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  1. #16
    Doug Kanter
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality


    "Isaiah Beard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Doug Kanter wrote:
    >
    > > I use SprintPCS with a 4 year old Motorola StarTac ST7867. Just moved to

    a
    > > new house and I can barely get a signal unless I stand in the middle of

    the
    > > yard. That's problematic in winter. After grilling a couple of customer
    > > service reps on the phone, I stopped into the Sprint store today and

    came
    > > away with some questions I need answered before I terminate my service

    and
    > > try another provider
    > >
    > > 1) The salesman was the first Sprint employee I've found who was

    actually
    > > able to show me the actual location of antennas. There's one a mile from

    my
    > > home, and 2 others within 5 miles, with no obstructions of any kind. No
    > > hills, no tall buildings, just trees and homes. He says this explains
    > > nothing because he signal is highly directional. True or false?

    >
    > Resoundly True. Cell sites use directional antennae... in fact in an
    > area where buildout is mature, they sort of have to. Cell sites, even
    > those that operate on CDMA as Sprint does, are sectorized to reduce
    > interference with neighboring cells on different pilot signals.
    >
    >
    > > 2) His next suggestion was (of course) to try a newer phone because mine
    > > uses "older technology" which might not be able to pick up such a great
    > > signal. Likely or not?

    >
    > Actually, very likely. The 7867 is a 5 year old design at least, and
    > the network has changed quite a bit since then. The carriers have
    > worked to squeeze more capacity out of the network, and in CDMA that
    > means a generally higher signal to noise ratio (in CDMA, all other
    > conversations happening on the same channel are "noise" to your
    > particular handset), and thus greater tolerance requirements for a
    > higher noise floor. This has forced chipmakers (mainly Qualcomm) to
    > come up with better, more sensitive RF stages for newer handsets.
    >
    > The result is your old phone will still work with the present network,
    > but not as well as it did four years ago even in the best of
    > circumstances. If you put a current-model Sanyo side by side with your
    > StarTAC, the Sanyo will probably receive a better signal nearly all of
    > the time.
    >
    > > 3) Here's the tricky part: I'm not totally adverse to a newer phone,

    even
    > > though I have absolutely NO need for color, email, songs, games, digital
    > > pictures, or any other crap. I just need a friggin' phone. But, I've

    made an
    > > observation over the past few years while listening to the sound quality
    > > when people call me from THEIR phones. It seems that some manufacturers

    have
    > > gone WAY off the deep end when designing their noise cancelling
    > > arrangements. In many instances, background noise causes the phone to

    also
    > > kill or scramble the voice of the user. This, of course, makes the phone
    > > useless. I make quite a few calls from my boat in high winds, and people
    > > tell me that as long as I'm manually dealing with the wind somehow

    (turning
    > > away, etc), the phone sounds like a normal phone as opposed to some sort

    of
    > > special effects in a B-movie.

    >
    > Yeah, a casualty of the need to squeeze capacity is sound quality.
    > Vocoder ("VOice enCODER") bitrates have gone down, and that means your
    > StarTAC which uses a 13kbps vocoder will sound better than the
    > 8kpbs/variable-rate vocoder on today's phones. However, some phone
    > manufacturers are still better than others. A lot of people (including
    > myself) swear by the Sanyo models. Samsungs aren't all that great, and
    > the jury is still out on LG.
    >
    > Of course nothing, not even a StarTAC, beats the sound quality on the
    > original Qualcom QCP-2700s that Sprint first started out with back in
    > 1996. I had one and could swear that phone sounded as good, and
    > sometimes even better, than a landline. It was small and light, and it
    > was solidly built... if you smashed the 2700 against a brick, my bet
    > would be that the phone would win and the brick would lose.
    >
    > Sadly, none of that is true with current phones from any wireless
    > carrier these days.
    >
    > Before jumping ship, I would give the Sanyo 4920 a try. It's the
    > descendant of the 4900, which Sprint users have been raving about for a
    > while as being the best phone (of current models, anyway) for call
    > quality and for holding a signal.
    >
    > --
    > E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    > Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.
    >


    Thanks, Isaiah, for the specific phone model tips. The guy at the Sprint
    store pointed out a Sanyo. Years ago, I was in the car audio business,
    selling AND installing what I sold. Sanyos were hideous. Absolutely
    atrocious. We used to warn customers 10 times to keep the knobs & faceplate
    very clean for the first week because they'd be back to exchange the units
    for something real. 9 out of 10 people came back.

    So, my stomach turned when he mentioned Sanyo, but my experience goes back
    15 years. I'll take another look.





