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Samsung Galaxy Watch

Would you upgrade from your current smart watch to the Galaxy Watch?

  • Yes, can't wait

    Votes: 4 21.1%
  • Probably

    Votes: 3 15.8%
  • No

    Votes: 10 52.6%
  • I don't currently own a Samsung Gear, but this one is tempting

    Votes: 2 10.5%

  • Total voters
    19
  • Poll votes is visible for users with special permission.
  • Poll closed .
By Odin's beard, I've just phoned 082135 again, because of course I never get that promised call back with a status update, and was told that the original order logged on Friday was still open and that nothing will happen until that has been closed. "It could take another week or so."
I am not sure if I am being unreasonable here, but two weeks to (hopefully, no guarantees) get an eSIM activated?!
Does the president need to sign off on this?

So it was escalated (again... it must be on Mount Everest by now), which is apparently all that can be done at this stage.
 
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  • Haha
Reactions: KoL
I'm avidly waiting for your final and (hopefully) ultimate success story on this. I broke my head on the LTE watch from the day I saw it advertised in their March brochure. Like you correctly state, almost every single VC representative I spoke to, instore and online, never knew what an eSim was, leave alone how to use it!
Nevertheless, I cannot understand why the eSim has to be linked to an existing operational number, and then pay R25 a month for sharing data??? Why can't it be a standalone number? I did have that Twincall some time ago used on my Huawei Watch 2. It's not very user-friendly. looks like I'll have to stay with my Huwaei Watch 2 LTE for a while.
 
I've given up chasing this for now. Life is too short and my liver function is finite to spend any more time on it at this stage. If it ever does work, it will be a surprise. In the meantime, I'm no worse off than with the BT only watches I've had in the past, unless Vodacom figures out a way to disable BT or kill off my primary cellphone number.
Que será, será.
 
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Right, so here I am two weeks later, 10 calls to 082135 (roughly two hours of my time I'll never get back), 5 visits to 3 different Vodacom stores (excluding the initial visit when I bought the watch two weeks ago; another ~90 minutes or so of my time wasted on top of that), 2 chat sessions on the Vodacom website (might as well have chatted to BMW On-Call), 1 attempt to get support via Twitter (a great success, as reported above - that reminds me, I still have to give them feedback...), almost daily communication via Whatsapp with the lady that initially sold me the watch two weeks ago (she really is doing her best and I have nothing but kind words and admiration for her determination to help me despite almost no support from the trade partners / Vodacom) and one thread to cancel my contracts if this isn't sorted, which was met with a response that another network won't be able to provide me with the eSIM functionality. Well, neither can Vodacom, so...

At least Twincall has been deactivated. I did ask for that number to be converted to prepaid so that I don't lose it. Nope. Permanently deleted.

If I go to a Vodacom store, the consultants tell me that the order is still pending and they can't do anything until it is resolved, I must phone Vodacom or wait. I phone Vodacom (082135), the consultants tell me that they don't have access to the same system as the stores do, so I must go to a Vodacom store and they will help me. Repeat. 🔄

Oh well, perhaps next week.
 
Finally.
Ms5fRx5.jpg
 
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OK, so I celebrated too soon.
My brother called me this morning via Whatsapp. I asked him why he called from Whapsapp and he said that he could not reach me by calling the normal way. Found out that I could not call out or receive calls from either the phone or the watch. Great. Data worked fine on both devices, but no calls. Restarted both devices, no luck.
Went to a Vodacom store and they had no idea what was wrong.
They did a network synchronization and the phone started working again, but the watch still did the same. Removed it from the network and added it again, restarted, still won't dial out or receive calls.

A call was logged. Let's see how long this takes...
 
I am getting nowhere with this.
Every time I call 082135, I am told that it will be escalated (I have an impressive number of reference numbers by now) and then seemingly nothing else happens or at least not anything that solves the issue. I get the SMS with a support reference number only to get another one later on stating that it has been closed. I was promised multiple call-backs from support higher up the food chain, but that never happens.

Don't bother sending a mail to eSIMSupport@vodacom.co.za which they listed on the mail in which the QR code was sent. Why, don't they reply?
Even better; the email address does not exist...

8GTNV5S.jpg


Out of desperation I've asked them to remove the VoLTE service from my profile and add it again to see if that makes any difference, but that hasn't happened in over 36 hours.

Tomorrow will be three weeks since I've gotten the watch and a week since I've (finally) received the QR code.
Do I have unrealistic expectations that it should have been sorted out by now?
 
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I am getting nowhere with this.
Every time I call 082135, I am told that it will be escalated (I have an impressive number of reference numbers by now) and then seemingly nothing else happens or at least not anything that solves the issue. I get the SMS with a support reference number only to get another one later on stating that it has been closed. I was promised multiple call-backs from support higher up the food chain, but that never happens.

Don't bother sending a mail to eSIMSupport@vodacom.co.za which they listed on the mail in which the QR code was sent. Why, don't they reply?
Even better; the email address does not exist...

8GTNV5S.jpg


Out of desperation I've asked them to remove the VoLTE service from my profile and add it again to see if that makes any difference, but that hasn't happened in over 36 hours.

