topic Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish in Android Devices

pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

rjhazeld — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 14:24:02 GMT

I have a pixel 9 pro xl on Android 15 with the latest update. Call quality is regularly rubbish even with strong Wi-Fi 6 (2.4/5ghz available). The phone seems to be switching between Wi-Fi calling - 5g mobile? - EE Wi-Fi calling. Our mobile signal has deteriorated over the last 3/4 years from being strong 4g indoors and out anywhere in our village to wildly fluctuating and frequently no usable signal. Over the last few weeks the mobile signal when there is one is at times reported as 5g.

The phone software is fully up to date and the operator settings version is shown as ee_gb-6000000006.8 2004-07-28.

Needless to say all of this doesn't fit the infernal bot's questions. It seems particularly odd that sometimes the phone reports 'EE WiFi calling' and sometimes just 'WiFi calling'.

Any ideas that may help improve the situation?

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

Katie_B — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:17:43 GMT

Hello @rjhazeld.

Do you experience poor call quality in multiple locations?

Have you tried moving down to 4G only to see if this improves?

Speak soon,

Katie

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

bristolian — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:03:14 GMT

If you're using VoNR (5G-SA), VoLTE (4G-calling) or VoWiFi (WiFi-calling), the audio codecs should be the same.

You should be getting either EVS (HD+) on on-net calls between supported phones, or AMR-WB (HD) on the majority of intra-mobile calls. The indicated signal strength should be irrelevant - calls will drop if there is insufficient radio quality.

It would be highly unusual for 5G-NR to be present without accompanying 4G-LTE.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

rjhazeld — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:23:07 GMT

I don't see any of those codes, where would I find them ? As mentioned in my reply to Katie B I am being sent an esim to replace the years old physical one in he hope that that will improve things.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

bristolian — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:43:28 GMT

My point was mainly that the perceived signal strength has nothing to do with the audio quality on calls. You'd need an engineering menu to check the codec in use, but most Android phones show "HD" or "HD+" onscreen during calls providing you're not using WiFi-calling.

There's certainly a possibility that the poor audio quality can be caused by the device in use at the other end of your call. It would be interesting to see if the SIM replacement makes any difference, but I strongly suspect it won't.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

rjhazeld — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:43:04 GMT

Occasionally, but in reality most calls are at home hence the focus on Wi-Fi. I haven't tried forcing the phone to 4g. However, I have been talking to someone at ee and a new esim is on its way to replace the years old physical one I have at the moment hopefully that will improve things.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

rjhazeld — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:47:25 GMT

We'll see whether the esim improves things. Normally I would be doubtful but the fact that sometimes I get EE Wi-Fi Calling and others Wi-Fi Calling tends to suggest something at the phone end. We'll see!!

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

Leanne_T — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 08:56:01 GMT

Morning @rjhazeld

Thanks for coming back to the community and letting us know an eSIM has been sent for you to try.

Please keep us updated with how you get on with the eSIM.

Thanks 🙂

Leanne.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

rjhazeld — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:01:33 GMT

First, the replacement Sim card does seem to have resolved the call quality issues I was having. Early days but looking much better.

Second, notwithstanding my explaining to the agent that I was experiencing poor call quality and had seen reports that an old sim card might be the cause and therefore wanted to replace the Sim on my phone to see if that solved the problem the agent actually setup an additional sim card/number and also upgraded the second number on my account ordering an iPhone 16 and associated plan. This generated a myriad of text messages, email, and codes. To the point I was thinking that somehow my call had been diverted to a scammer. Fortunately, I was able to get to the EE Store in Daventry who were able to see the various things that had been done and unwind them which is now in train. They were also able to supply a replacement Sim card on the spot and install it. Which so far has solved the problems I was having..

With the notable exception of the store staff and the telephone returns/ and cancellation team in the North-East the online and telephone guides have been far less than helpful even when dealing wit the store staff. The EE systems are excessively complicated and for the customer confusing even looging into 'my ee' requires me to enter my email address twice!, simplification could save millions!

