Verizon may have been late to take measures against its customers who still use the recalled Galaxy Note 7, but the carrier is ready to significantly step up its game and force every single Galaxy Note 7 user out there to finally swap out their phablets. The mobile operator has a new trick to force you to give up the fire hazard you still keep in your pocket, and the new measure will probably convince you. Oh, and unlike software updates that you might have avoided so far, there’s nothing you can do to stop Verizon this time.
Thousands of Verizon customers still use the Galaxy Note 7, the carrier told Fortune. But these people will soon be unable to make calls from the phone. All non-emergency calls will be automatically diverted to customer service moving forward.
Verizon, like many carriers around the world, issued a special Galaxy Note 7 update a few weeks ago that should have crippled the phone and stopped it from being able to recharge. Tech-savvy users were able to avoid the update, but they won’t be able to avoid Verizon’s newest measure.
“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,” a Verizon spokeswoman said. “The recalled Note 7s pose a safety risk to our customers and those around them.”
Fortune further adds that Galaxy Note 7 users have been reimbursed for the cost of the phone, so Verizon might also bill holdouts for the full retail cost of the phone. The carrier said that customers who turn in the phone are still eligible for a bill credit of up to $100 and a waived upgrade fee.
Samsung, meanwhile, will reveal what caused the Galaxy Note 7 explosions at some point this month — most likely on January 23rd, according to recent reports.
