Cheapest way to improve my Google Voice call experience?

December 13, 2015 1:10 PM

I currently have a smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S3) on a Sprint MVNO that I use with Google Voice. I'm satisfied with the device and the data plan, but the voice call quality is really lacking. What's the best way for me to improve my voice call experience? I was thinking about trying to find a basic phone on a prepaid plan just for the voice calls, and forwarding my Google Voice number there, too.
posted by QuantumMeruit to Technology (4 answers total)

I'm not sure how to answer your question. If 'the voice call quality is really lacking' then are you really 'satisfied with the device'? I don't know what you've tried to troubleshoot. I don't know what 'voice call quality is really lacking' means to you - are things garbled, do calls drop? Has it always been this way, for how long? Who is the actual carrier? Are you really just looking for a recommendation for a prepaid phone just for voice calls, and the s3 part is a red herring, and if so are you OK with carrying around 2 devices, one just for phone service?

Troubleshooting steps seem to be:

1. replace your phone with a different device
2. replace your carrier and keep your phone
3. use a different device to interface with your existing phone (like a headset/mic)
4. call your carrier to see if they can help troubleshoot, or wander into your local branch of your carrier and demo the problem for a rep there.

Some people have had problems with s3 call quality, and their troubleshooting steps might help you.

Personally, I'd back up the s3, buy a cheap corded mic and test, do a factory reset, and failing to resolve from there, just throw money at the problem and buy a different device. The S3 is 3+ years old, unless you have a sentimental attachment to it, spend the mental energy on picking out a newer phone you like and works on your carrier. If you're under contract, are you due for a new phone? If not, buy a new phone outright. S5 is 2 models upgraded, $370 shipped. And the Nexus 5X is brand new, $329. Both are lovely android phones. Once your new phone is working, sell the S3, or just keep it as a spare/mini internet device.

Best luck!
posted by enfa at 6:57 AM on December 14, 2015

I have a similar problem, using Google Voice with a prepaid AT+T MVNO and a Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini. I'm not at all sure the problem has anything to do with GV; my impression is they just hand off the call, and anything after that is up to the carrier, though I admit I haven't looked into it all that much.

If you make and get most of your calls from your home, you could try an Obitalk, which connects to GV through the internet, and you just use regular home phones with it. I had one, it worked very well for quite a while. Then Google stopped supporting it, and it didn't. Now, however, they are back to supporting it, but I haven't taken the time to find mine and try it again.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 8:38 AM on December 14, 2015

Have you tried installing the Hangouts App and Hangouts Dialer, and then accessing GV from it?

This has the added benefit of using Wifi to carry the call when available.
posted by toxic at 12:13 PM on December 14, 2015

Yeah, Google Voice just essentially forwards your call from point A to point B and should have no effect on voice quality. The only relevance here is what you mentioned: it would be easy to replace your phone or add a new phone for voice stuff since you wouldn't have to worry about changing phone numbers (and/or could have multiple phones get called).

So the last idea might work, but carrying two phones sounds annoying. That is a fairly old phone so replacing it seems like the "easiest" solution but that would certainly depend on your budget situation.
posted by thefoxgod at 7:51 PM on December 14, 2015