need a *loud* phone

July 27, 2008 7:08 PM

which unlocked gsm phones have the loudest volume, for both sending and receiving?

i've been frustrated with the last couple of cellphones i've owned, as i
often have trouble hearing people on the other end and they complain
that they can't hear me. i see people talking into phones on the train
and wonder whether they're just pretending to be on a call -- my phones
become useless if i'm just standing on a sidewalk with light traffic
going by.

my current phone is a motorola v195 that i'm using with t-mobile's
pay-as-you-go service. i'd like to replace it with something that's
useful outside a sealed soundproof room and that doesn't require me to
shout to be understood.

i just use a phone for making calls, and don't want web browsing,
cameras, pda features, etc. just a solid basic phone that can pump some
air out of its lungs.

thanks for your help,
jeff

posted by jeffcovey to Technology (5 answers total)

Oh wow. I have the same problem with my v195, esp. with transmitting—with both this and my last Motorola phone, people have continually complained that they can't hear me, even when I'm speaking at a normal volume. And when I'm walking through the relatively quiet parking lot after work, almost any car noise from the street drowns out what people are saying on the other end. Any help would be much appreciated by me as well!
posted by limeonaire at 7:22 PM on July 27, 2008

Try an amplifier. If you wear a hearing aid, I strongly recommend this company.
posted by desjardins at 10:59 AM on July 28, 2008

The Razr2 v8 is an amazing GSM phone in terms of call volume/clarity (both incoming and outgoing). I'd recommend reading some reviews and checking it out.
posted by helios at 6:54 PM on July 29, 2008

Response by poster: thanks for the suggestion, helios, though the razr2 is over $250 with a camera, mp3 player, etc. i'll keep it in mind, but hope i can find an ordinary phone at a lower price.

sincerely,
jeff
posted by jeffcovey at 5:30 AM on August 2, 2008

Response by poster: thanks for the amplifier suggestion, desjardins, but i'm hoping to find a phone that doesn't require the purchase of additional hardware to make it work; that shouldn't be unreasonable, i hope! also, an amplifier on my end doesn't do anything to help people on the other end hear me.

sincerely,
jeff
posted by jeffcovey at 5:34 AM on August 2, 2008