Smartwatch and Wearables FAQ
- Rogers Business customers can subscribe to a data plan for their Apple or Android smartwatch (wearables)
- Apple iOS wearables can be set up in Companion mode or Standalone mode.
- Android wearables can be set up in Companion mode only.
- Watches bought or financed through Rogers must be activated with a Rogers wearable data plan. Each watch has its own cellular subscription and eSIM, so it works independently from the paired iPhone or Android phone.
- Once paired to Rogers’ network, the watch stays connected until the user chooses to unlink it. The watch behaves as a standalone device independent from the user’s phone, using WI FI or cellular access for voice and data.
- A watch can be paired directly via Bluetooth to a phone (without a cellular plan), but the constraint is that it needs to remain close in proximity to a phone.
- Companion Mode: The watch and phone share the same number (CTN); all SMS messages, notifications and calls are received on both devices.
- Maximum of 1 Companion Mode per smartphone.
- Apple and Android wearables can be set up in Companion mode.
- Standalone/Solo Mode: Each Standalone watch gets a unique phone number (CTN). The watch receives its own SMS messages, calls, etc. separate from the phone.
- A maximum of 5 Standalone wearables supported per phone subscription, subject to the customer's credit evaluation; a Companion plan is not required.
- Available only to Apple devices.
- The parent iPhone user can manage the watch and its features.
- Yes, BYOD activation is supported for customers with an active Rogers Wireless account – available via Self-Serve only
- BYOD watches must be associated to an active Apple/Android phone.
- Customer enables or disables the wearable plan through BSS-S/BSS-P.
- Contract amendment may be required to load watch plans onto the account.
- Apple or Android watches will be billed as a separate wireless service with its monthly charge and usage details. The watch has its own subscription and appears as a separate line item on the Rogers Business wireless invoice.
- Supported watch models:
- iPhone must have WiFi calling or VoLTE (Voice Over LTE) enabled.
- Rogers Satellite service is compatible with select Apple Watches, specifically the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. The parent Apple iPhone must have a Rogers satellite plan.
Minimum OS version: WatchOS 26.1; latest is WatchOS 26.2
Supported watch models
- Watch Series 6 (40mm & 44mm)
- Watch Series 7 (41mm & 45mm)
- Watch Series 8 (41mm & 45mm)
- Watch Series SE 2022 (40mm & 44mm)
- Ultra (A2986, 49mm)
- Watch Series 9 (A2982, 41mm)
- Watch Series 9 (A2984, 45mm)
- Ulra 2 (A2986, 49mm)
- Watch Series 10 (A3001, 42mm)
- Watch Series 10 (A3003, 46mm)
- Watch Series 11 (A3335, 42mm)
- Watch Series 11 (A3337, 46mm)
- Watch SE 3 (A3326, 40mm)
- Watch SE 3 (A3328, 44mm)
- Watch Ultra 3 (A3281, 49mm)
Minimum OS versions- iOS 26.1 ; latest version is iOS 26,2
iPhone models
- XR, XS, XS max
- 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
- SE 2nd gen., SE 3rd gen.
- 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 12 mini
- 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 13 mini
- 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
- 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max
- 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 16e
- 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, Air
Watch
- Samsung Galaxy Watch8 series
- Samsung Galaxy Watch5 series and above
- Galaxy S series: S21 series and newer
- Galaxy Z Fold series: Z Fold3 and newer
- Galaxy Z Flip series: Z Flip3 and newer
- Galaxy A series:
- A1x series: A11 and newer
- A3x series: A32 and newer
- A5x series: A52 and newer
Watch
- Pixel Watch 2 and Watch 3
- Pixel 6 and newer is supported.
- After purchasing a smartwatch, the telco Admin or the authorized account holder needs to authorize the CTN and enable it for the wearable plan through the BSS/BSSP self-serve portal. A one-time password is generated once the parent device is enabled for wearables.
- The end user completes onboarding on their watch using the watch app
- The web application is an online activation page that opens automatically when a customer sets up the cellular service on their smartwatch. It handles the technical steps needed to activate a smartwatch onto Rogers’ network.
- Business Customer Service can assist with adding or removing the watch plans, but the customer must use their watch app to activate and pair the smartwatch’s cellular service through Web application.
- Digital eSIM only. Physical SIMs and On Demand eSIM are not supported.
| SIM Type | Description | Supported on Wearables? |
| Physical SIM | This type of SIM is physically inserted into the device; typically used by legacy devices. | Not supported Smartwatches do not have a SIM slot to support physical SIMs. This option will be suppressed in RD for the wearable flow. |
| On-Demand eSIM | The eSIM profile is pushed over-the-air for device activation. No manual input or scanning of QR code. | Not supported |
| Digital eSIM | A virtual SIM profile that is delivered to the wearable/device.The eSIM for a smartwatch is pulled via the parent smartphone during onboarding in Websheet. Watches can not scan a QR code or receive an eSIM directly like phones. | Supported Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Web-Sheet detects the watch’s real IMEI, then downloads the eSIM directly to the watch. Add-A-Line (AAL): A temporary digital eSIM is assigned to activate service. During pairing in Web-Sheet, a SIM swap occurs automatically for the CTN and the final eSIM is pushed to the watch. This is transparent to the customer. |
- To switch Apple smartwatch modes from Companion to Standalone or vice versa, the user needs to initiate the change in Websheet from their watch app. Switch mode changes are not applicable for Android devices.
- Each Companion or Standalone wearable plan subscription is allocated its own CTN, which is used to provision service. The line used to place and receive smartwatch calls and texts, however, depends on the plan type.
- Companion: The user’s phone and watch share the same CTN (i.e. the parent smartphone CTN). Incoming calls and texts go to both devices at the same time. Companion service is billed under the CTN used to provision the wearable plan.
- Standalone: Each Standalone watch has its own unique phone number to call, text and stay in touch separate from the Parent (Smartphone) Device CTN. Standalone service is billed against this unique CTN.
- Yes, porting is supported for Standalone mode.
- Rogers Satellite access is available on compatible Apple watches, but the parent Apple iPhone must have a Rogers satellite plan.
- Apple: 1 Companion and up to 5 Apple Standalone Apple watch plans for (maximum total: 6), per parent Apple phone.
- Android: 1 Companion watch plan per parent Android phone.