Galaxy Watch 4 Emergency Calls Only Fix - O2 Network

[Ian_McD]

If you're on O2 and you're getting "Emergency Calls Only" on your watch when out of range of your phone here's the fix!

I know this is a big problem for a lot of people, some of whom have returned their watch because they can't get it to work. I've detailed the process right from the start for the benefit of people who have come straight to this thread and may not have already tried most of the suggestions on other threads, most of which are relevant.

This guide assumes that you have already set up your eSim and have activated the mobile plan in the Galaxy Wearable App in the Mobiles Plans section. Go in the following order:

Settings On Your Phone

1) Settings> Advanced Features> Call And Text On Other Devices - Enable

Settings On Your Watch

1) Settings> Connections> Mobile Networks> Select Auto  (Always On can be selected but Auto works fine and is better for battery life).

Go To The Wearable App On Your Phone

1) Watch Settings> Advanced Features> Remote Connection Turn On - Enable

Now here's the bit where I think it goes wrong for most people not being aware of this next step.

2) Where you just enabled the Remote Connection, stay there but this time tap on the text that says "Remote Connection" rather than selecting the toggle switch.

3) You will now enter a sort of hidden menu that contains a switch called "Calling" and it says "Make and receive calls on your watch without a Bluetooth connection to your phone". This needs to be enabled. It takes a few seconds to activate.

Now to test your connection.

1) Your phone must be on and connected to your phone data plan or wifi.

2) Make sure your Bluetooth is switched on on your phone. Although it is not being used turning it off disables most of the features in the Wearable App including what you need for this to work!

3) You can now turn off the Bluetooth on your watch to simulate being away from your phone (or you could go for a walk and leave your phone at home!). Give it a few seconds while the phone switches over to the network (a little cloud should appear on the watch face), mine takes about fifteen seconds to switch over.

4) Make your call. Hopefully if all is well you should be good to go!

Good luck! I came within a whisker of returning my watch after numerous visits to the O2 Shop and hours of messing about simply because of the hidden setting under the "Remote Connection" settings that I only found by accident!

[Members_6ugwpRz]

Thankyou so much fixed the issue the for me. Although why O2 had no idea how to fix the issue, even in the shop I have no idea ! To be fair neither did Samsung customer services ! 

Thankyou once again 

[Dian0509]

Try your bluetooth settings on your actual phone. It shows paired and connected on mine but there was also a toggle switch that I had no clue about, that had to be turned on in the bluetooth of the phone to allow it to make calls. 

[TNJGB]

This is not an answer to the original question but to clarify that the watch contract O2 supplies is a contract where the LTE watch works as an extension of the phone over the mobile network rather than as a standalone mobile device. It is designed so that even though the watch has a mobile number, it uses the number and contract minutes from the phone, the idea being when someone calls your phone you can take the call on your watch if you do not have the phone with you. The watch is capable of working as a standalone mobile calling device but not on the O2 watch contract. To be pedantic it works as a standalone watch on the O2 contract in the first few minutes of the O2 contract using the watch's number until the network establishes that it is meant to be using the phones details then the watch's number stops working.

[TonyJB]

Hi @acquavallo , yes if you can message me the activation instructions please that would be appreciated. It looks like you understand this issue better than most !  Can you tell me do you  know if I need a 'minutes and data' plan on the watch to allow it to make calls I guess so ?  I currently have a data only plan and although it is installed, activated, connected and configured correctly on the watch, the phone and the Wear app it still will not make calls when not connected to the phone !! Any ideas ?  thanks

[acquavallo]

Hi. You don't give many specifics- country \ carrier...what do you mean by data-only? Was it a topup or plan labeled for specific device type or brand? You activated e-Sim on web with either QR or Activation code? Also be aware that some Smartwatch Addon plans don't give the watch its own data- only a software permission for the watch to receive unlimited tether or BT data share from phone. So the watch may not be assigned its own phone number or receive when away from phone. Ergo the low $2.50 - $10 pricing. 

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/how-to-activate-ur-lte-watch-4-standalone-different-carrier-as-ph...

It's a bit convoluted- stumbled on it thru trial and error while in hospital... I'm in the States. 

Here's video by someone else:

https://youtu.be/1vNAsQcb_u0

PS don't get the lowest RPocket plan of $30 yearly- that one only roams on carriers with physical SIM. Get the $60 or higher . Actually, whichever you pick ensure that eSim option not greyed out 

FYI the little I learned I haven't kept up- I only use it for Samsung Pay promos- it overheats too much & screen locks too quickly (to conserve battery). And, Samsung has since released OneUI update I haven't yet upgraded to.

Main point is don't blindly obey carriers when they say a plan is only for say, iPhone or tablet or certain Brand. The only blocking they do is to filter initially the IMEI to approve commencing Activation. You get around this by- instead of providing your intended device's IMEI- trying a few from am IMEI generating website for the carrier's allowed model. When you pass this check they provide QR or manual code and you're usually good to go, and there won't be any server side blocking of your device later either- esp. for a budget plan. So you should be able to activate even if carrier only permits iPhone (or you can also use the cheapest phone plan). Even a cheap tablet plan should work...and it shouldn't block call\text. I've confirmed by substituting tablets with native call&text. The only thing blocked server side is the other way around- trying to use phone with a cheap unlimited watch\tablet plan. At least here in the States.

Good luck, post more of your details. 

[TonyJB]

thanks yes I should have said sorry.
I'm in the UK where I was told that only o2 supported direct call dialling from the watch so got a contract with o2 set up by a guru at the o2 shop a year ago and it seemed to work. Until the Samsung repair people deleted all the data from the phone and watch including the eSIM mobile plan on the watch - so I had to go and get another QR code for a replacement eSIM from o2 which installed fine. So I do get data direct to the watch but I can't make calls with the phone switched off; it says 'only emergency calls can be made'. o2 have actually told me that this is because they and the other network providers here ( Vodafone , EE ) do not support data and voice plans for the watch. I'm not sure why that is; it seems that for some legal / regulatory / security reason they need to locate any calls to and from the watch as originating from the phone. All a bit of a pain. I'm going to go into my local Samsung Experience store in central London shortly where they have a couple of very good technical experts who may be able to explain further.  thanks for all the links though; the access to developer mode in the Wear App was interesting but I haven't dared to make use of it yet !  thanks again, Tony 

[Boothy22]

Great read and made me understand cellular a little bit more!.
I've recently bought the Galaxy watch 5 Pro ⌚️.
My understanding in my head was, that cellular works completely with my smart watch, whilst my mobile device is turned off...
how WRONG was I 😂.
So now my head is around it all and every setting in this video is turned on, I've actually had the cellular work on my watch, whilst my phone was in the car earlier, while I was out and about.
After also getting knowledge from a O2 representative, my findings are, your phones Wifi, and or data, plus Bluetooth needs to be on, for cellular to work.
I hope I could shed a little light also, if people are or were wondering, why " emergency calls only" was popping up on the watch.
On another note, I'm liking this Samsung Members, I never knew it existed!.
So hello my fellow tech geeks and happy Monday 🤓

[IronOrr]

Been trying for nearly a year, worked first time. Excellent

[mumsy1968]

Thanks for that I was ready to send my watch back its now sorted

[SamP81]

I have tried all of that, plus like various visits to the O2 shop, still not working and all I can do is make emergency calls only unless its connected via Bluetooth with my phone. The whole idea of me having the watch was so that I could leave my phone in safe place while I go out riding and still make a call if I needed to. Not impressed 😕