Telecomms companies blacklist Samsung Galaxy Note7s to prevent people using dangerous phones

The Samsung Galaxy Note7 was one of the -- if not the -- most disastrous phone launches of all time. After numerous reports of handsets catching fire or exploding, Samsung was forced to recall the device -- but some people have been reluctant to give theirs up.

The phone may have been banned from planes, and Samsung has even offered a financial incentive to hand over the Galaxy Note7, but despite the potential danger many users are hanging onto their phones. In a drastic move to prevent them from being used, some mobile providers -- incoordination with Samsung -- are disconnecting Galaxy Note7s, rendering them all but useless.

The news comes from the New Zealand side of Samsung. Starting on November 18, Galaxy Note7 phones will not make or receive calls and texts, and cannot be used for data. The company is hoping that this radical initiative will force users to give up their phones so they can be safely disposed of.

In a statement on its New Zealand pages, Samsung says:

As part of our commitment to ongoing safety, Samsung would like to make our customers aware of plans to discontinue network service for Note7 devices.
From the 18 November, customers still using the Note7 will no longer be able to connect to any New Zealand mobile network services to make calls, use data or send SMS messages.

We strongly urge any customers still using their Note7 to return their device to the place of purchase for a refund or replacement. Between November 4th - 18th, we will contact our customers on at least two separate occasions with information about this network discontinuation event to ensure they have received adequate notice.

We would like to thank our Note7 customers for their patience and understanding.

It is not clear whether the plan will expand around the world, but it would make sense if it did.

The New Zealand Telecommunications Forum explains:

For safety reasons the New Zealand Telecommunications industry, in coordination with Samsung, is blacklisting any Samsung Note 7 mobile phones still held by customers.

For safety reasons the New Zealand Telecommunications industry, in coordination with Samsung, is blacklisting any Samsung Note 7 mobile phones still held by customers, from 18 November.

This means that Samsung Note 7’s will not be able to be used across any of New Zealand’s mobile networks, after 18 November.

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