Samsung Canada is following New Zealand's lead by cutting off network access for all unreturned Note 7 devices as of December 15.
The company has announced that although 90% of the approximately 39,000 Note 7s sold through Canadian channels have been returned, the remaining 4,000 or so outstanding units will lose access to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on December 12, along with cellular abilities three days later, on December 15. An update will also include "a limitation on the battery charge," though it's unclear to what percentage. Other markets have limited the Note 7's defective battery to 60% to prevent overheating and expansion.
Samsung implores Canadians holding onto a Note 7 unit to return it as soon as possible:
We strongly urge any customers still using their Note7 to return their device to the place of purchase for a refund or exchange between December 7th and December 15th. We have been in continuous communication with Note7 customers to remind them about the need to return their recalled device and will continue to communicate daily with a push notification about this network deactivation event to ensure they continue to receive adequate notice.As a recalled product, Note7 device owners are legally prohibited from selling or even giving away the recalled device. We would like to remind customers that they need to return their Note7 device.
The company notes that even after the update, Note 7s will still be able to call 9-1-1 for safety reasons.
