Verizon to redirect calls in last-ditch effort to deter Samsung Galaxy Note 7 users

AppleInsider

Verizon will soon take extreme steps to deal with the "thousands" of people on its network still using Samsung's fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 in spite of a recall and subsequent attempts to cripple the device, a report said on Tuesday.

Owners of the fiery device who are using Verizon's network will soon find calls automatically redirected to customer service unless they are attempting to dial 911, Verizon explained to Fortune. On top of this, the company is considering billing holdouts for the full cost of the phone, reversing previous reimbursements.

Samsung put a stop to Note 7 production in October after the device's design was found defective. Since then, Samsung and carriers alike have tried to get people to return or exchange the phone, using financial incentives as well as crippling software updates. The Note 7 is also effectively banned from air travel.

The most recent software update -- issued through all U.S. carriers -- prevents the phone from charging. It is not clear how people have been circumventing the code while maintaining a usable device.

Samsung is said to have recently concluded an internal report finding that battery problems were indeed to blame for a rash of fires after the Note 7 launched in August. The company may have left too little space for the battery in its design, creating dangerous pressure.

This, in turn, has allegedly been linked to Samsung rushing the phone to market, hoping to grab more customers away from Apple, which was on the verge of releasing the iPhone 7. Instead the company is preparing to take a $5.2 billion hit.

strangedays

Innovative solution to the problem of Samsung's hardware innovation.

boltsfan17

Why on earth would someone still want to use the Note 7? 

lkrupp

Wasn’t Verizon the only carrier to refuse to push out the bricking update? Whatever the case it is just astounding to read and hear bloggers and tech media salivating over the eventual release of the Note 8. All is forgiven, Samsung will release the ultimate Jesus phone that will crush Apple into oblivion, they trumpet. To this day the techies fawn over the Note 7 as the greatest thing since God created the world... the fact that it blew up is just a minor hiccup. I’m guessing if an airplane had crashed and killed all on board because of the Note 7 these idiots would just shrug their shoulders in that “so what” kind of way. What is wrong with people?

cali

lkrupp said:

Wasn’t Verizon the only carrier to refuse to push out the bricking update? Whatever the case it is just astounding to read and hear bloggers and tech media salivating over the eventual release of the Note 8. All is forgiven, Samsung will release the ultimate Jesus phone that will crush Apple into oblivion, they trumpet. To this day the techies fawn over the Note 7 as the greatest thing since God created the world... the fact that it blew up is just a minor hiccup. I’m guessing if an airplane had crashed and killed all on board because of the Note 7 these idiots would just shrug their shoulders in that “so what” kind of way. What is wrong with people?

Ask them why they hate Apple and they'll shrug too. This is what $14 billion in propaganda does to sheep. 

soli

Why go through all this? Tell not them you're going to kill their number on this phone and they won't be able to get it reactivated unless it's a different phone?

rf9

Soli said:

Why go through all this? Tell not them you're going to kill their number on this phone and they won't be able to get it reactivated unless it's a different phone?

They could simply "deactivate" the SIM and or blacklist the IMEI.  I think that would still allow for 911 calls.  But that's more likely to piss off a customer to the point of switching carriers.  At least this way they're redirected to CS and a person can 'splain it to them, get them in touch with sales, and get them to get a new phone.  It's damage control.

cali

rf9 said:

Soli said:

Why go through all this? Tell not them you're going to kill their number on this phone and they won't be able to get it reactivated unless it's a different phone?

They could simply "deactivate" the SIM and or blacklist the IMEI.  I think that would still allow for 911 calls.  But that's more likely to piss off a customer to the point of switching carriers.  At least this way they're redirected to CS and a person can 'splain it to them, get them in touch with sales, and get them to get a new phone.  It's damage control.

I wish these assholes would receive a fine. They know damn well their knockoff iPhone is a hazard and danger to those around them yet they continue to use it. 

tulkas

boltsfan17 said:

Why on earth would someone still want to use the Note 7? 

Darwinian imperative.


Samsung should trademark that.

esquirecats

boltsfan17 said:

Why on earth would someone still want to use the Note 7? 

