I love my Verizon Pearl, but I have been told that my phone is not as clear as previous phones I've had. Is this a common Blackberry problem or do I have a bad phone?
This definitely isn't a common BB issue. My BB is honestly the best phone I've had a far as voice quality. If you recently purchased your BB & it's still within the warranty period I would take it back for a new one if it's that bad.
I've only had my Curve 3 weeks but I can tell you it's one of the BEST voice quality phones i've ever had, seriously! Crystal clear and good volume levels.
Been using BB's for a long time and this is the first I have ever heard or read about poor sound quality. Call others and see if they say the same thing.
One though occures to me, the sound entry port is a tiny hole in the bottom of the antenna cover plate. If that hole is partially blocked, you might experience a problem.
Use a soft wood toothpick to gently probe the opening. That should dislodge anything that might be obstructing the port.
One of the reason the voice quality is so good, BlackBerry includes noise cancelling technology, much like that used in helicopter headset microphones.