    See More: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality




  2. #17
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality

    In alt.cellular-phone-tech matt weber <[email protected]> wrote:

    : As for improved sensitivity with new technology? BS. Receiver
    : technology has changed remarkably little in the past 40 years. The RF
    : performance of the handset is mostly related to the antenna design in

    I agree. I have a 5 year old Kyocera 2-mode cellphone and it works
    much more reliably in a fringe area vs. my new Audiovox flip phone.
    My GF also has an old Audiovox and it works superior to the newer ones.

    In their efforts to make the phones compact and add features, they really
    don't seem to be paying attention to signal quality.
    b.




  3. #18
    Tom Holden
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality

    Connecting two antennas back-to-back makes a passive bi-directional
    repeater. It's a cheap solution useful where the field strength from each
    transmitter is high at the antenna which is pointing at it and there is an
    obstruction between the transmitter and receiver. I used this technique
    successfully on a 13 mile bi-directional analog video microwave link, with a
    1/2 mile dogleg from the top of the hill down into a valley. The hilltop
    site was unpowered and accessible only with ATV but was a lot cheaper than
    putting up a 300 ft tower.

    It should work with cellular telephony as you suggest. The trick is to
    capture enough energy from each transmitter to overcome the transmission
    line losses and lay down sufficient signal strength at both receivers. If
    you can't make it with antenna gain, then you'll have to go with an active
    repeater.

    Tom

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "dxAce" <[email protected]>
    Newsgroups:
    alt.cellular.sprintpcs,alt.cellular-phone-tech,rec.radio.shortwave
    Sent: Monday, October 11, 2004 17:28
    Subject: Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality


    >
    >
    > Doug Kanter wrote:
    >
    > > "dxAce" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > John Richards wrote:
    > > >
    > > > > "Doug Kanter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > > > There are solutions to your home location reception problem

    (external
    > > > > Yagi antenna hooked to an in-house repeater) but it's quite

    expensive.
    > > >
    > > > I've seen some setups that only use two yagi's, one in the home (or

    > > business), and the other outside,
    > > > connected only by cable. No repeater involved.
    > > >
    > > > dxAce
    > > > Michigan
    > > > USA
    > > >
    > > >

    > >
    > > And this does what? Somehow redirects the cellular signal into the

    home???
    >
    > What would be your best guess??? ;-)
    >
    > I have no idea whether it works or not.
    >
    > dxAce
    > Michigan
    > USA
    >
    >






  4. #19
    David
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality

    I have a Motorola 343 and it sounds very pleasant (for digital). Plus
    it has this handy feature: you don't have to unfold it. It's one of
    the new ''one piece'' designs.

    On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 18:32:42 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    >
    >"David" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >> I used to have crappy coverage (non-existant at home) until I switched
    >> to Verizon (800 mHz CDMA G3). It works flawlessly.
    >>
    >> You can switch providers and keep your existing number. It's called
    >> ''porting''. Radio Shack are the experts.

    >
    >I'm aware of the porting issue. And, Verizon is known around here for having
    >great coverage in rural areas, which Sprint does not.
    >
    >This leaves me with evaluating the audio quality of the phones themselves
    >(not the network, but the individual phone models).
    >





  5. #20
    clifto
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality

    Doug Kanter wrote:
    > So, my stomach turned when he mentioned Sanyo, but my experience goes back
    > 15 years. I'll take another look.


    A friend of mine raves about his Sanyo phone on Sprint. When his first
    was stolen, he worked really hard to find another like it.

    --
    The International Atomic Energy Agency warns that nuclear-bomb-making
    equipment from Iraq might now be in the hands of terrorists.

    How silly. Everyone knows Iraq had no nuclear capabilities.



  6. #21
    Jim85CJ
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality

    Sanyo phones seem to get the best signal (for me at least). I love my
    4920 and loved my 4900...

    clifto wrote:

    > Doug Kanter wrote:
    >
    >>So, my stomach turned when he mentioned Sanyo, but my experience goes back
    >>15 years. I'll take another look.

    >
    >
    > A friend of mine raves about his Sanyo phone on Sprint. When his first
    > was stolen, he worked really hard to find another like it.
    >


    --
    ------------------------------------------------------------

    "There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to
    say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities...
    I took part in the burning of villages."
    -- John Kerry



  7. #22
    Isaiah Beard
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality

    Doug Kanter wrote:

    > Thanks, Isaiah, for the specific phone model tips. The guy at the Sprint
    > store pointed out a Sanyo. Years ago, I was in the car audio business,
    > selling AND installing what I sold. Sanyos were hideous. Absolutely
    > atrocious. We used to warn customers 10 times to keep the knobs & faceplate
    > very clean for the first week because they'd be back to exchange the units
    > for something real. 9 out of 10 people came back.
    >
    > So, my stomach turned when he mentioned Sanyo, but my experience goes back
    > 15 years. I'll take another look.


