LG Octane - ECHO problem? Is there a fix? If not, will there be a RECALL?

I just got the Octane two days ago and am absolutely loving everything about it, except the echo problem.

I am guessing the echo could be a result of the caller hearing their own voice, which is coming through the two speakers on the inside of the Octane, which in turn is being picked up by the mic, hence, the caller hears an echo.

I tried to confirm this and found that it does sound like the caller's voice is not only coming through the external speaker on the earpiece, but also through the inside speakers when the phone is closed. This is a terrible design flaw, because the tiny mic hole sits exactly opposite of the left inside speaker. So, when the caller is talking on their end, their voice is actually being picked up by the Octane's mic and causing the echo. If I am correct in my assessment, then this phone is a total dud and needs to be recalled, which would be a shame because this phone rocks in every other way.

The only fix I see that might solve the echo problem is if they can figure out a way to offer a software update that will shut off the inside speakers when you are on a call. I can't believe LG would have overlooked this problem.

Accepted answers

coastalite

new firmware download available at lg.com for the octane. appears to have fixed my echo problems.

All comments

seadooman46

Have you tried setting "voice Clarity" to off.?

coastalite

Yes, I did try turning off voice clarity first and that did nothing.

Actually, I spent quite a bit of time with Verizon Tech Support, going all the way to the 2nd tier level. Folks, if you are having the same echo problem then I suggest you call *611 and go to tech support and escalate it to level 2 tech support. That's the only way the ticket gets sent to LG and if enough people do that, they will take notice and create a fix. If the software fix is small enough they will push it out to all the phones. If the fix is too large, you will have to go into a Verizon store for the update. But the point is, don't wait for the fix, call tech support and escalate it up the chain so that LG has no choice but to create a fix. If enough people don't escalate it formally up the chain then nothing will be done about it.

Anyway, level 2 tech support told me to:

1) *228 send and select option 1 (duh - already had done that).

2) reset the phone back to the manufacturer's settings (Menu - Settings & Tools - Phone Settings - Security - enter your last 4 digits of your phone number). This seemed to help a lot. Keep in mind, if you do this you will lose most of the customizing you have done.

3) After you have re-customized your phone, while the phone is on, remove the battery and press and hold down the pwr key for 10 seconds then put the battery back in and turn the phone on. I was told this drains any residual power out of the phone (never heard of this before).

So, I did all that and I think it actually helped a little bit. Now the echo seems to come and go and isn't quite as bad but will see how it shakes out as I talk to more and more people on my Octane.

I have found that I think the echo is reduced a bit if BOTH parties turn down their volume.

Hopefully there will be a software fix as I love the phone and don't want to turn it in for something else. I just figured out how to move all my pictures so they show on the phone (easy) and all the ringtones I created can be done as well. You DO NOT have to buy ringtones... just make your own.

scoobymom239

My husband has had two octane's so far. Both phones have had the problem. We first thought it was the clarity option but that didn't help the problem. If the person with the octane puts their phone on speaker phone the echo stops. This is not a long term solution but when the echo is making the person you are talking to crazy it can keep them for going nuts. I hope they come up with a solution to this problem because other than that its a nice little phone.

Nana1617

Guess what I have the same problem. I took my phone back explained problem, was given another phone and guess what the same problem. I have called Verizon several times and talked to the techs. Some techs don't even know what you are talking about, how can that be, when comments on this echoing problems are written all over on the Verizon site, as well as other sites. Today I gave up and called LG. I went through shutting the phone off, resetting, etc. Well it did work and the echoing was gone. LG tech said that when I put back all my settings, see if the echo starts again. If it does than the problem could be in the settings. So I put all the settings back and the echo started again when you have the volume up. I also checked the voice clarity and I turned it on, echo started again, turn the voice clarity off and the echoing stopped. Not sure if this is a true fix. I will try it. I have a feeling this phone is going back again and I don't think I want another one. I have a hard time thinking LG would put out a product that doesn't work and an even harder time thinking Verizon would accept such a product. I have been with Verizon for a very long time and have always had LG phones. I have about 3 weeks left in my trial time so maybe LG/Verizon can come up with something to fix the problem. I do like the phone and would like to keep it but not with a problem.

wyattsaunt1660

I have also had the echo problem with the Octane, purchased on 11-6. Tried a lot of the advice here, thank you. Echoing for the other person on the phone improved, but still showed up on some calls. I was also getting a lot of people telling me my voice sounded really loud and harsh. If I turned down the volume, I couldn't hear them anymore.

I exchanged it for another Octane today. Same issues with other person on the line hearing echo, but now my voice sounds fine.