From what I have read on forums many users are still waiting for their promised alternative devices and a general slowness of the networks to provide non-Samsung alternatives. As some users traded in their old phones and can't afford a new phone, or to be without a phone while their refund processes has led them to hang onto their device. To me it sounds a bit fishy/lazy - why can't these users switch to a temporary phone, and which service providers wouldn't offer this considering the circumstances.

roundaboutnow

Good thing 911 will still work...how else are they going to report that their phone is on fire? oh, wait...

anome

There's probably a few people who think the whole thing is a conspiracy by the Bildaberg Group, the Tri-Lateral Commission, and Apple to get everyone to stop using the Note 7 because it was too good a phone, and couldn't be tapped by the FBI or FEMA or someone.

Although, I take the point that there are probably people who can't afford a new phone, even with any compensation they might get, or are waiting on their carrier to actually send them a replacement. Or maybe they've been too busy to get back to the store. (Yes, I know it's been a while, and this should be more important, lest the phone explodes, but you really can't assume everyone has the same priorities.)

bunce82

EsquireCats said:

boltsfan17 said:

Why on earth would someone still want to use the Note 7? 

From what I have read on forums many users are still waiting for their promised alternative devices and a general slowness of the networks to provide non-Samsung alternatives. As some users traded in their old phones and can't afford a new phone, or to be without a phone while their refund processes has led them to hang onto their device. To me it sounds a bit fishy/lazy - why can't these users switch to a temporary phone, and which service providers wouldn't offer this considering the circumstances.

There is not a suitable replacement on the market yet. Many people including myself burned an upgrade when we purchased the note 7. So, as in my case why would I pay full retail for a device that is a year old? And a $100 credit from sammy just doesn't cut it. I have another device to go back to. Many don't, and many don't want a year old phone. As with Apple customers, we are fiercely to Samsung. Anything short of the note 7 is a downgrade. I wouldn't expect Apple fan boys to understand the loss of features such as spen, Samsung pay, iris scanner, camera, expandable storage, and edge functionality and be happy downgrading. Even to pick up a year old note 5, by the time it's paid off now you have a 3 year old device. Sammy screwed the pooch on this one, and instead of leaving customers in a bad spot they should shift the liability to them if they want to hold out and wait for a viable alternative. 

baconstang

Too bad the carriers can't just detonate them remotely.

soli

bunce82 said:
As with Apple customers, we are fiercely to Samsung. […] I wouldn't expect Apple fan boys to understand the loss of features such as spen, Samsung pay, iris scanner, camera, expandable storage, and edge functionality and be happy downgrading.

LOL There are plenty on this forum that will defend Apple at all turns and think that anyone that uses Android has brain damage, but most Apple customers just want the best product available. If that happens to be some other smartphone or tablet or PC or BT headphone maker, then so be it. There's certainly some aspect of a platform holding you as we don't want to rebuy apps and other things, but saying that you're so beholden to Samsung Pay that you couldn't ever move to a phone with Android Pay or Apple Pay is about the worst pro-Samsung argument that I've ever seen.

suddenly newton

I find it ironic...all these draconian measures to get Note 7 holdouts to comply with the recall. All this happening to an Android-powered device. The Android crowd used to argue that Android gave them "freedom" from Apple "telling them what they could or couldn't do with [their] phone." 

yojimbo007

boltsfan17 said:

Why on earth would someone still want to use the Note 7? 

Mind bogged..isnt it... 

soli

yojimbo007 said:

boltsfan17 said:

Why on earth would someone still want to use the Note 7? 

Mind bogged..isnt it... 

They'd rather risk it blowing up in their face over being seen with last year's model. No wonder their resale values are low. If Apple had a recall on the iPhone 7 Plus, I'd be fine going back to the iPhone 6 Plus instead of risk or death and personal damage, especially when we're at a point for foolish Samsung users that also makes me culpable if something happens.

titantiger

bunce82 said:

EsquireCats said:

boltsfan17 said:

Why on earth would someone still want to use the Note 7? 