    There seems to be an odd situation with asian electronics conglomerates,
    where the quality of their consumer audio, video and appliance products
    in NO way reflect the quality of their cell phones. Different divisions
    within the same conglomerate apparently have different philosophies.

    I agree with you that Sanyo A/V equipment is junk. However, their cell
    phones are uncharacteristically excellent.

    Conversely, I have a Samsung refrigerator in my kitchen and a Samsung 19
    inch LCD display on my computer, and they are excellent products that I
    have highly praised and recommended to other people. However Samsung's
    cell phones, for lack of a better term, are total ****. Every Samsung
    cell phone I've tried from 1999 all the way to the present are cheaply
    constructed, have horrible audio quality, and couldn't hold calls even
    when I was outside and in plain view of a Sprint cell tower.

    The exception is NEC/Mitsubishi. All of their products have proven to
    be mediocre.

    --
    E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.




  8. #23
    Doug Kanter
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality


    "Isaiah Beard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:6%[email protected]...
    > Doug Kanter wrote:
    >
    > > Thanks, Isaiah, for the specific phone model tips. The guy at the Sprint
    > > store pointed out a Sanyo. Years ago, I was in the car audio business,
    > > selling AND installing what I sold. Sanyos were hideous. Absolutely
    > > atrocious. We used to warn customers 10 times to keep the knobs &

    faceplate
    > > very clean for the first week because they'd be back to exchange the

    units
    > > for something real. 9 out of 10 people came back.
    > >
    > > So, my stomach turned when he mentioned Sanyo, but my experience goes

    back
    > > 15 years. I'll take another look.

    >
    > There seems to be an odd situation with asian electronics conglomerates,
    > where the quality of their consumer audio, video and appliance products
    > in NO way reflect the quality of their cell phones. Different divisions
    > within the same conglomerate apparently have different philosophies.
    >
    > I agree with you that Sanyo A/V equipment is junk. However, their cell
    > phones are uncharacteristically excellent.
    >
    > Conversely, I have a Samsung refrigerator in my kitchen and a Samsung 19
    > inch LCD display on my computer, and they are excellent products that I
    > have highly praised and recommended to other people. However Samsung's
    > cell phones, for lack of a better term, are total ****. Every Samsung
    > cell phone I've tried from 1999 all the way to the present are cheaply
    > constructed, have horrible audio quality, and couldn't hold calls even
    > when I was outside and in plain view of a Sprint cell tower.
    >
    > The exception is NEC/Mitsubishi. All of their products have proven to
    > be mediocre.


    If only Sanyo made a phone for Verizon, the runner-up in my quest for better
    and/or new service.....

    Talk about dumb, though: When I first got a cell phone, I signed a 1-year,
    29.95 per month contract with Sprint. At the end of the contract, I did
    nothing, they said nothing, and I just kept paying the bills for 2 more
    years. I called the guy at the Sprint store this morning and mentioned the
    Sanyo phone. He said that in order to get that phone, I'd have to upgrade to
    39.95 per month. I asked how a monetary issue is connected to the particular
    phone, and he sort of mumbled something about the purchase deal for the
    phone. He's checking with his supervisor blah blah blah.





  9. #24
    Bob Smith
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality


    "Doug Kanter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:uKybd.9298$%[email protected]...
    <snipped>

    > If only Sanyo made a phone for Verizon, the runner-up in my quest for

    better
    > and/or new service.....
    >
    > Talk about dumb, though: When I first got a cell phone, I signed a 1-year,
    > 29.95 per month contract with Sprint. At the end of the contract, I did
    > nothing, they said nothing, and I just kept paying the bills for 2 more
    > years. I called the guy at the Sprint store this morning and mentioned the
    > Sanyo phone. He said that in order to get that phone, I'd have to upgrade

    to
    > 39.95 per month. I asked how a monetary issue is connected to the

    particular
    > phone, and he sort of mumbled something about the purchase deal for the
    > phone. He's checking with his supervisor blah blah blah.


    The minimum plans now are $35/mo. plus taxes and surcharges. If you take the
    full $150 credit off a new phone, you will be required to commit to a new 2
    year agreement.

