Faulty EE Power Bar CasualtyOne of the biggest sources of contention for mobile phone users is battery life. When people are attached to their mobile phone for virtually every waking hour, it is understandable that battery power can only last so long. However, this doesn’t placate users and there have been regular calls for mobile phone providers to provide batteries that can keep users charged up for days as opposed to hours.

Overheating Power Bar?

This led to some companies taking different steps in order to provide a solution and back in April, EE were praised for the launch of their Power Bar scheme. This scheme provided EE customers with the chance to grab a free portable charger and then when these chargers ran out, they could be replaced for a fully charged one at no extra cost. Given that this promotion took place just before the start of summer, it was greatly received and many people took the company up on their offer. In fact, a total of 1.5m Power Bars were made available and the scheme was a massive success.

However, thoughts on the Power Bar have now changed dramatically with the news that EE has issued a recall notice for these chargers. This is down to the discovery of a fault that can lead to overheating and the posing of a major fire safety risk.

Compensation is on offer to people who return their Power Bar

The problem first came to light four months ago after a recall of one batch of the chargers. The company is now stating that to ensure customer safety; they are looking to recall all Power Bars, which can be handed in at any EE store. To compensate users for the inconvenience, anyone who hands their Power Bar in to an EE store will receive a £20 voucher.

Considering that the Power Bars were made available to users at no cost, as opposed to being offered free of charge which would defeat the purpose, this is a very good outcome for the vast majority of users. Of course, many people are likely to be unhappy with EE due to the fact that they provided their customers with a product that has been deemed to be unsafe.

As you would expect, EE have stated that overheating of a Power Bar only takes place in certain circumstances but the fact that it could happen in any circumstance is clearly a major concern.

A proper solution needs to be found for battery issues

It seemed as though the Power Bar, while not being a perfect solution to battery life issues, was going to be a suitable “work-around” solution that would ensure people would stay in touch. At the moment, there is clearly a need to keep working on this solution and to see if there are other solutions that will ensure phones remain charged.

With an increasing number of pay options, apps and swipe cards being stored on people’s smartphones, there is a need to ensure that people can retain a charge in their phone throughout a day. If a person has a concert ticket or a train pass stored on their phone and they run out of battery, they may find themselves unable to access the service they have paid for. With these latest Power Bar issues, it seems as though the mobile industry is still looking for a viable solution to keep people powered up.

Have you been affected by an overheating Power Bar from EE? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!