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Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
geraldoh
Newbie
‎12-10-2009 04:32 PM

My last cell phone was 'just a phone.'  Am new at this.  When I'm on line anyone calling goes directly to voice mail.  Can't find reference as to how to toggle between calls or if its possible.  Seems should be basic feature.  Thanks.

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Re: Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
logicman
Contributor - Level 3
‎12-10-2009 09:28 PM

When you say "online" you mean like browser open surfing the web? I just tried calling my Moto Droid from my office phone while the browser was accessing the forum. Unlock/answer screen popped up allowing me to answer the call. Can you provide more details?

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Re: Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
geraldoh
Newbie
‎12-11-2009 02:34 AM

Thanks for the reply.  When online the phone acts as you described.

 

The problem is when I'm on the Droid phone and someone else calls.  There is no beep or tone and the caller goes directly to my voice mail box.  I can't switch between calls.  A notification will pop up if they leave a message but thats the first I know of the call.  I don't use a Google phone number but my Verizon one.

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Re: Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
bkfist
Specialist - Level 1
‎12-11-2009 02:49 PM

This is actually a limitation of how CDMA has been implemented by Verizon (And as far as I know all other CDMA carriers in the U.S.)

 

When the phone is receiving data, phone calls can not come through.  The CDMA implementation allows for simultaneous voice and data just like GSM does, however nobody has implemented this feature that I know of.

 

Just a guess here, but I'm thinking that the original CDMA implementation did not allow for this, and the newer 1X and EVDO specs would probably require some major re-programming of the cell towers to do so and/or would take up considerably more bandwidth, or possibly "break" phones that were not designed for simultaneous voice/data.

 

It's something you'll just have to get used to on the phone, unfortunately.  It affects all smart-phones, Palm, winmo, Blackberry etc.  It's not a limitation or problem with the Android platform.

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Re: Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
shawnb
Newbie
‎12-11-2009 03:26 PM

 

geraldoh wrote:

The problem is when I'm on the Droid phone and someone else calls.  There is no beep or tone and the caller goes directly to my voice mail box.  I can't switch between calls.  A notification will pop up if they leave a message but thats the first I know of the call.  I don't use a Google phone number but my Verizon one.

 

I would check with Verizon about this.  When you're on a phone call and get a second call, you should get a beep and a new screen that shows the incoming call info (and a slider to answer/reject).

 

Sometimes an incoming call will go directly to voicemail if you are in the process of calling a number and your call is not fully connected.

 

But if it happens everytime you are on a call, something is wrong... 

 

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Re: Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
shawnb
Newbie
‎12-11-2009 03:34 PM

 

bkfist wrote:

When the phone is receiving data, phone calls can not come through.  The CDMA implementation allows for simultaneous voice and data just like GSM does, however nobody has implemented this feature that I know of.

 

Not true.  EVDO Rev-A (which is most of Verizon's network) does not allow voice and data at the same time.  But voice always takes priority to data.

 

If I'm streaming online music (steady data flow) and receive a phone call, the call always comes through.  As soon as I hang up, the music starts back again.

 

The next revision of EVDO (Rev-B) supports voice and data at the same time.  But Verizon has not upgraded to this, and I don't believe any current devices are Rev-B capable anyway. 

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Re: Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
bkfist
Specialist - Level 1
‎12-11-2009 04:01 PM

Actually, when you are streaming music, you are not connected "all the time" to the data source.  It will connect quickly in the background and cache some of the stream, then go back to listening to phone calls...  Try finding a "big" file to download , something a few megs in size, so it takes a minute or two to download, start the download process, then try calling your phone.  I think you'll find that the call will drop straight to voice mail on you.

 

 

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Re: Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
shawnb
Newbie
‎12-11-2009 05:54 PM

 

bkfist wrote:

Actually, when you are streaming music, you are not connected "all the time" to the data source.  It will connect quickly in the background and cache some of the stream, then go back to listening to phone calls...  Try finding a "big" file to download , something a few megs in size, so it takes a minute or two to download, start the download process, then try calling your phone.  I think you'll find that the call will drop straight to voice mail on you.

 

 

 

I just started downloading a 5MB PDF from the web.  About 1MB into it, I called myself, and the call came straight through.  Hung up, and the PDF resumed downloading.

 

All data, no matter the size of the source file, is packetized into small chunks for transmission.  So in a sense, all data is "streaming" and can be interrupted for a voice connection at any time.  You are never connected "all the time" to one particular source for any data transfer with IP.

 

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Re: Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
geraldoh
Newbie
‎12-11-2009 07:37 PM

Thanks for all the replies. 

 

This am the new firmware version downloaded.  This pm the screens popped up and the system worked when I received a call while on another.  Assume there was a bug fix or the overwriting of a corrupt file or ?????  Who knows these days.  Where's dos 3.11 and basic, that I can still remember how to debug.

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Re: Calls go automatically to voice mail when on line.
bkfist
Specialist - Level 1
‎12-13-2009 02:31 AM

You are correct about individual packets and the ability to be interrupted, however I have experienced myself already on Verizon for only a couple days missed calls while on the net, and same on Sprint network with the Hero, and years of this on my blackberry with US Cellular.  (All 3, CDMA networks)

 

Granted, even on US Cellular with the blackberry, sometimes a call would come through if I was "surfing" and sometimes it would go straight to Voice Mail.

 

It might have to do with data speeds also, me spending most of my time out in po-dunk Iowa, and relatively poor signal areas.  Maybe in a good area with 3G connection where packets only take a fraction of a second to download to the device, and it can get a "breather" more often it doesn't happen, or at least not very often.  Unfortunately around here, I'm on 1X more than EvDO on any network.  I don't complain about it, it's just a fact of life I've come to accept that if I want fast data speeds, I connect to my WiFi :smileyhappy:  I do have to admit, however, Verizon, by *far* has the best signal of any of the carriers in this area.  I'm very glad they took over the old Alltel locations around here :smileyhappy:

 

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