3-Way Calling/Conference Call needs to be imrpoved asap!!

[DWang34]

Well come on verizon please fix this problem with the 3-way calling. Im only able to do one 3-way and thats all. only one time during the call. if the other line ends i cannot make another 3-way. I dont even have the option to end one line of the conference call. Im just stuck in conference mode. You should be able to hit conference and then something will show up and let you end one line. I used an AT&T iphone 5 and it works so much better. You have the option to end whichever line you want and you can add another line if u wanted to. Verizon you should be able to make it work like the At&t iphone. With the old basic phone im able to make as many conference calls as I like by just keep hitting the send button. I didnt pay $350 for an iphone 5 that doesnt have good 3-way calling features. Please improve ASAP. It should be like the AT&T iphone 5. When is the fix gonna happen becuase it has been like this for a long time.

[Ann154]

The conference call issue is a limitation of the CDMA technology used for voice calls on the Verizon Wireless network.  The LTE network is a type of GSM network like the one the AT&T network uses.  Perhaps when Verizon switches to VoLTE, this limitation will be removed.

[kaebfly]

This is not new with the CDMA iPhone so unless Apple announced that it would be different on the iPhone 5 then this isn't something that needs to be "fixed". It just happens to be one of the differences in the way the iPhone works with CDMA versus GSM. As mentioned, maybe this will change when VoLTE is available but for now it's the way it works and has worked on the previous 2 CDMA iPhones. If you look at the manual (online or via your phone) you will see this explained.

[Daniel408]

Doesn't change the fact that it's totally lame.

I just switched from AT&T to VZW last Friday and I can't stand having the calling features of a Nokia circa 1999.

Voice & data can be enabled on CDMA through the EVDA spec, but Verizon chooses to only allow the EV-Data Only.

I sort of get why. Data & voice on the same network uses the radio bandwidth for the voice network.

Saturation of the voice network radio spectrum is a large part of why AT&T's network became unreliable after the iPhone.

I am curious if things will improve substantially as iPhones will now ship data over a separate LTE network.

I'm certainly willing to hold out for VoLTE to get decent multi-line call handling & data & voice at the same time, but I can't say I have a ton of hope at this point as Verizon has been saying "soon" since early 2011! I remember the uproar when AT&T delayed tethering for 3 months. 2 years late is just ridiculous. Will we all need to get new phones to have VoLTE? Because that would totally suck too.

I have to admit, not having to leave my phone on the sidewalk while on a call to avoid dropping the call while I park in the garage at work is nice... but I need the ability to handle conference calls gracefully.

--and their LTE coverage in my area (south bay - CA) is consistently 1-2 bars.

[kaebfly]

Daniel408 wrote:

I have to admit, not having to leave my phone on the sidewalk while on a call to avoid dropping the call while I park in the garage at work is nice... but I need the ability to handle conference calls gracefully.

--and their LTE coverage in my area (south bay - CA) is consistently 1-2 bars.

I have been lucky in  my area...I've never had to leave my phone somewhere to avoid dropping a call (then again, if this was an issue you had as an AT&T customer I guess that might explain that...although AT&T customers in my area don't have that issue either so I guess it really just depends on your area). And LTE coverage is consistently excellent in my area. I thought the bars didn't indicate LTE but if they do then I always have 4-5 bars. 

[ohio818]

Daniel408, your post is not factually correct. First of all, there is no such thing as EVDA. Verizon has EVDO Rev. A (3G).

Second, SVDO is the technology that permits simultaneous data and voice on EVDO Rev. A. Verizon has enabled SVDO on its entire network. All LTE-capable HTC devices and the Samsung Galaxy S III have SVDO capability and thus offer simultaneous data and voice over Verizon's 3G network where LTE is not available.

As a side note, the iPhone 5 does not support SVDO and is, in fact, the only LTE smartphone ever released anywhere in the world that does not support simultaneous data and voice on some of the carriers through which it is sold. It is the only Verizon LTE smartphone that doesn't support simultaneous data and voice at all. This was a design choice made by Apple.

