@Pappoy We all thought eSIM is the only thing we need to have Apple Watch connects to LTE, but ther eare more to that. This is what I found on the internet about why small MVNOs do not support Apple Watch even they have eSIM support
eSIM support - this is the easiest but by far not the only requirement as it probably represents less than 10% of the cost, effort, and time of a carrier to support Smart Watches specifically Apple Watch.
For Apple Watch support, Apple has to set up carrier on their servers and they have large cost to do this for each carrier. From this comment by Mint founder/CTO, and this comment by US Mobile founder/CEO this is extremally difficult if not impossible to get done, as has never been done for any MVNO. Essentially Apple will only do for carriers that sell tons of iPhones and AppleWatches, but most MVNOs don't even sell watches at all and barely sell phones. See this quote by quote by US Mobile CEO Ahmed Khattak:
IMS / Call path routing are required to be able for watch to get/send calls and messages to their phone # - and really this is the only reason people want cell service on their SmartWatch so if this is not done it is not worth carriers even supporting Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, or PixelWatch, as no one would get. From this comment by Mint founder/CTO and later comment the investment cost is in the millions of $ and (with one exception in the world) has only ever been done by cell carriers or cable companies, which are all multi-billion $ companies. The only exception is TruPhone out of the UK. Carriers could hypothetically let MVNOs use their infrastructure, but barely do for flanker brands (Visible is only one) and have never done for MVNOs.
For Galaxy Watch or PixelWatch, I am not sure but with only the big carriers supporting and having a small market share compared to Apple Watch, I think the investment for MVNO is not worth it, and/or Samsung is colluding with big carriers on watches just like they did with phones.
Although PM is part of Telus, they should share what already setup on Telus/Koodo. i guess there still some extra cost to add PM to the existing "Apple Watch" system.
Also, for brand positioning, PM is sitll set to be a no-frill provider that offer basic service. But why eSIM is here? i think they have no choice. Possibly eSIM only iPhone is around the corner
