Yesterday we brought you news of issues with the battery for the Novatel Wireless MiFi 2372.
This morning, a representative from Canadian telco Rogers Communications wrote to update us about the situation for its own customers and the steps the firm was taking to ensure the least amount of disruption to customer usage.
“In some cases the battery for the Novatel Wireless MiFi™ 2372 (Rogers Rocket™ mobile hotspot) may swell and cause the device to malfunction,” Cerys Goodall told RCR, adding that some users had also found the device’s battery cover “difficult to remove.”
There is the possibility of additional damage to the battery and the device if a customer were to use a foreign object to pry the battery cover open, she warns.
Goodall explained that “as a precaution, Rogers is contacting its customers to recommend that customers stop using this device, to turn the device off, and to not recharge the device. We also recommend that customers not attempt to remove the battery cover.”
Goodall also reiterated Novatel’s promise yesterday to provide Rocket mobile hotspot customers with a pre-addressed, pre-paid envelope so that Novatel could replace the battery and the battery cover. This, we were assured by Novatel on Tuesday, is not a recall, simply a battery exchange program.
Also, unlike earlier estimates citing a wait of six to eight weeks, Novatel now apparently estimates that the replacement device will be returned to customers “within 7-10 business days of its receipt.”
For its part, Rogers is stepping up and providing impacted customers with a credit for the inconvenience of not having their Rocket for over a week.
Goodall also says that if any Rogers customer has further questions, they can contact the firm by calling 1-866-511-5311.
