Garbled incoming audio

[Nick2d]

I have a problem with the audio on incoming calls. The person calling me sounds garbled, like they are under water, blowing bubbles. However, if I call them I can hear them fine. I have a Samsung S10. I would appreciate any help to understand if this is an issue with my service or my phone. Many thanks.

[ANC54]

Hi @Nick2d @MarkB731 @bristolian @Viper007     It looks like we are being encouraged to log this matter individually by telephoning 150 (message service not operational !). I am happy to try this and suggest we could mention this forum thread so that they can match up our complaints. There are 5 of us, but there must be many more out there.

Depending upon the outcome, I am happy to contact the press to see if they might like to investigate as well.

[Nick2d]

Hi @ANC54 .

Yes, I am just in the process now. They ran a line check and no fault was found. I have now requested an advisor phone me.

I just received a mobile call from one of my clients, who was on his SKY mobile. He was so garbled I could not understand him, yet when I called him he was perfectly clear. I will mention this thread to the advisor and post his response, assuming he isn't garbled as well! 😄

[ANC54]

Hi @Nick2d 

Haha - very good !! I'll be doing the same this afternoon !

[Nick2d]

OK everyone. I have just spent about an hour talking to level 1 and level 2 support via 150 at EE. They ran every conceivable test, including resetting my phone, trying different networks and having me get my mum to phone on my landline so technical support could hear her garbled voice through my phone, which was handy.

The result is EE are convinced it is not a network issue. They have a log of all my previous calls where I told them I had garbled incoming calls. They also have a log of the areas I was in at the time. On all accounts no issues were detected with the masts or network as a whole.

To cut a long story short they believe the fault lies with my SIM card, as it was issued in 2016, so they are sending a replacement. I shall let you know if that resolves my issue.

I asked if there was a case number or any way you all could call and give reference to my case so EE could start linking the issue. They sympathised, but said my case number would only be relevant to my account, however they have a team that look for trends, so it would be picked up if multiple users were experiencing the same fault.

Good luck and please let me know how you all get on.

[csi9611]

I’ve been through the same and also been told to replace my SIM as it’s a similar age and seemingly the shelf-life is 3 years max?

They said EE can either post one out or if you go to an EE shop and show govt approved ID (passport or d/licence) they’ll fit a free replacement for you. No ID and it’s a whopping charge of £1.50. Still seems very odd that everyone’s SIM cards will suddenly pack in. Money making scheme for SIM makers or a plot by the Ruskies??!! 😂

[ANC54]

Hi @Nick2d @csi9611 

Was about to ring EE but thanks to you both for the time you have spent on the phone with them, I'll hold fire until you have tried the replacement SIMs.

If they don't solve the issue (and I really hope they do) then I can report this when they tell me the same answer.

What I find curious, if it really is due to an old SIM, is that my wife and I both have separate phones and separate SIMs (albeit on the same EE account) and they were both issued at the same time - probably about 2016 or even earlier.  However, they have both independently developed the same issue on the same day, which makes me rather sceptical that the SIMs could both do this at exactly the same time.

Hope I'm wrong and will await further news with great interest. Good luck !

[Nick2d]

Hi @ANC54 .

I remain to be convinced, however if your SIM and that of @csi9611 are of a similar age to mine, then perhaps it is the SIM or perhaps it is both the network and the SIM, insofar as there is something with the architecture of those old SIMs that don't like a recent change/upgrade to the network?

I shall certainly let you know.

[bristolian]

Another methodical check worth a short test, is to use the network mode on your phones to disable 4G, or force 2G/3G as appropriate.

As a short-term test to see if the issue continues, it would be a useful exercise.

[Viper007]

Hi team

Were all wasting our time here as i just spent over an hour talking to the technical team at EE andran through their hoops and jumped over their jumps only to be told there is nothing wrong with their network !!

Basically i was so pi55ed off by this i asked to be put through to cancellations dept and was told i would have to pay the remaining 2 months i had on my contract at a coat of £32 !

Absolutely disgraceful service from them. They would not cancel my contract despite a clear defect with their service without me paying for it!

Kevin Bacon  ... think what you are advertising here as they are complete **bleep**e at customer service and don't care about their customers.

I have proven that it's their network as EE have fitted a new sim card today and demonstrated the garbled call to the guy in Farnborough EE as it was still there.

I removed the new sim and installed it into my wife's iPhone X and it's still exactly the same in her phone so its their network and not the phones

I will call them again tomorrow and pursue the contract end FOC to me for an absolutely disgraceful service i have ever come across

I have been with Vodafone and Three networks before and their customer service is far far better than EE

I will NEVER go back to these people nor recommend them to anyone

[Nick2d]

Hi @Viper007 .

Oh dear, that confirms what we feared. Thanks for letting us all know. Thankfully I am out of contract, so if the new SIM doesn't help I can easily port my number to a new provider. I was told by technical support that I don't even have a 2G signal inside my house (which I know all too well and have no option but to use WiFi calling to make calls) so perhaps this is a blessing in disguise, and I can change to a provider that has a signal where I live!

The fact you proved the SIM wasn't at fault in front of an EE employee, and yet they couldn't report this back for you, is not good service.