Will new phone help eliminate echo?

[streetcore]

Hi,

I'm trying Fongo mobile with my Rogers prepaid plan and a daily data pass. A family member gave me an HTC Desire C with Android 4.0.3 for testing, but the echo is pretty bad on voice calls. I've tried all the echo cancelling options, but the best I can get is one clear echo. The worst is three or more echos or a voice like a munchkin with "alternate call stream" selected.

If I could get Fongo to work reasonably well I was thinking about buying a new Motorola Moto E, but my initial experience makes me think Fongo won't be worth using. Will a new phone like the Motorola make any difference?

Thanks.

[bridonca]

Brick shaped device make for awful phones. They need active echo cancellation built in to be somewhat usable. Fongo is currently not able to access to some phone's active echo cancellation, and have to revert to software solutions which are not that good.

I cannot say how good your new phone will be at getting rid of the echo. There are quite a few variables to consider. However, if you want to get rid of echo now, buy yourself a headset with compatible plug. Because the speaker and mic are further away and closer to your face, active echo cancellation is not needed as much, if at all, as there is no feedback coming from the mic and speaker of the headset. You could also consider getting a bluetooth headset, but that is a little more complicated to configure.

[streetcore]

Brick shaped device make for awful phones.

Thanks for the info, but aren't almost all mobile phones brick shaped now? Is there a different type of phone that works better with Fongo?

I have a bluetooth headset and some headphones with a mic that I used on my Nokia C3 prepaid phone, so I'll try setting them up with the HTC and see if it helps.

Thanks.

[bridonca]

Brick shaped device make for awful phones.

Thanks for the info, but aren't almost all mobile phones brick shaped now? Is there a different type of phone that works better with Fongo?

I have a bluetooth headset and some headphones with a mic that I used on my Nokia C3 prepaid phone, so I'll try setting them up with the HTC and see if it helps.

Thanks.

Yeah, most new mobile phones are bricks/slabs, and they are all still awful phones. There is a lot of technology added to make them passable as phones to eliminate the echo.

Of course you would have a C3! Those headphones might not work, because older Nokia phones used a different headphone/mic standard than anyone else. Microsoft Nokia phones switched to the newer standard, not 100% if the C3 uses the old standard or not. Will not hurt to try it though. You will probably have better luck with the bluetooth.

[streetcore]

You're right. The Nokia headphones don't work. The bluetooth Jabra headset worked better on the test call, but instead of an echo I got a bunch of static and what sounded like a background conversation. I turn the headset off and on again and made another test call, but then the call cut in and out several times. I also sent my brother a text message and he said he got a one ring call from my Fongo number, but no message or text. So I'm not having much luck with Fongo at all. I was really hoping it would work for me, so I'm pretty disappointed.

[bridonca]

As you just discovered, bluetooth with the Fongo client is experimental. It is why I do not use it. Not that I am expecting you to emulate this, but I bought the freephoneline SIP settings, and input them into the native Android SIP client. It works well.

For cheap options, you can use a regular set of headphones and use the phone's microphone as long as you are able to make it that the mic will not pick up the headphones. Or look for an Apple compatible headset, they usually work.