pixel 9 pro xl call quality rubbish

[rjhazeld]

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?

[rjhazeld]

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

[Leanne_T]

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.

[rjhazeld]

An update! 

1. 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.
2. Switching between 5G, Wi-Fi Calling, and EE Wi-Fi Calling is still causing quality blips.
3. 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) .
4. 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.

[bristolian]

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@rjhazeld wrote:

An update! 

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

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

[rjhazeld]

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.

[bristolian]

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

[danx55]

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

[rjhazeld]

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.

[danx55]

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

[bristolian]

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@danx55 wrote:

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

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