call quality has suddenly tanked

[tpd15]

Hi,

I've had my D851 for about 6 months, I got it used and it has until recently worked fine. I am running it on AT&T.

In the last couple of weeks I've seen increasing numbers of people telling me that my call quality is terrible. It sounds to them like I'm very distant, and talking down a pipe. Mostly they can't hear what I'm saying. It started as just once every 5 or so calls, and has now progressed to being every call.

Calling out thru Skype to a landline / cell number, or using something like Google Hangouts the quality is great.

Does anyone have any ideas before I ditch the phone?

Thanks,
Toby.

 

[B. Diddy]

Does that happen on wired or Bluetooth headsets as well, or on speakerphone?

 

[Andy Bredemeyer]

See the thread "Mic not working" in this forum. Using the app or I'd link to it. I also started a separate thread that did not gain traction.

Seems like a number of us have have developed this problem in just the past few week, which is suspicious. I've observed that the mic IS in fact working like you've seen. WiFi calls work fine; T-Mobile network calls have the exact issue you describe: extremely distant and muffled audio on the other end.

I can't figure out what has changed. I haven't gotten a system update, changed APN (access point names), or anything else that could have brought this on that I can think of.

 

[tpd15]

Huh. Yeah, I certainly haven't (intentionally or knowingly) changed anything about the phone that could be responsible for this. Like you say, my mic is really working, it's just the cellular side of the call that seems garbage.

I was wondering if it may be limited to T-Mo phones, even though I'm running it on AT&T.

Ugh. Love this phone, don't want to get a different one, but this is impossible to live with.

 

[tsarcams]

I have the exact same issue. I thought maybe it was a TMo issue but I had them reset my sim card and still no change. When I call someone, the other end is muffled like they're in a tunnel and I've had complaints about being faint and hard to hear. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[tardus]

Does it happen when calling only to others on the TMO network, or land lines and other carriers?
My guess is a TMO network issue.

 

[Andy Bredemeyer]

Good question. I have had it happen when trying to place a carryout order at a restaurant, so I'm assuming that was a land line, but who knows. I think it's also happened with one call recipient on another carrier.

 

[tsarcams]

The person who started the thread said they were on at&t so it's not a tmo exclusive issue.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[pigsay]

Have you got that crack by the microphone? I was reading somewhere else the other day about it - and there appeared to be a suggestion that it was linked to a sudden degradation in call quality. I noticed I have the cracks but no one has told me I have poor quality, and it also seems odd to me that it would affect it.....but apparently so.

Although not sure why Skype would be unaffected.

Just a thought.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[tpd15]

I don't appear to have any damage around the microphone (which is the tiny hole on the end of the phone between the USB and headphone sockets, right?) For that matter, I don't have any damage anywhere else on the phone.

Also, I've had call problems with calling AT&T and Verizon cell phones, and landlines. Something I forgot to note, the problems originally happened sporadically, also only for a few seconds here and there in a call. The call would be going great, then I'd fade out for maybe 5 seconds, then it would be back to normal again. It would happen max once or twice in a call. Since then it's progressed to the entire call, all the time.

 

[kmd107]

Turning off "ok google" from any screen has helped several G2's (including mine) and someone with a G3 as well. This may be the same issue several have been having the last week or so.

 

[GTS21]

Having the same issue on my Verizon G3 for the last few weeks. Pain in the @ss.

 

[anon(18763)]

Me too. Running stock on Verizon. It seems to happen more when I hold it to my left ear. If I switch it usually goes away. Pain in the *** for me because I'm left handed. I have double checked and I'm not covering any mic holes or anything. Will try the ok Google tip, I already disabled the voice enhancement tip someone gave.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[tardus]

I'm on T-Mobile. I've always had problems calling from a particular location. With my old Samsung S3 back in June and G3 since July I had the intermittent problem. Just this morning for a half hour I was told my voice was garbled - robotic-like sound. I tried calling landlines, AT&T cell and wired phones - all with the same poor result. A half hour later the problem vanished. In my case I think (after dozens of calls to T-Mobile on the issue) it's the cell tower close by.

 

[kjharrison]

Having the same issue on my Verizon G3 for the last few weeks. Pain in the @ss.

Oys Google Now. Go to Google Now>settings>voice>"OK Google" detection turn off From any screen

It worked for me.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[tpd15]

OP here. I tried turning off 'Google Now from any screen'. I've only had two calls since then but am only batting 500. The first call was perfect, and I got my hopes up. The second call was terrible. Actually, that person called me first, then I called them back (so a third call) and it was also terrible. I hung up and called them from Google Hangouts, which of course was perfect. Argh!

 

[doggy2965]

Verizon replaced my g3 still had same problem. They upgraded me to nexus 6 for 100. So took it. Great phone so far

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[tardus]

OP here. I tried turning off 'Google Now from any screen'. I've only had two calls since then but am only batting 500. The first call was perfect, and I got my hopes up. The second call was terrible. Actually, that person called me first, then I called them back (so a third call) and it was also terrible. I hung up and called them from Google Hangouts, which of course was perfect. Argh!

Why not turn it off altogether as a test? You can still push the mic button for voice command/search.

 

[tpd15]

Why not turn it off altogether as a test? You can still push the mic button for voice command/search.

Yep, good point. Will try that and see what happens. If that fails I was considering a factory reset. Not much to lose, really.

 

[tpd15]

Odd side note -- I went into the Google Voice settings to turn off voice detection of Google Now everywhere, and my previous change to turn it off 'on every screen' had been lost. It was back on for every screen (!). I'll see if that sticks.