Tomorrow will be three weeks since I've gotten the watch and a week since I've (finally) received the QR code.
Do I have unrealistic expectations that it should have been sorted out by now?

I bought the 42mm LTE model from Vodaworld yesterday, cash. The consultant confirmed with two other consultants and with the "eSIM specialist" that there should be no problems adding the service to my existing open line contract. I had to submit a request in writing since it is a business line.
 
I wonder where these "eSIM specialists" you speak of have been these past three weeks...

I hope you have better luck with yours.
It would be encouraging if at least someone can report back that their eSIM is working like it should.
 
I wonder where these "eSIM specialists" you speak of have been these past three weeks...

I hope you have better luck with yours.
It would be encouraging if at least someone can report back that their eSIM is working like it should.

Did they ask you for a sim card number JG?
 
No, they didn't. They did scan the watch's box's barcodes when I purchased it though.
One of the numbers on the box is the IMEI number.
At no stage did anyone at the call center ask for it again though.

The data is working on the eSIM and it does sync with the phone's call logs and SMS entries, so I do think that it's linked at least.
I just can't make or receive call in standalone mode on it. It just immediately states "Call Ended" when I try to make a call.

I have phone again this morning and they've confirmed that the VoLTE service was deactivated. I have asked them to activate it again (they were supposed to do that), so I'm waiting for that to happen and check again.
If that doesn't solve the issue, I'll ask them to delete the eSIM activation altogether and redo everything from scratch.
Who knows how long that'll take.
 
I don't hate any member on Carb that much to pass this frustration on to him/her... :p

If they can get this working this watch will be everything I was looking for for a couple of years. I hate running with my phone.
 
Tried posting on Hellopeter.com, but it seems like not a single buck is given. Got a nice auto reply message though. At least the call centre gives me a reference number to add to my collection every time I call.
I am starting to think that Vodacom is playing an elaborate prank on me and that there really is no such thing as an eSIM.
 
Tried posting on Hellopeter.com, but it seems like not a single buck is given. Got a nice auto reply message though. At least the call centre gives me a reference number to add to my collection every time I call.
I am starting to think that Vodacom is playing an elaborate prank on me and that there really is no such thing as an eSIM.

Nothing happening on my side also.
 
We've been had, buddy. Vodacom sure went through a lot of trouble to trick me into believing this eSIM nonsense.
We're probably going to be in a new Schuster movie.
 
We've been had, buddy. Vodacom sure went through a lot of trouble to trick me into believing this eSIM nonsense.
We're probably going to be in a new Schuster movie.

At least you've been had at a price cheaper than the bluetooth model. You can probably sell that watch for more now than what you paid for it. I'm properly screwed.
 
Not at the price they are being advertised on here and on the 'tree. I've paid a premium for a watch with fake software that claims it has an "eSIM". Then I've spent three weeks trying to get this make believe sim working. What a fool I am.
 
Lo and behold, I received my QR code, completed activation and made 2 calls and 1 sms from my watch. Everything is working as expected at the moment, let's hope it lasts.
 
OK, so you are in on the prank.
Nice try, but I'm not falling for it again Vodacom. I'm not spending any more time on this "eSIM" business.

JK, happy for you.
Perhaps mine will work in the next three weeks.
 
The most difficult thing about the process was getting the damn code and then figuring out that the QR code must be scanned from the galaxy wearables app. Also setting mobile network as always on on the watch. But lets give it some time, will go for a run tomorrow to test...
 
How much is Vodacom paying you to claim that this is actually working?
Just curious how much this prank on me is costing them. I am a nobody; can't believe they are dropping all this cash on false advertising and fake internet news just to fool me. :p
 
Seeing that I paid almost a second phone's price more than you it seems fair that I'm getting served first! I'll pm you the details of the guy that helped me.
 
:D Thank you. I'll take this up next week. I don't have any more fight left in me ATM.
I am encouraged that this is working for someone else at least though. Perhaps it's on the cards for me as well.
Early adopters always pay the school fees, one way or another.
 
Back from my run and very chuffed with the watch. Made 4 calls, received 1 and 1 sms without a problem. What's really interesting is that the watch seems to have better signal quality than my S8. This is especially evident in my house where I rely on wifi calling. On route I also placed a call from a place where I know for a fact my phone would not have. Big relief that the connection is 3G/4G and not just 4G as I thought initially.

On the downside there is the battery life, although not completely unexpected. 60min of running with music streaming to my headphones and 3G/4G drained the watch from 97% to 46%, this is for the 42mm model. The 46mm would not fit my purpose due to size and weight. The thing that bothers me is the charging time - 2h30min for a full charge!
 
I am very glad that yours is working - it at least gives me hope that it is possible and that perhaps one day mine will work as it should too.
I have read that battery life isn't great when it uses LTE. Perhaps disable BT and Wifi if you plan on using it for an extended period on LTE. Always on display is a real battery killer too.
Charging time is a bit long on all of them. My other watches take about that long to charge too. I usually charge them overnight, so it's not such a big deal.

I've sent a mail to the email you've PM'd me, but they are closed over weekends. I'm keeping the hope alive for next week...

Enjoy your new toy!
 

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