verizon

[rkirshner]

does anybody have any information about if verizon will be carrying the LTE gear s3 . thanks

 

[dshrum84]

So far it's only been released as a GSM device, no word on CDMA from Samsung.

 

[priceslss]

Not that anything has been updated but there is a Verizon thread
http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-gear-s3/747675-verizon-gear-s3-thread.html

 

[Jaycemiskel]

I had been waiting on the Verizon version as well. Decided to say forget it and just go with the T-mobile version, especially since it has unlimited data. There's a huge thread on Verizon's community site, and it doesn't sound like they're getting it anytime soon.

 

[rkirshner]

thank you i also decided to just go with a non lte model ... until they get the whole number sync thing figured out it is probably more of a pain than something useful

 

[dshrum84]

I find the watch/phone integration to be the highlight of T-Mo's Digits beta so far, but I already had T-Mo before getting an LTE watch from a T-Mo store. You're supposed to be able to link non-T-Mo devices into Digits but I don't have any to test that with.

 

[priceslss]

I have my mobile phone calls and messages going to my iPad, tab s2, and gear s3 depending on what I'm using at the time. I am loving Digits!

 

[castone001]

So if I have vzw and buy the watch on t-mobile how does it integrate with my s7 edge?

 

[afblangley]

So if I have vzw and buy the watch on t-mobile how does it integrate with my s7 edge?

I too am waiting for Verizon but using the AT&T variant in the interim. The only thing that's lost by using different carriers for the watch and phone is phone number integration, NumberSync and Digits. Technically, Digits should work across carriers if you can get T-Mobile to activate it for you with only a wearable line. Another option is Google Voice.

For those considering T-Mobile, be advised that the LTE radio will drain the battery quickly if it's frequently searching for a signal. That's why I chose AT&T even though T-Mobile monthly service was cheaper.

 

[dshrum84]

Searching for a signal will kill the battery regardless of whose signal or even which signal it's searching for. Constantly disconnecting and reconnecting via Bluetooth will do the same thing.

It depends whose service gets the best reception in your area. T-Mo works well where I am.

 

[dshrum84]

So if I have vzw and buy the watch on t-mobile how does it integrate with my s7 edge?

Based on what I've seen so far, using the LTE watch, you'd first link the watch to the Verizon phone. Then you'd need to set the phone to forward calls/texts to the watch, either immediately or after the phone doesn't answer.

Exactly how that would impact things is tricky, because if you didn't answer the watch, the voicemail would go to the watch's T-Mo line instead of back to the phone's Verizon line.

Any texts from the watch would show the T-Mo number and your text conversations would look weird as the only synced texts would be the received ones. The sent ones from your devices would only show on the one you sent that text from. This may not be an issue for you, just sayin'.

Other notifications may or may not work without a Bluetooth connection since the main alternative method is to connect watch and phone remotely over T-Mo's network, which obviously wouldn't work with a Verizon phone.

Another idea for you would be to try a Google Voice number to link the watch and phone, though the same limitations on notifications would apply.

I'm not a salesman and I have no stake in who your phone provider is, but my experience says that T-Mo has no shortage of offers they'll throw at you to get you to switch. Be ready for that whatever your interest may be.

 

[daves221]

Based on what I've seen so far, using the LTE watch, you'd first link the watch to the Verizon phone. Then you'd need to set the phone to forward calls/texts to the watch, either immediately or after the phone doesn't answer.

Exactly how that would impact things is tricky, because if you didn't answer the watch, the voicemail would go to the watch's T-Mo line instead of back to the phone's Verizon line.

Any texts from the watch would show the T-Mo number and your text conversations would look weird as the only synced texts would be the received ones. The sent ones from your devices would only show on the one you sent that text from. This may not be an issue for you, just sayin'.

Other notifications may or may not work without a Bluetooth connection since the main alternative method is to connect watch and phone remotely over T-Mo's network, which obviously wouldn't work with a Verizon phone.

Another idea for you would be to try a Google Voice number to link the watch and phone, though the same limitations on notifications would apply.

I'm not a salesman and I have no stake in who your phone provider is, but my experience says that T-Mo has no shortage of offers they'll throw at you to get you to switch. Be ready for that whatever your interest may be.

that's why as a VZW customer I just went with the BT version (which by the way, is great. and I doesn't cost every month). Hopefully VZW and Samsung will release the S3 or the S4 on verizon's network (I wonder whether the battery usage would be similar as on GSM.. hopefully that would not be a deal killer, as well as whatever agreement samsung and VZW would need in terms of volume to support a verizon-only version).

 

[dshrum84]

Is there a significant difference in battery life between the same device on CDMA and GSM? I switched from Sprint to T-Mo a few years ago with similar phones and didn't notice anything at the time.

