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Using Watch overseas

KingBuick

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2014
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Will the Watch still work overseas if my iPhone has roaming turned off? I'll still be able to get phone calls and texts on my phone but I won't reply to them until I get back to the U.S. I'm on AT&T which is GSM so that's why I can still get phone calls and texts when overseas.
 

eyecrispy

iPhone 7, iPad Pro & Apple Watch Champion
Sep 26, 2012
4,280
0
0
Yea it will work. If your phone is not unlocked it won't work overseas, even if it's gsm. If you want to get texts you should get a local sim (assuming your phone is unlocked) and use that while you're there.
 

KingBuick

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2014
569
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Yea it will work. If your phone is not unlocked it won't work overseas, even if it's gsm. If you want to get texts you should get a local sim (assuming your phone is unlocked) and use that while you're there.

I can still get texts and phone calls when I'm overseas even when roaming is turned off. I don't think my phone is unlocked since I'm paying for it on the AT&T Next Every Year installment plan.
 

doogald

Trusted Member
Oct 23, 2012
2,622
3
38
What do you mean by "work"? It will still keep time, track your heart rate, track your activity. Any messages or calls received by the phone will be received by the watch. The workouts app will still track workouts. Alarms will work, the timers will work, the stopwatch will work.

Without data, weather info will not update, and you will probably not be able to use the maps app for navigation. If your phone doesn't receive mail or iMessages, your watch won't, either.

It is easy to test - on your iPhone, settings / cellular, and toggle "cellular data" off (and turn off WiFi). See what the watch will and will not be able to do.
 

KingBuick

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2014
569
0
0
What do you mean by "work"? It will still keep time, track your heart rate, track your activity. Any messages or calls received by the phone will be received by the watch. The workouts app will still track workouts. Alarms will work, the timers will work, the stopwatch will work.

Without data, weather info will not update, and you will probably not be able to use the maps app for navigation. If your phone doesn't receive mail or iMessages, your watch won't, either.

It is easy to test - on your iPhone, settings / cellular, and toggle "cellular data" off (and turn off WiFi). See what the watch will and will not be able to do.

I'll test this out when I get the Watch in a week and two days.
 

tcuprof

Trusted Member
Aug 21, 2015
1,499
10
38
If your phone is not unlocked it won't work overseas, even if it's gsm.

Your phone will work overseas regardless of whether it's locked by the carrier. The only thing you can't do if it's locked is swap out the SIM card.
 

eyecrispy

iPhone 7, iPad Pro & Apple Watch Champion
Sep 26, 2012
4,280
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Your phone will work overseas regardless of whether it's locked by the carrier. The only thing you can't do if it's locked is swap out the SIM card.

Yes, that is what I meant. I should have been more clear. The rest of your phone will work like an iPod Touch, but you won't be able to swap sims and get cellular service if your phone is locked to your carrier.
 

KingBuick

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2014
569
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Your phone will work overseas regardless of whether it's locked by the carrier. The only thing you can't do if it's locked is swap out the SIM card.

I think since AT&T is GSM that is why I can still get texts and phone calls overseas even with roaming turned off. When I was on Verizon whenever I'd go overseas with roaming turned off it would say searching and no service and I would not get any texts or phone calls.
 

KingBuick

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2014
569
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0
Yes, that is what I meant. I should have been more clear. The rest of your phone will work like an iPod Touch, but you won't be able to swap sims and get cellular service if your phone is locked to your carrier.

I use my iPhone as an iPod Touch anyway when I am overseas. Even with getting texts and phone calls I don't answer them until I get back to the states.