[PLUG] Update: Off-topic: Cell Phone Call Quality

[Casey Bralla <MailList@nerdworld.org>]

Thanks to all for the great suggestions. Here's what I've done:

1. Verified that sound quality is fine when I use Skype. This seems to suggest 
that the phone audio hardware is fine.

2. Tried using Rohit's test phone numbers (206-456-0649). Still got crappy 
playback of my recorded voice. I had distorted sound in addition to very short 
dropouts. Quality was an order of magnitude worse that land-line quality.

3. Deleted as many apps as possible. No change.

4. Did a complete reset to factory specs. No change (but the automatic google 
restore did not restoer most of the data as I had expected. Luckily, I've got 
backups.)


So I'm back to thinking it's Net-10. My guess is they purchase time on other 
people's network hardware, and Net-10 gets lowest priority.




I bought my phone from Net-10. The phone does NOT have a separate SIM card. Do 
you think I will have trouble using it with another carrier?





On Saturday, September 19, 2015 09:04:57 AM Casey Bralla wrote:
> I'm finally reaching the limit of my cell phone tolerance. The voice call
> quality of my cell phone is terrible, and almost unusable.
> 
> I suffer from frequent tenth-second drop-outs which make it very hard to
> understand what is being said. I don't know if its my phone, my carrier, or
> my location. I was hoping I could get some good advice from this
> techo-group.
> 
> I know it is not the other caller, because I even have the problem listening
> to my voicemail menu.
> 
> I've got a Samsung Galaxy S3, which appears to be a good quality phone.
> 
> I'm using Net-10, one of the pre-paid carriers. Their prices are pretty
> good.
> 
> My location is in NJ east of Philly, and PA, just north of Newark. Both
> locations seem to be equally bad.
> 
> 
> So how can I isolate the cause of my crappy voice calls?
> 
> Is my carrier?
> Is it my phone?
> 
> 
> If I switch carriers will my quality improve?
> 
> 
> I'm a 58-year-old guy, and not looking for gobs of data, but I can't see
> spending $75 per month for a bloody phone.
> 
> 
> Any suggestions?

-- 
Casey Bralla

Chief Nerd in Residence
The NerdWorld Organisation
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