 

[afblangley]

Based on what I've seen so far, using the LTE watch, you'd first link the watch to the Verizon phone. Then you'd need to set the phone to forward calls/texts to the watch, either immediately or after the phone doesn't answer.

Exactly how that would impact things is tricky, because if you didn't answer the watch, the voicemail would go to the watch's T-Mo line instead of back to the phone's Verizon line.

Any texts from the watch would show the T-Mo number and your text conversations would look weird as the only synced texts would be the received ones. The sent ones from your devices would only show on the one you sent that text from. This may not be an issue for you, just sayin'.

Other notifications may or may not work without a Bluetooth connection since the main alternative method is to connect watch and phone remotely over T-Mo's network, which obviously wouldn't work with a Verizon phone.

Another idea for you would be to try a Google Voice number to link the watch and phone, though the same limitations on notifications would apply.

I'm not a salesman and I have no stake in who your phone provider is, but my experience says that T-Mo has no shortage of offers they'll throw at you to get you to switch. Be ready for that whatever your interest may be.

As long as the watch has a BT connection with the phone, it should use the phone's number for caller ID and texting, no call forwarding is necessary. When connected remotely, notifications and text should also pass thru. Only in standalone mode would numbers get out of sync and potentially have some of the issues you described.

I haven't experienced any of those issues. I can't speak with certainty about how it works because I haven't tested every setup variation. As a Google Voice user, sharing my number across devices is simplified. I never need to use carrier call forwarding, and calls, texts, voicemail are pulled down or sent up to GV servers.

There are at least a couple of cross carrier folks in this forum, perhaps they will chime in also.

 

[dshrum84]

With just a T-Mo watch and Verizon phone, I don't know if you could remote link at all between them, which would limit the watch to almost BT version only use anyway. Google Voice should do the trick for calls and texts, but other notifications from the phone wouldn't be usable that way, would they? When your watch is in standalone do you get anything from outside the watch except GV driven calls/texts?

 

[afblangley]

With just a T-Mo watch and Verizon phone, I don't know if you could remote link at all between them, which would limit the watch to almost BT version only use anyway. Google Voice should do the trick for calls and texts, but other notifications from the phone wouldn't be usable that way, would they? When your watch is in standalone do you get anything from outside the watch except GV driven calls/texts?

Please stop theorizing as some folks may mistake it for fact.

Notifications from the phone pass to the watch when it's remotely connected. It doesn't matter what carrier the devices use.

In standalone mode, the watch is its own phone. It has no more connection to your primary phone than the backup phone you keep in your dresser drawer.

GV and (to a lesser extent) Digits are technologies designed to use a single number amongst several devices, without regard to carrier networks involved.

 

[Jaycemiskel]

With just a T-Mo watch and Verizon phone, I don't know if you could remote link at all between them, which would limit the watch to almost BT version only use anyway. Google Voice should do the trick for calls and texts, but other notifications from the phone wouldn't be usable that way, would they? When your watch is in standalone do you get anything from outside the watch except GV driven calls/texts?

Every notification will be passed through. The network doesn't matter, just the Internet connection. It's the same as if your BT watch was connected to the phone by WiFi. The only difference would be that outgoing calls would be from a different number, and since Verizon doesn't have a number sync like service, that's the same as well. Essentially, it's the same as having it on the Verizon network except you will pay more per month. That's the only reason why I was waiting for the Verizon version.

So just to clarify, a remote link only requires a data connection. It doesn't matter how that data is provided.

The main issue you will notice is different number for outgoing calls and outgoing texts as well if you weren't replying from the conversation that was already taking place on your phone.

All in all, I think the t-mobile version is a good option. I almost wonder if Verizon is waiting to release until they have a number sync service or something like that. For Android wear you can use the Verizon messages app to somewhat get around that. I have an ATT LG Watch and can make phone calls from my Verizon number just fine. They have no way to do this from Samsung devices yet.

 

[dshrum84]

Please stop theorizing as some folks may mistake it for fact.

What I said was:

With just a T-Mo watch and Verizon phone, I don't know if you could remote link at all between them

What more than "I don't know" should I say to indicate that it's a theory or question and not a fact?

 

[dshrum84]

According to <https://www.frequencycheck.com/compatibility/6aPDCBk/samsung-sm-r765a-gear-s3-frontier-lte/united-states>, CDMA LTE connections are supported by the watch. The model number on their chart is the AT&T version and matches the number of mine except for the letter (T for T-Mobile).

That being said, the Verizon forums have people reporting conflicting information after conversing with Verizon support. One was told they won't be supporting it, others were told it will be released Q1 2017.

 

[castone001]

Where did you get the BT Version from?