Let's talk about call quality and HD Voice

I've been frustrated with the quality of my mobile phone calls for....ever. It seems like it's been worse, or at least more noticeable, for the past couple of years. I think analog calls had more potential for better call quality since there was not digital voice sampling, etc., but digital holds promise for more consistent call quality even when signal strength isn't the best. That's my understanding, at least.

I need to post and run, but will be back shortly. Just a quick couple of comments or questions to start:

1. Sprint's HD Voice doesn't work with other carriers. What about the other big 3 carriers? For example, if a T-Mobile customer calls someone on Verizon, will the call quality be HD Voice?
2. Mobile calling to landlines....I suppose HD Voice won't work there.
3. I think part of the issue I'm having is my phone (LG G2). Using a headset (wired or any of the various high-end sets I've tried) doesn't help.
4. I really, really want to have better call quality. I'm hoping to work for a former client, and they allow some opportunities to work from home. Unfortunately, call quality would be critical. If I were to switch to Project Fi, I'll have a different smartphone and possibility of being on Sprint, T-Mobile, or WiFi for calls. Am I taking too much of a risk for poor call quality?

Sorry to run! Hopefully this topic will have some interest for you.

EDIT: I don't think the issue I'm having with call quality is my hearing, by the way (you silly people).

 

I'd be curious what symptoms you have that represent poor call quality. I have no knowledge here to contribute much, but my definition of call quality is "I can hear them and they can hear me, and there is no static." By that definition, I have never had poor call quality. Is that because AT&T is so good or because I'm not very demanding. I dunno.

 

Well, I haven't had static on a call since the 80's, so that's not the issue. However, the ability to hear and be heard has been an issue for me and many people I've asked. Voices often sound muffled and sometimes a bit choppy.

You might be able to place some blame on the phones, but there are serious limits on the carrier end. For one, the narrow audio frequencies of typical cellular calls (300 Hz to 3.4 kHz) vs human voice (75 Hz and 14 kHz more or less). Ostensibly, new HD Voice technology will help with this because it increases the frequency range, but I believe Sprint stupidly doesn't play nice with other carriers. I'm not sure if the other 3 carriers play nice with each other, or what it means for landline or WiFi calls. There's also the issue of digital voice sampling, compression, etc. All stuff that's way too technical for me.



Here's an article that look interesting: Why Is Cell Phone Call Quality So Terrible? - Scientific American

 

Most of the voice-line calls I've made lately are to the support number for my DSL provider. And given that they are the phone company around here, you would think they could manage qualities other than "two tin cans on a string."