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Clarity of phonecalls
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ianradioian
06-05-2016
Hello all; I'm asking a query actually- Ive noticed that when Im on the phone to mates ( we all have samsung galaxy phones of different ranges, or iPhone ranges) the quality of the calls is good but sometime with an exceptionally clear tone , as if the signal or frequency is improved. This seems quite random but happens often. Why is this? Are the phones making calls via a different route, or something?
Esot-eric
06-05-2016
Depending on the phone models and networks you and the friend are using you might end up making calls using HD Voice.
nigelbb
06-05-2016
My top tip is to use WhatsApp to make voice calls as the quality is vastly better than a regular call. Other similar VOIP apps like Facetime will also deliver similar improved audio quality & of course they are all free.
de525ma
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by ianradioian:
“Hello all; I'm asking a query actually- Ive noticed that when Im on the phone to mates ( we all have samsung galaxy phones of different ranges, or iPhone ranges) the quality of the calls is good but sometime with an exceptionally clear tone , as if the signal or frequency is improved. This seems quite random but happens often. Why is this? Are the phones making calls via a different route, or something?”

If both of you are on the same network, and on 3G, you will be using HD Voice.
d123
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by nigelbb:
“My top tip is to use WhatsApp to make voice calls as the quality is vastly better than a regular call.”

I can't say I've ever noticed the audio quality on Whatsapp to be anywhere near HD Voice...
corf
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by de525ma:
“If both of you are on the same network, and on 3G, you will be using HD Voice.”

Have o2 moved from "really bad codec" to HD voice yet then?

My general rule has been - if the phone quality is bad - the other end is on the o2 terrible voice codec.
moox
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by corf:
“Have o2 moved from "really bad codec" to HD voice yet then?

My general rule has been - if the phone quality is bad - the other end is on the o2 terrible voice codec.”

O2 has turned on HD Voice, though I'm not sure how well it works in practice. I've noticed that when I use O2, it has the habit of moving down to 2G for voice calls - I don't know if it would do that when both sides can do HD voice and there is adequate 3G signal available.
jchamier
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by de525ma:
“If both of you are on the same network, and on 3G, you will be using HD Voice.”

with a new enough phone, Samsung Galaxy S2 and iPhone 4 & 4s both cannot do HD Voice. Don't think Galaxy S3 can either. S4 probably does.
moox
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by jchamier:
“with a new enough phone, Samsung Galaxy S2 and iPhone 4 & 4s both cannot do HD Voice. Don't think Galaxy S3 can either. S4 probably does.”

The iPhone 4S certainly can't but I was under the impression that the S2 can?
jchamier
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by moox:
“The iPhone 4S certainly can't but I was under the impression that the S2 can?”

Can't remember!
Orbitalzone
06-05-2016
HD voice is pretty good and real leap from standard call quality. I was amazed when my cheapo Moto G 1st gen supported it and a call to my wife (also an a Moto G) sounded like she was in the same room... (she was oblivious to the improved quality!)

Wiki says S2 onwards supports it.
swb1964
06-05-2016
So which networks use HD voice?
moox
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by swb1964:
“So which networks use HD voice?”

All of them have it, but AFAIK you can't make cross-network calls at the moment.
prking
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by nigelbb:
“My top tip is to use WhatsApp to make voice calls as the quality is vastly better than a regular call. Other similar VOIP apps like Facetime will also deliver similar improved audio quality & of course they are all free.”

I agree, Whatsapp calls are very much clearer than even HD voice. As are facebook messenger. It's not surprising as the technology is years ahead of HD voice.
InfamousTeal
06-05-2016
Even just vodafone upgrading their antennas in this area (which, from planning apps, I think were installed in 2000) has made a huge difference to call quality, to any network. Those old antennas were horrendous
jchamier
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by InfamousTeal:
“Even just vodafone upgrading their antennas in this area (which, from planning apps, I think were installed in 2000) has made a huge difference to call quality, to any network. Those old antennas were horrendous ”

They may have been fine in 2000 but rain and weather have rusted many. So replacement is needed. One reason for the poles with fibre glass covers over antennas.
InfamousTeal
06-05-2016
Originally Posted by jchamier:
“They may have been fine in 2000 but rain and weather have rusted many. So replacement is needed. One reason for the poles with fibre glass covers over antennas.”

