The eSIM Companion Plan puts your EmuTel mobile on your wrist. Add your Apple or Samsung smartwatch to your existing service and call, text and use data straight from your watch, on the same number, with your phone left at home.
It links a cellular Apple or Samsung smartwatch to your EmuTel mobile service. Your watch shares your existing mobile number, so it works even when your phone is nowhere in sight.
Head out for a run or duck to the shops and still take a call, without your phone in your pocket.
Calls and texts use your existing number. Incoming calls ring on your phone and your watch at once.
Emergency features and location sharing stay with you, even when you have left the phone behind.
A few things need to line up. If they do not, the setup screen will let you know and stop you before you finish, so it is worth a quick check first.
Your mobile service needs to be an eligible 5G plan. Data-only plans and 4G plans cannot add a companion plan.
An Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch with GPS + Cellular. Wi-Fi-only watches, other brands, phones and tablets are not supported.
Your watch and phone must be the same brand (Apple with iPhone, Samsung with Samsung), compatible models, both on the latest software.
For use in Australia only, no overseas roaming. It runs on the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network, so you can check coverage at your place first.
Your watch must be a cellular model (GPS + Cellular), and your phone must support eSIM. Here is what works.
| Phone | Compatible models |
|---|---|
| Apple | iPhone 6 series and later, including SE |
| Samsung | Galaxy S8 series and later, Note 5 and later, Z Fold & Z Flip, A5 (2017), J2 Pro |
| Not supported for smartwatch pairing |
| Watch (GPS + Cellular) | Compatible models |
|---|---|
| Apple Watch | Series 4 and later, including Ultra |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch | Active2, Watch 3 series, and Watch 4 or later |
| Not supported for smartwatch pairing |
Activation happens on your devices and takes a few minutes. There is no physical SIM and nothing to wait for in the post.
Apple Watch
Samsung Galaxy Watch
Your watch runs on the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network, and the activation screens are provided by Telstra. The steps are the same for Apple and Samsung.
Here is how to tell whether your watch is running on cellular (its own connection) or leaning on your phone over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Open Control Centre and look at the Mobile button. It turns green when you are on cellular, and the bars show your signal. If it is white, your watch is using your iPhone or Wi-Fi.
Look for the 4G icon at the top of the watch status panel. If you only see the Bluetooth icon, the watch is connected to your phone, not cellular.
The companion plan is a small monthly add-on to your EmuTel mobile. Here is how it lands on your bill.
Swapping watches, changing phones, or cancelling. All of it is done from your watch app.
Run the setup again on the new watch and follow the same steps. You will be asked to confirm disconnecting the old one, since only one watch can be connected at a time.
Even if your new phone is the same brand, the companion plan needs to be removed and set up again:
Open the Watch app (Apple) or the Galaxy Wearable app (Samsung), then go to Manage Telstra Account.
What happens when you cancel
No. One cellular smartwatch can be connected to your mobile service at a time. To use a different watch, disconnect the current one first (see Managing your plan).
No. The companion plan only works on eligible 5G plans. Moving to a 4G plan means it can no longer stay connected, so you would need to cancel it first.
No. The companion plan has its own 1GB each month and does not touch your phone plan's data. It is designed to stand on its own.
Data pauses until your next billing cycle. There are no excess charges. Typical use on a smartwatch is around 100MB a month, so most people never get close.
Yes. Keep your phone connected to your watch by Bluetooth during setup and through the activation process.
No. The companion plan is for use in Australia only and will not make calls or use data overseas. If your watch has Wi-Fi and your phone is online, you may still get some notifications over a Wi-Fi network.
Your watch runs on the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network, which covers most of Australia. As with any mobile service, coverage and speed can vary with your location, the buildings around you and network conditions. Check what to expect at your address on our mobile coverage map before you sign up.
Check that your watch is a cellular model that supports eSIM, its software is up to date, and it is connected to the internet. If the option still does not appear, your watch may not be compatible, so check it against the compatible devices list.
You will need to remove the companion plan and set it up again on the new device, even if it is the same brand. See Managing your plan for the steps.
If the activation screen throws an error, here is what it usually means and what to do.
Got a question about your companion plan, your account number, or whether your gear will work? We know your account, not just your number.