Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE has worked on the four major U.S. carriers since it launched last September, and recently the cellular model has started picking up support for regional carriers around the country as well.
C-Spire, the sixth largest carrier in the country and the largest privately owned carrier, officially announced Apple Watch Series 3 with built-in cellular availability today. And to promote the launch, C-Spire is knocking off 50% from the price of the Apple Watch when purchased with an iPhone.
C-Spire says it will sell LTE watches online and over the phone:
Like the big four carriers in the U.S., C-Spire is also giving away cellular connectivity in Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE for the first three months. Apple Watch LTE service will then cost the industry-standard $10/month after the promotional period ends.
C-Spire adds that customers will need the latest version of iPhone and Apple Watch software plus new carrier settings before activating service:
In addition to C-Spire, Apple now lists U.S. Cellular — the fifth largest regional carrier in the country — as a supported network on the Apple Watch LTE support page.
U.S. Cellular has carried the GPS-only version of the watch in the past, but LTE support is a new development this month. We’ve also seen smaller regional carriers add support for cellular Apple Watches in recent weeks.
Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE starts at $399 and supports Siri, calling, messaging, music streaming, and more over cellular. Additional features like podcast streaming and walkie-talkie communication are coming in watchOS 5 later this year.