[Daniel408]

You're right, it's my mistake. I had meant EVDV.

And it's totally doable on CDMA and the Qualcomm MDM9615 chipset in the iPhone.

The iPhone is the only LTE phone on Verizon not to do voice and data same time because it is the only LTE phone of VZ that uses a single chipset.

LTE phones on Verizon so far have required two chipsets one for the CDMA network and a second for the LTE modem. The phone then uses two chipsets, two radios, and two antenna to connect to the CDMA network for voice and the LTE network for data.

This is why most LTE phones don't last longer than eight hours.

You're right in saying that this was a design choice for Apple. They wanted to build a phone that was power efficient.

They also built a phone capable of simultaneous Voice & Data (checkout the Qualcomm specs here: http://www.qualcomm.com/chipsets/gobi)

The iPhones MDM9615 chipset is capable of simultaneous voice & data on LTE.

We're just waiting on Verizon to turn the functionality on...

I completely refute your statement that the S3 supports simultaneous Voice & Data on 3G.

The SCH-I535 (Verizon Galaxy S3) supports: CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev-A.

The S3 runs a Qualcomm MSM8960 in the US. The MSM 8960 is not LTE capable, and an optional LTE modem must be added to achieve LTE connectivity. Using the 8960's radio for voice & a separate LTE modem for data is the only way you get simultaneous voice & data. The MSM8960 does not support SVDO.

[ohio818]

You are correct that there is an add-on modem for LTE.

You are incorrect that the phone does not support SVDO.  Here's why...

The add-on LTE modem is itself EVDO capable.  When LTE is unavailable, that modem is used for EVDO data. Therefore, when no LTE is available, there are two EVDO radios running at the same time--hence SVDO.

If you do a Google search for "verizon galaxy s3 svdo" you'll see users confirming use of 3G data while on a phone call.

Some more info on that add-on LTE chipset: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-s-own-lte-baseband-chipset-shows-up-in-korean-galaxy-s3/16442.ht...

[Daniel408]

Huh! You're right (even though that's not claimed in the specs).

I still detest the idea of having to run twin modems/radios to to voice & data.

There are 3 things that really bug me & may lead to me leaving Verizon:

1. The stated issue with multi-party calls (which this thread was about before Ohio & I hijacked it for a iPhone/Droid voice & data discussion.)

Even though I don't often have 6 lines going at once, the ability to merge incoming calls seems like a really basic functionality that I used to use quite frequently.

2. When I dial conference lines # have the passcode dialed as part of the number I used to be able to put: phonenumber,passcode.

This on AT&T (or any GSM or UMTS network) dials the number (silently), waits until it connects, dials the passcode.

On verizon, this seems to dial the number silently, start dialing the passcode to a ringing line.

OK: add more pauses...

but now it seems to dial the passcode silently (like with the phone number, which the system accepts) AND with tone. This would be OK if they were in sync, but they're not. I get: Thanks for calling, please enter your passcode: "beep!" Thanks, you're now connected. --and the rest of the people on my conference call hear the remaining beeps and boops until the passcode is complete.

#VZFail

3. Voice & data.

It's actually the one I care the least about, but it'd be nice to have a call AND use my phone for a mobile hot-spot. I know VoLTE will fix this, but I'm shocked to hear AT&T may beat VZ to the punch on this since Verizon has had LTE since just about forever.

(In fairness, AT&T has been less than ambitious to deliver LTE because their "3G" is 72Mbit capable & LTE is 100Mbit. VZ's 3G is single digit Mbit & LTE represents a huge jump. --and AT&T's 3G network can do voice + data with 1 radio, hold 6 calls at once, merge/unmerge any line at will. --you just get dropped calls.)

*sigh* Why can't I just have it all?!

[Old_GTE_customer]

It's a  ****  shame that the strongest cellular service in america can get this straight!! I don't mind the voice over data but i cant believe the you can't choose who to hang up on!! When i use to be able to do it with an old *** flip phone!

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator