Verizon Recalls 2.5 Million Ellipsis Jetpack Mobile Hotspots Imported by Franklin Wireless Due to Fire and Burn Hazards

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #21106) was formally reported on April 8, 2021. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Cellco Partnership, d/b/a Verizon Wireless, of Basking Ridge, New Jersey is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 2.5 million units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The lithium ion battery in the hotspots can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers can reduce the risk of hazard by powering the unit off, unplugging it from its power source and store in a place away from children, on top a hard surface with adequate ventilation around t… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 5 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.