Samsung Note 7 Recall Update: New Fire Incidents Cause AT&T, T-Mobile To Cancel Galaxy Phone Sales

Another day, another set of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 replacement phone fires. Following new reports that replacement devices caught fire right in the middle of the ongoing nationwide recall, U.S. carriers are now taking action. T-Mobile announced over the weekend in a news release that it’s stopping all sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7, offering existing Note 7 T-Mobile owners refunds instead. “Customers can still bring their recalled Note7 or the new replacement Note7, along with accessories they purchased from T-Mobile, to a T-Mobile store for a full refund and choose from any device in T-Mobile’s inventory. We’ll waive any restocking charges, and customers who purchased during pre-order can keep the free Netflix subscription and Gear Fit or SD card they received,” T-Mobile said in a statement.

As a courtesy, T-Mobile is giving customer a $25 credit on their bills which will show up on their account within two billing cycles. This news about T-Mobile taking the initiative to stop sales of the potentially hazardous phones arrives on the heels of multiple reports of issues with the Note 7 replacement phones. Before T-Mobile put the Note 7 on cancel, fellow U.S. carrier AT &T also stopped selling the and replacing the controversial device. In a report from The Verge, AT&T is fed up with the number of fires that the new purportedly “safe” versions of the device are causing. "Based on recent reports, we’re no longer exchanging new Note 7s at this time, pending further investigation of these reported incidents, a rep for AT&T told The Verge. "We still encourage customers with a recalled Note 7 to visit an AT&T location to exchange that device for another Samsung smartphone or other smartphone of their choice," the carrier said over the weekend.

According to ABC News affiliate in Minnesota, KSTP-TV, a thirteen-year-old teenager suffered a burn on her thumb last week when her replacement Galaxy Note 7 caught fire while in her pocket. “It felt like pins and needles except a lot more intense,” Abby Zuis told KSTP-TV. The girl’s father, Andrew Zuis has a receipt showing that he got the new Galaxy Note 7 on September 21 after Samsung issued a nationwide voluntary recall of the phone due to initial reports of fires. The new Note 7 was as a replacement for the original phone that he bought in August. “We thought we were safe with the new phone. “If the new phones that are supposed to be the replacement aren't doing what it's supposed to, there's no reason my daughter or someone to be injured by their phone,” Zuis said.

With the carriers halting sales and consumer doubt looming, Samsung could possibly discontinue this particular model altogether.