I'll up date again in a week or so.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

bristolian — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:10:21 GMT

If this resolves the issue, I suspect the fix was effectively reprovisioning your SIM with a new set of core-network-data.

I have no direct experience of Pixel devices, but some basic internet searches suggests some models have a menu option to enable/disable VoLTE (and presumably VoNR), and use the same on-screen indicators during calls.

HD-calling via VoLTE (mobile network)

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

rjhazeld — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:18:21 GMT

Thanks, I will delve into that when everything is back on the straight and narrow - I haven't seen such options so far.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

Leanne_T — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:02:39 GMT

Hi @rjhazeld

Thank you for coming back to us with an update and sharing your experience.

Please do let us know how you get on after using the SIM for awhile. 🙂

Speak soon.

Leanne.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

rjhazeld — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 10:00:02 GMT

An update!

The replacement sim (a physical one from the local store not an esim for reasons I won't bore you with) has definitely improved things but not completely.
Switching between 5G, Wi-Fi Calling, and EE Wi-Fi Calling is still causing quality blips.
I discovered that one can switch to aeroplane mode and set a specific wi-fi ssid and switch Bluetooth on. This has worked and solved the issues proving that the switching is the root cause (along side a poor 5G signal) .
I have raised the problem with Google support and they now want me to do a factory reset of the phone. It will be a week or more before I can do that although I am not optimistic that it will stop the switching issue.

I will update again if/when I make further progress.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

bristolian — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:06:02 GMT

@rjhazeld wrote:

An update!

Switching between 5G, Wi-Fi Calling, and EE Wi-Fi Calling is still causing quality blips.

You're making a differential between "WiFI-calling" & "EE Wi-Fi calling" - out of interest, what's this based on?

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

rjhazeld — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:15:53 GMT

Simply the description shown on the 'in call' screen which reports when Wi-Fi Calling is being used. It also appears on the top status bar differently at times but not always at the same time as the in call screen. It would be interesting to know if anyone else has an EE sim whether they see the same variable reporting. Whether there is any underlying difference I don't know. The root of the problem seems to be the poor 5g mobile signal probably exacerbated by work on the 5g network locally and the lack of precedence to wi-fi when a strong signal is available.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

bristolian — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:25:12 GMT

The network default is indeed VoLTE/VoNR (4G-voice/5G-voice) if radio conditions are sufficient, although some Android phones do allow user-choice of "mobile-preferred" or "WiFi-preferred".

WiFi-calling options within "call settings" menu

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

danx55 — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:31:12 GMT

hi guys,

sorry this is a bit of an older thread, but ive just switched to p9pro on ee and also get not so good call qual 😕

.....tried turning of the clear call feature .... i think that has made it a bit better ...but still not very nice to hear ....very tinny ...previously the sound was cutting out! ......still sounds tinny on wifi calling too

cheers

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

rjhazeld — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 11:31:27 GMT

It is rather a long time since I started this topic so this reply is part update and part reply to Danx55..

The call quality is not universally good. In relation to mobile, EE remains poor despite showing 5g - much better 5 or so years ago on 4g when a strong signal could be had indoors and out. As I have a strong suite of Wi-Fi that should not be an issue at home. There is, however, no means of setting the Pixel to use a particular ssid . I have found that when the other party to a call says the sound is awful even if on Wi-Fi calling changing the Wi-Fi ssid results in improved quality. For example if the phone is on x2.4ghz and changed to x5g or x5ge. Google's remedy suggestion was to do a factory reset and re install all apps etc. I simply do not have time to go through that rigmarole. Hence I put up with the daily work around.

Initially changing the sim card to a new one did help and if you transferred a sim from a previous phone that is worth trying.

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

danx55 — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 13:52:59 GMT

many thanks for the reply and update... yes that old rebuild your phone support answer is the usual we have no idea rubbish I think.. v poor 🤔

yes I recall pre 5g generally being more reliable for call quality also

cheers

Dan

Re: pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

bristolian — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:04:15 GMT

@danx55 wrote:

yes I recall pre 5g generally being more reliable for call quality also

4G-LTE & 5G-NR use the same voice codecs, both of which are an improvement over the NB ones used on 2G.