What? I can't hear you! (on the cell phone)
October 6, 2009 11:54 AM Subscribe
Help me understand my sweetie when we speak on the (cell) phone.
My sweetie travels a lot for business. I use a Sprint Samsung cell phone, she has a BlackBerry. I can't understand her on the phone. Her voice sounds muffled and fuzzy. Any suggestions for me or for her? She doesn't have any problem hearing me for the most part.
My sweetie travels a lot for business. I use a Sprint Samsung cell phone, she has a BlackBerry. I can't understand her on the phone. Her voice sounds muffled and fuzzy. Any suggestions for me or for her? She doesn't have any problem hearing me for the most part.
my new cell phone is the same way, virtually impossible for me to have intimate discussions on it, without one of us (annoyingly) interrupting with "What?" "Sorry I didnt catch that". I cant even tell jokes anymore, by the time the punchline is communicated all sense of timing is lost.
My old phone was much better - clearer and also stronger connections. As far as I can tell this is based on specific phone models which are obviously better than other models, especially when you have a weak signal to begin with (as is the case most of the time when people use their cell phones at home or in the basement etc).
So AFAIK the only solution is to get a better phone. Problem is, few people know apriori which phones will work better than others in their particular environments. On top of that, many of us who get our phones from work, dont have much choice in the cellphone models being assigned to us.
Its a real problem.
posted by jak68 at 12:00 PM on October 6, 2009
My old phone was much better - clearer and also stronger connections. As far as I can tell this is based on specific phone models which are obviously better than other models, especially when you have a weak signal to begin with (as is the case most of the time when people use their cell phones at home or in the basement etc).
So AFAIK the only solution is to get a better phone. Problem is, few people know apriori which phones will work better than others in their particular environments. On top of that, many of us who get our phones from work, dont have much choice in the cellphone models being assigned to us.
Its a real problem.
posted by jak68 at 12:00 PM on October 6, 2009
I'm seriously considering going back to a landline at home for this reason. Never had any of these problems with good old landlines. Might be worth the extra 25/month to be actually able to use the phone when i'm at home anyway.
posted by jak68 at 12:01 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by jak68 at 12:01 PM on October 6, 2009
Response by poster: I think other people also have difficulty hearing her, but it doesn't come up as much (since I'm the one who speaks with her the most). She doesn't use hands free. Maybe I'll ask her to vary the distance between her mouth and the device and see if that helps ... (hmm, bad form, to start answering my own question ...)
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 12:02 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 12:02 PM on October 6, 2009
In that case, it sounds like it's her phone, and I'm not sure what you can do about it other than, yeah, ask her to speak up.
posted by katillathehun at 12:03 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by katillathehun at 12:03 PM on October 6, 2009
Response by poster: PS I feel better that other people have this problem ... my GF has been suggesting (joke?) that I have a hearing impairment. I do have a land line I never use (without long distance), I can have her call my land line. GF was also suggesting Skype, don't know if that's better ...?
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 12:06 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 12:06 PM on October 6, 2009
I have a blackberry that is impossible to use for a phone unless I use the hands free device that came with it. I hold the mic portion to whatever distance seems to be clearest on both ends.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:06 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:06 PM on October 6, 2009
Best answer: Use Google voice and set it to ring on both landline and cell phone. Can switch between them mid call even. This way you can not miss any calls and landline is always solid.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:07 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:07 PM on October 6, 2009
Best answer: Have her try a corded (not cordless!) hands free device. Sometimes, the microphone on those can work better than the phone itself. (Again, no cordless bluetooth. Bluetooth is just awful for sound quality.)
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 12:07 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 12:07 PM on October 6, 2009
Best answer: My conversations over skype - both parties using it - have been incredibly clear, as good or better than landlines. I haven't done with skype on one end and a cell on the other, but if you can replace a cell with skype, you'll gain a lot of clarity, I'd suspect. And if both parties can use skype, it's free!
posted by Tomorrowful at 12:11 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by Tomorrowful at 12:11 PM on October 6, 2009
I have a friend who when he calls me from his cellphone he always sounds muffled and fuzzy, until I remind him to hold the goddamn phone closer to his goddamn mouth, and then I can hear him just fine.
