If you’re about to deactivate the LTE service on your Apple Watch Series 3 and then reactivate it later, there might be some fees to consider.
When the device was first launched, carriers in the United States and other countries where the LTE version of the device is available offered three free months of service and waived activation fees.
This three month grace period is now coming to an end, and customers have begun receiving their first LTE bills, which include a $10/month service charge.
In addition to this, with carriers like AT&T and Verizon, there are additional service charges and fees, which means it’s not $10 per month for an Apple Watch, it’s more like $12-$14.
For Verizon’s LTE service in California, there’s also an additional $1.55 in fees as well as the $10/month rate. And on AT&T in North Carolina, fees and surcharges add an additional $4.39 to the $10 per month charge, bringing the total to almost $15 per month for an Apple Watch. In some states, these fees on Verizon and AT&T are even higher.
It’s also been noted that deactivating and reactivating service might not save you money, as line activation fees can be considerable and amount to a $25 to $30 charge for some carriers.
In the midst of all of this, both Verizon and AT&T will charge a $25 activation fee, Sprint will charge a $30 activation fee and T-Mobile no longer charges an activation fee, so it might be affordable to cancel and reinstate service if you’re a T-Mobile subscriber.
In conclusion, the three month grace period is coming to an end and you might want to keep a close eye on your wireless carrier bill once it comes in.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.