Apple Watch help please

[arapacis]

I've just purchased an Apple Watch series 6 through my network provider. £22/month on a paired plan, so in my understanding, sharing the data etc from my iPhone. Speaking to the tech desk yesterday, the guy mentioned that I'd need to purchase an additional cellular data plan for £7/m if the watch was to be used on its own.

Ive just been on Apple's website and I can buy the same watch for around £17pcm.

If I were to cancel the watch from the network provider, and buy it directly through Apple, would I then need to buy an additional data plan?

Yes, same rules apply.

the apple watch can either use your phones data connection, or it's own connection.

If you normally, or always have your phone close by, no need for a separate plan. If you're planning on using the watch by itself for exercise, streaming music while jogging or swimming, then you probably do need a separate data plan.

There are two versions of the watch. GPS which can only use your phone's data connection, and Cellular which can use your phone's data or it's own eSim data connection. The GPS version is currently £15.80/mo and the Cellular version £19.96.

A year or two ago, only EE were able to provide eSIMs for eSIM devices, however I think O2 and vodafone do as well now.