You might try that with your girlfriend. If your relationship with her differs from my relationship with my friend, you might want to tweak the wording a bit.
posted by ook at 12:24 PM on October 6, 2009
You might try that with your girlfriend. If your relationship with her differs from my relationship with my friend, you might want to tweak the wording a bit.
posted by ook at 12:24 PM on October 6, 2009
It's not just you. Last guy I dated was impossible to understand on the phone.
What helped: hands free (yes, corded) setup, getting him to slow down, and eventually a new phone.
It was never great, though, and even several years later I still hate phone conversations because I fear all of the "huh?" that goes with them.
posted by nat at 12:28 PM on October 6, 2009
What helped: hands free (yes, corded) setup, getting him to slow down, and eventually a new phone.
It was never great, though, and even several years later I still hate phone conversations because I fear all of the "huh?" that goes with them.
posted by nat at 12:28 PM on October 6, 2009
Best answer: seconding google voice, it'll ring all your phones and she only has to deal with one phone number to reach you.
my experience with skype has been mixed, btw. Sometimes great, sometimes not any better than my cell.
seconding also trying a corded headset in the meanwhile. There too tho, my experience has been mixed, some headset models work so much better than others. Look for a well-rated and well-reviewed one at amazon or elsewhere. I did wind up buying a very good one at a decent price, unfortunately i sat on it at some point and its long gone. :(
posted by jak68 at 12:42 PM on October 6, 2009
my experience with skype has been mixed, btw. Sometimes great, sometimes not any better than my cell.
seconding also trying a corded headset in the meanwhile. There too tho, my experience has been mixed, some headset models work so much better than others. Look for a well-rated and well-reviewed one at amazon or elsewhere. I did wind up buying a very good one at a decent price, unfortunately i sat on it at some point and its long gone. :(
posted by jak68 at 12:42 PM on October 6, 2009
I've got the cheapest Blackberry available and the microphone and speaker are noticeably better than any other cell phone I've owned, so I'd be surprised if it's a problem with the phone (unless something is wrong with hers in particular.)
Does this happen when she is outside? Because having the mic on the bottom instead of the face (as Blackberries do) makes them really susceptible to wind, if so, cupping a hand in front of it will help significantly.
Alternatively, she could try getting a wired or a bluetooth headset and see if that helps.
If the problem happens inside, is it possible that the signal isn't strong enough? If so, find out if the model she has supports WiFi, because (at least with my model) if I can make a WiFi connection, I go into UMA mode (Unlicensed Mobile Access) which means that I'm basically doing a VOIP thing. This is a huge deal for those of us (and maybe her) who normally can't use the phone in the lower level of the house because I don't normally get a strong enough signal from the tower.
posted by quin at 12:44 PM on October 6, 2009
Does this happen when she is outside? Because having the mic on the bottom instead of the face (as Blackberries do) makes them really susceptible to wind, if so, cupping a hand in front of it will help significantly.
Alternatively, she could try getting a wired or a bluetooth headset and see if that helps.
If the problem happens inside, is it possible that the signal isn't strong enough? If so, find out if the model she has supports WiFi, because (at least with my model) if I can make a WiFi connection, I go into UMA mode (Unlicensed Mobile Access) which means that I'm basically doing a VOIP thing. This is a huge deal for those of us (and maybe her) who normally can't use the phone in the lower level of the house because I don't normally get a strong enough signal from the tower.
posted by quin at 12:44 PM on October 6, 2009
(of course, unfurling your corded headset while she's waiting can be a different kind of nuisance and sponteneity-killer, too) ;)
posted by jak68 at 12:44 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by jak68 at 12:44 PM on October 6, 2009
Actually I have the exact same problem with my daughter and it DRIVES ME NUTS. I think for her at least, she speaks really loudly to compensate and ends up even more muffled & fuzzy than she did in the first place.
I'm still looking for a solution.
posted by Space Kitty at 1:04 PM on October 6, 2009
I'm still looking for a solution.
posted by Space Kitty at 1:04 PM on October 6, 2009
Best answer: What carrier is the Blackberry on, or is it on Sprint too? I use Sprint, but occasionally have a hard time understanding people on AT&T phones -- I think AT&T's voice quality is lower for whatever reason.
posted by reptile at 1:09 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by reptile at 1:09 PM on October 6, 2009
Best answer: Blackberries tend to make you squish the mic into your face, especially if he/she is struggling to hear you and pressing it closer.
