Technical Issues Prevent 1&1 Users from Activating eSIM on Apple Watch

Users attempting to activate the eSIM feature for their Apple Watches through the German mobile provider 1&1 are currently facing significant challenges. Reports have emerged that the activation process is failing, displaying a notification stating that the user's 1&1 account is not authorized to enable mobile service on the Apple Watch. This issue has persisted for several days, with complaints surfacing on various platforms, including the official Apple forums.

According to 1&1, the disruption stems from a malfunction in a network component affecting a subset of Apple Watch users. As a result, these users are unable to install the necessary eSIM profile on their devices. The company has acknowledged the problem and stated that their technical team has identified the fault, with restoration efforts already underway. 1&1 anticipates that the issue will be resolved by Thursday and has issued apologies for the inconvenience caused to affected customers. Users can reach out to 1&1's customer service for further assistance.

The specific network component responsible for the disruption remains unspecified. Initially, 1&1 appeared uncertain about the nature of the problem, as users reported that the company's hotline was not aware of any ongoing issues. Consequently, many users resorted to various troubleshooting methods, including unpairing and re-pairing their Apple Watches, as well as resetting the devices--a process that proved unnecessary and time-consuming.

Speculation arose regarding a potential correlation between the current issue and 1&1's transition to its own 5G network infrastructure. The provider is in the process of upgrading its systems and replacing SIM cards, leading to concerns that future eSIMs may only support 5G technology. However, the Apple Watch still operates on LTE, which raised questions about compatibility. 1&1 clarified that various wearables, including the Apple Watch, are compatible with its Multi-Card service and the OpenRAN (O-RAN) technology, which supports both 5G and LTE networks. Therefore, Apple Watches utilizing LTE should not experience limitations once the issues are resolved.