Samsung works with Australian carriers to cut Note 7 network access
Samsung is desperate to get the faulty phones out of customers' hands, and to do so it's willing to make seemingly functional Note 7 devices useless.
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The Note 7 is still a risk for those who haven't returned it.
Samsung is desperate to brick your Galaxy Note 7 and it's trying one last trick to make the faulty phone all but completely useless.
The company has announced that it's partnering with Australian telecommunications providers to shut down network access for the Note 7, in a bid to get those hold-out Note 7 users to return the recalled device.
The "network discontinuation" will begin on December 15, and will mean that anyone using the phone will be unable to make calls, send texts or use data. It follows a similar move in New Zealand to cut network access for Note 7 phones in that country.
After multiple cases of Note 7 phones catching fire due to battery issues, Samsung issued two global recalls for the device, before discontinuing production altogether in October.
Despite the recall, Samsung has continuing concerns for the "small number" of devices still in market, leading the company to push a software update to limit battery charge. This latest move to cut off network access is a last ditch attempt to get remaining devices returned.
In addition to the network shutdown, Samsung is sweetening the deal for Note 7 users to the tune of AU$250. It's offering to exchange customers' phones for either a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge, as well as a refund of the difference in sale prices and AU$250 worth of credit either with their carrier or with the retailer where they first bought the device.