Forget the "number of bars" - what about call quality?

[LLcdPH]

Let me start by saying I?m coming off of a Samsung Fascinate on VZW (actually, we have three of them in the family). Prior to the Fascinate, I had a Nexus One and Droid Incredible. My only real issue with the Fascinate other than extremely slow updates from Verizon was not being able to make calls in ?fringe? areas. Once I rooted and switched to Froyo (and later Gingerbread) all of the device issues cleared up with the exception of dropped calls. Adding ADW+ as a launcher made it a great device.

Now I?ve switched to the GNEX and for the most part, love it. To resolve the low speaker volume issue, I?ve installed and use Equalizer by Smart Android Apps. Works perfectly. As for the lack of a quality camera, well you?ve just got to decide on how important that really is to you.

Since I?m on the road 2-3 weeks out of the month, many times in rural areas, I?m concerned about Samsung?s reputation for poor radio design as was proven with the earlier mentioned Fascinate. My travel schedule doesn?t begin until after January 15th so unless someone can convince me otherwise, I may be forced to return my GNEX and either wait for the next ICS device (maybe the Droid Razr MAXX?) or go back to my Fascinate until the GNEX radio issues are resolved. Everything I read says that Motorola?s phones are more effective in those ?fringe? areas I mentioned earlier.

Does anyone have any solid advice on Samsung vs. Motorola for PHONE quality? I?m not talking ?number of bars? which is a totally ridiculous way of comparing devices. I?m talking dropped calls in remote areas. Call quality is most important to me. The rest can be worked around with all of the great apps that are available.

Any advice would be appreciated and if you have experience with Motorola devices (like the Droid Razr), that would be especially helpful. THANKS!

 

[harleyb16]

call quality is fantastic compared to my droid 2 global. at least on the receiving end. gf says its the same as before on her end.

 

[Ken7]

Call quality is very good on my end. Despite having data dropouts, I've yet to drop a voice call.

 

[p08757]

Call quality is great.....on my end. I would say that during about 10% of my phone calls my end stops transmitting voice and the other end can not hear me. At that point I have to hang up and call them back. I'm sure this is a sofware but and will be fixed on one of the next updates.

I really don't use my phone that often, so its no big deal for me at the moment.

 

[Premium1]

Great call quality. I had the fascinate before and the call quality was awful always sounded like I was in a windy area but with the nexus the calls are clear and people have no issues hearing me.

 

[xyzlene]

I have had problems with call quality. Sometimes there is alot ofbreaking up. I have had a couple of dropped calls. I blame that with areas of poor reception. I think the next ota will resolve it. Hopefully at least...

 

[pauldroidr2d2]

Let me start by saying I’m coming off of a Samsung Fascinate on VZW (actually, we have three of them in the family). Prior to the Fascinate, I had a Nexus One and Droid Incredible. My only real issue with the Fascinate other than extremely slow updates from Verizon was not being able to make calls in “fringe” areas. Once I rooted and switched to Froyo (and later Gingerbread) all of the device issues cleared up with the exception of dropped calls. Adding ADW+ as a launcher made it a great device.

Now I’ve switched to the GNEX and for the most part, love it. To resolve the low speaker volume issue, I’ve installed and use Equalizer by Smart Android Apps. Works perfectly. As for the lack of a quality camera, well you’ve just got to decide on how important that really is to you.

Since I’m on the road 2-3 weeks out of the month, many times in rural areas, I’m concerned about Samsung’s reputation for poor radio design as was proven with the earlier mentioned Fascinate. My travel schedule doesn’t begin until after January 15th so unless someone can convince me otherwise, I may be forced to return my GNEX and either wait for the next ICS device (maybe the Droid Razr MAXX?) or go back to my Fascinate until the GNEX radio issues are resolved. Everything I read says that Motorola’s phones are more effective in those “fringe” areas I mentioned earlier.

Does anyone have any solid advice on Samsung vs. Motorola for PHONE quality? I’m not talking “number of bars” which is a totally ridiculous way of comparing devices. I’m talking dropped calls in remote areas. Call quality is most important to me. The rest can be worked around with all of the great apps that are available.

Any advice would be appreciated and if you have experience with Motorola devices (like the Droid Razr), that would be especially helpful. THANKS!