Through experimenting, I found a less-than-optimal fix for the echo. It's not great, but works consistently. When I initiate a call and the other person tells me they are hearing their voice rebounding (my phone is closed), I flip it open to speakerphone, then close the phone, and they tell me the echo is gone.

landline

Get a smartphone. Verizon thinks "featured phone users" are an "echo"

coastalite

new firmware download available at lg.com for the octane. appears to have fixed my echo problems.

digdug

Anyone know if the LG Octane is shipping with the newest firmware now ?

Commendatore

Well, then how does one install it? If you're fortunate enough to navigate the lack of correct English on the site, it is still one hell of a trip for those of us not sufficiently literate enough in computer usage to install the needed patch. Would someone be kind enough to post the step-by-step directions for installation of the fix, on this forum, rather than the "go there, do this" type of approach? Between LG and their denials and Verizon's "No, we haven't heard of any echo problems" it has been an uphill battle to uncover the truth. If someone can explain clearly, I'll be able to do it. Thank you.

Commendatore

Solved my own question. After miraculously finding the correct VN530 (Octane) upgrade option on the LG site, I downloaded it to the computer via the easy directions. Then, with the phone turned off, I plugged in the USB and hooked it up to the phone and voila! it began to do it's thing. About 18 minutes later, as a previous post mentioned, I was updated. I'll see how well it works in about 5 hours.

coastalite

Yeah, the update is fairly simple.

Simply go to www.lg.com and then to mobile phone support. Once there, with your phone connected to your PC via the supplied USB cable, you'll download the "LG mobile support tool" to your PC. It's a program that will be installed on your desktop that will communicate with your phone and give it the latest software/firmware updates. Download it and then follow the directions to download the latest firmware/software for the Octane. It's darn near idiot proof.

It appears to be a massive firmware update - version VN530ZV3: with a DSL connection it was something like an 18 minute download - over 80MB downloaded and installed onto my phone! Phone is working better than ever now.

PUCKINPLAY

Upgraded to the Octane last night only because there was a fix for the echo problem.

The phones that are currently in the stores do not have the laciest software. The manager had heard of problems with the phones but was not aware that there was V3 available until I asked for them to check on it.

Have the store do the upgrade for you while you are there. The first phone they had would not take the Over The Air update and they do not have the LG download in the store to do a PC update. The second phone did the OTA update and works like it should.

To do the OTA update yourself do the following:

Settings & Tools

Phone Info

Software Update

Check New

This will connect automatically and download the update.

To check what software version you have do the following:

Settings & Tools

Phone Info

SW/HW Version

It will show

[SW Version]

VN530ZV1 if you have version 1 and VN530ZV3 if you are already on version 3

Hope this helps!!

Doing the OTA update only takes about 5 minutes.

Frogmommy

Those of you who have done the update - how is the phone working now?

skinner52

I had my lg octane reprogrammed and it did fix it but I lost all my contact list

Trump45

I just got the Octane and had the same problem. Got to thinking the "voice clarity" might be feeding background information to the phone to cancel out the crowd noise. So turned the voice clarity off and the problem went away.

Trump45

After reading about the version information I checked my version - VN530ZV3 dated 12/18/10

Looks like the floor models now have the fix.

MojaveMoon_

Trump45 wrote:
I just got the Octane and had the same problem. Got to thinking the "voice clarity" might be feeding background information to the phone to cancel out the crowd noise. So turned the voice clarity off and the problem went away.

Trump45 wrote:
After reading about the version information I checked my version - VN530ZV3 dated 12/18/10
Looks like the floor models now have the fix.

But despite your new Octane having v3 out of the box, it sounds like you're saying that brand new Octane is affected by the echo problem, too :smileysad:

I hear what you're saying about turning off the 'voice clarity' to diminish or make invisible the echo problem. But I'm displeased with that because that sounds like a band-aid solution.

nooctane

Some are fixed, many are not! Took one back today I had since Friday. Update from LG and Verizon- neither fixed the problem. You are correct in your assessment of design. You would think the internal speaker would shut off. Phone built Jan. 4, 2010. Of course, LG and Verizon customer service/tech, (LOL), said they were not aware of issue.

coastalite

I am the OP wanting to weigh back in. It seems for me that the firmware upgrade has solved the echo problem 95% of the time. It's been a good 2 or 3 months and no one has told me they are hearing an echo when talking to me. However, my brother has the Octane and has not done the firmware upgrade, which is why I can hear an echo when talking to him. As I said in the OP, the phone seems to have a design flaw in that the tiny mic hole (located inside the phone near the FN key) happens to sit opposite from the inside left speaker. When I am talking to my brother, my voice is not only coming through his earpiece on the outside of the phone, but also is coming through the inside speakers and is being picked back up by the mic hole, hence the echo.

