Anyone else having Call Quality issues?

[Alieneila]

This past Sunday my wife and I both upgraded from Droid 3's to the Note 3's. Prior to the upgrade our call quality was great, no issues at all. Since we upgraded to the Note 3's, just like the Sprint customers are complaining about, the calls received are garbled, cut out, chirp... quite annoying and hard to have a conversation. It is the same on both phones, not just one or the other. Anyone we call seems to hear us just fine, but the quality coming in hearing other people talk is terrible. I called Verizon and the first lady I spoke with text'd me an 800 number and told me to call back because at the time I was actually on my phone with no alternate phone to use so that they could troubleshoot the phones. When I called that number, the new lady I spoke with told me that it's not the network so has to be the phones themselves and that I could go get different phones since I'm within my 14 days... not different Note 3's, but different model all together... no troubleshooting or anything, just said it was the phone and to get a different one...

Is anyone else having call quality issues, and if so, is Verizon aware of it? It seems to be the same issue that Sprint customers are complaining about, so I am thinking it is a software issue on Samsung's side of things? Anyone have any suggestions, or just wait it out until there's a software or firmware update?

[PAPINYC]

Sorry about the garbled mess, should've used the stock browser and not Opera.

[vzw_customer_support]

Alieneila, I am sorry to hear that you are having call quality issues. Where are you mostly having call issues? Does this happen in a specific location? If so, please provide the zip code? Have filed a resolution ticket for you? Please share more details. We want to get this resolved!

SammuelP
VZW Support

[jdub251]

I have been on the phone with Samsung all day and got nowhere. They blame Verizon. I assume this is not a network issue. This will be the last samsung device I ever buy. I will be returning this device as soon as I'm off and can drive an hour away to the nearest Verizon store. It's not only the issues I'm having with the three devices. It's the poor mouth runaround I received from the tier 2 Samsung tech support. SAMSUNG DOESN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. EVEN AFTER I DIRECTED HIM TO THIS FORUM AND THE SPRINT FORUM. TOLD ME IT WAS DEFINITELY NOT THE DEVICE.

[jcollell]

Dear support.  The problem is with the device.  I swapped out my phone for a new one and the guy gave me a new SIM card.  Even he acknowledge that the problem is with the phone.

[Alieneila]

Verizon Wireless Customer Support wrote:

                 

Alieneila, I am sorry to hear that you are having call quality issues. Where are you mostly having call issues? Does this happen in a specific location? If so, please provide the zip code? Have filed a resolution ticket for you? Please share more details. We want to get this resolved!

SammuelP
VZW Support

 

Every single phone call has this issue. It doesn't matter if I'm at home in zip code 75002, or at work in zip code 75080. I'm not sure if anyone has filed a resolution ticket for me, but I have spoke with 2 people on the phone. The first told me that there were no tower issues in my area, and text'd me an 800 number to call back to troubleshoot because I was on my phone at the time without an alternate phone to use while troubleshooting. I called back once I had a second phone to use and the new lady I spoke with did no troubleshooting at all, just told me to either get a different model phone, or switch out the sim cards. Due to the responses of others, and since it's happening on BOTH of our Note 3's, I doubt a SIM card swap will help any, but I will try that this weekend.

I seriously seriously love the phone except for the call quality. And I honestly believe, that since customers from other carriers are complaining about the exact same issues... that it has to be an issue with the phone itself and not the network. Hardware, Software, Firmware, whatever it is... I would just like someone to acknowledge that there is indeed an issue... like Sprint has acknowledged... and that you and Samsung are looking in to it.

Thank you 😃

[caboosesw]

Get ready to eat $35 when you return your crap Note 3 as well.  I just returned mine after swapping the first one out and they said there is a restocking fee.  The manager shrugged his shoulders and walked away when I said "so I have to pay to restock this even though it's broken????"

Samsung + Verizon = BRILLIANT customer service

Hey SammuelP ... how about getting official word from Verizon that they recognize there is an issue?

[tlaprint]

Go to another store, make a call on the note 3 phone that they have set up in the store and show them that the problem is also on the phone they have on display. I know this because all 3 local corporate stores that I have tried this on do it a well. I also bought and return 3 different devices and all of them had the same issue.

[jcollell]

I am having the same issues.  I went down the whole laundry list with tech support and finally went to a store to exchange the phone.  Same result.  The guy swapped out the SIM card which did nothing.  Of course Verizon knows nothing of this issue.  To the monitors out there.  You have a problem with this phone!  So get with Samsung and fix the issue! 

[macie48]

I've been doing some of my own testing with this issue.  As others have said, it doesn't matter where you are.  It's not Verizon's service, it's the device that has the issue.  I just switched to Verizon last week and purchased two of these phones.  When talking to someone else who doesn't have a Note 3, they can hear me just fine but all I hear is garbled, choppy noise on the other end.  When trying to talk to my husband on the phone when he was on his way home from work was IMPOSSIBLE!  I may have to swap the phones for a different device.  I absolutely love this phone otherwise and it would be disheartening to have to swap it out for another, but I may have no other choice.  My ONLY complaint on Verizon's end (from what I've seen in the comments), is that we should NOT be paying a restocking fee for a defective device.  This part has me a tad bit worried about their customer service.  I've had great customer service thus far and it would be a great disappointment if they didn't do the right thing regarding returning a defective device.

