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

[Casey Bralla <MailList@nerdworld.org>]

FYI. I changed phones and now have much better sound quality. Here's what I found:

 

1. The problem was the local Net-10 signal. I was in Seattle on business, and the sound quality was excellent. Back to Philly, and it's terrible. My guess is that Net-10 piggybacks on other carriers, and gets "left-over" bandwidth. This causes short drop-outs that destroy audio quality.

 

2. I ditched Net-10 and bought an unlocked Motorola Moto-X Pure ($399. They customized and FedEx'd it to me from Shanghai.) I'm using Consumer Cellar and paying $25/month plus tax for a low-usage data plan (most of my data is via WiFi) The sound quality is very good. Also, Consumer Cellular's web site and phone support was excellent, while Net-10's web designers should be subject to summary execution.

 

 

BTW, I'm now using stock Android 5.1.1 on the Motorola, compared to Samsung's 4.x on the Samsung Galaxy S3. I gotta say, the newer version of Android STINKS! The themes and icons are ugly, the built-in apps are worse than previously (especially the eMail app, which co-mingles all the eMails from separate accounts!), and the improvements are minimal. All in all, it looks like Google is following Microsoft: Change it and make it worse. The only real improvement in 5.1.1 is the ability to multi-task, which all phones should have been able to do all along anyway.

 

 

 

 

On Sunday, September 20, 2015 03:46:20 PM Casey Bralla wrote:

> 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

www.NerdWorld.org

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