Exactly. How those things still actually handled calls is beyond me. They were installed and meant for the tiny little Sagem, Sony Ericsson etc phones in 2000, and were handling calls on iPhone 6Ss 16 years later, up until last week, somehow.
swb1964
07-05-2016
Originally Posted by moox:
“All of them have it, but AFAIK you can't make cross-network calls at the moment.”

OK thanks.

One last question. Does HD voice work if you are calling mobile to landline or is it just for same- network mobile calls?
Mark C
07-05-2016
Originally Posted by moox:
“All of them have it, but AFAIK you can't make cross-network calls at the moment.”

Anyone know the plans for that to happen ?
Orbitalzone
07-05-2016
Originally Posted by InfamousTeal:
“Exactly. How those things still actually handled calls is beyond me. They were installed and meant for the tiny little Sagem, Sony Ericsson etc phones in 2000, and were handling calls on iPhone 6Ss 16 years later, up until last week, somehow.”

It's all just radio signals and providing the antennas aren't water ingressed or damaged they'll probably be working more or less as well as they were from new. A phone signal from a 2001 phone is treated no differently than from an iphone6 as far as antenna and the associated signal is concerned. Of course the internal power amplifiers and other electronics could be suffering but they may have had upgrades over the years whilst still using the same old antennas.
nigelbb
07-05-2016
Originally Posted by swb1964:
“Does HD voice work if you are calling mobile to landline or is it just for same- network mobile calls?”

No. It cannot as the landline audio bandwidth is throttled at about 4K. Standard mobile phone quality matches landline i.e. pretty poor.
Mark C
07-05-2016
Originally Posted by nigelbb:
“No. It cannot as the landline audio bandwidth is throttled at about 4K. Standard mobile phone quality matches landline i.e. pretty poor.”

But perhaps it could interface with Voip landlines ?
moox
07-05-2016
Originally Posted by Mark C:
“Anyone know the plans for that to happen ?”

I suspect it would have to wait for the telcos to start using VoIP to interconnect between each other, rather than traditional TDM stuff

Originally Posted by Mark C:
“But perhaps it could interface with Voip landlines ?”

Theoretically yes, but until a very big name jumps into the world of VoIP that's not likely to happen, because of the interconnection issue. e.g. it'll have to wait until BT or Virgin start using VoIP in a big way to provide phone services to consumers.
DevonBloke
07-05-2016
Originally Posted by InfamousTeal:
“Even just vodafone upgrading their antennas in this area (which, from planning apps, I think were installed in 2000) has made a huge difference to call quality, to any network. Those old antennas were horrendous ”

Er, just replacing an antenna will not make call quality better.
Comms between your phone and the antenna are digital whether calls or data.
As long as the data is getting through then the call quality will be the same regardless of whether the antennas are really old or even half rusted out and hanging off the mast as long as they are connected.
The better quality will be either 2G coding going from half rate to full rate (although I thought Vodafone did full rate everywhere now anyway) or the introduction of HD voice over 3G. HD voice though as has been said will only work to another 3G connected Vodafone handset.
Better quality antenna will only affect coverage range and data speed, not call quality since the maximum bit rate for a full rate HD voice call is about 24Kbps.
jchamier
08-05-2016
Originally Posted by DevonBloke:
“Better quality antenna will only affect coverage range and data speed, not call quality since the maximum bit rate for a full rate HD voice call is about 24Kbps.”

Better communications between handset and base station could reduce noise, increase the SNR margin and reduce repeated packets on the digital data stream. This could potentially allow 3G to remain in use for voice where previously calls would fall back to 2G. Then HD Voice can work over 3G.

Just a thought.
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