From what I have read on forums many users are still waiting for their promised alternative devices and a general slowness of the networks to provide non-Samsung alternatives. As some users traded in their old phones and can't afford a new phone, or to be without a phone while their refund processes has led them to hang onto their device. To me it sounds a bit fishy/lazy - why can't these users switch to a temporary phone, and which service providers wouldn't offer this considering the circumstances.

There is not a suitable replacement on the market yet. Many people including myself burned an upgrade when we purchased the note 7. So, as in my case why would I pay full retail for a device that is a year old? And a $100 credit from sammy just doesn't cut it. I have another device to go back to. Many don't, and many don't want a year old phone. As with Apple customers, we are fiercely to Samsung. Anything short of the note 7 is a downgrade. I wouldn't expect Apple fan boys to understand the loss of features such as spen, Samsung pay, iris scanner, camera, expandable storage, and edge functionality and be happy downgrading. Even to pick up a year old note 5, by the time it's paid off now you have a 3 year old device. Sammy screwed the pooch on this one, and instead of leaving customers in a bad spot they should shift the liability to them if they want to hold out and wait for a viable alternative. 

It's not that I wouldn't understand brand loyalty...I don't understand brand loyalty to a brand that apparently isn't loyal to you.  They effed up royally and are leaving you all twisting in the wind.

It's not a company worthy of your devotion.

rayz2016

bunce82 said:

EsquireCats said:

boltsfan17 said:

Why on earth would someone still want to use the Note 7? 

From what I have read on forums many users are still waiting for their promised alternative devices and a general slowness of the networks to provide non-Samsung alternatives. As some users traded in their old phones and can't afford a new phone, or to be without a phone while their refund processes has led them to hang onto their device. To me it sounds a bit fishy/lazy - why can't these users switch to a temporary phone, and which service providers wouldn't offer this considering the circumstances.

There is not a suitable replacement on the market yet. Many people including myself burned an upgrade when we purchased the note 7. So, as in my case why would I pay full retail for a device that is a year old? And a $100 credit from sammy just doesn't cut it. I have another device to go back to. Many don't, and many don't want a year old phone. As with Apple customers, we are fiercely to Samsung. Anything short of the note 7 is a downgrade. I wouldn't expect Apple fan boys to understand the loss of features such as spen, Samsung pay, iris scanner, camera, expandable storage, and edge functionality and be happy downgrading. Even to pick up a year old note 5, by the time it's paid off now you have a 3 year old device. Sammy screwed the pooch on this one, and instead of leaving customers in a bad spot they should shift the liability to them if they want to hold out and wait for a viable alternative. 

The phone is dangerous. if Samsung fans continue to use it, that's not loyalty, its selfish stupidity. 

soli

titantiger said:

bunce82 said:

EsquireCats said:

boltsfan17 said:

Why on earth would someone still want to use the Note 7? 

From what I have read on forums many users are still waiting for their promised alternative devices and a general slowness of the networks to provide non-Samsung alternatives. As some users traded in their old phones and can't afford a new phone, or to be without a phone while their refund processes has led them to hang onto their device. To me it sounds a bit fishy/lazy - why can't these users switch to a temporary phone, and which service providers wouldn't offer this considering the circumstances.

There is not a suitable replacement on the market yet. Many people including myself burned an upgrade when we purchased the note 7. So, as in my case why would I pay full retail for a device that is a year old? And a $100 credit from sammy just doesn't cut it. I have another device to go back to. Many don't, and many don't want a year old phone. As with Apple customers, we are fiercely to Samsung. Anything short of the note 7 is a downgrade. I wouldn't expect Apple fan boys to understand the loss of features such as spen, Samsung pay, iris scanner, camera, expandable storage, and edge functionality and be happy downgrading. Even to pick up a year old note 5, by the time it's paid off now you have a 3 year old device. Sammy screwed the pooch on this one, and instead of leaving customers in a bad spot they should shift the liability to them if they want to hold out and wait for a viable alternative. 

It's not that I wouldn't understand brand loyalty...I don't understand brand loyalty to a brand that apparently isn't loyal to you.  They effed up royally and are leaving you all twisting in the wind.

It's not a company worthy of your devotion.

No brand is loyal to you. No company is worth your devotion.