Early this month, many US carriers had taken the decision to push out software updates which would prevent the Galaxy Note 7 from charging. This update comes after Samsung took a similar step for unlocked phones last year.
US carriers wanted the holidays before pushing the update that would compel customers to return all of the remaining Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. But it seems that some Verizon owners have retained their units and even managed to avoid the automatic software update.
In a Fortune report, a Verizon spokeswoman recently stated, “In spite of our best efforts, there are still customers using the recalled phones who have not returned or exchanged their Note 7 to the point of purchase.”
She added that, “The recalled Note 7s pose a safety risk to our customers and those around them.” The statement is true because Galaxy Note 7 was part of the biggest tech failures when Samsung was forced to issue a recall and discontinue the phone after reports of Note 7 units catching fire went through the roof.
Verizon intends to place the Note 7 units in a special category so as to make sure the customers do not put themselves or others in danger. The US carrier wants all outgoing calls not directed to the 911 emergency services, but to connect to customer service.
Galaxy Note 7 customers who returned their units last year were already reimbursed for the device’s cost. However, Verizon might be planning to bill those who are still holding on to their Note 7 phones, for the retail cost of device. But until the measure is officially announced, Note 7 owners can still get a bill credit of up to $100 and a waived upgrade fee for returning the phone.
Samsung has planned to announce the results of its investigation on January 23. The company will disclose the reasons why Note 7 units caught fire and the measures that it wants to take in order to avoid similar incidents with upcoming phones.