[vzw_customer_support]

We want you to enjoy reliable performance for your Note 3 macie48! Are you experiencing these difficulties in more than one area? Have you tested the devices outside your home zip code? How about using speakerphone, bluetooth or a headset? If a device is determined to be defective and needs to be replaced within the first 14 days, we will not charge a restocking fee. Please keep in mind however; it will be replaced with the same make and model.

JonathanK_VZW
VZW Support
Follow Us on Twitter@VZWSupport

[tlaprint]

The phone has big problems you cant tell people to replace with the same because it will have the same issue no matter what because it is the software or the cdma radio (driver). Restock fee good luck with that.

[axa2003]

Had same problem.  Discovered that if i disable WiFi during calls issue goes away.  I think it has something with the device attempting to use HD Voice which only works if both devices are compatible.

[Aceman007]

PIcked up a Note 3 in March and instantly noticed dropped calls and signal strength issues.  called verizon and I let them know, they told me to wait for an update to improve call quality, updates didn't work love multimedia but phone quality signal terrible. class action lawsuit should be considered. I been with Verizon for 12 years and they expect us to be guinea pigs with their phones to work out the kinks.  they know of this issue but are avoiding correcting the issue.  $300 I spent on this phone and i'm nor happy with the follow up from the Verizon customer service dept.   Beware this phone has ton of other issues too, unstable network, won't recognize its charger. Help help Blue tooth disconnects for no reason .......

[cynindesign]

Not sure what phone you are talking about but the Note 3 wasn't released till Oct 10, 13 .......

[wayne8821212]

He must mean the Note 2......

[vzw_customer_support]

Aceman0007,

I know I depend on my phone all day long. And I can understand how frustrating it is to have dropped calls. Also, thank you very much for be such a loyal customer for 12 years!

With the device have you been able to remove the sim card and  place it back into the phone? http://vz.to/1bDlVQW  If you tried this and are still having issues have you been to a corporate store to actual replace the sim card for free? You can locate your local store here: http://bit.ly/3SdsA

Keep us posted.

KevinR_VZW

Please follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

[cseattle]

i was following this thread because i have been very interested  in buying a couple of Note 3 phones and using Verizon, which i've had on numerous phones over maybe 10 or 15 years. but my partner really insists on call quality. he and i both have old LG flip phones that work great for calls -- but nothing else. i have a Blackberry through work that has excellent call quality, an old Samsung netbook that has been flawless, and an IPad, so I haven't really felt deprived, but would love to have one device that does more instead of having to juggle for work and play. but after reading this entire thread, i have two conclusions: Leave Verizon for ATT, and don't buy the Note 3. Service is what counts, and both Verizon and Samsung have failed, in my opinion formed after reading all your accounts here. I am not a software or hardware expert, so I haven't a clue about the real cause of these problems. but life is short, and i'm not willing to waste a single minute of it screwing around with clueless reps and denials.

[RomeosTune]

I had about a 30 minute conversation this morning and the issue didn't happen at all.  Perfectly clear call.  I was amazed. I wasn't in a new location or anything.  Just at the house.  Can anyone else say theirs is acting better today?  Probably just a fluke.

[jcollell]

Well, I had to go to a Verizon store on an unrelated matter and the associate acknowledged the issue.  Unlike the other people I talked to he was the first to admit that Verizon had acknowledged there was a problem.  Of course this was unofficial but apparently they are aware and are working on a fix.  Every person and/or associate has agreed there is a problem.  I can only guess that they are keeping this quiet because they do not want this issue to impact sales of the Note 3.  After all, this is supposed to be Samsung's killer app.

[NegD]

I am getting dropped calls, I cannot call any one, I have a samsung galaxy4gle, My sons cannot call me on the phone, I was embarrased taking to a person for A delivery, The phone shut off on me 3 times.. I called Verizon to trouble shoot it, it even cut her off. She had to call me on my home phone. Its a New Phone, got it last week! They are going to exchange it,hope there is no problem with the next one!

[tomricejr]

This device has the absolutely worst call quality of any Verizon device I've ever owned. I do love this device but has proven to be completely unusable for it's primary purpose, a  phone. Other than that, this is a wonderful device that appears about to fail in the market due to the absolutely ridiculous responses by both Verizon and Samsung. Verizon assures us it's not their network and blames Samsung, and Samsung assures us it's not the device but an issue with the network(s) at Verizon. After wasting time with the Techs over the phone on multiple occasions I decided to do some testing as well, and virtually every single call, no matter the network or location, has serious quality issues. The only way I can make good clear calls is by using a VOIP connection. Well, since we can't seem to get a straight answer on this issue from either company the only option is to get rid of these defective devices. And by the way Verizon, the "restocking" fee on defective hardware, good luck with the PR results of that decision.