krpage

I ported to O2 a couple of months ago.

Since then I've had problems with voice calls: while I can always hear the other participant, they loose my voice for 5-10 seconds every now and again. Very annoying.

Speaking to a friend with a Treo 680 on O2, they also started experiencing this problem in around March, even though they'd be using the Treo on O2 for a year or two without problem prior to that.

So it seems that O2 have changed their network in some way and this is causing problems? Is anyone else on O2 experiencing this (or not)?

(I've also noticed that the MMS I send are shunk, as in:
UK Centro owners - do your MMS pictures arrive full sized?
so it seems O2 don't have it set up right for Palm there either?)

checkmate

I have this problem too! As well as the one mentioned in the 'small MMS pics' thread. I thought it was a reception issue until now....

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krpage

I don't think it's a reception issue - I can place the phone in one spot, point it at e.g. the radio, and listening on the other end the problem will sporadically occur. This happens with both a Treo 680 and a Centro, but not a Sony Ericsson K800. It certainly happens when bound to different cells: the problem occurs for us in Southampton, Gosport, and places in between.

checkmate: I see you have Southampton listed as your location. I guess I was hoping for a response from someone a little further from home
Do you experience the problem widely? It seems unlikely, but I guess it could be a local problem.

When did the problem start for you?

I've only been on O2 for a couple of months, but know of a friend with a Treo who had been using it trouble free for a number of years until recently.

Have you reported the problem to O2?

I'm trying to work my way through customer services, but they seem to only really be able to deal with the idea that it's a fault with the handset or a fault with the network (signal). It seems to me like it's a configuration problem relating to the interaction between the two...

pshrimpton

I have the same problem with my Centro on O2 uk. Phone has been back for repair twice and they found nothing wrong with it, but now I have found this thread I will contact o2.

krpage

After numerous calls to O2, they won't take it further than stating:
1) that it's a problem with signal strength - I've not way to confirm or disprove this really, though the Centro shows several bars signal, as do some Sony Ericssons I've tried in the same places
2) that Palms are known to O2 to have a problem with weak reception, and that I should buy another phone - when I pointed out that this occurred on two different models they said it was "all Palms"

It's tricky to get further than this, as the problem does go away with a handset that isn't a Palm. I still think it odd if it's a signal problem that I can hear the other party perfectly clearly (they just can't hear me). O2 also wouldn't countenance my statement that the Treo 680 had worked perfectly well for over a year on O2 until more recently.

So I suspect I'm being fobbed off, which is all the more worrying for the future given their "all Palms" comment and O2 having the Pre exclusively in the UK come winter.

I've only had my O2 contract since May. For those who've been with O2 longer, can we pinpoint a date when this started happening?

checkmate

Does anyone have experience with other networks?

Vodafone offer an equivalent contract to the SIM only one I'm on now but I need to know if I'll just end up with the same problems....

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krpage

My problems started the day I switched my T-Mobile SIM for an O2 one. I'm reasonably sure it's just an O2 issue, though don't know about Vodafone.

When did the problem start for you on O2, checkmate?

checkmate

Well I never had a problem with my Treo 650 on O2 but the Centro may well have had problems from the start. I was more focused on the fact that i was getting my MMS photos through small when I first got the Centro.

I would switch to Vodafone today if I wasn't tied in to my O2 contract until February....

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Wuzz

I have the same problem with my iPhone on O2. It's rather annoying!

krpage

That's interesting - is it a 3G iPhone or an older model? Does it happen all the time? Do you know if it's a widespread iPhone problem (any forum threads etc.)?

Today I had the first long (30 mins or so) call where I didn't experience the problem. Interestingly the Centro was showing very low signal (whereas where I normally have problems I have good signal).

Wuzz

It's a 3G iphone. Happens 2-4 week. Normal phone calls with full bars then suddenly they lose my voice for 10-15 seconds. Started in the last 3 months or so. Don't know if it's a bigger iphone problem?

krpage

Yes, that's exactly what I get on the Centro. O2 didn't really get any more helpful that suggesting I get a Nokia, so it's interesting that if also afflicts their flagship handset!

What did O2 suggest to you? (Get a Nokia?!)

mark680

Same problem with T-Mobile in the US using Treo 680. It has been going on for a couple of months. Other users are reporting the same trouble.

krpage

The thread discussing the same problem on T-Mobile US is here:
Consistently dropping/muted calls on Tmobile

This links to a thread on the T-Mobile forum that's very useful:
Palm Centro intermittent voice with T-Mobile servi... - T-Mobile Forums

particularly posts 57, 58, 82, and 120.

So there was definitely a base-station software update on T-Mobile US that caused an identical problem. It seems highly likely this same update was applied to O2 in the UK earlier this year.

If anyone has a technical contact in O2, or knows how to escalate to one, please say/PM. I'm confident at this level of detail myself (have some background), but no-one I've spoken to a O2 is at anywhere near the correct level of expertise.

If anyone else has the time to go through this with O2 please do and report back! I'll try and do something, but to be honest I'm only on a monthly contract and was ready to switch to another network to fix the problem.