GV HD Voice Over Data Vs Carrier Calling

[Boz1]

This may explain why I haven't had any complaints about call quality using GV while I've seen others complain about their GV call quality from time to time. I used my GV #s over data only.

From our favorite Cat: https://www.reddit.com/r/Googlevoice..._google_voice/

BluesCatReddit
Google Voice Product Expert
The US mobile carriers are all now using VoLTE, which, if both ends of the call support it, can use HD Voice (a wideband CODEC), that carriers more of the audio spectrum. For example, a T-Mobile number calls a AT&T number, both sides support VoLTE and one of the HD Voice CODECs, and you will see a little "HD" logo on both phones' displays.

When you make a call via Google Voice's carrier-mode calling, the multiple carriers involved in the call path will usually be unable to support HD Voice, and so the call "drops down" to an older, narrowband CODEC, which is the same as the old "POTS" landline call quality.

In many cases now, if you instead use Google Voice over VoIP data, you may find that HD Voice is in use end--to-end. It depends on the carrier being called, and the quality of your data connection.

[CAL7]

In the past week, I've begun seeing call quality issues that are similar.

1) Native carrier call: perfect
2) GV over data: perfect
3) GV over carrier: horrible every time for the duration of every call

By "horrible", I mean a totally consistent breakup of the sound I receive that lets about 50% of the transmission through. It's on/off in an unvarying pattern. My transmissions seem to go fine.

This is on two Android phones, both using T-Mobile MVNO's (but different MVNO's).

The solution from BluesCastReddit seems to be to use data all the time. But my plan has unlimited talk and very limited data, so that is not optimal. And this was not happening a week ago. Ideas? Thanks in advance.

[GPz1100]

Probably more privacy using data calling (gv app) as well.

My phone stays in airplane mode more often than not. At home calls come into the computer, out and about, phone gets taken out of airplane mode if i need to make a call or look something up. A caller will have to leave a message and wait for a response.

[bobdevnul]

In the past week, I've begun seeing call quality issues that are similar.

1) Native carrier call: perfect
2) GV over data: perfect
3) GV over carrier: horrible every time for the duration of every call

By "horrible", I mean a totally consistent breakup of the sound I receive that lets about 50% of the transmission through. It's on/off in an unvarying pattern. My transmissions seem to go fine.

This is on two Android phones, both using T-Mobile MVNO's (but different MVNO's).

The solution from BluesCastReddit seems to be to use data all the time. But my plan has unlimited talk and very limited data, so that is not optimal. And this was not happening a week ago. Ideas? Thanks in advance.

I am not experiencing any call quality issues with GV over carrier (Visible). Both sides of the call sound good. I checked because I hardly ever make phone calls with my cellphone, like maybe 3 a year, so it could go bad and I wouldn't know it.

[CAL7]

Quick update. For no reason, just like the problems appeared a couple of weeks ago, they disappeared. Both of my phones now have clear quality using GV over the carrier.

[CAL7]

Quick update. For no reason, just like the problems appeared a couple of weeks ago, they disappeared. Both of my phones now have clear quality using GV over the carrier.

One more update. The identical problem - scrambled eggs sound - returned for a day then disappeared again.

[whacker]

I don't usually notice any severe audio call quality problems with any mode of GV usage. I would add that, even though a GV VoiP call (connecting through the app) doesn't officially use HD Voice (not yet anyway), just getting the call off the cellular packet-switched network (just on your end) and onto "the internet" improves audio call quality significantly.

I listen to enough talk radio programs over FM broadcast stations that have call-in segments, and I always make note of how the callers' audio sounds. Surprisingly there are many callers whose audio sucks, and still has that squishy, compressed, overly-processed sound that used to be the standard with digital cellular audio. Probably the result of connection codec defaults with the various systems and networks the call has to traverse. Standards are a hard thing to establish across such a diverse set of carriers and media types.

I had problem at home with my GV audio using my Obi 200 setup, where it was scratchy, occasionally distorted, with some dropouts. I discovered that restarting the router it was connected to (and maybe the separate cable modem too; can't remember the sequence) cleaned that right up. Strangely the video I was streaming through the same equipment had no problems in the same moment, so what the trouble was isn't clear to me.

[CAL7]

In a similar vein, does anyone get full duplex conversation over GV, either data or cellular? Irrespective of whether it's native cellular, GV over data or GV over cellular, my conversations are like a walkie talkie. If I'm speaking and the other party ties to interrupt, there is no overlap - I feel like I need to say "over" when I'm done to signal that is the other person's turn to speak.

[Boz1]

I think the calls are full duplex. However, I DO sometimes experience some latency or lags, but not so bad that it bothers me enough to stop using GV. This is certainly subjective, and others may have more or less tolerance for it than I do.

[GPz1100]

@Cal7 What device are you using? Who are you calling - some big company or an individual. I find the worst lag to be when calling some big corp with inadequate qos/bw for their voip systems. Otherwise, calling individuals on a proper land line or good volte cell (att/vzw) to sound quite good with no lag and excellent quality.

I imagine if the device is slow, has numerous other processes in the background, limited memory, the experience will be poorer.

I get the best experience on the computer using a softphone with gvsip. It goes something like this, usb headset -- softphone on the pc -- 3 switches -- asterisk pbx on the local lan configured to connect to gv -- internet.

[CAL7]

I never experiment on a real computer - just an android phone. The device is a Galaxy S10e which has decent specs, is not overly loaded and in near proximity to a Ubiquiti Wi-Fi 6E (although the phone only supports Wi-Fi 6) to gigabit fiber internet. If over cellular, the tower is about 500 yards away and typically gives a good signal. In the other end, it's really a random selection of phones. Put another way, I don't know how I could have much better conditions. Must be some configuration mistake on my part of everyone else is happy.

[GPz1100]

While the phone does have decent hardware specs, samdung's bloat is quite a bit too.

I've tried it on a s9+ with tons (at least 40 lines of packages) of stuff disabled without issue (over wifi 5 or lte). Same for the OP 7T with third party android 12 rom.

You can experiment on a computer using google voice through the browser. Just need a mic and speakers (or headset). Call the same number you have issues with to see if its any better.