My calls have been good. While I will have less bars sometimes than I do on my bionic the call quality is comparable. I have also noticed that when my phone is in 4G it also has less bars, but even with that it maintains connection. Even after the updates to the bionic it still jumps back and forth between 4G and 3G as well as losing its data connection more frequently.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[DCoy82]

I've had a huge increase in call quality. I came from a Thunderbolt which I ALWAYS had to repeat myself as everybody said I sounded muffled and couldn't hear me well. Everybody I talk to now asks me if I got a new phone because I sound completely clear and they can understand me now.

On top of that, I have yet to drop a call and can hear everybody loud and clear no issues at all. Data signal has been a little worse than what I had on my thunderbolt though.

 

[greydarrah]

My call quality has been exceptional.

 

[fed123]

great call quality here too.

 

[whartpence]

Excellent call quality for me. I live outside of Philly so I am in an area with great coverage. It wouldn't be fair for me not to mention that. I have had one dropped call so far. Dropped calls have been very rare with previous phones. I have had phones for nearly two years (Verizon's two year contract means I can upgrade every 20 months) and never dropped calls. Not that I am worried about dropped calls since it has only been once.

 

[davelm]

In my house I get 2-3 bars,and with that I have great call quality. Yet to drop a single call. Only once someone said I sounded low quality, but I was also watching tv so just don't think I was really "in to" the conversion haha.

 

[kesnik]

IMO the GNex has amazing call quality. I have never dropped a call with my GNex but I don't travel in these fringe areas you speak of (I live on the 3G / 4G line south of Buffalo, NY). I wish I could say my phone has never lost data, the fact is when the phone is going from 4G to 3G or 3G to 4G I sometimes have significant data down time. Patiently waiting for a update !!!

 

[anon(596177)]

I was at a relatives house for christmas and they live in a very spotty area for cells phones. Like reception is almost never non-existant, but most phones only get around 1 or 2 bars out there so i think it would be safe to say that service isnt great.

Well my nexus had 0 bars the entire time I was there. I dont think i ever saw a bar on my screen. (yes I know you dont care about bar read out but wait) Well out of curiosity I tried the web browser because my phone was stating it had 3g coverage. Sure enough I was able to load it (granted it took a little longer than if i were in town). I also tried the marketplace with success.

Then I figured I would try a phone call, so I had my sister call my cell phone from the land line. My Gnex lit right up and started ringing. I answered it in the room over and i was completely amazed at the decent quality I was getting with it. Granted, the quality was not perfect, but for being in a touchy service area the call quality was surprisingly good for what my phone was reading to me.

I only had about a 45 second convo from there, so that's not to say something could happen and the call would drop if it were, say, a half hour call. But I haven't worried at all about whether or not I was going to miss a call because of this phones antenna since.

 

[Z Fury]

I've actually stopped looking at my number of bars. Ever since my first 2 days with the phone I've yet to have another dropped call or call with poor quality. My one issue with the phone seems to have fixed itself.

 

[Kegman]

my call quality is mixed. I dont drop calls, but the voice isn't as clear as its been in the past with other phones. I'm often going, "what? repeat that" due to poor call clearness/quality

 

[Stang68]

Mine has been good. I also don't talk on the phone much so the difference between my Bionic and my Nexus is not really noticeable to me. Both were fine.

 

[Lodingi]

I've had the Fascinate, the Charge & now the Nexus. I can say the call quality sounds exactly the same on all 3. They are pretty good although they sound muffled at times.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[cbwx34]

I've had great call quality... even indoors in an area where most people stand outside to get a signal to make and receive calls.

 

[anon(596177)]

my call quality is mixed. I dont drop calls, but the voice isn't as clear as its been in the past with other phones. I'm often going, "what? repeat that" due to poor call clearness/quality

I'm not discrediting the issues you are having, but just purely as an example this could be issues with the phone the people you are talking to have as well.

Personally, any calls to a land line I make are crystal clear. I have no problem understanding the other person unless they are mumbling. With cell phones its hit or miss. I have some friends that sound just as clear and then I have others (my girlfriend included o.o ) that have to articulate really really well in order for me to understand them. But that's been pretty universal on any phone I've owned.