Encourage them to turn up the volume and hold the bottom of the phone 1-3 inches away from his/her face, possibly moving the phone more parallel to the jaw bone than perpendicular to it.
Next, encourage him/her to get a hands free kit for the blackberry. Corded ones are really fine if he/she is laying in a bed talking to you, whatever. Then the phone can rest on the bedside table/wherever and he/she will be speaking directly into a mic, instead of near a mic hole.
A bluetooth probably won't help here, they tend to be pretty atmospheric...but it's worth a shot. If you still have issues, look @ a boom headset where the mic actually rests in front of the lips.
And, lastly, it's silly but check anyway---look for debris in the mic-hole of his/her phone. Lint, skin, hair, etc. That stuff can muffle the sound too.
posted by TomMelee at 1:17 PM on October 6, 2009
Encourage them to turn up the volume and hold the bottom of the phone 1-3 inches away from his/her face, possibly moving the phone more parallel to the jaw bone than perpendicular to it.
Next, encourage him/her to get a hands free kit for the blackberry. Corded ones are really fine if he/she is laying in a bed talking to you, whatever. Then the phone can rest on the bedside table/wherever and he/she will be speaking directly into a mic, instead of near a mic hole.
A bluetooth probably won't help here, they tend to be pretty atmospheric...but it's worth a shot. If you still have issues, look @ a boom headset where the mic actually rests in front of the lips.
And, lastly, it's silly but check anyway---look for debris in the mic-hole of his/her phone. Lint, skin, hair, etc. That stuff can muffle the sound too.
posted by TomMelee at 1:17 PM on October 6, 2009
I have this Samsung and it really sucks for all the reasons you list. Just in case it's on your end. I can't wait to get rid of it in 6 weeks. In fact, I thought I just had a lemon and made them replace it and the new one is as awful as the first.
posted by small_ruminant at 1:35 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by small_ruminant at 1:35 PM on October 6, 2009
i have a LG NV3 (via verizon in nyc) and its *not great*. I love the features on it (keyboard, sdhc card slot), and the price was right, and the size is right, and its a popular phone for those reasons, but its so noticeably worse (connection and voice/speaker/mic quality) than the cheapo motorolla v100 I had before.
I mean its liveable, but put it this way, I no longer have intimate conversations on it, because seriously, *there's no point*. In the long run i'd actually *harm* my close relationships if I insisted on having those conversations on this phone, just from the sheer annoyance for both of us from the "what?", "what?" "say that again?".
posted by jak68 at 1:56 PM on October 6, 2009
I mean its liveable, but put it this way, I no longer have intimate conversations on it, because seriously, *there's no point*. In the long run i'd actually *harm* my close relationships if I insisted on having those conversations on this phone, just from the sheer annoyance for both of us from the "what?", "what?" "say that again?".
posted by jak68 at 1:56 PM on October 6, 2009
Response by poster: Thank you, everyone. I showed GF this thread. She's going to get a corded mike and check out the other ideas.
Also, reading a discussion by third parties is helpful I think for moving us away from the (understandable) irritation cycle <-- ["What?" "Dhadab moaltyal." "What?!" "Never mind!" (rinse, repeat)]
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 3:31 PM on October 6, 2009
Also, reading a discussion by third parties is helpful I think for moving us away from the (understandable) irritation cycle <-- ["What?" "Dhadab moaltyal." "What?!" "Never mind!" (rinse, repeat)]
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 3:31 PM on October 6, 2009
Sorry to piggyback, but I have somewhat of the opposite problem -- I'm sure it's my phone, as my previous one was quite clear no matter who called me. Would a headset speaker be clearer for me?
posted by desuetude at 9:12 PM on October 6, 2009
posted by desuetude at 9:12 PM on October 6, 2009
My boyfriend has a BlackBerry Pearl and I had the hardest time understanding him (I am also on a BlackBerry but a Bold). I read some BB forums that said that holding the phone at 3 o'clock (starting at your ear) rather than 12 o'clock would help, and it seemed to help us. His voice was all muffled previously.
posted by getawaysticks at 5:14 AM on October 7, 2009
posted by getawaysticks at 5:14 AM on October 7, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by katillathehun at 11:58 AM on October 6, 2009