Samsung Galaxy Note 7. AP FILE PHOTO
Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc.鈥檚 Smart Communications asked subscribers to return their Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, part of an unprecedented recall ordered by the South Korean technology giant after it failed to resolve problems that caused some of its handsets to explode.
Globe said in a statement it would immediately discontinue selling the Note 7 and would no longer issue 鈥渟ame device replacements鈥� to customers.
鈥淲e are taking this matter seriously and will do everything we can to keep our customers from harm when using our service,鈥� it added.
Yoly Crisanto, head of corporate communications at Globe, said the company was retrieving about 2,500 Note 7s and replacing them 鈥渨ith a device of equivalent value.鈥� Globe launched the Note 7 in August.
Ramon Isberto, public affairs head at PLDT and Smart, issued a similar statement. Smart advised customers to stop using the Note 7 and to power it down.
鈥淚f you obtained your phone from us, please go back to the Smart store so we can help you,鈥� Isberto said.
Samsung said it had halted production of the phone and advised all carrier and retail partners around the globe 鈥渢o stop sales and exchanges of the Note 7.鈥