“We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be provided through the exchange program as conveniently as possible”.
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“Locally, we have been in contact with customers who have already pre-ordered the Galaxy Note 7 devices”, Jung Hyun Park-VP and Managing Director, Samsung Electronics East Africa, said in a statement.
It advised consumers to use replacement phones which would be temporarily loaned by the firm until a new Galaxy Note 7 equipped with fault-free batteries is provided. “In light of the recent recall of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices due to safety issues, Cebu Pacific (CEB) advises passengers that the usage and charging of the device are prohibited on board all CEB and Cebgo flights beginning today, September 11, 2016, until further notice”, reads a notice from Cebu Pacific. Consumers can visit Samsung’s service centers to receive rental phones for temporary use.
Earlier this month, the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer announced an unprecedented global recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7s worldwide just two weeks after the phone was launched after several of the phablets caught fire while charging.
The US was among the first countries to take a step following the recall.
In a further blow to the company, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has also urged American users to turn the phones off and leave them off.
Since then, airlines or air safety agencies around the world including the USA and Singapore have warned passengers against using them on flights.
An investigation by Samsung found faulty rechargeable lithium batteries from one of its suppliers were the cause of the fires.
As the Galaxy Note 7 incident spread to the world, the stock prices of other Samsung group companies were also negatively affected.
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Aviation authorities and airlines across the world have also issued bans or guidelines prohibiting passengers from turning on or charging the phone inside airplanes in response. It said South Korean transportation ministry officials had met Thursday with Samsung representatives and didn’t issue any guidance regarding the phone afterward. “The last thing I would have thought, a new device could burn down my vehicle”, former Galaxy Note 7 owner Nathan Dornacher said.
