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My iPhone 6 is randomly getting really choppy reception when trying to make a call

T

TH55

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Nov 5, 2011
3,328
152
This just started yesterday, but it only happens every 1 out 5 calls. When I try to make a call, it is cutting in and out from the moment it starts dialing and I can barely hear anything. I have to hang up and redial, which it is then usually clear as day.

Could this be a software issue or is it most likely the antenna? I am AT&T, 64 GB jailbroken on iOS 8.1.1. I also use CallBar, but I can't see how either of these modifications could affect something that is usually hardware related. I'd prefer not to take it in to the Apple Store as I would have to unjailbreak it. Any suggestions? Thanks!
 
Do you have VoLTE active in your area? If so, could this be a teething pain from that?
 
Chatter said:
Try this and see if it helps.

Settings - Cellular - Enable LTE -> make it data only.
Click to expand...

Ok, thx. I'll give it a shot and let you know. Is there any disadvantage to turning LTE voice off?
 
TH55 said:
Ok, thx. I'll give it a shot and let you know. Is there any disadvantage to turning LTE voice off?
Click to expand...

Yes. In places where AT&T's LTE network isn't dense and reliable the calls will drop on VoLTE. If you turn it off then the phone just goes back to "4G" during the call like it used to.
 
Apple Trees said:
Yes. In places where AT&T's LTE network isn't dense and reliable the calls will drop on VoLTE. If you turn it off then the phone just goes back to "4G" during the call like it used to.
Click to expand...

No I'm asking if there's any disadvantage to turning LTE off
 
TH55 said:
No I'm asking if there's any disadvantage to turning LTE off
Click to expand...
Voice over LTE calls are supposed to sound better, and they let you use LTE-speed data while in a call.

If you disable Voice over LTE, then call quality drops back to the usual, and if you use data during a voice call, it drops to "4G" speeds.
 
aristobrat said:
Voice over LTE calls are supposed to sound better, and they let you use LTE-speed data while in a call.

If you disable Voice over LTE, then call quality drops back to the usual, and if you use data during a voice call, it drops to "4G" speeds.
Click to expand...

Wait does LTE make it sound kind of weird, like the background noise is almost cancelld out completely?
 
T5BRICK said:
Possibly. It's a higher quality audio signal so I imagine there would be less background noise.
Click to expand...

It sounded bad though, like too high pitched and artificial. I hope this isn't the future of cell phone technology.
 
Chatter said:
Try this and see if it helps.

Settings - Cellular - Enable LTE -> make it data only.
Click to expand...

Yep, fixed it! Thanks. I'm still confused as to why I am the only one who had experienced this in my family/friends with iPhones on AT&T. I assume that is the default setting since I've never changed it.

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aristobrat said:
Yeah. Sounds weird to me.
Click to expand...

Yeah why do they continually make inferior changes to working technology?
 
voLTE caused me so many problems. I was dropping every single call! That should be off by default. I can only imagine the number of people visiting the apple store about dropped calls.
 
TH55 said:
Yep, fixed it! Thanks. I'm still confused as to why I am the only one who had experienced this in my family/friends with iPhones on AT&T. I assume that is the default setting since I've never changed it.
Click to expand...
Maybe their LTE coverage is "better enough" for VoLTE calls to work more reliably?

Yeah why do they continually make inferior changes to working technology?
Click to expand...
VoLTE calls sound weird to me because I'm not used to how silent the background is, but I'm not sure I'd call that an "inferior change". It's something I could definitely get used to. :D
 
TH55 said:
Yep, fixed it! Thanks. I'm still confused as to why I am the only one who had experienced this in my family/friends with iPhones on AT&T. I assume that is the default setting since I've never changed it.

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Yeah why do they continually make inferior changes to working technology?
Click to expand...
Nothing inferior about allowing for the use of LTE data while in a call.
 
C DM said:
Nothing inferior about allowing for the use of LTE data while in a call.
Click to expand...

That's not what I said at all. I said LTE is inferior sound quality and experience, and several others agreed with me.
 
TH55 said:
That's not what I said at all. I said LTE is inferior sound quality and experience, and several others agreed with me.
Click to expand...

Part of it is probably letting the user continue to use LTE data (hotspots for others, and downloads) while on a call. Also, the negation of background noise is something that you're not used to, but is actually beneficial. Some people also say 144Hz displays feel weird, too, but they're the future.
 
TH55 said:
That's not what I said at all. I said LTE is inferior sound quality and experience, and several others agreed with me.
Click to expand...
Except that it isn't in many areas. It might have some issues with poor or overloaded coverage areas and/or it might simply sound new/different to people, but the technology itself and the experience that quite a few people have are all quite positive and it's seen as an improvement.

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exizeo said:
Part of it is probably letting the user continue to use LTE data (hotspots for others, and downloads) while on a call. Also, the negation of background noise is something that you're not used to, but is actually beneficial. Some people also say 144Hz displays feel weird, too, but they're the future.
Click to expand...

That's certainly one aspect of it--it's new and different and some people are not used to that and attribute negative things to it when in fact it's just them simply not being used to it when in various sesnses it's in fact better.
 
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