If your caller still hears an echo after you do the firmware upgrade, then as I mentioned in a previous post, try the following: *228 send and option 1. Then do *228 send and option 2 as well. Then remove the battery while phone is on and press the pwr key for 10 seconds to drain any residual power out of the phone's circuitry. You can also try resetting your phone back to factory settings. Of course, before you do anything, make sure you have backed up all your contacts via backup assistant.

And one more thing... If you are upgrading from a different phone... when you insert your old micro SD memory card into your new Octane, whatever you do, when you are fumbling around in all the settings, DO NOT I repeat DO NOT select the option to FORMAT!!! If you reformat you will LOSE all your pictures and whatever else you have stored on your card. This happened to my brother before I could get a chance to talk him through how to xfer his photos from his memory card to his new Octane, which is a very simple procedure. It's basically as easy as connecting your phone via USB mode (select Mass Storage). Then open up EXPLORER. Notice "Removable Disk" (F) and (G). Locate all your pictures which should be in either the folder named "my_pix" or "Pictures" (F). Highlight them all with your shift key and mouse, and then drag and drop them all into the folder named "my_pictures" (F). Voila. Done. If you don't know what Windows Explorer is or how to highlight files and drag and drop then call a friend or go into the Verizon store and have them do it. If you have ringtones and music, do the same procedure. Drag and drop music into "my_music" (F) and ringtones into "my_ringtones" (F). You can then select the option in your phone to "save" all your pictures and videos to your memory SD card so that you don't max out all your phone's internal memory.

koldalltel

I just bought the LG Octane yesterday, 02/26/2011 and it have the same AWFUL echo of the voice of the other person whether I call them or they call me. And my voice sounds like I am screaming. I hope there is a problem or this phone is going back and the protective case and my confidence in Verizon.

Is there a REAL fix? Can someone help me out here?

THanks,

Allyowner

Purchased the Octane for my wife in November 2010. She has had the echo problem from day one. Been to the store at the service counter. They updated phone. Stiill had problem. Requested a different model phone. They refuded to credit the difference cin price. We kept phone and I call technical service. They acknowledged hearing echo. They sent reconditioned phone. Same problem. Called technical again. They sent another phone. Same problem My wife is now on her third phone. Called again, now they want her to enter ### send after receiving a call with echos to track and check network? This is a pain. We are now into 4 Months and still have not resolved issue. Verizon SUCKS. All these messages here about the echo problem and they will not acknowledge that the Octane has a problem, nor will they exchange the phone for another model. I will not sign another contract with Verizon. Their cell service is great but their customer service STINKS. Maybe if we all call technical at the same time they might get the hint and replace or repair these phones. Are they waiting for someone to die because the person called for help and the other party could not understand them through the echo? Guess I will call technical again this week and see how their network investigation is going, HAH HAH. how stupid. Wish they would just send me a working phone.

koldalltel wrote:
I just bought the LG Octane yesterday, 02/26/2011 and it have the same AWFUL echo of the voice of the other person whether I call them or they call me. And my voice sounds like I am screaming. I hope there is a problem or this phone is going back and the protective case and my confidence in Verizon.

Is there a REAL fix? Can someone help me out here?

THanks,

AV8R

I have an mp3 file that is on my computer. Any ideas how to download it to the phone for a ringtone?

SuzyQ

AV8R wrote:
I have an mp3 file that is on my computer. Any ideas how to download it to the phone for a ringtone?

This really has nothing to do with this thread, and my response is likely to get buried...and your question has already been answered numerous times. Just check out the solutions over there ------------>>>

Or simply go to phonezoo.com, upload your mp3, tell them what phone andprovider you have, and they will send the properly formatted ringtone directly to yor phone as a text message.

milehighguy

Thank you for the tip. I turned off the voice clarity setting and it worked! The techies have had my complaint/problem at the national level for five weeks. I talked to them about two weeks ago, they were focusing on a tower issue here locally because they said they have had several complaints from my area. Go into settings and tools, go to 7.(sound settings), then to 8.(voice clarity), select off, then OK. This should take care of the problem. I did this about ten days ago but wanted to make sure it was working before I put it out there to you all. My friends whom I have been talking with since also have commented about the "echo being gone now". Halleluya!

LG_Pro

milehighguy wrote:
Thank you for the tip. I turned off the voice clarity setting and it worked! The techies have had my complaint/problem at the national level for five weeks. I talked to them about two weeks ago, they were focusing on a tower issue here locally because they said they have had several complaints from my area. Go into settings and tools, go to 7.(sound settings), then to 8.(voice clarity), select off, then OK. This should take care of the problem. I did this about ten days ago but wanted to make sure it was working before I put it out there to you all. My friends whom I have been talking with since also have commented about the "echo being gone now". Halleluya!

Version ZV5 software for the Octane has also just been released and this should help with Echo issues as well.