    Bob





  10. #25
    Doug Kanter
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality


    "Bob Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    >
    > "Doug Kanter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:uKybd.9298$%[email protected]...
    > <snipped>
    >
    > > If only Sanyo made a phone for Verizon, the runner-up in my quest for

    > better
    > > and/or new service.....
    > >
    > > Talk about dumb, though: When I first got a cell phone, I signed a

    1-year,
    > > 29.95 per month contract with Sprint. At the end of the contract, I did
    > > nothing, they said nothing, and I just kept paying the bills for 2 more
    > > years. I called the guy at the Sprint store this morning and mentioned

    the
    > > Sanyo phone. He said that in order to get that phone, I'd have to

    upgrade
    > to
    > > 39.95 per month. I asked how a monetary issue is connected to the

    > particular
    > > phone, and he sort of mumbled something about the purchase deal for the
    > > phone. He's checking with his supervisor blah blah blah.

    >
    > The minimum plans now are $35/mo. plus taxes and surcharges. If you take

    the
    > full $150 credit off a new phone, you will be required to commit to a new

    2
    > year agreement.
    >
    > Bob
    >
    >


    By the way, I was with a friend at a Verizon outlet a couple of months back.
    He wanted a phone ONLY for emergencies, and began to walk away from the
    counter when the guy gave him prices for plans with 200-400 minutes. The
    salesman said "Hang on a sec....", checked with someone else in the store,
    and revealed that there's a 19.95 deal with either no minutes, or very few -
    I don't recall. He said they don't publicize it much. Just something to
    know....





  11. #26
    Phil, Squid-in-Training
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality

    > I agree with you that Sanyo A/V equipment is junk. However, their
    > cell phones are uncharacteristically excellent.


    Absolutely!

    > Conversely, I have a Samsung refrigerator in my kitchen and a Samsung
    > 19 inch LCD display on my computer, and they are excellent products
    > that I have highly praised and recommended to other people. However
    > Samsung's cell phones, for lack of a better term, are total ****. Every
    > Samsung cell phone I've tried from 1999 all the way to the
    > present are cheaply constructed, have horrible audio quality, and
    > couldn't hold calls even when I was outside and in plain view of a
    > Sprint cell tower.


    I bought a Sanyo 5300 before coming to college just so that I wouldn't have
    to fight with the Samsung I had before that, since it would be my only
    phone. I activated it and have had only a few rare problems with it.

    A year after I got my 5300, my sister started to whine DAILY to me that
    "Sprint sucks so bad, I get cut off a minute into each and every call." She
    really wasn't lying. This was during the last 3 months or our 2-year
    contract, and both my parents' and sister's Samsungs were deteriorating
    fast, even after PRL/firmware updates. I was constantly telling her that it
    was the phone, not the service, but she wanted to switch to Verizon badly.
    I told her to give Sprint a chance, specifically with Sanyo 4920s. She
    hasn't mentioned one dropped call since. Talk about a total 180, huh? The
    retention deal wasn't too bad, either.

    Why would Sprint represent their service so poorly with Samsung phones
    instead of pushing Sanyo? In retail, repeat sales always takes precedence
    over a higher phone-profit-margin. It seems like a no-brainer.

    Oh, and the Samsungs were all A400s.

    --
    Phil, Squid-in-Training






  12. #27
    Steve Sobol
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality

    Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:

    > Why would Sprint represent their service so poorly with Samsung phones
    > instead of pushing Sanyo? In retail, repeat sales always takes precedence
    > over a higher phone-profit-margin. It seems like a no-brainer.


    Samsungs are OK. I like my A660.

    However, they could be better at holding signals - my wife's (discontinued)
    Hitachi P300 seems to generally be better than mine is. For RF, it probably
    doesn't come close to the Sanyo phones.


    --
    JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/
    Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / [email protected]
    PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED)
    Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids.



  13. #28
    itzup2me
    itzup2me is offline
    Junior Member

    Posts
    22

    Sprint Plan

    Actually Sprint has a $20.00 plan available and you can always return the phone if you don't like it. How many minutes are you getting on your $29.95 plan?



  14. #29
    John Richards
    Guest

    Re: Cell Phone Questions - Signal Problems & Audio Quality

    "Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Why would Sprint represent their service so poorly with Samsung phones instead of pushing Sanyo? In retail, repeat sales always
    > takes precedence over a higher phone-profit-margin. It seems like a no-brainer.
    >
    > Oh, and the Samsungs were all A400s.


    I'm not familiar with the Samsung A400, but our family has used
    Samsung A620 (VGA1000) phones for the past year, and we like them
    quite well. Before that we used the Samsung 8500, also a nice phone.

    --
    John Richards




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