Is It AT&T or My 8900?

[stoneland]

For the past several weeks I've been having call issues with my phone. I'm on AT&T and have an 8900. Every time I use it the call breaks up and I can't make out anything that's being said--sometimes it goes as far as disconnecting. I can't even listen to voicemail because it's impossible to make out.

When I step outside my house it's good for a few more seconds, but then I get the same issue. I always have 4 or 5 signal bars (I'm in Silver Spring, a few miles outside of Washington, DC) and everything else on my phone works fine (Internet, SMS, BBM, etc.). It's only my calls. My friend also has AT&T (I'm under his plan) and he has no issues...however, he has an iPhone 4. My sister is also on AT&T and has told me her service is fine (she lives in the same area and has a "dumb[er]" phone), so I'm thinking it's something with my device.

I've used a case on my phone ever since I got it a year ago, so that can't be the problem (the phone was fine until a few weeks ago, as I've mentioned previously). I've never had problems with AT&T before...perhaps it's just time to retire my device? Is there a solution for a problem like this?

[timwilliams916]

Have you tried removing the SIM card and cleaning the contacts? I've had similar problems in the past and that has often helped. If it doesn't, AT&T should provide you with a new SIM to try...they do actually go bad over time. HTH!

[stoneland]

I'll try that...when I got this phone I got a new SIM card with it, so I don't know if it could go bad that quickly.

[stoneland]

Well, I've tried your suggestion and I still have the issue. Still have to step outside to barely make out what's being said. Maybe it's time to get a new phone.

[Mister Xiado]

Put the SIM card in a different phone. If there's still an issue, it's going to be the SIM card or the network in your immediate vicinity. If you cannot see the tower, then there's line of sight interference.

Find somebody else who already has a smartphone, and borrow their SIM for a minute. If the issue still persists, it was the phone or the network in your immediate vicinity.

If the issue only persists when your phone is part of the equation, then the phone is the problem. In this case, wipe it and reload the software, test again.

[stoneland]

Does wiping and reloading software on a BlackBerry really have an affect on call quality? I haven't had an issue with 5.0.0.681 otherwise.

[Mister Xiado]

Processor overhead, possible radio application errors... A wipe all but guarantees that if the problem persists, it's a hardware fault, provided the network and SIM can be ruled out through process of elimination.

But typically, if it only happens in one location, even if it's just one phone, it's a localized interference issue.

You have no idea how much radio energy floods every cubic meter of space.

[stoneland]

I guess you're right, Xiado. I was using it at my new assignment today in town and the call quality was noticeably better. It used to be fine at home, too, so I wonder why it's all bad all of a sudden?

[Mister Xiado]

It could be a recent change in network quality. Worth a call to customer care, and since it just started happening recently, and is in a localized area, and as you have a 2G phone... well, I'd probably escalate it to a network case immediately.

Not saying you should ask to talk to a supervisor. That's a death sentence for getting anything fixed.

Just say you were told that after customer care rules out all the basic stuff, you should be connected with technical support. It would help a lot if you could have the range of service problems in blocks or miles, and if there were at least two other phone numbers (AT&T, natch) that were also having service issues in the same place you are.

Having all of this data up front will cut days off of the troubleshooting. More if you've already tested your SIM in another phone that is known to be working fine, and tested another SIM in your phone at the same location. The results of each of these seemingly odd tests help rule out wide swaths of potential issues.