes, I know that Samsung publicise that certain features aren't available on non-Samsung phones, but I'm not that bothered about those, they seem to be health related.

Any suggestions?

[madasaf1sh]

@KamM 

In theory it should work, in practice it really doesn't as many people have found out, especially with Pixel Phones.. 

And is not unique to o2, I have seen the issues on EE and Vodafone in the UK

I assume you have the Galaxy Wear App and have all the settings switched on in the App, to do with remote calling...

Also a good reference point is the Samsung Community or Sammobile.com

This is why I have a Pixel Watch and a  Garmin...

[KamM]

Thanks

Maybe I will swap to a samsung in the next few months, I think the training at O2 needs updating, they should really test their devices with a combo of phones before deciding to sell them, or if they can't do that, they should say "only for samsung watches"...

I'll reach out to Samsung support for now.

But even here, it explains the compatibility quite well - https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/what-phones-are-compatible-with-the-galaxy-watch/